SUPPOSED UPHEAVAL OF SCOTLAND. 41 
combated the supposed recent upheaval of Scotland. The review in the 
“ Athenzeum” stated, most incorrectly, that I had adduced evidence to support 
that opinion. 
To the second question by Sir CHARLES LYELL, I replied that one or two facts 
had come to my knowledge confirmatory of the opinion which I had expressed. 
In particular, I referred to the discovery of a remarkable Roman-sculptured 
tablet, which showed that Antonine’s wall terminated not at Carriden, as sup- 
posed by Professors GEIKIE and Ramsay, but at Bridgeness, and so close to the 
sea, as to preclude the idea that when that wall and tablet were erected, the land 
could have been twenty-five feet lower than now. 
Sir Cuar.es LYELL, as I found by his answer, had not before heard of this 
tablet. I therefore referred him for an account of it to the “ Transactions of 
the Scottish Society of Antiquaries,” and informed him that, if he came to Scot- 
land, he could inspect the tablet in the Society’s Museum, and could afterwards 
go out to the place where it had been found. 
Sir CHARLES came to Edinburgh last autumn, and inspected the tablet. He 
wrote to me expressing much interest in it, and great regret that his health had 
not permitted him to visit Bridgeness. He pointed out to me, that the account 
in the “ Transactions of the Antiquarian Society” did not state with sufficient 
precision, the height above the sea, of the place where the tablet was discovered, 
and he urged me to take some opportunity of ascertaining all the facts bearing 
on the upheaval question. 
With this request of Sir Cuartes Lyeti I complied ; and as both he and I 
consider the facts ascertained sufficiently interesting to deserve being made 
known, I now bring them before this Society. 
Place where the Tablet was discovered. 
The tablet was found on an elongated knoll projecting mto the sea, where 
there is now the harbour called Bridgeness. 
T understand from Henry Cavett, Esq. of Grange, to whom the knoll and 
the harbour belong, that the original name was Briech-ness. The word so spelt 
occurs in old deeds and writings in Mr CADELL’s possession. 
On consulting Mr Witi1AM SKENE as to the probable etymology of the word, 
I was informed by him that, in Pictish times, the district lymg between the rivers 
Carron on the west, and Almond on the east, was called “ Briach,” which means 
“speckled ;” and h@supposes that the projecting knoll received its name of 
Ness or Nose, as being the only, or, at all events, the largest rock of that shape 
in the district projecting into the sea. 
The knoll, which is about 100 yards long, and about 50 yards wide, and 
composed of hard blue whinstone, 7s, in pointof fact, larger than any other pro- 
jecting point or promontory in that part of the coast. At two other places, one 
