Mr Tytler has accounted for the present irregular dis tribution of the vitrified Matter, in a more simple and in a more ingenious manner than Mr Williams and Dr Ander son. He supposes that the cause of the vitrification is to be found, not in the mode of construcing, but in the means em ployed to demolish the ramparts ; which, according to his theory, were originally built with stones intermixed with wood, thus presenting to an enemy a defence easily de structible by the application of fire.
It is difficult to find any reason why such structures should be made, at a time when the effects of fire upon wood must have been as well known as at present. At a period when it was the only fuel made use of or known, little ingenuity was necessary for discovering that any structure made wholly or partly of wood, could easily be destroyed by fire ; and the people must have been very silly indeed, who were incapable of foreseeing that the ingenui ty of their enemies might enable them to find out so simple, and, to such fortifications as Mr Tytler has constructed for them, so formidable a weapon. It was necessary that such a structure should be only once destroyed by fire, to prove to the inhabitants the frail nature of their defence. And if their enemies were expelled, it is natural to suppose that they would have renewed their forts, and constructed them in a different manner, so as to resist the attacks of fire. But nothing has been found indicating any renewal of the fortifications. That a rampart may he constructed of stones and wood, which shall not be liable to destruction by fire, and that such ramparts have been formed, there is no rea son to doubt. in the case before us, it is necessary that the quantity of wood should have been so great, as to admit of fire being set to it easily. If Mr Tytler's conjec ture indiscriminately right, we ought to find the melted matter pervad ing every part of the rubbish. But the vitrification is only superficial, extending but a very little way among the stones.
These few considerations, together with what we have already stated in favour of another, has inclaced us to reject Mr Tytler's hypothesis. On the whole, we are of opinion, that the antiquity of these structures is by no means so great as that which has been attributed to them, and that they have served as beacons to castles in their vicinity, the remains of which are, in almost every instance, to be found.
We allow that, while these hills were chosen for signal stations, they were also used as places of defence. And, indeed, it would have been strange if posts of so much im portance had been left without the means of resistance. All have agreed that they were places of more or less strength, though perhaps such lofty and exposed situations were not well chosen for protracted warfare. Had they been merely places of retreat, an invading enemy would certainly over look them, as he could overrun and pillage the country without the possibility of his being annoyed from them ; or if there was any risk of his progress being interrupted, the situation of the hills would render it easy for a small party to coop up the garrison. But as an enemy would always
endeavour to approach unseen, and to prevent the country from being alarmed, these stations would undoubtedly be ob jects of attack ; and hence we should be warranted in sup posing that they were, to a certain extent, fortified, even were the appearance of ramparts less unequivocal.
Nor are we disposed to deny, that, in some instances, the fusibility of the stones may have been made use of to assist in strengthening the ramparts; though nothing has yet oc curred to our observation, or in the course of our reading, which we consider as carrying with it any thing like de monstration, or even the suggestion of any such method of constructing them.
Our object, in this article, being chiefly to excite cu riosity, and to induce such of our readers as may have an opportunity of visiting these curious remains, to apply, on the spot, the different hypotheses which have been stated, and to favour the public, through some channel or other, with the result of their observations, we shall now proceed to point out the situations of some of the most remarkable vitrified forts in various parts of Scotland, besides those already mentioned.
In Kirkcudbrightshire, about half a mile S. E. from the church of Anwoth, is a steep rocky hill, about 300 feet high, which has been fortified on the most accessible places by a double fosse. On the summit, the fallowing appearances present themselves, as described by the Rev. Hugh Gor don. " The top, which forms a level area, 30 paces long and 20 broad, is nearly surrounded with an irregular ridge of loose stones, intermixed with vast quantities of vitrified matter. The stones, consisting of the common blue schis tus of the country, have been softened, twisted, and partly fused by the fire. These heaps of loose stones and vitrified matter are scattered irregularly over the top of the fort, and exhibit no appearance of having ever formed a con tinued wall. The vitrification is only partial and super ficial, and seems to have been the accidental effect of large fires kindled on these high rocks, either for some domestic purpose, or for signals to alarm the country on the ap proach of an enemy. It was formerly believed that these vitrified forts were peculiar to that part of the island which is north of the Forth. But besides the one described above, there are two others in the country, and they all command a very extensive prospect of the sea." In the island of Bute, in the Kingarth, there is a vitrified fort ; and in Cantire, at the entrance of the bay of Carradale, on a small island, vitrified masses enclose about a rood of ground. We believe that some others have been observed in Argyllshire, particularly one on the hill of Dunskeig, which commands the entrance of Loch Torbert. On the same hill, ramparts are seen constructed with dry stones, without any vitrification.