Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/146

108 108 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. however inured to the hardships of war, must have found indispensable on these inclement heights. Here it was. that, in 1S22, the remarkable dis- covery of Mithraic antiquities occurred, of which a full account may be found in the " Archaeologia^ liana," and in " Hodgson's Historv," vol.iii., p. 190. In accompanying our author along the course of the barrier, we are struck with the curious lingering traditions which he has gleaned in his progress. The strange tale, that the Romans held up their broad feet as a protection against the rain, may possibly have gained credence from seeino- some vestige or impress of the wide soles of the military caligce ; but it may fairly be conjectured, that the ludicrous tale of the sciopodce, related by Pliny, and one of the favourite marvels of medieval times, had reached even this distant frontier. We must cordially claim for Mr. Bruce, in a track where several able writers on antiquity had preceded him, the merit of contributing much fresh information, which has repaid his assiduous personal examination of the minutest details. Amongst the most important discoveries due to his acuteness in research, may be specially mentioned the conduit by which water was supplied to the station of u£sica, an ingenious work, which had escaped the notice of previous authors. Of this achievement of Roman engineering a full report and elaborate plan is given. The length of this curious water-course is about six miles. It is an extraordinary feature of its construction that this aqueduct was on the northern or enemy's side of the barrier. This single fact may tend to show that the country beyond the wall was, for some distance, held in subjection under the influence of that cordon of well-appointed fortresses. Many are the points of interest as we look onwards towards the Solway, or scale the Walltown crags and " Nine Nicks of Thirlwall," where we would gladlv linger a moment under Nine Nicks of Thirlwall. our author's agreeable guidance, or diverge with him to the " supporting stations of the Wall," to which the third section of the work is devoted. In these last, perhaps, the admirable military skill and forethought of tbe