an anchor has been found here; and, as I have been told, that on
digging, are to be found almoit every where old walls, vaults and
caufeways, far beneath the prefent furface of the ground. The Rn.
mans had a ftation on its banks, which their road pointed to : and
ftill the falls of the cliffs produce many proofs of the truth of the
aifertion. About eight years ago, by the lapfe of a great piece of
land, was difcovered great quantities of excellent iron, in fhort:
thick bars, from one to two feet in length, as if it had been cut
for the conveniency of retailing.
Other falls have produced difcoveries ftill more lingular, and
have layed open a fpecies of interment, as far as I know, hitherto
unnoticed. Some years ago, in the face of a broken bank, were;
difcovered, fix pillars in a line, ten feet diftance from one another,
and eighteen feet high from the top of the ground to the bed of
the Almond, fhewing out of the bank a femicircular face. Thefe
proved to have been the contents of certain cylindrical pits, funk
in the earth as places of fepulture. The urns were placed in.
them, and the hollows filled with earth of a different kind front
the banks, and fo ftrongly rammed in, as to remain coherent, after
the former had in part been wafhed away. The Rev. Mr. Duff
has defcribed thefe hollows in a manner fomewh at different, comparing
them to the fegments of a cone, with the broader part
downwards; and to have been filled with bones, afhes, and fragments
of urns. Thefe funebrious veffels have been found here
of different fizes; one of very uncommon dimenfions as well as
materials ; being of fine claf only half an inch' thick ; and entirely
plated in the infide with brafs. It was capable of containing ten
gallons; and was filled with afhes. Other urns of a ftnall fi*
have.
have been met with in thefe pits-; one held fome wood afhes, and
Bart of a Lacrymatory ; an evidence of the nation they belonged to.
So that if we may rely on the map of Richard of Cirencefter, this
■lace might have been the Orrea of the Romans.
■ A mile farther, on the plain, is the ancient houfe of Ruthven; R u t h v e n h o u s e .
tjnce^the feat of the unfortunate' Gowries. It confifts of two
fquare towers, built at different times; \ and diftinft from each
qther; but now joined by buildings of later date. The top of
<|ne of the towers is called the Maiden's leap, receiving its name on
the following occafion : a daughter of the firft Earl of Gowrie was
addreifed by a young gentleman of inferior, rank in the neighbourhood,
a frequent vifitor of the family, who never'would give
die leaft countenance to his paifion. His lodging was in the
Inver, feparate from that of his miftrefs ;
Sed vetuere patres quod non potuere vetare.
The lady, before the doors were fhut, conveyed herfelf into her
lover s apartment; but fome prying Duenna acquainted the count
s with it; who cutting off, as ihe thought, all poffibility of retreat,
haftened to furprize them. The young lady’s ears were
quick; ihe heard the footfteps of the old countefs, ran to the top
B r leads, and took the defperate leap of nine feet four inches
over a chafm of fixty feet, and luckily lighting on the battlements
H i the other tower, crept into her own bed, where her aftonifhed
■tother found her, and of courfe apologized for the unjuft fuf-
Hcioh. The fair daughter did not choofe to repeat the leap ; but
j S 'c next night eloped, and was married.
But