330 GAULISH FORTRESSES OX THE COAST OF BRITTANY. Nith resources which vuuM pennit them to sustain <a siege without fear of being starved out ; for, from the luicUUe of a hirge rock, which rises to the west of the 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.
Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/394
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