prietor Sir Michael Bruce, who constructed a wretched mill-dam out of its materials? A flood of the river Carron visited the sacrilegious proceeding with proper retribution, by sweeping it away!

The Carron Iron-Works, on the river Carron, two miles north-west from Falkirk, are interesting objects of attention, and admission for strangers to see these works is now readily obtained.

In this neighbourhood is the parish of Dunipace, supposed to have derived its name from two artificial mounts of a conical form, and sixty feet in perpendicular height, situate near to the church. Dun is a Gaelic word signifying hill; and the hypothesis is, that these mounts were hills of peace, or eminences constructed in commemoration of some important treaty, or where national quarrels were often adjusted.

Camelon, a small village in this neighbourhood, was a station of the Romans, and one of their most important towns while they maintained their dominion over this part of the island. The sea at that time approached so near, that it was considered a maritime town.

The Torwood, already alluded to, four miles from Falkirk, is suppposed to be the remains of the great Caledonian Forest. In its centre stood Wallace's Oak, the hollow trunk of which afforded a seasonable shelter in the hour of danger to that celebrated chief and a band of his compatriots. It was of immense size, measuring twelve feet in diameter. The remains of this celebrated tree may now be seen at a short distance on the right of the present road, with young and vigorous shoots springing from the parent root. It was here that Donald Cargill, in the midst of his Covenanters, solemnly excommunicated Charles the Second.

The country in this neighbourhood, being within the isthmus between the Friths of Forth and Clyde, was intersected by the famous Roman Wall, which extended across the isthmus, forming a barrier between the unconquered Caledonians on the north, and the Roman dominions on the south. It was first marked out by Agricola, and completed in the reign of Antoninus Pius, under the direction of Lollius Urbicus, the Roman Prætor, and is commonly called Graham's Dyke, from a tradition that a hero of that name first broke through it. There

are distinct traces of it in a number of places; and its track has been minutely described by General Roy, in his Military Antiquities of Scotland. It commenced at Dunglass on the Frith of Clyde, and extended to Abercorn on the Frith of Forth, being a distance of 63,980 yards. It was of an average breadth of 40 feet, and rendered inaccessible by a ditch running parallel with it, 22 feet deep and 47 wide. It was defended by 19 forts or stations, the medium distance between which was 3367 yards, and had the additional security of a chain of impassable morasses in front of it: altogether, the work itself was a striking evidence of Roman power; and the conception of such a defence, and the choice of the line fixed upon, are signal proofs of the extensive genius and solid judgment of the great general who planned it. At Bantaskine House, near to Falkirk, was one of the forts or stations upon the wall; opposite to the middle of the town of Falkirk, 1230 yards distant from the former, was another; and vestiges of the wall become very distinct, leading across the plantations and avenue of Callander House.

On leaving Falkirk, the traveller formerly went under the aqueduct of the great Canal; the present bridge is a very great improvement; a little farther on he passes through the village of Camelon, a mile beyond which the road crosses the Carron, a river famed in ancient Celtic song as well as in Scottish history. Near to this are Larbert House, the seat of Sir Gilbert Stirling, with the church and village, pleasantly situate, and commanding a fine view of the scenery of this interesting district of country. At the distance of a mile and a half, the road passes through the Torwood, formerly noticed, and, three miles beyond, the ground rises, when an imposing view is obtained of the royal burgh of Stirling. At the distance of another mile is the thriving village of

BANNOCKBURN.

The ground beyond this, on the left of the road, extending from the stream called Bannockburn to the village of St. Ninian's, a mile in advance, was the scene of the celebrated battle, fought upon 24th June, 1314, between the English army of 100,000 men, headed by their mo

narch Edward II. and the Scottish army of 30,000 men, commanded by the illustrious Bruce, which ended in the greatest defeat ever sustained by the English nation. They lost more than 30,000 men, and 700 noblemen and knights. The captives were treated with the greatest generosity by the victorious monarch, whose army was enriched by the immense spoils found in the English camp, and the ransoms of their noble prisoners. The Scottish van was posted nearly upon the line of the present road from Stirling to Kilsyth; and at a place called Brock's Brae, on the footpath of this road, is still to be seen the stone, (called the Borestone,) in which Bruce's standard was fixed. In a plain where the small village of Newhouse is built, stand two large stones, erected in memory of the skirmish which took place on the evening preceding the battle, between a body of Scottish spearmen commanded by Randolph, and a detachment of English horsemen under the command of Sir Robert Clifford, in which the former prevailed. About a mile from the field of battle, the destruction of a party of English, who attempted to rally, has given the name of Bloody Field to the spot where they fell. There is a place also in this vicinity called Ingram's Crook, which is supposed to have derived its name from Sir Ingram Umfraville, one of the English commanders. On the right of the line occupied by the Scots is Gillies' Hill. It owes its name to a remarkable manœuvre which finally decided that battle. Westward of this hill is a valley where Bruce had stationed his baggage, and all the gillies, or servants and retainers of the camp, who, either from anxious curiosity or a concerted plan, advanced to the summit of the hill at the critical period when the English line was wavering, and confusion reigned on their left flank. The English, conceiving this tumultuary assemblage to be a fresh body of troops advancing to the support of the Scots, were seized with a panic and fled. By this signal victory the independence of Scotland was secured.*

* "The ground was formerly called the New Park of Stirling, and now partly open and partly covered by copses of wood and marshy ground. ́Bruce divided his forces into four bodies, three

Within a mile of the field of Bannockburn, on a tract of ground called Little Canglar, and on the east side of a small brook called Sauchieburn, two miles south of Stirling, another battle was fought on June 18, 1488. The Barons of Scotland, being dissatisfied with the administration of their monarch James III. rose in rebellion against him, and drew the king's eldest son, the Duke of Rothsay, afterwards James IV. into their party. This civil war was terminated by the total defeat of the royal army at Sauchieburn, and the death of the king. In his flight from the field he fell from his horse, and, having been found lying insensible upon the ground, he was removed, without being recognised, to a mill called Beaton's Mill, near the village of Bannockburn, where he was laid carelessly in a corner, and covered with a coarse garment. On recovering his senses, he desired that a priest might be brought to receive his confession. Three of his most implacable enemies happening to pass at the time, one of them, who was a priest, gave him absolution, and then stabbed him to the heart. A dwellinghouse has been erected on the site of the mill where this sad tragedy was acted; its under wall is the remnant of the old building.

ST. NINIAN'S

is a thriving village, remarkable for its having a steeple standing separate from the church, which is in its im

in a line in front, extending from the Bannock to St. Ninian's along the Kilsyth road line; the fourth behind as a reserve. Edward Bruce, and Keith, Earl-Marischal, commanded the right wing; Douglas and the young Stewart the centre; and Randolph, Earl of Moray, the left. The King had the reserve. To the northward, in front of his position, Bruce dug pits about one foot broad and two or three deep, and covered them with sods, &c. ; to the south the ground was marshy and wooded. The English archers, opposite the right wing of the Scots, began the attack: but Keith having taken his cavalry round by Milntown bog, put them to the route. The English cavalry on their right next came to the attack, and fell into Bruce's snare. The main bodies then engaged in close and long contested battle, victory not deciding either way, till the servants and train appeared on the Gillies' Hill, when the English gave way. It is in tradition that the well-known Scottish tune of' Hey, tutti, taitti,' was Bruce's march at the battle."-NOTES to "Lord of the Isles.'