Captain Thomas thus describes his descent into and exploration of this earth-house:--"An irregular hole was pointed out by the little lassie before alluded to, and some of my party quickly disappeared below ground. As they did not immediately return, I thought it was time to follow, and squeezing through the ruinated entrance (_a_), I entered the usual kind of gallery, which descended into the ground at a sharp angle. At the bottom, on the right-hand side, was the usual guard-cell (_b_); the sides of dry-stone masonry, but the end was the face of a rock _in situ_. Proceeding on, the roof rose and the gallery widened to what was the main chamber (_c_), which was 7 feet high under the apex of the dome, and 4 feet broad. Upon the west side of this chamber, and about 2 feet from the ground, is a recess, about 2 feet square and 4 feet long. At the further end, and in the same right line, the gallery (_d_) became low (2½ feet) and narrow (2 feet). Again the roof rose, and the gallery widened till stopt, in face, by a large transported rock (_f_); to the right of the rock a rectangular chamber (_e_), 2 feet broad, extended 4 feet, and ended against rock _in situ_. Round, and beyond the rock (_f_), the wall of the left side of the gallery was built, but the passage was so narrow (_g_) that I contented myself by looking through it. This incomprehensible narrowness is a feature in the buildings of this period. Some of Captain Otter's officers pushed through into the small chamber (_h_); beyond this the gallery was ruinated and impassable; the total length explored was 45 feet."[71] [Footnote 71: _Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot._, vol. vii. (First Series), pp. 167-8.] [Illustration: PLATE II. FIG. 8. "It is of a bee-hive form, about 18 feet in diameter, 9 feet high, and covered with green turf outside." _a_ _a_. doors; 3 feet high, "higher and better formed than is usual." _b_. fireplace (having a chimney above, which is exceptional). _c_. row of stones marking off _d._ _d_. bed on floor. _e_ _e_ _e_. small recesses in wall. FIG. 9. Dwelling and Dairy joined, "of the usual bee-hive shape, and green with the growing turf." Dairy "6 feet square on floor, but roundish externally." _a_. doorway; "easily closed with a creel, a bundle of heather, or a straw mat." _b_. "a very low interior doorway." _c_. doorway of dairy. _d_. fireplace; "the smoke escaping through a hole in the apex of the dome." _e_. "the usual row of stones." _f_. "a litter of hay and rushes for a bed." _g_. niches in wall. _i_ _j_ _k_ _l_. various utensils.] PLATE II.--_Bee-Hive Houses at Uig, Lewis._ (From Plate XXXI. of Vol. VII. of _Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland_, First Series.)