r.

The theory maintained in this paper regarding the last campaign of
Agricola, and the site of the Battle of Mons Grampus was first broached
in the Statistical Account of the parish of Bendochy, published in 1797.
It has been since adopted by Skene in his classical work on Celtic
Scotland, to which I desire in this place to acknowledge my great
indebtedness. Other sites have been fixed upon, but there are none that
can fairly be put in comparison with the neck of land at the junction of
the Isla with the Tay. What may be called the traditional view of the
site of the battle locates it at Ardoch, in the vicinity of the great
camp. No doubt, good authorities can be quoted in favour of the
correctness of the traditional view. But there are several reasons which
render it highly improbable that the great battle was fought at Ardoch.
The very name Mons Grampus implies the existence of some conspicuous
eminence in the near neighbourhood. There is no such eminence near
Ardoch. Further, we know that Agricola's scheme of operation embraced
joint action on the part of the fleet and land forces. There could have
been no such co-operation if the movement of the legions had been west of
the Tay. And it is a fatal objection to the Ardoch site that there are
not three stations corresponding to those which we have seen the three
divisions of Agricola's force occupied on the night of the surprise.
General Roy, indeed, has tried to turn the edge of this objection by
placing the Ninth Legion at Dalginross, the main body under Agricola at
Ardoch, and the other division at Strageath, overlooking and guarding the
Earn. But it has been retorted upon him that Agricola could have made no
worse disposition of his forces, from a strategic point of view, than to
have stationed his weakest division at Comrie, nine miles distant from
the main body, in the very heart of the enemy's country, close to the
hills, from which they could rush down upon any favourable opportunity,
and to which they could retreat in the event of a repulse.

Besides, help came from the main body in the course of a few
hours--between night and morning. It would be a difficult task even now
for a body of men to cover the ground between Ardoch and Comrie in the
dead of night; and we must remember that in the time of Agricola the
country was a pathless wild, rough with woods in the higher parts, and
covered with treacherous morasses in the valleys. The Damnonii--with