¡31
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S t . M a o l -Jos.
J u n e 2 3 .
T u m u l i .
Dine at Skeddag, a fmall hamlet: after dinner, on the road ■
fee, in Shijkin or Seafgain church-yard, a tomb called that of St. Ueii
Jos, that is, The fervant o f J e su s . The faint is reprefented in t|3
habit of a prieft, with a chalice in his hands, and a crofier by him]
the ftone was broken about half a year ago by fome facrilemoJ
fellow, in fearch o f treafure; but an iilander, who flood by, affuJ
me, that the attempt did not go unpunilh’d, for foon after the auda]
cious wretch was vifited with a broken leer.
St. Maol-Jos was a companion of St. Columba : the laft chofe
for the place of his refidence; this faint fixed on the little iflandol
Lamlajh, and officiated by turns at Shijkin, where he died at the ad
of a hundred, and was there interred.
In this evening’s ride pafs by fome farms, the only cultivate]
tradt in the internal parts of the country: faw one o f forty pound]
a year, which had fixty acres of arable land annexed to it.- Ai
informed that the general fize or value of farms was eight or nine]
pounds a year.
Return to Brodic caftle,
Take a ride to vifit other parts of the ifland r. go through the]
village o f Brodic, at a fmall diftance beneath the caftle. Vifit Ghfr]
cloy, a plain, on which are five earthen tumuli, or barrows, placed]
in a row, with another on the outfide o f them : on the top of one is]
a depreffion, or hollow; on that o f another is a circle of Hones,
whofe ends juft appear above the earth. Thefe are probablfthe
memorial of fome battle: the common men were placed beneffl
the plain barrows; the leaders under thofe diftinguiihed by the1
Hones.
Pafl, by. the ruins of Kirk-micbel chapel: vifit Mr. FullerM,
defended
[ ¡ ¡ ¡ S i from the Mac-Louis, originally a French family, but
I A in this ifland near feven hundred years. He is one of the
l i f e proprietors o f this ifland : his farm is neat, well cultivated,
Kd inclofed with very thriving hedges. Robert Bruce, out o f grati-
Kde for the proteftion he received from this gentleman’s anceftor,
E l J Fullerton, gave him a charter, dated at Arnele,Nov. 26, in the
■ : year 0f his r e ig n , for the lands of KAlmichel and Arywbonyne, Or
Mmtl-oughlian, which are ftill in the family.' ,J
■ A mile farther is a retreat of the antient inhabitants, called Torr-
l fchitm, caftle, furrounded with a great ftone dike. Here Robert
Wuce fheltered himfelf for fome time, under the protedhon of Mac-
■ Two miles farther Eaft, near the top of the great hill Dmfuin, on
■he brow, is a great ftratum of moft Angular ftone, of a dull black-
Ireencaft, frnooth gloffy furface, ihattery in its compofition, femi-
lanfparent, in fmall pieces, and of a moft vitreous appearance: it
Bometimes breaks into forms rather regular, and like thofe of that
■pecies called Iceland cryftal; but cannot be reduced to that clafs, as
I t ftrikes fire with fteel, and re'fufes to ferment with acids. Some
■ieces, more mature, break like glafs ; of which it feems an imper-
| feet fpecies, lefs pure than the Iceland agate *, and like that to have
■teen the effeft of a vulcano.
I The other foffil produdtions of this ifland, that I had an opportun
i t y of feeing, were,
K An iron ore, Bolus martialis C r o n s t e d , fedt. 87,207. _
A moft ponderous white fpar, in all probability containing lea ,
(bund near Sannox.
* Pumex vitreus, Lin.JyJiJm-182.
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