It is plain, however, that if all the temporary camps which have been found in Scotland, had been occupied in that way, at the same time, with troops sufficient to defend the ramparts, it would have required all the legions of imperial Rome to retain possession of the portion of North Britain conquered by that people. Whereas, except under Severus, it does not appear that ever there were more, at one time, than three legions, with their auxiliaries, in this country. The temporary camps being occupied commonly for a few days, and sometimes for a single night, it was only the permanent camps that were constructed for the purposes mentioned by the author of Caledonia. The castra stativa seem not to have been numerous but upon the walls, and they were seldom intended to hold a large garrison. Two cohorts, or about 1200 men, might constitute the force allotted for the defence of the most important; and there are some posts that would not contain more than a half or a third of that number.

The Roman camp at Peter Culter on the Dee, vulgarly called Norman Dykes, is situated 6 English miles northward of the camp at Urie, and is similar to those we have described in Strathmore. The camp at Glenmailen, in Aberdeenshire, also called Rae Dykes, is similar to that at Urie, and both resemble the camps in Strathmore: they are only different in this particular, that each camp has a remarkable flexure, or elbow, on (one side. There are no appearances indicating that an engagement has happened near to Peter Culter, or Glenmailen; and there are no vestiges either of camp, or battle, at Knock Hill, in Banffshire, supposed to be the Mons Grampius of Richard.

Though the camp at Peter Culter be similar to Battle

Dykes, in Angus, we incline to think, notwithstanding, that Agricola did not penetrate farther to the northward than Kethick, where we suppose he encamped with a division of his army; that Urbicus advanced upon the same route, and re-occupied some of the camps of the former general, in Strathmore; that he pushed on in the same line of march to Rae Dykes, in the Mearns, and then turned northward to Peter Culter. It is not improbable, that the army of Urbicus was of nearly the same numerical strength with that of Agricola, or about 26,000 men; and also, that the Polybian systém of castrametation was followed by both commanders. The traverses of the gates of all these camps are straight; and it is clear, that the intrenchments at Peter Culter were not formed, and could not have been occupied, in the Heginian style. It was during the reign of Hadrian, or about 20 years before Urbicus took the command in North Britain, that the Heginian system began to be adopted in the Roman armies: but this being a remote part of the empire, that system might not yet have found its way to Scotland: or perhaps a great captain, such as Urbicus, would restore the ancient discipline, and prefer the Polybian system of castrametation, as being by far the best.-We make these observations with much diffidence: we conceive that it is impossible to prove that Agricola did not penetrate to the Dee, or that the territories of the Horestii did not extend to that river.

Turning southward, we shall notice some antiquities as we pass. Before leaving Fetteresso, we may mention, that Malcolm I. great-grandson of Kenneth M'Alpin, having defeated and slain Cellach, the rebellious Maormor of Moray, in a subsequent year, the Moravians

took arms to revenge his death: advancing into the Mearns, they were met by Malcolm, who was slain at Fetteresso, anno 953. According to the Chron. No. 5. of Innes, it was per dolum, by treachery.-Maol-colm, signifies the devotee, or follower, of Columba. Maor mor: Maor, in British, signifies a Governor; hence, perhaps, Mayor. Maor, in Gaelic, signifies a Steward, and anciently, among the Scots, was the same with Baron: Maor-mor, a Great Baron.

. Duncan II. son and successor of Malcolm III. surnamed Caenmore, was assassinated by Maolpeder, the maormor of Mearns, at Monachedin, on the banks of the Bervie, anno 1095. In a field near the House of Mondynes, there still remains a large upright stone, eight feet above the ground, but without any carving or ornament, which is supposed to be the stone of Duncan, and to mark the spot where he was treacherously murdered, at a hunting party. Boece, Buchanan, &c. carry into Menteith the scene of this foul deed; but Chalmers has clearly shewn Monachedin to be Mondynes in the Mearns. Cal. vol. i. p. 424.- Maolpeder, signifies the Follower of Peter. There cannot be a stronger proof of the indeterminate nature of Celtic orthography, hitherto, than is afforded by the surname of the redoubted Malcolm III.* Caenmore is spelt, at least, six different ways, by different writers, and signifies Great Head. We may here remark, that this surname, and all the names of the kings and maormors of Scotland proper, being Gaelic during the eleventh century, it is natural to infer that this language was then spoken in the country.

* Caen, sometimes spelt Can, or Kan, Head, or Chief, is certainly akin to the Tartar Khan.

About a mile south-west from Fettercairn, and nearly half a mile west of Balmain, is situated a Pictish fort, commonly called the Green Cairn of Balbegno. It is of an oval figure, and is surrounded by two ramparts. The outer wall is built with large stones, without cement; and under the foundations have been discovered the ashes of burnt wood. Between the outer and inner rampart, the distance is 94 feet. The inner wall is 30 feet in thickness, and has all been subjected to the action of fire, for it is entirely vitrified. It encloses an area of 140 feet in length, by 67 on the east, and 52 at the west end. The elevation of the north side is still about 40 feet, and it is fully 60 on the south side, where the ground below is a morass. Maitland mistook this Pictish strength for a Roman work. Hist. of Scotland. - In the Stat. Acco. of Fettercairn, vol. v. p. 134, it is mentioned, that "tradition calls it Finella's Castle; and the people believe it to have been her residence. After the murder of Kenneth, his attendants set fire to the building, and reduced it to ashes."―This tradition is probably founded on the ridiculous fiction of Boece, concerning the manner of the death of this monarch; yet there is no reason to doubt that he was treacherously murdered near Fettercairn, by the orders of Finella.

Kenneth III. son of Malcolm I. on the death of Culen, A. D. 970, succeeded to the Scottish crown, and reigned 24 years. He was able, active, and unprincipled. He gave the Danes a total overthrow at Luncarty. He had the address, it is said, to persuade his nobles to concur with him, in changing the order of succession to the throne in favour of his son, afterwards Malcolm II.; and to the prejudice of Malcolm, the son of Duff, whose

death he procured soon after this settlement, causing him to be taken off by poison. All this may be true; but the fact is, that both Constantine IV. and Kenneth IV. held the Scottish sceptre before Malcolm II. In a succeeding year, he suppressed an insurrection in the Mearns, and put to death the only son of Finella, the lady of the maormor of the Mearns, and the daughter of Cunnechat, the maormor of Angus.-Chron. No. 5, in Innes. The son of Finella is called Crathilinthus, by Buchanan; and he is said to have richly merited his fate: nevertheless, the revenge of Finella was im→ placable. Kenneth, as he advanced in years, became superstitious: he gave Brechin to the church; and, being tormented with a guilty conscience, on account of the death of Malcolm, the son of Duff, he visited the tombs of the saints. When on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Palladius, at Fordoun, he is said to have been induced to lodge a night in the castle of Finella, at Fettercairn, where he was traitorously slain. The story told by Boece is, that Finella led the king to a secret chamber, to shew him a brazen statue of curious workmanship, which was so ingeniously constructed, that, on pulling a slender cord, it discharged a flight of arrows, and killed his majesty on the spot. This fable is repeated by Major; but discredited by Buchanan, who sensibly remarks, "Neither can I readily persuade myself, that there were as many precious stones in all Scotland, as what Boethius bestows on that woman alone." It is not to be supposed, that so politic a prince as Kenneth III. would allow himself to be inveigled into a castle by Finella, after he had put to death her only son. Buchanan agrees with Winton, who says, the king was slain by some horsemen placed in ambush