234 1SLA. ANTIQUITIES. 



pertained to the original inhabitants. Antiquaries have 

 certainly discovered no test by which the works of these 

 invaders can be distinguished from those of the natives ; 

 the distinctions which have been fabricated appear purely 

 hypothetical. One of the most remarkable and entire 

 of these forts is situated on Lossit hill, and has been a 

 place of considerable importance, though now fast falling 

 to decay. It is of a circular form, and the wall is of 

 considerable thickness; while it is distinguished from 

 most similar works by a step round the interior area at 

 the foot of the wall, resembling the banquette in modern 

 fortification. This is the most common kind of work 

 throughout Scotland, but it is seldom of large dimen- 

 sions. Sky, as was already seen, possesses numerous 

 examples of them, and they are also found in many 

 places throughout the mainland, as well as in Wales 

 and Cornwall. They vary in magnitude, but are seldom 

 so large as to contain many men. In these circum- 

 stances they would appear rather to have been con- 

 structed for the purpose of securing the most valuable 

 and defenceless parts of the possessions of these savages, 

 than for containing a garrison; as they could not have 

 given shelter to an effective number, the mode of their 

 construction not admitting of their being defended from 

 within. Besides these works of stone, there may be seen 

 in some parts of the island, remains of earthen works, 

 consisting of an agger and a ditch, which have been 

 imagined, but without reason, to be of Roman construc- 

 tion. There is no question but that these also appertain 

 to the same period and people : works of earth ascer- 

 tained to be British are well known to antiquaries, and 

 among these it is almost superfluous to mention the 

 Brown Caterthun. 



Isla affords examples also of a structure, not however 

 of a military nature, which is far from common in Scot- 

 land ; and which, as far as I know, has not been found in 

 any other of the Western islands. This is the circular 

 mound with ascending steps or terraces; resembling the 



