44 H. C. Lawlor on, 



No bone remains were found in the fire ashes. Near the fire on 

 the same level were found remains of another much smaller pot 

 burned on the inside, but very imperfect, and part of the upper 

 stone of a quern. At a somewhat higher level a couple of yards 

 from the end of the cave was found one fragment of a much more 

 modern pot, which Sir Hercules Reade of the British Museum 

 pronounces to be a fragment of the rim of a pitcher of the 14th 

 century. At the extreme end of the short passage forming the 

 eastern arm of the fork we also found the charcoal remains of a 

 fire, but no pottery or other remains. 



I must acknowledge here the kindness shown me by Mr. John 

 Beck, on whose freehold the entrance of the cave is situated, and 

 for his permission to excavate freely both in the souterrain and 

 in the moat, and for procuring men to work, as well as other kind- 

 nesses ; also that of his cousin Miss Beck, the owner of the 

 field under which the upper end of the cave extends, for allow- 

 mg me to open up so much of her ground. 



In concluding the detailed description of the three souterrains 

 which I was able to investigate thoroughly, I must again call atten- 

 tion to the rising floor in at least one chamber of each of the 

 souterrains, with a fireplace at the extreme end and highest part 

 of the raised floor. In Donegore there were two. The same 

 peculiarity exists in nearly all souterrains remaining in a perfect 

 state, though so far, I have only completed excavations in the 

 three souterrains, and in each have found the fireplace in 

 the same position. I have no doubt hearths will be found simi- 

 larly situated on excavating in others. In Donegore the entrance 

 to the cave is about 12 feet lower than the extreme opposite end, 

 so that the whole cave forms a sort of natural draught-forming 

 flue, which caused the smoke of the fireplace to rise naturally out 

 of the cave. Exactly the same constructions is found in the rock- 

 cut cave at Ballymartin. In Knock Dhu the same effect would 

 have been obtained by causing an artificial draught by a cowl or 

 wind-Catcher at the outer end of the ventilator. In nearly all 

 souterrains, either they are constructed on a slope like Donegore, 

 Ballymartin and Ballygrainey, forming in theniselves a chimney 



