The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-01 00:00:00

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Discovery of Ancient iluinaxi Itemaing.

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On Friday forenoon the Rev. Mr. Greenwell, of
Durham Cathedral ; the Rev. Mr. Bigge, Stam-
fordharn ; and Dr. Embleton, Beadnell, Northum-
berland; along with Mr. John Hilson, manufac-
turer (members of- the Berwickshire Naturalists'
Club), made some excavations on Murray's
Green, Jedburgh, one of the party having expressed
a strong desire to obtain a human skull of a remote
period, and this being the likeliest place, from its
contiguity to the abbey, the fact that a Roman urn
containing bones had been found in the vicinity of
the abbey in this direction, and from the fact that
when a drain was lately cut across the green, a
number of stone slabs and human bones were come
upon by the workmen, the party were not disap-
pointed. On one of the workmen shovelling the
earth from a stone coffin (the edges of which were
before visible, as is also another to the south of it)
nothing interesting was turned up, which may be
accounted for by nearly two feet of earth having
been taken off the surface sone time ago, and
which would probably be interfered with at that
time. Another spot was tried, and when about
two feet from the surface the workman's pick
struck on something hard, which proved to be the
top of a stone coffin. This stone or slab which had
either been halved from the weight of earth upon it,
or more probably had been broken when being lifted
to allow of additional sepulture, having been care-
fully removed, and the earth which had accumulated
under it having been carefully drawn away, three
human skulls were exposed, all of which were well
preserved, but unfortunately one of them had been
struck with the pick. The skulls were found face
downwards, all of which were lifted, and being in
a good state of preservation, were taken pos-
session of by the gentleman who had mainly
instituted the search. Wishing to ascertain
the sex, the pick and shovel were applied,
when it was found that only one entire body
had been interred, stated by Dr. Embleton
to be that of a male of middle size, with crooked
spine ; and as the two other skulls were much smal-
ler, they were supposed to be those of females. The
body lay with the head towards the abbey, lying
directly east and west, said to be a sign that the
ground had been used as a burying place by the
ancient British Christians. While the workmen
wqre clearing the earth off the body, a boar's tusk
was found on the right side, and about the place
where the feet had lain was found the perfect lower
jaw only, with a fine set of teeth, of a person seem-
ingly much younger, from its size, than those at the
other end of the coffin, from which we infer its hav-
ing been used as a sort of family cyst. Two oxi-
dised large metal nails, having broad heads like
those used by slaters, with wood sticking to them,
were also found, thereby suggesting the use of a
wooden coffin which might have contained the body
of the person whose lower jaw was found intact,
and placed inside the larger one containing
the entire body and two skulls—the nails being
found near by the lower jaw. On the north side of
this place, about five yards apart, the workmen came
upon another body lying in the same direction, but
with the face upwards about a foot and a half from
the surface. This one seemed not to have been in
a coffin, as there was nothing of the kind discernible ;
and out of the place where this was found a small
brass linked chain was turned out, which had small
pieces of oxidised metal attached to both ends. An-
other spot was tried in the forenoon, nearer Mr.
John Hilson's house, and about four yards distant
from the place the three skulls were lying side by
side, and the earth on being dug about a foot and
thrown out showed that interments had there also
been made at an early period from the large quanti-
ties of human bones, teeth, and charcoal, which had
been employed in burning the bodies before being in-
terred. The search was continued in the afternoon
on stone cysts on the side of the road at Abbey
Brae—the edges of these, like the one first tried,
being visible—and on the other spots on the green,
but with the exception of human bones being ex-
posed, nothing else was come upon.

Extraordinary Scene at a Funeral.

