EXCURSION XVI. 199 



blocks which still remain are too numerous to have been all 

 found upon the summit in the manner usual with boulders, 

 and must have been dragged up the eastern slope by some 

 powerful mechanical appliances. The great area and the 

 form shew that its purpose was rather a place of refuge, in case 

 of danger for the families and cattle of the neighbourhood, 

 than a fort to be defended by warriors. In later times it 

 became by universal consent a sanctuary or place of refuge. 

 On the farm of Drumadoon, S.E. from this fort, there is 

 a fine Cromlech an immense flagstone resting horizontally 

 on upright stones deeply sunk in the earth {New Stat. Acct. 

 Hute, p. 54, 1837, 1845). Tradition has fixed upon it the 

 name of " The Grave of Fingal's Daughter." It was opened, 

 and found to contain an urn with ashes. There were at 

 one time many remains in this part of the island : a huge 

 cairn at Black water-foot, a tximulus in Shedok farm, on 

 which there is now a clump of trees ; the " Panel's Stone," 

 where Fingal is said to have held his court of justice ; St. 

 Columba's seat, a cairn on which the saint is believed to have 

 rested when passing through the country on his mission to 

 the heathen natives ; a few isolated monoliths and other 

 remains, besides the great Tormore circles, to be presently 

 described. 



94. The coast now sweeps round in a fine bay, whose 

 grassy floor and low cliff of red and white sandstone contrast 

 finely with the rugged features of Drumadoon. Northwards 

 among these sandstones there are inclined beds of green 

 pitchstone, which alter the sandstone strata in contact ; their 

 termination cannot be traced. There are also bands of 

 claystone in the cliffs. Rounding the angle of the bay, we 

 come on high cliffs of soft yellow sandstone, deeply excavated 

 by the sea, when it stood at the higher level so often already 

 alluded to now and for more than 2000 years above that 

 ever reached by the highest tides. To one of these great 

 interest has been given by the tradition, that it was for a 

 short time the residence of King Robert Bruce, on his land- 



