formerly prakiifed in Scotland. 337 
blage of Inftruments; and the elliptical Hearth, 
bearing evident marks of confiderable ufage; fhould 
be all fo particularly fituated in the fame ftraight line, 
in the immediate vicinity of a large coemetery, 
and at the diftance of two hundred and fifty yards 
only from a large cairn, (out of which the farm 
houfes upon the ground have been built) except for 
the exprefs paapbte I have affigned to them, viz. 
for confuming the bodies of the dead, with as 
little expence of fuel as poffible. 
And’ furely nothing could accomplifh this pur- 
pofe fo effectually as the concave form of the 
hearth. For this, when the comburator and other 
apparatus were ufed, by concentrating the heat around 
the body, would produce a much more complete com- 
buftion with lefs expence of fuel, than. if the 
hearth had been upon a level. 
From the fituation alfo of this hearth, which is 
confiderably under the height of that which ap- 
pears to have been in the midft of the cemetery, 
it could not be feen, when ufed, from any part of 
the furrounding country, except from the other 
fide of the mofs, which is there three miles broad, 
and totally impaffable. 
All thefe circumftances feem fully to evince a 
firong defire of concealment, both during the 
ceremony and afterwards, arifing probably from 
a favourite practice being partially continued, after it 
had fallen into general difufe; and perhaps after it 
Uu had 
