recent legislation, chiefly through the Debtors (Scotland) Act of 1880, the sanctuary has been rendered unnecessary, and its privileges, though never formally abolished, have accordingly passed away. In a pass of the Ochils, near Newburgh, overlooking Strathearn, is a block of freestone three and a half feet high, four and a half feet long, and nearly four feet broad at the base. This formed the pedestal of the celebrated cross of Macduff, and is all that remains of that ancient monument. The shaft of the cross was destroyed at the time of the Reformation, in the sixteenth century. In former days the spot was held to be a privilege and liberty of girth. When anyone claiming kinship to Macduff, Earl of Fife, within the ninth degree committed slaughter in hot blood and took refuge at the cross, he could atone for his crime by the payment of nine cows and a colpindach or year-old cow. Those who could not make good their kinship were slain on the spot. Certain ancient burial mounds, at one time to be seen in the immediate neighbourhood, were popularly believed to be the graves of those who thus met their death, and a local superstition asserted that their shrieks could be heard by night. A fountain, known as the Nine Wells, gushes out not far from the site of the cross, and in it tradition says that the manslayer who was entitled to claim the privilege of sanctuary washed his hands, thereby freeing himself from the stain of blood. CHAPTER III. SAINTS AND SPRINGS. Columba's Miracle--His Wells--Deer--Drostan's Springs--His Relics--His Fairs--His Connection with Caithness--Urquhart--Adamnan--His Wells--Tom Eunan--Feil Columcille--Adamnan's Visit to Northumbria--His Church Dedications--Kieran--His Cave--Campbeltown--Book of the Gospels--Kieran's Church at Errigall-keroge--His Wells--Bridget--Her Legend--Bridewell--Bridget's Wells--Abernethy--Torranain--Ninian--His Influence--His Cave--Candida Casa--Ninian and Martin--Ninian's Springs--St. Martin's Well--Martinmas--Martin of Bullion's Day--Bullion Well--Kentigern--Fergus--Arbores Sancti Kentigerni--His Wells--Thanet Well--St. Enoch's Well--Cuthbert--His Wells and Bath--His Career--Palladius--His Miracle--Paldy's Well and Paldy's Fair--His Chapel--Ternan--His Wells--Church of Arbuthnot--Brendan--Bute--Kilbrandon Sound--Well at Barra--Boyndie and Cullen--Machar--His Cathedral and Well--Tobar-Mhachar--Constantine--Govan--Kilchouslan Church--St. Cowstan's Well--Serf--Area of his Influence.