'The HIGHLANDS of SCOTLAND. 19 



a cajfa, or coffer-work *. Thefe flakes were probably warped 

 acrofs by boughs of trees laid very clofely together, fo as to 

 form two fences, running parallel to each other at the didance 

 of fome feet, and fo clofe as to confine all the materials, of 

 whatever fize, that were thrown in between them. Into this 

 intermediate fpace, I fuppofe, were thrown boughs and trunks 

 of trees, earth and ftones of all fizes, large or fmall, as they 

 could quarry or colledl them. Very little care would be necef- 

 fary in the difpofition of thefe materials, as the outward fence 

 would keep the mound in form. In this way, it is eafy to con- 

 ceive, that a very ftrong bulwark might be reared with great 

 difpatch, which, joined to the natural advantage of a very in- 

 acceffible fituation, and that improved by artful contrivances 

 for encreafing the difficulty of accefs, would form a ftrudlure 

 capable of anfwering every purpofe of fecurity or defence. 



The moft formidable engine of attack againft a flruflure of 

 this kind, would be firej and this, no doubt, would be al- 

 ways attempted, and often fuccefsfully employed by a be- 

 fieging enemy. The double ramparts, at a confiderable di- 

 ftance from each other, and the platform, at one end, were 

 certainly the beft poffible fecurity againft an attack of this 

 kind. But if the befiegers prevailed in gaining an approach to 

 the ramparts, and, furrounding the external wall, fet fire to 

 it in feveral places, the conflagration muft fpeedily have be- 

 come general, and the effedl is eafy to be conceived. If there 

 happened to be any wind at the time, to increafe the intenfity 

 of the heat, the ftony parts could not fail to come into fufion, 



C 2 and 



* La maniera riempiuta die fi dice anco a caJfa, facevano gli antichi, con tavole 

 pofte in coltello tanto fpacio, quanto volevano che fofTe grolTo il muro, empiendolo di 

 malta, e di pietre di qualunque forte mefcolate infieme, e cofi andavano facendo di corfo 

 in corfb. Si veggone muri di quefta forte a Sirmion fopra il lago di Garda. Di quefta 

 maniera fi poflbno anco dire le mura di Napoli, cioe le antiche, le quali hanno due muri 

 di falTo quadrato, grofli quattro piedi, e diftanti tra fe piedi fei — e (bno empiute di faffi 

 e di terra. Pallad. Arcbite£i. lib. i. cap. 9. 



