38 H. C. Lcnvlor on 



Our investigation of chambers C to G presented no difficulty 

 and was practically negative in results. The floors of the 

 chambers were apparently in their original state, composed 

 chiefly of the natural blue clay, loosely paved with a few flat 

 stones. We excavated here and there, but soon saw that we were 

 digging into virgin clay. In chamber G I found a piece of 

 iron so corroded as to render identification of its original shape 

 impossible ; when dried it simply fell into dust. 



I may say that in investigating this souterrain we paid about 

 seven visits. Sometimes we had four men working, sometimes 

 two ; at other times the workers consisted of only my son and 

 daughter and myself. The peculiar Y shaped plan where the 

 west fork of the Y ascends and terminates in the ventilating 

 shaft, and the N.E. fork descends, may be difficult to understand 

 from the plan shown. Miss Lawlor has I think made the matter 

 clear by her pen and ink sketch taken from a point about two 

 thirds down from the present entrance. The light showing the 

 ventilator so clearly comes from the temporary opening above. 

 On the right of the sketch is seen the trap door into the lower 

 story. In leaving Knock Dhu souterrain we carefully replaced 

 any part of the structure we had temporarily removed. In 

 chamber B where the roof had fallen in and the chamber had 

 been entirely blocked up, after clearing it, we put on a new roof 

 and filled up the hole above, as I believe it is the paramount duty 

 of all investigators to avoid destroying any part of any ancient 

 monument. 



In the small district under Sallagh Braes there are five known 

 souterrains, probably others now not known ; in the same area 

 are only four farm houses. I have observed a similar proportion 

 of ancient souterrains to modern farms in other areas, from which 

 one might infer that in districts where souterrains exist, provided 

 the population was then of about similar density to that of the 

 present day, at least a large proportion of the population must have 

 resided in souterrains. 



The next souterrain to which I shall draw your attention is 

 the one at Boghead, Muckamore, drawing particular notice to the 



