1847.] 



Neilghcrnj Hills, 8^c. 



105 



regarded it as the remains of an entrenched camp, a view in which 

 I entirely concur and am disposed to compare it with the British 

 (Celto Scythic) encampments or stations near Dorchester, which are 

 placed on insulated hills and surrounded by circular or square 

 earthworks. 



It will be recollected I have described barrows amongst the re- 

 mains of Scythicism found on the Neilgherries, they contain urns 

 and other antiques similar to those discovered in the cairns. In 

 England barrows are generally found in the neighbourhood of stone 

 circles such as those I have here discovered, and near other Druidical 

 remains. 



The following account of the opening of a barrow on Deverel 

 Down in Dorsetshire is so corroborative of all I have advanced that 

 I make no apology for inserting it. 



" On beginning to open this barrow, it was found to consist en- 

 " tirely of a heterogenous mass of flints, charcoal, and broken 

 *' pottery, and it was probably reduced to this confused state by 

 *' previous explorers, who removed all the ornaments, and other 



articles of value, and destroyed a portion of the rude clay-urns, 



and such articles as were considered worthless. Thus, it is proba- 

 " ble that the rich store of ancient vases, which were found entire, 

 *' was only a small part of the original number contained in this 



barrow ; the larger part of whose contents had been reduced to a 

 " disorderly mass of shapeless fragments, by the rough usage of 

 *' those who only opened the tumulus in the hopes of finding 



treasure." 



" On examining more minutely, however, a compact bed or pave- 

 *' ment of flints, firmly wedged together, was found, constituting as 

 *' it were, a floor to the barrow. The central part of the mound was 



therefore dug away, down to this floor, which was on the natural 

 " surface of the earth. When the central part had thus been remov- 



ed, a singular spectacle appeared. On the level compact floor, 

 *' just described, were arranged twenty large stones, of various irre- 

 *' gular shapes and sizes. They were placed in a semicircular form, 

 *' and the two extreme stones were much larger than the others. 

 " There were also three other smaller stones, not forming part of 



the general crescent, but placed by themselves. On removing 



some of the smaller stones, and on digging down to a lower level, 

 " it was found that immediately beneath each stone was a rude 



o 



