On the south side, external to the refuse-bed, quite a forest of piles was encountered, together with the charred remains of a few mortised transverses and some long beams. From a glance at the Plan it will be observed that, at the cutting E, the outer circle of these uprights curves outwards as if to meet the line of the supposed gangway. It would have been more satisfactory if a larger portion had been here cleared away, and the junction of the gangway with the crannog more accurately determined; but at this particular spot there was such an immense accumulation of rubbish, formerly wheeled from the interior of the mound, that the labour of removing it was too great. The superficial layer of fatty clay appeared here also, and at the point E measured 2 feet 3 inches in thickness. The horizontal beams found at this side, some of which were indicated on the Plan, were from 4 to 5 feet deep, and about the same level some important relics were dug up. Near the point M were found a bridle bit (Fig. 148), a bronze dagger-like instrument (Fig. 145), and a four-plied plaited object made of the long stems of a moss similar to those of which the fringe-like article was manufactured, and referred to on a former occasion. It had the tapering appearance of a cue or pigtail; and measured 17 inches long and about 2 broad in the middle. Near it, and about 5 feet deep, an iron hatchet (Fig. 46), much corroded, but still retaining a small bit of the wooden handle, was discovered by one of the workmen. A few feet to the east of this, and lying across the line of the gangway, a large oar was exposed to view. It was quite whole when found, but being made of soft wood, was so fragile that it broke into pieces in the act of removal. Its extreme length was 9-1/2 feet, and the blade measured 3 feet by 14 inches. The round handle was perforated about its middle by two small holes a couple of inches apart. [Illustration: Fig. 46.--Iron Hatchet (1/2).] [Illustration: Fig. 47.--Iron Knife (1/2).] We made no projecting trench on the south-west side owing to the proximity of a network of recent drains, which, if disturbed, might injuriously interfere with the drainage of the field, but from the general appearance of the wood-work we were satisfied that this portion was symmetrical with the rest of the crannog. The ends of flat beams jutted out at the bottom of the cutting immediately on the west side, which clearly indicated a parallelism with the three exposed a little farther north; and towards the south one or two uprights belonging to the outer series were visible.