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R
A p p e n d i x .
N U M B E R XV.
E P O S I T O R Y of A S H E S .
P a r t I L p . 1 7 4 .
TWO miles north of Coupar Angus, near a ftnall village called!
Coupargrange, on a gentle eminence, was lately difcovered a
repoiitory of the alhes of facrifices, which our anceftors were wonttoj
offer up, in honour o f their Deities. It is a large fpace, of a circular®
form, fenced with a wall on either fide, and paved at bottom with!
flags. The walls are about 5 feet in height, and built with coarfeB
ftone. They form an outer and an inner circle, diftant from eacB
other 9 feet. The diameter of the inner circle is 6© feet; and the!
area of it is of a piece with the circumjacent foil. But the fpacM
between the walls is filled with the aihes of wood, particularly oakl
and with the bones of various fpecies of animals. I could plainly difl
tinguiih the extremities of feveral bones of iheep; and was informed]
that teeth of oxen and iheep had been found. The top of the walls!
and aihes is near two feet below the furface of the field. The entry isl
from theN. W. and about ioor i2feetin breadth. From it a path-1
way, 6 feet broad, and paved with fmall ftones, leads eaftward to a|
large free-ftone, ftanding ereft between the walls, and reaching 5I
feet above the pavement, fupported by other ftones at bottom. Itl
is flat on the upper part, and 2 feet fquare. Another repofitory oil
the fame kind and dimenfions was fome months ago difcovered at the!
diftancej
a p p e n d i x .
diftance of 300 paces from the former. From the numbers of oak
trees that have been digged out of the neighbouring grounds it
would appear that this was anciently a grove.
D E S C R I P T I O N of C R A I G H A L L .
CR A IGHA LL, a gentleman’s feat, two miles N. of Blairgowrie.
The fituation of it is romantic beyond the power of defcription.
It is placed in the midft of a deep glen, furrounded on all fxdes with
wide-extended dreary heaths ; where are ftill to be feen the rude
monuments of thoufands of our anceftors, who here fought and fell.
The houfe itfelf ftands on the brow of a vaft precipice, at the foot
of which the river Erecht runs deep and fullen along. It commands
a profpeit for the fpace of half a mile northward, the moft pleafant
and moft awful that’ can be conceived. About twice the diftance
now mentioned, the river, that had for many miles glided along beau-
tifully-floping banks, covered with trees of various kinds planted by
the hand of nature, feels itfelf confined in a narrow channel, by
rocks of an aftonifhing height, through the chinks of which the
oaks fhoot forth and embrace each other from oppofite fides, fo as to
exclude the kindly influences of the fun, and to occafion almoft a
total darkneis below. The ftream concealed from our view makes
a tremendous noife, as if affrighted by the horrors of its confinement.
The ecchoing of the caves on every fide render the fcene ftill more
dreadful. At length the river is diverted in its courfe by a promontory
of a great height, vulgarly called Lady Lindfay's Caftle. Near
M m m
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