[10] Proceedings Soc. Antiq. Scot. vol. iii. p. 43.
[11] "Instructions to Andro bischop of the Yllis, Andro lord Steuart of Vchiltrie, and James lord of Bewlie, comptroller, conteining suche overturis and articles as they sall propone, to Angus MʽConeill of Dunnyvaig and Hector MʽClayne of Dowart for the obedyence of thame and thair clanis. 14 Aprilis 1608.... That the haill houssis of defence strong-holdis and cranokis in the Yllis perteining to thame and their foirsaidis sal be delyverit to his Maiestie and sic as his Heynes sall appoint to ressave the same to be vsit at his Maiesty's pleasour.... That they sall forbeir the vse and weiring of all kynd of armour outwith thair houssis especiallie gunis bowis and twa handit swordis, except onlie ane handit swordis and targeis."—(Regist. Secreti Concilii: Acta penes Marchiarum et Insularum Ordinem 1608-1623, pp. 4, 5. Robertson's Notes.)
[12] The island in the Loch of Forfar, known as Queen Margaret's Inch, was discovered to be artificial on the partial drainage of the loch in 1781. It is thus referred to in the Old Stat. Account of Scot., vol. vi. p. 528:—
"Before this loch was drained, and near the north side of it, there was an artificial island composed of large piles of oak and loose stones, with a stratum of earth above, on which are planted some aspen and sloe trees, supposed to have been a place of religious retirement for Queen Margaret. This now forms a very curious peninsula. The vestiges of a building, probably a place of worship, are still to be seen.... It appears that the loch has at some period surrounded the rising ground, called the Manor, and the adjacent hill, on which the Castle of Forfar stood; which hill is not, as the authors of the Encyclopædia Britannica suppose, artificial, but a congestum of sand and fat clay, evidently disposed in various irregular strata by the hand of nature."
Dr. Stuart says:[13]—"The drought of 1864 brought to light a sort of causeway, leading from the west end of the island. It was traced for about 100 yards; and it is supposed that it turned to the shore on one side, the popular belief being that it formed a way of escape in former times. As, however, it must have formerly been under a great depth of water, it seems doubtful for what purpose it may have been designed." (For historical notices of this Inch, see Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot. vol. vi. p. 310.) Subsequent excavations (autumn of 1868) prove that St. Margaret's Inch is "the highest part of a narrow ridge of natural gravel which runs out into the loch, and the so-called causeway is the continuation of this ridge as it dips into the deep water." Dr. Stuart, who was present during the operations, remarks that the results obtained "afford another instance of the little reliance which can be placed on the descriptions of early remains given by the observers of last century, so far as relates to details." This is in allusion to Dr. Jamieson (Archæologia Scotica, vol. ii. p. 14) and others, who describe the Inch as being wholly artificial. (For Dr. Stuart's report, see Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot. vol. x. p. 31.)
[13] Proceedings Soc. Antiq. Scot. vol. vi. p. 125.
[14] "The only antiquity in the parish is the fortalix at Lochindorb, where a thick wall of mason-work (20 feet high even at this period, and supposed to have been much higher) surrounds an acre of land within the loch, with watch-towers at every corner, all entire.... Great rafts or planks of oak, by the beating of the waters against the old walls, occasionally make their appearance; which confirms an opinion entertained of this place, that it had been a national business, originally built on an artificial island."—(Old Stat. Account, vol. vii. p. 259.)
[15] Before the level of Loch Canmor was reduced in 1858, it appears that it contained four islands—only one of which was found to be artificial. Of the three natural islands, the largest has an area of about a Scotch acre, and is known as the Castle Island, because the traditional castle of Malcolm Canmore was placed on it. It is supposed, from the occasional fishing up of great oak beams between it and the shore, that it was connected with the mainland by two projecting piers and a drawbridge. Fordun's expression "in turre sua de Canmore," and other historical references to the Isle of Loch Canmor apply therefore to this island with its castle, and not to the artificial island. The following extracts regarding the artificial island are from a paper on Loch Canmor, prepared by the Rev. James Wattie, Bellastraid, at the suggestion of Mr. Robertson, who intended to use it in his article on Scottish Crannogs:—
"The Prison Island is about the middle of the loch, and about 250 yards from its north shore. It is something of an oval shape. It is 25 yards long and 21 yards broad. It is evidently artificial, and seems to have been formed by oak piles driven into the loch, the space within the piling being filled up with stones, and crossed with horizontal beams or pieces of wood to keep all secure. The piles seem to have been driven or ranged in a rectangular form. They are quite distinct and apart from one another. The upright ones are generally round, though some of them have been splitted. The horizontal beams are mostly arms of trees, from 4 to 6 inches thick; but there is one horizontal beam, squared evidently with an iron tool, about 8 inches on the side. There are not many horizontal beams now to be seen. I remember having seen more (the ends of trees) a good many years ago. My recollection of them is, that they had been splitted. There seems to have been upright piles on all sides of the island, but least distinct at the east end, and most numerous at the west. At the west end thirty upright piles are visible. On the south side, outside the regular row of piles, is a kind of out-fencing of upright and horizontal beams, seemingly for protection against the force of the water. At the west end there are two rectangular corners, and there may have been the same at the east end, though now overgrown with grass. Outside the piles is what may be called a rough, loose causewaying of stones sloping outwards into the water; while inside is what may be called a heap of stones, arising, no doubt, from the putting into the water of whatever building had been on it. At the west end the piles stand 18 inches above the present level of the stones, and from 12 to 15 inches apart. They are 4 inches thick at the top, and 6 inches thick where they had been under water. Scarcely any of the upright piles are perpendicular; they slope to the north on the west side of the island, and to the west on the south side. Round the heap of stones now forming this island a clump of trees has sprung up. There is no appearance of a pier or jetty about the island, nor any mark of communication between it and the shore, or any of the other islands. The present depth of the loch near the island is 7 feet; half-way between it and the Castle Island, 10 feet."
"On the 16th June 1859 there was fished up from the bottom of the loch, near the north shore, opposite to the Prison Island, a canoe (Fig. 1), hollowed out of a single oak-tree, 221⁄2 feet long, 3 feet 2 inches wide over the top at the stern, 2 feet 10 inches in the middle, and 2 feet 9 inches at 6 feet from the bow, which ended nearly in a point. The edges are thin and sharp, the depth irregular—in one place 5 inches, the greatest 9 inches. There are no seats nor rollocks or places for oars; but there may have been seats along the sides, secured by pins through holes still in the bottom. There are two rents in the bottom, alongside of each other, about 18 feet long each; to remedy these, five bars across had been mortised into the bottom outside, from 22 to 27 inches long and 3 inches broad, except at the ends, where they were a kind of dovetailed, and 4 inches broad. One of these bars still remains, and is of very neat workmanship, and neatly mortised in. The other bars are lost, but their places are quite distinct. They have been fastened with pins, for which there are five pairs of holes through the bottom of the canoe, at the opposite side, at a distance of from 18 to 20 inches, the bottom being flattish. There are also five pairs of larger holes through the bottom, and also at the opposite sides, which may have been for fastening seats with pins along the sides of the canoe. There are two bars mortised longitudinally into the bottom of the boat outside, above the seats before spoken of, 21⁄4 inches broad, one at the stern 5 feet long, and the other beginning 5 feet from the stern, and extending 71⁄2 feet towards the bow. The canoe looks as it had been partly scooped out with fire. The bottom is 2 feet 8 inches wide at the stern, and 28 inches wide at the middle. The stern is 18 inches thick, and somewhat worn down at the top.