letter written by a French gentleman, resident in 1835 at "L'anse à Veaux," in that island, gave some particulars regarding these relics of the Aborigines, which had been found in their subterranean retreats, wherein they concealed themselves from the Spaniards. The writer had penetrated into these caverns by a sort of shaft, 60 to 80 feet in depth, known as the "Trou de Hine," and leading to spacious vaults, of which four had been examined. He found therein about fifteen round bullets. of which one was exhibited (diam. 3 in.), of limestone stratified in very thin layers, and rounded with great skill; also two worm-eaten objects of wood, described as a sort of cannon, for projecting these balls; many utensils for cooking and for bruising maise, manioc, and other grains or vegetables. The balls, however, as the distinguished American archaeologist, Mr. Squiers, has observed, may very probably have been tied up at the extremity of a thong, as a sort of life-preserver, or "sling-shot." The precise locality seems to have been known as "Le Petit Trou." Besides the ball, Mr. Bernhard Smith exhibited a small axe-head of greenish coloured stone; a kind of pestle or muller, the handle carved in form of a human head, on that account supposed to have been an idol; and some fragments of pottery, grotesque similitudes of human faces. Several objects of this nature, monstrous figures, beads, &c, found about 1797 in a cavern in St. Domingo, near Cape Nicholas, superstitiously regarded as "a god's cave," are in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries, and represented in the Archæologia (vol. xiii., p. 206).
By Mr. C. Faulkner.—Fragments of "Samian" ware, of very fine quality, discovered at Blacking Grove, near Deddington, Oxon., where Roman coins have frequently been found. On the bottom of a small saucer was the potter's mark, virtvtis, a name recorded by Mr. C. Roach Smith as occurring on Samian ware found in London, and in his collection.[1] Mr. Faulkner brought a small brass coin found at the same site.—Obv., a galeated head, constantinopolis; Rev., Victory in a galley, T. R. P. Besides these Roman relics he exhibited several beautiful fragments of painted glass of the fifteenth century, and rubbings from sepulchral brasses, John Chetwode and Amabilla his wife, at Warkworth, Northamptonshire, and the memorial of Laurence Washington, his wife and children, found on removing the pews at Sulgrave Church. The great general of that name was descended from the Northamptonshire family, and Mr. Faulkner observed that the dicovery of this memorial had been mentioned with considerable interest in the American journals.
By the Rev. J. M. Traherne.—Casts in plaster from an inscription in Cheriton Church, Glamorganshire. The characters were considered by Mr. Westwood to be possibly of as early date as the fifth century, and he read them thus,—cantoris — fili fannvc—.
Mr. Westwood exhibited a facsimile of the ornamental fascia which surrounds the fine circular-headed doorway of the great Western entrance of Kenilworth Church, Warwickshire; and a decorative pavement tile, representing a mounted knight, date early fourteenth century, from the ruins of Eynsham Abbey, noticed at a previous meeting. (See page 211, ante). The shield is charged with a chevron.
A representation of an inscribed slab found in Devonshire was laid before
- ↑ Collectanea Antiqua, vol. i., p. 155. Mr. Smith gives Virthu, Virthus, Virthus fecit, and Of. Virtutis, all on fragments found in London.
