CASTLE. 



r.i.3 



depth, with corresponding ramparts guarding the 

 approach, and the summit has In-ru levelled into a 

 smooth terrace, when- the natives assembled, or like- 

 tin- South American Indians, dwelt in their huts. 

 Thf black and white Cattir T/nin in Scotland, so dis- 

 tinguished, it is said, from tlieir different colours, are 

 also ranked among the earliest means of defence adopt- 

 ed in that country. Both of these, from the advan- 

 tage of position, are of great strength, and crown the 

 summit of two hills. The black Caller Tltun is of a 

 circular form, consisting of various concentric earthen 

 ramparts, from one side of which issues a rivulet that 

 has made a deep gully in its descent to the level 

 ground. Perhaps the black catter thun is of some- 

 what more laboured construction ; it is of an oval 

 figure, consisting of a stupendous dyke of loose white 

 scones, whose convexity from side to side is 122 feet. 

 It encloses a flat area of ground, 436 feet long, by 

 200 in breadth, which was consequently either the 

 ite of a considerable number of edifices, or received 

 a large body of men. The whole outside is encircled 

 by a cavity resulting from the disposition of the 

 stones. Two deep ditches, of which only vestiges of 

 the second remain, encircle this ancient post, one at 

 the base of the mound of stones, and the other about 

 an hundred yards lower. Foundations of small circu- 

 lar and rectangular buildings are yet perceptible, as 

 also the site of the well. Other entrenchments, ap- 

 parently of the same kind, are seen in different parts 

 of Scotland ; and analogous to the catter thun, is the 

 celebrated circumvallation now called the Hereford- 

 shire Beacon, situated on the highest of the Malvern 

 hills. Here the summit is of an oblong irregular 

 figure, 175 feet long by 110 in breadth, quite level, 

 and surrounded by a high steep rampart of stones 

 and earth, and a very deep ditch. Lower down the 

 hill are two irregular areas stretching east and west, 

 each defended by a high bank and deep ditch, and 

 ramparts still further down contributed to complete 

 the system of defence. 



Varieties are found in the construction of the 

 simple fortifications, in lofty places where greater la- 

 bour has promoted the convenience of the defenders. 

 One situated on a high hill in Wales is protected by 

 three stone walls on the only accessible side ; the 

 upper ones 15 feet high, and 16 broad. The space 

 at the top consists of an irregular area, full of small 

 rude mishapen cells, some round, some oval, and of 

 different dimensions. Square or oblong cells are 

 likewise seen ; one of the former is at least 30 feet 

 long, and several of the round are not less than 15 

 in diameter, but such cells are of smaller size in other 

 fortifications. 



Successive ditches and ramparts were to be over, 

 come before the assailants could reach the concentrat- 

 ed strength of the defenders. On the top of a high 

 hill in Cornwall is such a fortification, called Caer-bran, 

 surrounded first by a deep ditch 15 feet wide, edged 

 with stone, through which is a passage to an outer 

 rampart of earth 15 feet high. Within is another 

 great ditch, three times as wide as the former, and then 

 a rude stone wall, completely encircling the summit 

 of the hill. 



People, therefore, in the most barbarous ages, found 

 their account in selecting lofty situations for defence, 

 just as the South American Indians practise, and as 

 is witnessed among the islanders of the Pacific Ocean. 

 The latter, we know, establish their fortifications on 



rocks or promontories waslicd by the tea, aad which 

 are scarcely accessible by land. The path i inter- 

 cepted by deep ditches and strong pallisadcs, while 

 the spot chosen on the top of the height will contain 

 but a few huts within its limits. Hence the for- 

 tresses of these island* have originated on steep and 

 precipitous rocks, such as Edinburgh, Stirling, and 

 Dumbarton castles, and that of Dunamase in Ireland, 

 besides many others. 



Although mankind have usually established them- 

 selves on heights, there is one rude kind of ed slice 

 found in low grounds in Scotland, which, common 

 consent having denominated the most ancient castle 

 of our forefathers, must not be omitted here ; and 

 similar structures are said to exist in foreign coun- 

 tries. These are called Duns, all at this day in ruins, 

 but still exhibiting the general outline of the parts 

 which composed them. Each is the frustum of a 

 cone without, but perfectly circular within, consist- 

 ing of large flat stones deposited on each other, with- 

 out mortar or cement. Whether they bad any roof, 

 or what was its particular form, is uncertain ; but it 

 is conjectured, that they might have been divided in- 

 to stories, and there is always a door close to the 

 ground. The internal diameter of duns is from 20 

 to 30 feet, and the walls are of great thickness at 

 the base. Dun Dornadilla is one of the most entire, 

 if a ruin may be called so, that remains ; and its ad- 

 measurements have frequently been taken by distin- 

 guished antiquarians. This ruin is somewhat less 

 than 30 feet in height, though the surrounding rub- 

 bish shews that it must have originally been consi- 

 derably more. Its internal diameter is 27 feet, and 

 its circumference nearly 150. There is no external 

 aperture found here, or in other edifices of the same 

 description, except the door ; but towards the inner 

 court are several openings, to transmit light to cavi- 

 ties in the centre of the stone-work. This would 

 lead us to infer, either that such buildings had no 

 roof, or that it was not completely closed at the 

 highest part, if of a conical form. Three successive 

 rows of narrow galleries, or passages above each 

 other, are formed in the thickness of the wall of Dun 

 Dornadilla. They are mutually connected by steps, 

 also within the wall, and lighted from the apertures 

 in the circumference of the inner area. Each gal- 

 lery is somewhat lower than the height of a man, 

 just wide enough for a passage, and floored xvith 

 large flat stones, which unite and bind the whole 

 building together. Independent of the apertures, 

 there are other recesses in the wall, which do not 

 penetrate through to the internal galleries. An edi- 

 fice still more remarkable, called Dunaliscaigh, or 

 Dun-Alishaig, is also seen iu Scotland, on the Frith 

 of Dornoch. It is conical, like the others, built of 

 large rough dry stones in equal layers, each of which 

 contracting an inch and a half as the building rises, 

 produces its peculiar figure. Here the diameter is 

 30 feet, the circumference 164-, and the thickness of 

 the wall 12. About nine feet above the ground, a 

 circle of stones projects into the area, broad enough 

 to walk upon ; and one step above these, there are 

 four doors which enter into the chambers of the se- 

 cond story, which communicate by stairs with those 

 below. Both the stories of chambers are as the 

 former, in the heart of the wall, and receive light 

 by apertures to the interior ; but their figure and 

 disposal are very different. Entering the door o 



