110 The Catrail, or Picts-Work-Ditch, by James Small. 



at the deepest part. Twenty -tlii-ee years ago, the late Major 

 Scott of Grala planted the woods now on the heights along HoUy- 

 Ibush farm. They were planted for shelter for the farm, but Mr 

 Elliot, the tenant, suggested to him that by carrying along a 

 strip of the plantation on the line of the Catrail, the ditchway 

 might thereby be preserved for many years. The hint was acted 

 on, and hence the still well-defined Catrail on these heights. 



From the last-named wood it cannot be traced for several 

 hundreds of yards ; but it comes strongly into view on a field near 

 the British Camp on Eink hill. This section of the Catrail can 

 be seen plainly at a distance of several miles. It apparently did 

 not enter the camp ; and the late respected tenant' of Eink, Mr 

 Eiddell, who had lived many years there, told me he did not 

 think it had entered the camp ; but Mr Jeffrey affirms that it 

 did. Its line passed along the slope below the camp about 100 

 yards, and it is very deeply marked in the wood fully 100 yards 

 below the camp. 



Although I do not mean to notice the very numerous so-called 

 camps, forts, or resting-places in the track of the Catrail, the re- 

 mains of the fine camp on Eink hill must not be passed without 

 a word. It is British, and the well-grown fir wood planted over 

 it, about 1812, for the double purpose of protecting the camp 

 lines, and affording shelter to the fiocks and herds, has helped 

 much to preserve its remains. I do not know of any camp so 

 well marked. It is an oblong circle 90 yards by 60 within the 

 walls. It had two defence ditches ; and even now the fosse is 

 upwards of 30 feet wide, and in several places about 20 feet 

 deep. Hundreds of tons of the old wall stones are lying moss- 

 covered in the fosse. 



From the cultivation of the land the Catrail is not traceable 

 from the wood below the Eink Camp to the Tweed, which it 

 crossed at Howdenpot burn foot on to Sunderland Hall grounds. 



The late Major Plummer, of Sunderland Hall, wrote me in 

 February, 1879, that "The Catrail can be traced on Sunderland 

 moor for about 700 yards." After leaving the Tweed it passes 

 along a wood on Sunderland Hall grounds and then enters the 

 "moor," most of which is now under cultivation. Mr Craig- 

 Brown and I traced its line through the lands of Sunderland 

 Hall on to Linglee hill, where, near its top, it is very deeply and 

 distinctly marked. This part of the Catrail, from Tweedside to 



