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first discovered the skull, in good preservation, together with 

 the teeth ; we then laid bare the whole body, a work of no 

 little difficulty, from the wetness and adhesiveness of the soil. 

 We were much inclined to leave the body as we found it, but 

 were obliged to raise it to continue our search. We excava- 

 ted to the very foundation of the Tower, without finding any- 

 thing else, with the exception of many pieces of charcoal. 

 The skull was lying on the right side, and the dorsal and cer- 

 vical vertebrae were considerably decomposed. 



" The diameter of the Tower inside is nine feet. The 

 skeleton was not placed exactly in the centre, but the head 

 was so near the side that there would have been room suffi- 

 cient for the body with its legs and feet, had it been placed 

 in the centre. The mystery seems increased by the want of 

 the arm. None of the bones found had been acted on by fire. 



" There was no flag-stone, nor floor either above or below 

 the body. The layer of mortar seems intended as a substi- 

 tute for a floor. 



" There were several jawbones, apparently pigs', from the 

 size of the tusks ; but no skulls, with the exception of one of 

 a bird. 



" The external circumference of the Tower is fifty-one 

 feet ; the wall being four feet thick. 



" I believe I have mentioned every thing of importance; 

 I leave others to draw conclusions." 



Sir W. Betham stated that he considered this tower had 

 been opened before, and that the skeleton was then dislocated. 

 The propensity of searching for treasure may have led to the 

 violation of this tomb,asithad to that ofothers, as Cashel,from 

 which the bones had all been removed ; but at Ardmore and 

 Cloyne the skeletonswerefound really ew*27e<; thefloor of mor- 

 tar, both above and below, being perfect. The Tower of Abei'- 

 nethy in Scotland has also been examined with the same re- 

 sults as at Ardmore and Cloyne. The stones, with mortar 

 attached to them, found in Drumboe, were certainly part of 



