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confusedly tumbled one over the other, which formed the chamber 
at the east end of the barrow, the members discussed their lunch, 
and mid the fragrant incense from the tobacco plant which»rose 
up around thought on the strange people who had buried their 
dead beneath ; whilst Mr. Long’s admirable pamphlet, “ Abury 
Illustrated,” was consulted. An enthusiastic member was seen to 
cross the rising ground and descend into the valley below, where 
lay the “ grey weathers,” scarcely distinguishable from the flock 
of sheep grazing amongst them. ‘So delighted was he, as he 
afterwards said, with the sight that he could have remained there 
until evening examining their lichen-covered backs. After enjoy- 
ing the refreshing breeze for a short time the walk was resumed 
across the intervening fields, whence some flint chips of a rather : 
doubtful character were gleaned, to the foot of Silbury, the big 
mound. The ascent having been made, the Secretary called the at- 
tention of the members to this the most remarkable feature of the 
surrounding scene, and the largest artificial mound in Great Britain. 
“That it was an artificial mound, he said, was made evident by 
the excavations of the Archeological Institute, in 1849, which 
disclosed the fact that the chalk rubble and flints, of which the 
hill was composed, rested upon the original surface, in fact upon 
the old turf itself; which was found quite black with the undecayed 
moss and grass amongst which were the dead shells of the neigh- 
bourhood. That it was a sepulchral mound might perhaps be a 
little harder to prove, for though no indications of interment had 
been found during the only two examinations that have hitherto 
been made, yet there was still a possibility that a more scientific 
use of the spade than that of some five-and-twenty years ago 
might reveal a burial, to be sought perhaps not so much in the 
centre as nearer the circumference ; and he ventured to hope that 
the noble proprietor of the mound, Sir John Lubbock, to whom 
antiquaries were so much indebted, would at some future time 
settle the question for good, as he had already done with regard 
to the Roman road. There stretching away on their right hand 
