[ [110] Rev. R. J. Mapleton thus sums up his observations:—"Altogether, I think that it is evident that the crannog was entirely composed of rock and walling, with the middle part filled up with smaller stones; that there existed considerable works of wood on the east, south, and west sides, at least, but whether a rampart outside or a building on the structure itself, is not quite clear; that there was a partial causeway, now under water, and the interval either filled in with brushwood or passed over in a canoe."
[ [111] "In Loch Kinder there is an artificial mount of stones, rising six or seven feet above the surface of the water, and resting on a frame of large oaks, which is visible when the weather is clear and calm."
[ [112] An oval-shaped crannog, 50 feet long by 28 feet broad, constructed of layers of young trees laid transversely. Three fire-places were exposed over the structure, and among the rubbish were found two broken combs made of wood, one of which is here figured ([Fig. 173]), and a piece of wood with a Greek cross, with crosslets burnt on it.
[ [113] Half a century ago Loch Leven was lowered nine feet by drainage, and at the present time the remains of the lake-dwelling are always from one to three feet under water. The mound measures 35 yards by 20 yards, and 1½ to 2 feet in height. In this area were detected the stumps of two rows of piles, twelve feet apart, and each pile was four or five feet apart. Also, in a line stretching to the shore, which is about sixty yards distant, there were one or two piles encountered, as if forming part of a gangway. The lake-bottom is here firm, and not liable to compression, so that the structure, whether ancient or modern, was really a pile-building. The only relics are a bit of carved wood, which might have been a handle, and a fragment of archaic-like pottery.
[ [114] The island is oval in shape, 180 feet long and 135 feet broad in the widest part. Fire-places, wooden floorings, and other woodworks were exposed, and a few relics, viz. an ornamented bone comb ([Fig. 174]), a flat loop of bronze, part of the rim of a large vessel of cast bronze 3 inches in length, and portion of an armlet of greenish glass, with a blue-and-white twisted cable ornament running round it.
[ [115] Dr. Stuart quotes the following account of a crannog in Loch Lochy from Mr. Robertson's notes, extracted by the latter from a MS. in the Advocate's Library, written towards the end of the seventeenth century: "Ther was of ancient ane lord in Loquhaber, called my Lord Cumming, being a cruell and tyirrant superior to the inhabitants and ancient tenants of that countrie of Loquhaber. This lord builded ane iland, or an house, on the south-east head of Loghloghae; ... and when summer is, certain yeares or dayes, one of the bigge timber jests, the quantitie of an ell thereof will be sein above the water. And sundrie men of the countrie were wont to goe and se that jest of timber which stands there as yett; and they say that a man's finger will cast it too and fro in the water, but fortie men cannot pull it up, because it lyeth in another jest below the water." B. 94, p. 160.
[ [116] In Maitland's "History of Scotland" the curious observation is made that Boece states that in Loch Lomond there were fish without fins, waves without wind, and a floating island. (Boet. "Scot. Reg. Descript.," fol. 7.)
[ [117] The relics from the Wigtownshire crannogs, besides those already mentioned, are not numerous. From Barlockhart there is a stone ring ([Fig. 175]), two querns, and a spindle-whorl of clay-slate. From one of the crannogs at Machermore Loch there is a stone implement, with circular hollows on each face ([Fig. 175]). Regarding such implements Rev. George Wilson writes thus:—"These are of two types, elongated and oval, approaching a circular form, and I wish to direct attention to them because, as yet [1879], only eight have been reported in Scotland, seven of them being from Wigtownshire" (Proc. S. A. Scot., vol. xiv. p. 127). Shortly afterwards another, described at [page 422], was found on the crannog of Lochspouts, in Ayrshire.
[ [118] Lochavoullin, situated to the east of the Oban railway station, was formerly, as the name implies, used as a dam for a water-mill, but for many years it was a marsh in the summer time, and much frequented by sportsmen on account of the number of snipes which it sheltered. It is now in the process of being utilised, partly as a green, by filling up its bed, and partly as a skating-pond; and in the course of these operations a submerged platform of wooden beams, laid in transverse layers, was detected about the centre of the marsh. I visited the locality in the spring of 1888, but beyond seeing portions of the woodwork, and determining, by probing the mud, that it extended for several yards in all directions, nothing of archæological value was discovered. So far, however, it has all the appearance of the usual crannog, an opinion which is strengthened by the physical conditions of the environment.
[ [119] This loch covers about two acres. At the north end there is a small island, covered with a rank vegetation and a few stunted trees of Scottish fir and birch. A rough, crooked causeway extended from it to the shore. "Round the island could be seen driven piles, to which were attached strong transverse beams, and upon making a cut six or seven feet wide into the side of the island to ascertain its structure, we found a platform of about four feet in depth, raised by transverse beams placed alternately across each other, and kept in position by driven piles. These last were generally small oak trees, but dressed and sharpened by a metal tool, some of them mortised at the heads, where a transverse rail or beam could be fixed."