to dig a deep trench round the mound, but to leave whatever wood-work would be exposed as much as possible _in situ_. Accordingly, this trench was completed, and on the following day, 15th October 1878, systematic explorations were begun in presence of Messrs. Turner, J. H. Turner, Cochran-Patrick, Anderson, Dr. Macdonald (Ayr), and myself. [Illustration: Fig. 33.--The Crannog after the Excavations were commenced.] _The Excavations._--The space enclosed by this trench was of a somewhat circular shape, and about 25 yards in diameter. The trench was from 5 to 6 feet deep, and in many parts quite studded with wooden piles, mostly upright, but some slanting. Some of those slanting outwards were forked at the upper end, as if intended to counteract outward pressure. At the bottom of the trench, particularly on the north side, were found various kinds of brushwood, chiefly hazel and birch, here and there trunks of trees, thick slabs of wood, and large stones. The most remarkable objects, however, were thick planks of oak about 6 feet long, with a large square-cut hole at each end. These were visible at various portions of the trench, and lying half-way down, some right across and others with one end sticking out from its inner side. At the north-east side there were two rows of these beams exposed, four in each row, and about 5 feet apart, measuring from the central line of each beam. One row was a little farther out than the other, and had upright piles, somewhat squarely cut, projecting through the holes. These horizontal beams pointed towards the centre of the crannog, and appeared to keep the upper ends of the upright piles in position (see Figs. 34, 35, and 36). Lying underneath these beams, and at right angles to them, were round logs of wood varying in length from 6 to 15 feet, which being caught as it were by the upright piles, were prevented from falling outwards into the trench. Conterminous with the mortised beams, which were scarcely a foot under the surface, there was a rude and much decayed platform of rough planks and saplings resting on transverse beams of split oak-trees. One of these transverse beams which I measured was 14-1/2 feet long and 8 inches broad, and for a few inches at each extremity was not split, so that the portion thus left acted as a catch (for the planks above it), like the flange on the wheel of a railway wagon. Digging underneath this platform, we passed through a compact mass of clay, stones, beams of soft wood, and ultimately brushwood, underneath which, being on a level with the drain, we could not farther explore, owing to the oozing up of water. [Illustration: Fig. 34.--View of the Trench on the North side.] [Illustration: Fig. 35.--Arrangement of Mortised Beams at north-east corner.[25]]