PLATE I. (Frontispiece).--_Uamh Sgalabhad, South Uist._
(From Plate XXXV. of Vol. VII. of _Proceedings of the Society of
Antiquaries of Scotland_, First Series.)
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 (2-1/2 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_.
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