44 



My Mend, Mr. Du Noyer, to whose quick and accurate pencil this 

 Academy owes so much, but for whose contributions posterity will yet 

 feel a still deeper debt of gratitude, — inasmuch as he has recorded the 

 present appearances of many places and objects of great interest, fast 

 disappearing, — accompanied me on a hurried visit to the place ; and I 

 have to thank him for the field plans and the enlarged sketches of the 

 sepulchral chambers, accurately drawn from measurements, according 

 to the scales appended to each, now before the Academy. On the 16th 

 and 30th of April last, I visited the place, and took rubbings of four 

 engraved stones found in the chambers of cairns already laid open, the 

 curious devices on which I have the honour to submit to the judgment 

 of the Academy. 



Commencing on the western peak, I have adopted letters, on the 

 general plan, to denote the cairns. 



A — Is twenty- seven paces in circumference, and sixty- three from D. 

 Nearly all the stones which formed this cairn have been removed. 

 Pour large stones still remain, standing on the circumference of the 

 base. 



B — Is twenty-four feet in diameter, and thirty-eight yards from D. 

 The upper portion of the structure has been removed, laying bare in 

 the centre a long chamber, formed of large flagstones, laid on edge, 

 and pointing in the direction of E. 20° S. 



C — Is also about twenty-seven paces round the base, and thirty-five 

 from D. Nearly all the stones have been taken away from the 

 margin and the interior, leaving four large stones standing in the 

 centre. 



D — Is entirely composed of dry small stones. The original circle of fifty- 

 four large stones round the base is still perfect, and is 182 yards in 

 circumference. The height of the cairn, in its present state, is about 

 twenty-eight yards from base to summit. The interior of this, the 

 largest of all the tumuli, has yet to be explored. The north and east 

 sides have been left untouched ; but on the south and west, for 

 nearly 100 yards round the base, the stones have been almost en- 

 tirely taken away, extending to a distance of twenty-four yards 

 from the circumference towards the centre. A curve inwards in the 

 circumference of twelve paces in length, indicating the entrance 

 (as shown in those cairns whose chambers now lie exposed), has the 

 direction of E. 20° S. 



E — This cairn has been nearly altogether cleared away ; about half 

 a dozen of the large stones, apparently used in forming the cham- 

 bers, still remain. The diameter of the base of the cairn is twenty- 

 one feet. 



F — Is about fourteen yards from E, and is fifty feet in diameter ; the 

 upper portion removed, leaving exposed the long chamber which 

 formed the grave. 



