13.07.2015 Views

The Celtic magazine. A monthly periodical devoted to the literature ...

The Celtic magazine. A monthly periodical devoted to the literature ...

The Celtic magazine. A monthly periodical devoted to the literature ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

THE CELTIC MAGAZINE. 103Duuglass, on <strong>the</strong> bauks of <strong>the</strong> river ; and here it should be observed asbetween tlie. two extremities of <strong>the</strong> Wall, east and west, that Avhere it<strong>to</strong>uches <strong>the</strong> Vr'dh of Forth at Carriden <strong>the</strong> heiftlit of its foundation rangesfrom about 150 <strong>to</strong> 200 feet above <strong>the</strong> level of <strong>the</strong> sea, and A\diere itajiproaches <strong>the</strong> Clyde at Dun<strong>to</strong>cher it is nearly <strong>the</strong> same—Avhich wasprobably its terminus. <strong>The</strong>re is scarcely a vestige of it now traceablebeyond that, and that it was ever carried far<strong>the</strong>r in reality is a matter ofacknowdedged uncertainty. But scattered fragments of masonry, as wehave seen, and <strong>the</strong> dimmest indications of a fort deep down in <strong>the</strong> earthhave been discovered or imagined at Chapel Hill <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> westward, whichseems <strong>to</strong> be about 50 feet above <strong>the</strong> level of <strong>the</strong> Clyde—leaving still avery large margin beyond Professor Geikie's estimate ; and a great dealof conjecture about what might, or might not have been <strong>the</strong>re, has beenindulged in by antiquarians. For <strong>the</strong> present, however, untd proof <strong>to</strong><strong>the</strong> contrary has been shown, let us accept as a fact that some militarystation had really been established <strong>the</strong>re in connection with <strong>the</strong> AVall<strong>the</strong>n, how have its fragments been so widely scattered 1 how has it beenso completely en<strong>to</strong>mbed that it can only be guessed at under <strong>the</strong> soil 1and how has <strong>the</strong> connection between it and <strong>the</strong> Wall, more than two milesdistant, been obliterated ? No o<strong>the</strong>r fort on <strong>the</strong> line, tliat we know of,is now in <strong>the</strong> same condition ;and <strong>the</strong>refore, we repeat, ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>Eomans were foolishly contending with <strong>the</strong> tide, by building <strong>to</strong>o close <strong>to</strong>its confines, ;yid <strong>the</strong> tide drove <strong>the</strong>m back and overthrew <strong>the</strong>ir works ; or<strong>the</strong> fort itself was originally on a higher level, and <strong>the</strong> shock of an earthquake,or a landslip from <strong>the</strong> mountains, or both <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r, carried <strong>the</strong>whole mass of masonry and earthwork at this particular point down .<strong>to</strong><strong>the</strong>ir, present level, where <strong>the</strong>y w^ould be washed by <strong>the</strong> tide and silted upin <strong>the</strong>ir own ruins. This is a view of <strong>the</strong> matter, indeed, which no antiquarian,so far as we are aware, lias hi<strong>the</strong>r<strong>to</strong> adopted ; but any one wli.ochooses <strong>to</strong> look with an unprejudiced eye, for a moment, at <strong>the</strong> enormousgap in <strong>the</strong> hills immediately beliind, reaching down <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> shore andincluding this very region, must be satisfied that <strong>the</strong> case was so ; andrecent discoveries—one of a quay-wall or foundation of a bridge at OldKilpatrick, about 4 feet deep in a field ; and ano<strong>the</strong>r of a causeway, morethan 20 feet submerged and sdted up under sea-sand, on <strong>the</strong> same side of<strong>the</strong> river, near Glasgow, will most ju'obably confirm it.One o<strong>the</strong>r question, however, yet remains, <strong>to</strong>uching this mysteriousfort, Avhich Ave may be alloAved <strong>to</strong> say only " Ossian and <strong>the</strong> Clyde " canenable us <strong>to</strong> ansAver—Why was such a fort ever thought of <strong>the</strong>re at all 1It Avas ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>to</strong> receive provisions and reinforcements from <strong>the</strong> sea ; andif so, tlien it must have been on <strong>the</strong> very verge of <strong>the</strong> frith, and <strong>the</strong> Avatermust have beeri sufficiently deep <strong>the</strong>re. Or it Avas <strong>to</strong> Avatch <strong>the</strong> estuaryof <strong>the</strong> liCA^en, and <strong>to</strong> preA'ent <strong>the</strong> natiA'e Caledonians ei<strong>the</strong>r landing from<strong>the</strong> sea, or coming doAvn from <strong>the</strong> hills <strong>to</strong> turn <strong>the</strong> flank of <strong>the</strong> Wall atDun<strong>to</strong>cher, and so surprising <strong>the</strong> Komans in <strong>the</strong> rear ; and this, beyonddoubt, Avas its most important purpose as a militaiy station on <strong>the</strong> line.But Ave have elscAvhere explained (in <strong>the</strong> Avork above alluded <strong>to</strong>) that<strong>the</strong>re Avas a regular route for <strong>the</strong> Caledonians from Dunglass <strong>to</strong> Campsie,which still bears <strong>the</strong> name of Fingal ; and Fyn loch, <strong>the</strong> very first rendezvouson that line, is on <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>p of tlxe hill immediately above <strong>the</strong> fort

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!