Dr Hibbert's Observations on' Vitrified Forts. 303 



In fact, places of rendezvous for tribes and clans upon any pub- 

 lic occasion, alike incidental to a state of peace or warfare, must 

 have been suggested by many circumstances, as, for instance, 

 by the custom of holding justiciary courts upon them, or even 

 by religious veneration ; the first of which motives recom- 

 mended a cairn in the holm of Dalmorton as the rendezvous 

 of some Ayrshire tenants, {Statistical Account of Scotland, 

 vol. iii. p. 594,) while superstition taught the Buchanans to 

 gather in the island of Clareinnis in Loch Lomond. Keeping 

 this circumstance in view, we need not be surprised that vitri- 

 fication, which was as likely to result from festive or religious 

 bonfires, as from beacon-signals, should appear in a holm or 

 islet of the Kyles of Bute, not elevated many feet above the 

 level of the sea, or upon some inconsiderable eminence of the 

 easiest access to an assailing enemy, which is the distinguish- 

 ing site of Dun Fian. 



Most places of rendezvous, however, were suggested by de- 

 fensive motives. Thus, the ancient war-cry of the Campbell's 

 in allusion to their assembling place, was the famous moun- 

 tain in Argyleshire of Bencruachan ; while, among the bor- 

 derers, that of the Logans was Lcsterich Law. And, in the 

 use which we would make of these analogies, we may cite the 

 vitrified fort of Dunardile, near the fall of Fyres, where, ac- 

 cording to the etymology given of the name by a statistical 

 writer, Dun signifies a hill ; Ard, high ; and Dyil, Carnochs 

 or followers of a tribe. {Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. 

 xx. p. 38.) In short, the sites of many forts, vitrified or un- 

 vitrified, instruct us, that, while they were intended as places 

 of rendezvous for tribes, their ramparts afforded no less a de- 

 fence for cattle than for human inhabitants ; and upon many 

 of these Duns, or strengths, of inappreciable age, the fire of 

 the Beltein, or the beacon of war, has been in turns the symbol 

 for the gathering of ancient clans. 



At the same time it must be remembered, that in some in- 

 stances a clan has had one site for its rendezvous, and another 

 for its beacon-hill. Thus, in comparatively modern times, 

 the Seaforths mustered at the Castle of Dorian, while the sig- 

 nal fires were lighted on the summit of Tulloch-ard.* 



* Remains of similar observances may lie traced in England even so 

 MEW SERIES, vol.. V. NO. II. OCTOBKIl 1331. D 



