Forts, Gamps, etc. in Roxburghshire. By J. Geikie. 145 



them on two farms lying on the southern slopes of Linton Hill. 

 Such of them as now remain have probably been disturbed. 

 The late Mr Purves, Burnfoot, often told me that in the earlier 

 years of his tenancy, he had many of them broken up, and found 

 in them ancient pottery and bones. But when these remains 

 were exposed, they went to pieces. 



" The Tryst Stones have long disappeared. I remember one 

 old man who had seen them, but I did not know of this till after 

 his' death. From what I have been able to gather, it appears 

 that the circle stood about 300 yards east of the curious hollow 

 which the Statistical Account compares to a cockpit. The field in 

 which the stones were is still called the Five-stone field ; and a 

 parish road, about 200 yards off, the Five-stone road ; but I am 

 told that just at this point, the present road leaves the line of 

 the old track, which ran close to the circle and pit. I have often 

 wondered what the history of this hollow has been. It seems to 

 have been artificial, though its perfectly regular form has been 

 lost of late years, by the making of a sloping track through its 

 edge to cart off stones that lay at the bottom." 



Several instances of urns and other finds in the Hownam dis- 

 trict have come to my notice, but they are reserved, as well as 

 much curious matter obtained recently, for a subsequent year. 

 The list at present given will, it is to be hoped, aid further 

 research. 



To Sir Walter Elliot, I owe some reminiscences of camps, &c. 

 in the Southdean and Hobkirk districts. Sir Walter says : 

 "Within the memory of persons of middle age, there was a 

 somewhat remarkable fort, or tumulus on the farm of Turn- 

 pikehead, close to the N.E. of Southdean Church, now in the 

 occupation of Mr Telf er, whose father took the place when it was 

 moorland and ploughed up the whole. The old name of the 

 farm was * Eound-about,' from the circular ditches surrounding 

 the spot." Subsequently, Sir Walter states, " I have got some 

 further particulars about * The Eound-about,' from my keeper's 

 wife, a daughter of old Andrew Telfer, the late farmer. She 

 remembers it quite perfect in what is now the field opposite the 

 New Church, but then an open heath covered with heather, in 

 which stood the Eound-about, a circular enclosure 25 to 30 yards 

 in diameter, surrounded by a high earthen mound, outside of 

 which was a deep ditch, and beyond it a second earthen mound 

 not so high as the inner one. It was a favourite playing place of 



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