rom the
Caledonians a cession of land to the north of the Tay. It has been
conjectured that he returned south by way of Fortingall and Fendoch and
Ardoch, where are Roman remains of a peculiar kind, of which no more
satisfactory explanation can be given than that they mark the sites of
his stations. Severus was borne on a litter in his northward march,
frail and aged. He accomplished his purpose, but the undertaking was
greater than his strength had warranted. He died at York in 211 A.D.

But to return to Agricola--to whom the honour belongs of opening up
Strathearn. He had gone into winter quarters near Perth, after his
autumn expedition to the Isla. All hesitation had vanished from the
minds of his soldiers. They were impatient to try conclusions with the
barbarian Caledonians; and so soon as the season permitted, the camp was
broken up. They retraced their steps to the Isla, and found the enemy
occupying the old position on the lower slopes of the Hill of
Blair--battle-hill; probably so called in memory of the big fight now
impending. It was a well-chosen position, showing no little military
skill on the part of Galgacus, the Caledonian chief. From the foot of
the hill a plain extended southward to the junction of the rivers. The
Isla bounded the plain on the east, while a series of morasses, moors,
and small lochs stretched to the west, in the direction of the Grampian
range. Upon their defeat, the Caledonians made their escape this way.
The Roman army boldly crossed the Isla this time, and began to throw up
entrenchments. Traces of a rampart are to be seen extending from
Meikleour on the Tay across country to the Isla. In connection with this
a fort was constructed and a triangular bit of ground enclosed, capable
of containing the whole force. The local name of the rampart is Cleaven
Dykes, and all the while the Caledonians were gathering from all
parts--from the distant Highlands and from the siege of the Strathearn
forts. The Buzzard Dykes, on the lower slopes of the Hill of Blair,
marks their position. At length they thought themselves strong enough to
begin the attack. A defensive policy would have been wiser. But the
concentrated power of a trained army--the very regularity of its motions
always draws the attack of a less highly disciplined force. Probably the
Caledonians deceived themselves into thinking that fear was the cause of
the inaction of their opponents. It was not so. Agricola h