18 Report of Meetings for 1885, By Jas. Hardy. 



disadvantage that the water descends rapidly during floods, and 

 suddenly submerges them. 



The party drove on with the high green hills on the right, and 

 cultivated land on the left, as far as Swinside Hall. There is 

 much quicken in the light arable fields, as there is in most grey- 

 wacke and porphyritic soils. It is Holms mollis, or "Whin rack," 

 called here " Quggans," and turns up in great sheets. It is 

 easily extracted by the harrow, collected by the labourers, and 

 burnt, and the ashes spread. 



There is a conspicuous Scotch fir plantation here on the lower 

 part of Jock's Hill, shewing how well trees would grow here for 

 sheltering purposes. 



There is an avenue of elms and ashes from the Oxnam up to 

 Swinside. Swinside Townfoot belonged till recently to a family 

 named Douglas. We have only to turn the corner of the road 

 to go upwards to encounter the Townhead. In a newspaper, 

 while I am writing this — January 1886 — I observe the name at 

 Collingwood, Australia, of James Douglas, formerly of Swinside 

 Burnfoot. 



It had been intended to have proceeded, had time permitted, to 

 the " Eoman Camp " on Pennymoor, near Street House, not far 

 from Kale Water, but it was thought advisable to turn back and 

 visit Oxnam. 



Mr Simson had kindly provided refreshments for the company 

 at Oxnam Eow before they set out to see the village, the church, 

 and churchyard. He told us that a good Andrea Ferrara sword 

 had been found while draining at Bloodylaws ; and that a very 

 fine much polished battle axe (celt) of greenstone, and several 

 flint arrow-heads had been picked up on Oxnam Eow. In the drift 

 as exposed behind the hinds' cottages there are several glaciated 

 stones and pebbles. The sand-martins frequent the crumbling 

 scaurs or brae heads. In a field opposite the under gate of the 

 approach to the house, across the public road — where a cottage 

 once stood — a British slab grave was come on, when removing 

 the cottage. It was covered by a heavy flat greyish yellow 

 " bastard sandstone " derived from rocks in the neighbourhood ; 

 which having been difficult to remove, had been retained for the 

 foundation or floor. The cist was only two feet long by 18 

 inches across, and contained black matter, bones, and ashes. The 

 cover was four feet square. It is preserved. Mr Simson has a 



