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.)] [Footnote 13: _Proceedings Soc. Antiq. Scot._ vol. vi. p. 125.] [Footnote 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.)] [Footnote 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 Fordun's expression "in turre sua de Canmore," and other historical references to the Isle of Loch Canmor apply therefore to this island with its castle, and not to the artificial island.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:--