The HIGHLANDS of SCOTLAND. 21 



eflScacious than for the former. It is much to be doubted, 

 whether it would be at all poflible, even in the prefent day, by 

 the utmoft combination of labour and of flcill, to furround a 

 large fpace of ground with a double rampart of flones, com- 

 pacted by fire, of fucli height and folidity as to ferve any pur- 

 pofe of fecurity, or defence againft a befieging enemy. Any 

 ftrudure of this kind muft have been irregular, low, fragile, 

 eafily fcaled and quite infecure ; a much weaker rampart, in 

 ihort, than a fimple wall of turf or wooden pallifade. The 

 veftiges yet remaining, as I have already obferved, give no 

 room to fuppofe, that the vitrified mound has ever been much 

 more entire than it is at prefent. The effeifl of fire upon flruc- 

 tures reared in the manner I have fuppofed them to have been, 

 will account mofi: perfectly for their prefent appearance. 



It was from neceflity that the builders of thofe fortifications 

 betook themfelves to a mode of flruclure fo liable to be de- 

 ftroyed by fire. In thofe parts whqre ftones could be eafily 

 quarried, of fuch fize and form as to rear a rafnpart by them- 

 felves of fufficient ftrength and folidity, there was no occafion 

 to employ wood or turf in its conftrudon, and it was there- 

 fore proof againft all aflault by fire. Such are the ramparts 

 which appear on the hill of Dun-Jardel, Dun-Evan, and many 

 others, on which there is not the fmalleft appearance of vitrifi- 

 cation. But on Craig-Phadrick, and the other hills above de- 

 fcribed, where, from the nature of the I'ock, the ftones could 

 be procured, only in irregular and generally fmall fragments, 

 it was necefTary to employ fbme fuch mode of conftru6tion as 

 I have fuppofed ; and thefe ramparts, though folid and well 

 calculated for defence againft every attack by force or llratagem, 

 were not proof againft the alTault by fire. 



But thofe ancient fortifications prefent a much more curi- 

 ous and more interefting objedl of fpeculation, than thofe un- 

 certain and indeed fruitlefs conjedures as to the mode in which 

 they have been reared. It is evident, that, were it poflible to 



afcertain 



