D u n g l a s .
above the bridge of the burn o f Dalmure, near the village W
Duntocber, are the veftiges of a fort and watch-tower, with a very
deep fofs. The houfes in the village appear to have been formal
out of the ruins, for many of the ftones -are fmoothed on the life
and on one are ..the letters N. E. R. O, very legible. This w a ll wai
guarded with fmall forts from end to end, that is to fay from near
Kirkpatric to within two miles of Abercorn, or, as Bede c a lls t I
the monaftery of Abercurnig, on the Firth of Forth, a fp a c e ol I
thirty-fix miles eight hundred and eighty-feven paces : of thelt I
forts ten are planned by the ingenious Mr. Gordon; and num. I
bers of the infcriptions found in them, engraven. This great I
work was performed by the foldiery-under Loilius Urbicus, Lie#- I
tenant o f Antoninus, in purfuance o f the plan before pointed out I
by the great Agricola, who garrifoned the whole Ipace between tht I
two firths, removing, as it was, the barbarians into another I
ifland *. .
Ireland will fcarce forgive me if I am filent about the birth- I
place of its tutelar faint -He firft drew breath at Kirkpatric, and I
derived his name from his father, a noble Roman (a PatricmI I
who fled hither in the time of perfecution. St. Patric took ot I
himfelf the charge of Ireland; founded there 3 6 5 churches, ordained
3 6 5 bilhops, 3 0 0 0 priefts, converted 1 2 0 0 0 perfons in out
diftrift, baptized feven kings at once, eftabliihed a purgatory,
and with his ftaff at once expelled every reptile that flu n g or
croaked.
-Somewhat lower, on the fame fide, Dunglas projects into tin
* Tacitus,
wattii
water, and forms a round bay. On the point is a ruined fort, perhaps
on the fite of a Roman for probably the wall might have ended
fere as at this very place, the water is deep, and at all times unford-
able by foot or horfe. The fort was blown up in 1640, as fome fay,
by the defperate treachery of an Englijh boy, page to the Earl of
Haddington, who, with numbers of people of rank', were miferably
Seftroyed *. Below this the river widens, and begins to have the
appearance of an aeftuary : the fcene varies into other beauties ; the
hills are rocky, but cloathed at the bottom by ranges o f woods, and
numbers of pretty villas grace the country. Dunbuc makes now a
eonfiderable figure : the plain of Dunbarton opens ; the vail and
¿range bicapitated rock, with the fortrefs, appears full in front ;•
the town and its fpire beyond ; the fine river Leven on one fide, and
the vaft mountains above Loch-lomond, and the great bafe and foaring
top of Ben-lomond clofe the view.
■ The Roman fleet in all probability, had its ftation under Dunbarton
: the Glota, or Clyde, has there fufficient depth o f water; the
place was convenient and fecure ; near the end of the w a ll; and
covered by the fort at Dunglas: the Pharos on the top o f the great
flock is another ftrong proof that the Romans made it their harbour,
.for the water beyond is impafiable for lhips, or any veflels o f large
burden.
■ After a long conteft with a violent adverfe wind, and very turbulent
water, pafs under, on the S. Ihore, Newark 5 a caftellated houfe,
with round towers. Vifit Port-Glafgow, a eonfiderable town, with Port-Glasgow.
a great pier, and numbers of large lhips : dependent on Glafgow, a
* Whittle of, 3; Crawford's Peerage, 182.
Y creation