an ancient Mode of Sepulture, &c, 219 
aihes; and, in-a few cafes, thefe divifions have 
been obferved to be conftruéted in a‘circular form, 
The number of thefe niches varies, from two to 
twenty, or more, under one Cairn. No regularity 
appears in the laying of the ftones, except that the 
bafe is always filled up by large, round ftones, laid 
in concentric circles round the above-mentioned 
pavement of flat ftones; all the remainder of the 
Tumulus being conftruded of globular ftones thrown 
together, from the fize of (ora little larger than) a 
man’s head to that of his fift, and without any flat 
ftones at top; but the Cairns generally futon the 
appearance of perfect cones, ending mofily in one 
large round ftone at the apex. In many of them 
{mall fragments of bones are found equally difperfed 
through every part, which, with their frequency in 
this corner, there being about a hundred of them in 
the neighbouring parifh of Crofmichael, and one or 
two at leaft in each farm through the greateft part 
of this parifh of Urr, tends to fhew that thefe 
Cairns have been the common Cemeteries, or places 
for depofiting the bones of the dead belonging to 
the whole neighbourhood. They are always fituated 
on ground a little elevated above that which fur- 
rounds them. There is reafon to conclude, that 
wherever the remains of any Chief of a Diftrict, 
or Founder of a Clan, came to be depofited, not 
only the reft of his Family, but alfo his whole 
. BRe2 Dependents 
