482 Report of Meetings for 1881. By Jas. Hardy. 



time in ascending order we find Trilobites in addition to the Grap- 

 tolites and Annelidas " present in the Thornielee slates.* 



Specimens of the galena or lead ore mixed with zinc blende, 

 and also fossil Graptolites from the neighbouring hills, were to 

 be seen in Mr Mathison's garden, which many of the members 

 visited before breakfast. A cross or pillar with sculpturing of 

 Celtic type is here preserved erected on a pedestal, of which Mr 

 Mathison has furnished a drawing. It had been discovered in 

 the old church at Innerleithen when removed. There were here 

 also several querns of porphyry and conglomerate from the dis- 

 trict. These querns, Mr Mathison states, " were found when 

 breaking in hill ground at an elevation of about 1000 feet, one 

 upon the farm of West Bold and the other on the farm of Dam- 

 head. The under stones are conglomerate and much resemble the 

 breccias or conglomerates of the Firth of Forth near North Ber- 

 wick. The upper stone is a felspar porphyry from the neigh- 

 bourhood, very hard and enduring." Mr Mathison at his cottage 

 grows some beautifm flowers, and some rare Peebleshire ferns, 

 including two forms of Woodsia llvensis. 



The excursion was by conveyances furnished from the Traquair 

 Arms, thft route being in the first place for Traquair House. Be- 

 fore reaching the entrance attention may be called to a forgotten 

 object, mentioned by Euickbie, the poet, which should be exam- 

 ined, called " The Fairy Stane." The scene is about a quarter 

 of a mile from Innerleithen. " The stone called the Fairy Stone 

 is yet to be seen at a place called the Chapman Hope, situated at 

 the foot of an opening between two hills, called the Curlaw 

 Swire ; it derives its name from one of these hills called the Cur- 

 law rock, and famous in the olden times as the place where the 

 revels of those beings called fairies were annually held."f 



In passing to Traquair house, the prominent peaks of the moun- 

 tain ranges, especially the Lee Pen and Wallace Hill, took the 

 attention. There are the remains of a camp on the north side of 

 the latter, but rather obscure. The grounds of Traquair were en- 

 tered at the new castellated lodge at the entrance gate on the 

 main road. The house lies to the right, the Quair having to be 

 crossed by a bridge built lately, before the carriage drive to the 

 house is reached. The ford lower down was used latterly, but it 

 is understood that the late Lord Traquair allowed it to go to ruin. 

 * Siluria, p. 152. 

 t Transactions of the Hawick Archaeological Society, 1864, p. 27, 



