I sle o f L a m l a sh .
Hie infula portum
Efficit objech: laterum.
a beautiful femilunar bay forms one part: while the lofty ¡flail
of Lamlajh extending before the mouth fecures it from the eafl
winds : leaving on each fide a fafe and eafy entrance. The wholl
circumference is about nine miles; and the depth of the. waJ
is fufficient for the largeft Ihips. This is the place of quarantine]
at this time three merchantmen belonging to Glafgow lay here fol
that purpofe, each with the guard boat aftern.
In the bottom of the bay was a fine circular bafon or pier no*
in ruins; the work of the good Dutchefs o f Hamilton.
Land on the ifland of "Lamlajh, a vaft mountain, in great p#j!
covered with heath ; but has fufficient pafture and arable lari::
feed a few milch cows, iheep and goats, and to raife a little com!
and a few potatoes.
In the year 1558, the Englijh fleet under the Earl of S11M
after ravaging the coaft o f Cantyre, at that time in pofleflion 3
James Mac-connel, landed in this bay, and burned and deltroyd
all the neighboring country: proceeded afterwards to Cumm
and treated it in the fame manner.
Buchanan gives this the Latin name o f Molas and Molajfa, from
its having been the retreat o f St. Maol-jos: for the fame ream
it is called the holy ifland, and Hellan Leneow *, or that of Saint!,]
and fometimes Ard-na-molas. St. Maol-jos's cave, the refidenceof
that holy man, his well o f moft falutary water, a place for bathing,|
his chair, and the ruins o f his chapel are ihewn to Arrangers; W
the walk is far from agreeable, as the ifland is greatly infefted with
vipers.
* For dun, lib. ii. c. 10.
The
■The Bean of the Ijles fays, that on this ifle of M o l a s s was
Mmdit b J o h n Lord o f the I s l e s ane Monaftry of Friars
Eiichis decayit. But notwithftanding this, it contributed largely
■ thefupport o f others on the main-land. Thus Lamlajh and-
the lands round the'bay; and thofe from Cony to Loch-ranza,
■¿ere annexed to the abbey o f Kil-whimin. And thofe of Shijktn,
WLrn Lorelin, and Benans to that of Sandale or Saddel in Can-
m. I imagine that I mull: have feen the fite of it from the top
| Corn barn: therefore take the liberty of mentioning it as hav-
E b e e n a convent of Cijlercians, founded by .Reginaldus,. fon of
E i erled, lord of the ifles: the fame Somerled who was flain near
E /m v ’ in 1164. Here was alfo a caftle belonging to the fuc-
iicfffors of that petty prince; whofe owner Angus lord of the ifles,
¡gave proteftion during his diftrefies to Robert Bruce. * ivil£-2r,
■Weighed- anchor at half an hour paft one in the morning, and
I going through the fouth pafiage of the harbor, get into the
Riddle of the Firth. Have a magnificent view on all fides of
c Attcv. and Lamlajh, and the coaft o f Cantyre on one fide , and of
¡ the coafts of Cunningham and Carrick on the other. In front lay the
lljills of Galloway and the coaft of Ireland; and the vaft crag of
Hgi'Z/b, appearing here like an inclined hay-cock, rofe in the midft
I of the channel. In our courfe leave to the Weft the little and
I low ifland of Plada, oppofite to, and as if rent from that o f Arran,
I a circumitance the name from bladhan to break feems to import.
■After a very tedious calm reach the crag of Ailfa, and4 anchor C r a o of A i l s a .
Ion the N. E. within fifty yards of the fide in twelve fathom wa-
| ter, gravelly bottom. On this fide is a fmall beach: all the reft
is, a perpendicular rock for an amazing height, but from the
edges