The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-06-21 00:00:00

LEWES, June le.

tilcangrceitt is to be foisted thisdayettiF..a.st
Minn, .4144 th'it fa-lowing regiments will pitch their
tents in the course 'cif the priserett weeks xis.
Oth and 231, on Monday.
astir and 46th„ on 't'uesday.
!tuns Militia, on NVednesday.
ilsid past of the Sonde eiloucestee, on Thursday. '
On Thursday n xt the South Gloucester Militia,
commanded by the hail of Berkeley, commeuce
.%eir march from the New Barracks in Ibis town,
i'vr,llail~? am barracks, anel East Bourn camp.
The i,,u-racks at Illetchington are now occupied
by the Mcennoutle an,t lirosenu Militia, commanded
by the Fail of Atergnveimr, into which they lately
snatched in three disi.sious horn Chiclwster. -
On Friday se'nniAtit the South Braniber Vulun
teers, under the command of Captain Margeson,
were inspeeted at Steyttiug by Colonel Lyon, who
was highly pleased with their improvement since
their last inspeffion, the Colonel and (Meer, dined
together at the Chequer Inn.
-Last Wednesday Captain Shiffner's troop of Yeo-
, many Cavalry. and the South Lewes Volunteers,
commanded by Lieut Col. Graham, were inspeeted
by Colonel Lyon ~11 Piumptan plain. They perform-
ed their several manoeuvres and evolutions in a very
soldier-like manner, and were in cons• quence highly
complimented by the InspeCting Colonel. Captain
Shiliner read at,the head of his troop, a letter from
Lieutenant General Ler.nox, expressive of his thanks
fo, the steady and soldier-like condua cf his officer,
and men in the line (composed princiosilly of ilegus
Les), at the late review, in honour of His Nlajesty's-
bin Way.
This dal, the battalion of Volunteers, cc mmanded
by Lora (.age. are to be inspedeil at Long Bridge,
by Col. Booth. The companies are to take their
ground at ten in the forenoon.
Major Noel, a Gen-lentin well known in this town
and neighbourhood, has resigned his command in
the Woi easter Militia. Captain Gwienel succeeds
to the Majority..
A few days since Mr. Shrapnall, surgeon of the
South Glow:ester Militia, stationed here, and a gen-
tleman conversant in antiquarian researches, caused
to be opened on our Downs, near Offliam cii4lk-pit
and Mount Harry, several tumuli or barrows, which
tfie ancientsbid thrown up for the burial of their
dead.
The 6ist that wa,, explored exhibited the skeleton
of a female, nearly entire, lying E.S.E. and W .N.W
but nothing either of ornaments or of warlike wea-
pons was to be found.
The second exposed to view part of a male skele-
tor, lying in a direEtion contrary to the former.—
'j i. minutest search above, below, and sit the sides
?f it, did not lead to any discovery by which the
age t these deposits could be ascertained.
The third, a very large one, and distant about halt
a mile from the two former, presented several skulls
and human bones, lying promiscuously, with evi-
; dent masks of the ground having been previously
searched.

In the fourth, nearer to the beacon, and on the side
of Mount Harry, *as found a skalaton, wrapped in
a decayed black substance, resembling tinder, that
was, doubtless, the clothes in which the body was
deposited ; but without the least trace of ornaments
or weapons near it.
The last examir. 41, in point of size, was of the
first class, and etre! Jed by others of lesser 'dimen-
sions ; to one of ti. ise Mr. Shrapnall next dire/Bed
his attention, and discovered, a little below the sur-
face of the -nrrounding soil, a foarth skeleton, en-
vironed, like all the rest,, by a greyish and rather
greasy mould. They were all left veered up
nearly in the same stare they were found; but with
respell to tharaage in which they might hive been de-
posited, we can ordy refer our readers to the descrip-
tion given by ancient authors.
We have it from authentic writers, that the Ro-
mans, Danes, and Briums, buried their ashes or
bodies under such tumuli, or rather, that they threw
up such heaps of earth over their dead.
The Romans generally burnt then bodies, and de-
posited the stiles of their generals in urns, with or-
naments and warlike weapons, over which th-y
raised mounts of earth ; and these are generally to he
found nelr the Roman highways and stations. But
the barrows we have been speaking nf, are not sap.
posed to be of this description, nor-of Dar.ish origin;
but from the rude manner in which the bodies ap-
pear to have been deposited, the most probable con-
: elusion is, that they are British. ' •
The Danes, according to Olaus Worming, had
threevustoms, at different periods, of burying their
dead. The first he calls the age of kg-nit:3; the
second the age of burying ; and the third, when
Christianity was introduced, nearly as we bury Our
dead.

The Romans were forbid, by the hr. of the
Twelve Tables, burying in their cities and camps ;
but they generally burned their tallies, and depo-
sited ti:e ashes in urns of eArthenw,tre of curious
workmanship, together with coclayrnatorys and or.
=menu.

Such rude barrows as are found without stone
coffins, and with holes simply cut in the eatA,
blocked up with large stones, or have I.trge stones,
called kestvanes, on their tops, are generally sop.
posed to betude sepulchral monuments of the Bri-
tish.

All the above skeletons were surrounded by, or
covered with, large flint stones, which justifies the
aforegoing conclusion, that the barrows in question
were raised over ancient Britons, but not gre.tt ancl
distinguished personages, as, even in British monu-
ments of this kind, something remains to point out
distinctions.

To reconcile the fad of a female skeleton being
found, as above stated, it may not be improper to
observe, that it was not unusual for women to head
armies almost the Britons ; and many authors re-
cold, that the bodies of females have been found ip
barrows.

A few days since, as some men were engaged in
removing a small corn-stack, at Arlington, near
Lewes, they were interrupted in their business, by
the appearance of a large army of rats that had in-
vaded the sheaves, and therein committed great .'e-
vastation; but the men being well armed with pitch.
forks, &c. they commented an attack Ira these
vermin invader., and after a bloody conflin obtained
a complete viEtory, by leaving upwards of 1 r,o dead
on the 6ad 91 haul*.