112 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOB 1904 



by a wall from ten to twelve feet in width, composed of 

 native, unhewn blocks of stone built together without mortar. 

 The enclosed area covers from twelve to fifteen acres, to which 

 access is obtained by four gateways, the chief of which is 

 situated on the South, and is defended by a guard-house of 

 an oval shape. At the East and West ends of this prehistoric 

 fort are extended additional walls in the form of a crescent, 

 as if to supply a first line of defence. The soil is comparatively 

 level throughout, but towards the Eastern extremity rises 

 somewhat abruptly, affording greater security to its defenders, 

 who, to strengthen this natural buttress, surrounded it with 

 a ditch cut out of the solid rock to the depth of five feet, 

 and threw up a low rampart about one foot in height. Within 

 this fortlet, at its highest point, is situated a small oval 

 enclosure, thirteen feet in diameter from North to South, 

 and ten feet from East to West. Throughout the main fort 

 are scattered the remains of upwards of a dozen hut-circles, 

 whose average diameter measures from twenty to thirty feet. 

 Lower down on the Eastern side of the Bell are traceable 

 the foundations of fortified dwellings, also containing hut- 

 circles, which may be regarded as outposts in the scheme of 

 fortification. Very general acceptance is now given to the 

 belief that the larger enclosures were employed for the 

 security of the natives and their cattle in the time of 

 invasion, while the smaller served the purpose of look-outs 

 or peels in the time of peace, when the hillmen would be 

 engaged in pasturing their stock on the lower levels, where 

 their accustomed habitations were situated. Of these an 

 immense number can be traced on the slopes of the inter- 

 vening ground (most easily approached from Akeld station) 

 on both sides of the route adopted by the Club in reaching 

 their most Eastern limit at Humbleton. 



To accomplish their purpose the members had to descend 

 rapidly towards a swampy piece of ground 

 Harehope behind Akeld Hill, and in so doing were con- 

 Fort. fronted on the East with a curious gorge or 



canon at the head of Monday Cleugh, whose 

 origin gave rise to much speculation. Two theories were 

 propounded, the one attributing it to the action of ice in 

 damming a channel of drainage water, and causing it to 



