Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/394

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

330 GAULISH FORTRESSES OX THE COAST OF BRITTANY. Nith resources which vuuM pennit tlicm to sustain <a siege without fear of being starved out ; for, from the luicUUe of a hirge rock, which rises to the west of tlic fortress, issues a spring of water very abundant during the greater part of the year, and never dry in the hottest part of it. It was from this source that the workmen emplo^'ed in the excavations snpj)hed themselves ; and, although my visit was at the end of the summer, yet it still furnished a satisfactory' quantity. On the other side there was a plentiful supply of shell-fish close at hand, and even at the present time this }<art of the coast is celebrated for its abundance of fish, so that one is almost sure of mectinir with fishermen at the extreme north of the peninsula — the only spot where a descent to the sea is possible. About loO yards to the east is an abundant stream, whence in ordinary wTather a supply of water could be had ; and, even in case of a siege, it was possible to reach it by means of boats. It was not easy to ascertain the precise number of houses in Castel Coz ; but I endeavoured to arrive at some approxi- mation b}' placing a small square of paper secured by a stone wherever a (le])ression in the grouiul marked the site of a house. ^^ hen 1 had placed all the s(piares of paper I had, namely, los, there yet remained a great number of iiouscs not thus marked out so that 1 was not able to com- plete ni}' o])eration. lUit 1 think that I may, without any exaggeration, place the whole nundjer at Irom ] 50 to 200 ; which, allowing five persons to a house, would give us a j)opulation of between 750 and 1000. The fore^roing inenioir Iwus boon reproduced from the Arcliicoloj^ia f 'uniltreiisiH l»y c<jurteou.s jierinissiou of the ("uinbriiin Archa'olojiiciil Atusociation, and with corrections mid additions by the Author, from whose wirefid and important iuvestij^atiun.s of (Jaidish remains fiu'ther notices of ji veiy remarkable class of ancient vcstigOB may bo anticipated.