Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/270

 23 1 THE .MAIDEN WAY, when the patriarch Jacob was journeying into Egypt to behold his long-lost son, the nomadic Celts were crossing the English Channel, disputing territorial rights with the wolf and the wild boar, and peopling the savage coasts of the British Isles. ]May we not, therefore, without any very unreasonable stretch of the imagination, fancy that we see the British Druids raising their ponderous altars at the same time that the great Jewish law-giver was setting up the tabernacle by divine direction, and delivering the command- ments to the twelve tribes in the wilderness of Sinai ? About half way between Skelton Mile Castle and Wise's Fold, it passes the groundwork of a small building about four yards square, on the edge of a hill, which may have been a small fort. Somewhere near this place another road has branched off to the north-east ; it crossed the Kershope river at the Caems Brae, aiming for the head of the Queen Syke, the Flight Ground, Dinlabyre Fell, and AVhitleygill Head. (mOO yards.) At 10,350 yards, it passes on the east side of Wise's Fold, where there may have been buildings at some period. A little to the west of this place stands the monument (11 feet high) erected in memory of Thomas ])avi<lson, a game-watcher to Sir James Graham; he was mui'dered on this spot, November 8, 184.9. The smuggler's road quits the ]raiden Way here, and turns more to the west. A little to the west from the monument is a pond called the Curragh Loch, which was formerly much more extensive, l)ut is now nearly grown up with moss. The traditions of the district inform us that a chest of gold was deposited in it, in some great emergency, and that it can only be removed by " twae twin lads, twae twin yads (hoi'ses), and twac twin oxen," ;i]] pulling together. (700 yai-ds.) At 1 1,050 yai-ds it passes on the west side of the Green l ov(at the head (if the Civiigy Cleugh. Here avc tlic ti-accs (•{" (lie foundations of two buildings, which may mark the |)(»siiion of ;i Mile Castle, which wt)uld here commaml the deej) defile. (GOO yards.) At I l,(."i yards it reaches (he waters of Kershope i-iver, and then entei's iiilo the " L.-md of Ihirns." On the sou til side of the rivei" we fun I the i(iii;i ins of ;i not her ol tliiise (ifl ;ii|i| ||o;irv IiH Hioi-i.'! Is of h:_'<Mie d;iVS, '.V.i fcct