ld throughout Scotland and
Northumberland with regard to the Picts: that they were great as
builders, but were of very low stature, and closely akin to Fairies.[52]
Moreover, they are famous for doing their work during the night.
Whatever be the explanation of the above curious statement that at
mid-day they lost their strength and withdrew to their underground
houses, it is at any rate interesting to compare with it the remark made
by the traveller Pennant as he was passing along Glenorchy in 1772. This
is the entry in his journal:--"See frequently on the road-sides small
verdant hillocks, styled by the common people shi an (_sithean_), or the
Fairy-haunt, because here, say they, the fairies, who love not the glare
of day, make their retreat after the celebration of their nocturnal
revels."[53] Now, as the "Picts' houses" are, to outward appearance,
"small verdant hillocks," the parallel is very exact. With these two
references compare also the mention, in a quaint old gazetteer printed
at Cambridge in 1693,[54] of the tribe of the "Germara," defined as "a
people of the Celtae, who in the day-time cannot see." Although the
author usually gives the sources of his information, in this instance he
gives none. But the statement agrees perfectly with the belief found
everywhere throughout Northern Europe that "the dwarfs could not bear
daylight, and during the day hid in their holes."[55] It really seems
impossible to avoid the inference that all this was perfectly true. When
Leif went down into the underground house in Ireland, he could not see
at first, though at length he saw in the obscurity the glimmer of his
opponent's sword. Consequently, the denizens and builders of these
subterranean retreats must either have had something very like "cat's
eyes," or else they must in general have had numerous lamps burning.
This will be understood by an examination of one or two of the
accompanying diagrams. It seems to me beyond question that a people
living this underground life must have differed very distinctly from
ourselves in the matter of vision; and to them the brightness of noonday
must have been blinding. This physical fact--if it be a fact--would
explain much that is otherwise strange and incredible in the traditions
relating to the Picts--or Pechts, as they were formerly called in
Scotland. However, it is sufficient for my present purpose to note that
this peculiarity associates, and indeed identifies, the Picts with the