Thirdly.—We had no reliable information regarding the composition of the island below the log pavement, as deeper digging could not be carried on to any extent without a pump, owing to the accumulation of water—the main drain being nearly on a level with it.
Fourthly.—The supposed gangway had to be examined.
As none of the above problems could be solved without additional excavations, it was clear that, in the interests of science, the work should be resumed. But here occurred a difficulty. As the drainage operations conducted on the farm of Lochlee had now come to a close, and the workmen were removed elsewhere, Mr. Turner gave instructions that no further outlay should be incurred in the investigation of the crannog; and as, moreover, his Grace the late Duke of Portland, in answer to petitions from the Town Council and Philosophical Society of Kilmarnock, had given all the relics to the Corporation of this town, we felt it incumbent on us to restrict applications for more funds to carry on the explorations to the local authorities who had thus, without any expenditure whatever, become the owners of a rare and valuable collection of archæological relics. But the only result of our representation was a grant of £10 from the Philosophical Society; which, however, under the judicious management of Mr. Blackwood, together with a few private contributions kindly given by Messrs. James Blackwood, James Craig, Charles Reid, and Thomas Kennedy, enabled us to bring the work to a tolerably satisfactory conclusion.
Upon resuming operations in the month of April we directed the workmen to clear away the soil at the north-west corner, where, it will be remembered, two mortised beams were exposed in the original circular trench. These were then supposed to be part of the well-defined circle running along the north side, but now, however, they were found to be from 8 to 10 feet external to this circle. Upon careful inspection of the wooden structures at the north-east corner, we found that the inner termination of the platform, conterminous with the elaborate mortised beams at the outer trench, was supported by transverse mortised beams similar to those in the general circle—one of which is figured in Fig. 41. There could, indeed, be hardly any doubt that at this corner two circular rows of uprights with their transverses gradually merged into one on the north. Hence it became a very feasible supposition that those mortised beams at the north-west corresponded with the outer ones at the north-east side, and formed part of an outer circle which also merged into the one on the north. But upon extending excavations so as to expose them completely, this supposition was not borne out. They were in a slanting position, about 15 feet apart, and their outer ends on a level with the log pavement. Half-way between them there was another beam lying in a similar position, but it contained no mortised holes. Their lower or outer extremities were jammed against a sort of network of logs, some running along the circumference and others slanting rapidly downwards, while their inner ends were raised about 2 feet and rested on a mass of stones and logs of wood. The outer hole of the beam, marked H on the Plan, contained a portion of an upright, which had, however, more the appearance of being used as a peg to keep it down. The other mortised holes appeared to be of no use whatever, so that these beams were intended for, and probably served, a different purpose before being placed in their present position.
It was now evident that the margin of the crannog was near, as at the upper or surface portions of the trenches we encountered a layer of fatty clay, which had undoubtedly been deposited by the surrounding lake. This layer gradually got thicker as we advanced outwards, and the dark vegetable débris and wood-work, forming the substance of the island, shelved downwards underneath it. A foot or two beyond the outer end of the beam G, this clay was 3 feet 6 inches thick. Pursuing our investigations northwards towards the point A (Plan Plate II.), we came upon a dense wooden structure formed of stakes, logs, planks, and brushwood, woven together in the most fantastic fashion, which also shelved downwards below the clay. At the point A this clay was no less than six feet deep. Here the water oozed up, but there was no doubt, from the above appearances and the rapidly slanting wood-work,—some stakes now running downwards and outwards at an angle of about 45°,—that we had reached the sloping margin of the island. Imbedded in the clay near the point A were found two pieces of charred stakes, one 31⁄2 feet and the other nearly 6 feet deep. About half-way between the margin of the crannog and the circle of stakes surrounding the log pavement, and 5 feet deep, the workmen discovered, amongst decayed brushwood and chips of wood, a beautiful trough cut out of a single block of wood. It was quite whole when found, and showed very distinctly the markings of the gouge-like instrument by which it was fashioned. It was made of soft wood, which, upon drying, quickly crumbled into dust, but Fig. 44, engraved from a photograph taken by Mr. Blackwood soon after its discovery, gives a very good idea of it.
Fig. 44.—Wooden Vessel (1⁄6).
