fize, placed nearly equi-diftant : the largeft was feventeen feet i&j
and three broad.
Dodn-vollan. Ride two miles N. W. to Dom-vdlan, where fome high roj
projeft one behind the other into the fea, with narrow IjibmM
between : on thé afcënt of each are ftrong dikes, placed tranf]
verfely, and a path leading towards the top ; and on fome parj
are hollows, probably the lodging o f the occupiers. The lait j
thefe rocks terminate in a precipice over the fea, and was thel
dernier refort o f the defendants : fuch were the fortifications ofthel
barbarous ages: here, were the aftailants fuccefsful, the garrifonl
had no alternative but to periih by the edge of the fword, or to
precipitate themfelves into the ocean.
S t r a n g e r e - In various parts o f this neighborhood are fcattered fmall holes }
formed in the ground, large enough to hold a fingle man in a fit-1
ting pofture : the top is covered with a broad ftone, and that!
with earth : into thefe unhappy fugitives took ihelter after a de-l
feat, and drawing together fods, found a temporary concealmt]
from enemies, who in early times knew not the giving or receiving«
o f quarter. The incurfions o f barbarians were always lhort;lb|
that the fugitives could eafily fubfift in their earths till the dangerl
was over. Men were then almoft in a ftate o f nature : howl
ftrong was their refemblance to beafts o f prey ! The whole fceneryj
o f this place was unfpeakably favage, and the inhabitants table,
Falcons fcreamed inceffantly over our heads, and we difturbed the!
eagles perched on the precipice.
Continue clambering among .the rocks impending over the fea,!
and fplit by ihtervals into chaînas, narrow, black and of stupendous
depth; whofe bottoms appeared and difappeared accordingÆ
I ^ momentary corufcations o f the furious foam o f the waves,
lolling from the heavy ocean. Proceed along a narrow path,
grounding the face o f a promontory hanging over the water,
Skipping nimbly over a way that fear alone could make dangerous,
laughing at a bulky companion whom the reft had diftanced.
■ Defcend a fteep trail, and found part of our company (who chofe
a lefs p iftu re fq u e road) in poffeffion o f th e fine cave o f Saneg-mor:
She entrance was difficult-, but after fome travel found the infide
I f an auguft extent and height -, the roof folid rock, which -re-
turned with the noife of thunder, the difcharge of our mulkets.
Iffithin this cave was another ftrait before us, With a fine arched
¡entrance: feveral of the company had got into it, and palling with
ftieir tapers backwards and forwards, from recefs to recefs, appeared
at our diftance like the gliding fpeftres o f Shakefpear in
Hie pit of Acheron. Wc followed, and found our grotto divided
rinto numbers of far-winding paffages, fometimes opening into
L e expanfes, again doling, for a long fpace, into galleries, paf-
iable but with difficulty: a pcrfed fubterraneous labyrinth. A
Bagpiper preceded: at times the whole lpace was filled with the
I found, which died away by degrees to a mere murmur, and lbofl
Btfter again aftoniihed us with the bellowing, according as the
■leanders condufted him to, or from our lingular ftations.
■ Take leave of the hofpitable family of Sunderland: ride along
a different road acrofs the illand ; pafs by fome cairns, and fome
l-antient fences on the heaths. Reach the head of Loch-Bruinard,
a place celebrated for the battle of Traii-dhruimrd, in 1598, between
the lord of the ifles, and Sir Lauchlan Mac-lean, o f Mull: the
|aft, with fifteen hundred men, invaded Hay, with a view o f ufurp-
L 1 inS
S a n e g - m o r c a v e .
Ju ly
B a t t l e o f
T r a i i - d h r u i *
hard*