TUMULI. I'll 



and seek some other home. Very early in the morning, as he 

 was trudging on his way, with all his household goods and gods 

 in a cart, he was accosted in good Yorkshire by a restless neigh- 

 bour, with " I see you're flitting." The reply came from Hob 

 out of the churn "Ay, we're flwtting." Upon which the 

 farmer, concluding that change of air would not rid him of the 

 daemon, turned his horse's head homeward. This story is in 

 substance the same as that narrated on the Scottish Border*, and 

 in Scandinavia ; and may serve to show for how long a period 

 and with what conformity, even to the play on the vowel, some 

 traditions may be preserved in secluded districts. 



This goblin-haunted mound was elevated several feet above 

 the moorland, and was covered with heath. Under this was a 

 great collection of sandstones loosely thrown together, which 

 had been gathered from the neighbouring surface. On re- 

 moving them, a circle of broader and larger stones appeared set 

 on edge, in number 25, or, allowing for a vacant place, 26. 

 Within this was another circle, composed of smaller stones set 

 edgeways, in number 25 or 26 ; and the centre of the inner 

 space was occupied by a rectangular kist, composed of four flag- 

 stones set edgeways. The sides of this cyst pointed east and 

 west and north and south ; the greatest length being from east 

 to west. On arriving at this fortunate result of our labour, our 

 expectations were a little raised as to what might follow. But 

 within the kist were no urns, no bones, no treasures of any kind, 

 except a tail-feather from some farmyard chanticleer. The 

 countrymen said this place of ancient burial had been opened 

 many years ago, and that then gold was found in it. It seemed 

 to us that it must have been recently visited by a fox. 



Considering the position of the kist, set with careful attention 

 to the cardinal points; the two circles of stone; the number 

 of these stones, which if completed appeared to be 26; it 

 seemed no unreasonable conjecture, that the construction con- 

 tained traces of astronomical knowledge, of the solar year, and 



* Antiquities of the Scottish Border, by Sir W. Scott, Bart. 



P2 



