Excavations at Raebuknfoot. 21 



completely any vestiges escaping [)revious spoliations would, in 

 this process, bo uprooted and destroyed. Tiie area has been 

 drained also ; and as stones are not easily got in the district, any 

 material of this description the Camp might yield would be too 

 serviceable to be allowed to remain there. 



The Exploratory Works and their Results. 



The objects in view in carrying on the excavations were to 

 ascertain more fully and accurately than had hitherto been 

 possible the plan and dimensions of the Camp ; to discover the 

 nature of tlie fortifications, and other structural parts ; and to 

 obtain relics and other evidences of occui)ation. The last were 

 sought for only in excavations made for other purposes. 



As before stated, the works were commenced on 1st November 

 last. Three workmen were employed, who proceeded, as directed, 

 to open the ground at numerous points where investigations 

 seemed desirable, and as the weather was exceptionally favour- 

 able, not an hour being lost on that account, and the workmen 

 were diligent, rapid progress was made with the operations. 



An almost continuous trench was cut from the north end of 

 the Camp to the south end, near the west side, which revealed 

 the position and profile of the several ditches crossed, and the 

 structure, and approximately the widths of the ramparts ; and 

 the same ditches and ramparts were again sectioned at a point 

 further east. These ditches, it was found, had been filled with 

 peat-moss transported from the exterior of the Camp, and 

 consequently they were well defined and easily followed. The 

 east defences of the Camp wei'e likewise sectioned, and the ditch, 

 which had been filled up, was discovered without difliculty owing 

 to its position alongside the rampart. The filling, in this case, 

 had been done with earth of another kind, distinguishing the 

 work as probably an earlier operation. The east ditches of the 

 central fort, of which no trace remained in 1810, were difficult to 

 discover. After a number of cuttings had been made in search 

 of tliem, one only could be found, and it appeared as if, on 

 account of the steepness of the ground there, the two might be 

 drawn together on either side and merge into one. The point 

 was too important to be left in doubt, and the workmen were 

 instructed to follow the well-defined ditches of the north side 

 round to the east side by cutting cross trenches at short intervals. 

 In this way the second ditch was discovered ; and while the earth 

 with which it and the one alongside had been filled resembled the 



