filfl antiquities in Scotland. Aug, 15, 



trict, and afsumed to himself the charge of pirotec- 

 ing his vafsals, and avenging their quarrels, he found 

 it necefsary to have a fixed habitation, proportioned 

 to his own dignity, in which he could reside at all 

 times himself in safety, and to which some of his 

 vafsals might occasionally repair for (belter. The 

 open fortifications, which could only be defended by 

 a great number of men perpetually upon their 

 guard, were, in that state of perpetual alarm, by nO' 

 means adapted to his wants, and therefore he had 

 recourse to smaller fortifications of another kind, 

 which, by the strength of their walls and gates, were 

 not liable to be suddenly surprised, even when de- 

 fended by a few only. This gave rise to those nu- 

 tnerous strong holds, of the nature of the stone and 

 lime tower now in question^ which superseded the 

 Mse of the old vitrlfiedopen forts, which were then, 

 either neglected, and suffered to fall to ruin of them- 

 selves, or were pulled to pieces, like that of Dun-o- 

 deer, to afford materials for a dwelling better suited 

 to the wants of the owner. 



From this cause the ruins of the vitrified walls on 

 the top of this hill, afsume a very different appear- 

 ance from the others already mentioned. Where the 

 vitrified matter has been so ill compacted, as to ad- 

 mit of being broken into small pieces, they have 

 been carried away, and the walls razed to the very 

 foundation j but where these vitrified mafses were 

 too firmly united to admit of being easily broken in- 

 to small pieces, they have been suffered to remain in 

 their place, where they still exhibit to the eye of 

 the curious traveller, venerable remains of ancient 

 art, now mistaken by the carelefs for the operations 