Among our notices of deaths on Saturday (says the Bir-
mingham Post) appeared the name of Mr. Joseph Abbott,
who, after living 65 years in this town, emigrated to Sand-
hurst, in the colony of Victoria, Australia, and recently
died there. The proceedings at his funeral, which appear
to have been of a strange unseemly character, are thus de-
scribed by a colonial paper ;—" Yesterday afternoon the
mortal remains of the late Mr. J. Abbott were buried at the
White Hills Cemetery. The funeral was attended by a con-
siderable number of Sandhurst citizens, among whom the
deceased, even at his advanced age, had made many friends,
by his simplicity of character, good heart, and sound sense.
We regret to say that the funeral was not allowed to take
place in that quiet, grave, and decorous manner befitting
the occasion. Priestly intolerance and sectarian differences
which cause such dissensions in the world on this occasion
chose the graveyard itself as the scene for exhibition. It
appeared that the grave in which the remains of the de-
ceased were to be interred was situated in the Church of
England portion of. the cemetery, by the side of the
grave of his deceased wife. Mr. J. H. Abbott, their
son, had purchased this portion of the ground at the
death of his mother, as a family burying place. The
deceased belonged to the Baptist persuasion, and the
clergyman chosen to officiate on the occasion was the Rev.
Mr. Taylor, who was accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Fletcher,
of the Congregationalists. At the sexton's residence, where
the hoarse stopped, the mourners, to their astonishment,
wero confronted by an apparition in white, which turned
out to be the Rev. Mr. Stephens, Church of England clergy.
man, arrayed in a surplice. Ho stated that, as the deceased
was to be buried in the Church of England portion of the
cemetery, it was his intention to read the burial service.
He had a duty to perform ; and, although it gave him pain
to act in this way, he would discharge it. He refused to
have anything to say to Dissenting preachers (this to the
Rev. Mr. Taylor), and in answer to the Rev. Mr. Fletcher
told him he was always interfering where he had no busi-
ness. Mr J. H. Abbott requested him, as he had madehis
protest; not to interfere any further—that his father did not
belong to the Church of England, and that the ground he
was to be buried in had been bought and paid for. If it
was a question of the fee, that should be paid to save any
further wrangle. Several remonstrances were made by
others among the mourners ; but the rev. gentleman replied
that he would discharge his duty, and that it was no ques-
tion of fees, and began in a somewhat excited manner to
recite the beautiful words, lam the Resurrection and the
Life,' &c. The effect upon the spectators may be ima-
gined. The incongruous association of sectarian rancour
and dissension, and a forcible intrusion of unasked and
distasteful services, with the language of Christ, struck al/
with sorrow and disgust. The whole thing was a solemn.
mockery, and the very words Whoso believeth in me
shall have eternal life,' sounded like a special rebuke to
this wretched display of sectarianism. The funeral pro-
cession moved on without paying any attention to the
reverend gentleman, who, however, marched in front, re.
peating the usual words, and at the grave went through.
the service, nearly all the mourners retiring until he had
finished and taken his departure, followed by the sexton.
Then the gentlemen present drew near the grave,
,nto which the coffin had previously been lowered, and the

Rev. Mr. Taylor read the burial service in use among those
of his persuasion, concluding with a prayer. The mourners
then retired, and thus ended a funeral ceremony charm.
tensed by a scene which would be discreditable to an un-.
civilised people. We trust that this community will not
again be scandalised by a recurrence of it. We may mantle=
that although the Rev. Mr. Stephens claimed to have the
right to read the burial service over the body within the
precincts of the church of England portion, yet he proceededr
to exercise it before he came to the ground."

THE PRINCESS DAGMAR AND THE LADIES OP
RUSSIA.—The following interesting letter has just
been addressed by the Princess Dagmar to the Empresa
of Russia, in acknowledging a present to the Princess by
the ladies of St. Petersburg and Moscow "Bern:
July 8, 1865.—Madam,—Ouly a few eks back
my prayers to the Almighty were being joined with
those from so many Russian hearts for the preservation of
the life of the Grand Duke, heir of Russia, my beloved
affianced husband. It has pleased Divine Providence to
decide otherwise, and snatch from our affection,
him who would have boon the source of our happiness. By
the gracious intermediation of your Majesty that general
feeling of profound grief has just been expressed to me on
the part of the ladies of St. Petersburg and Moscow, bytha
precious gifts of a cross and a Bible. It is to your Majes-
ty's maternal heart that I venture to confide the sincere
expression of a deep-felt gratitude which takes tts origin in
a sentiment of grief shared by so many, and which will
never be effaced. This Holy Bible and sacred cross will
always remind me that Russia, which country has become
so dear to me, seeks her strength and her consolation in the
words of the Almighty, and bears with faith and resigns-
tion the cross which Heaven imposes on her. May those
ladies accept my affectionate thanks for the Christian con-
solation which they have kindly offered me. I pray to
God to hear my prayers for the Emperor, for yourself,
madam, and for Russia. Believe me to be most faithful
and devoted to your Inaperittl Majesty.-.-DsomAa."