I t s c h u r c h .
T ome.
The church -was fifty-eight feet by twenty: the roof of the eall
end is entire,, is a pretty vault made of very thin ftones,. bound toi
gether by four ribs meeting in the centre. The floor is c o v e r !
fome feet thick with cow-dung; this place being, at prefect tU
common ihelter for the cattle; and the iflanders are too lazy J
remove this fine manure, the collection o f a century, to enricl
their grounds.
With much difficulty,, by virtue of fair words,,, and a brilief
prevale on one of thele liftlefs fellows to remove a . great quJ
tity o f this dung-hill; and by that means once moreexpoietl
light the tomb of the laft priorefs. Her figure is cut on the facl
of the (tone; an angel on each fide fupports her head; and above!
them is a little plate'and a comb. The priorefs occupies onlyonl
half o f the furface : the other, is filled with the form of the virgij
M a r y , with head crowned and mitred..;, the child in her am s l
and, to denote her Queen of Heaven,, a fun and, moon, appeal
above. A t her feet is this addrefs, from, the priorefs:
M a r t a ora pro, me. And round : the lady is inlcri.bcd, Hie jut1
DoniinaAnna. Donaldi Terleti flia .quondam. Priorijfa de Jo J
quae obiit ano m° d° xim» ejus animam Altissimo commendapisl
M. Stuart, who fome time pail vifit.ed this place,, informed mel
that at that time he obferved. this fragment of. another infcriptionl
Hie jaeet Mariota filia Johah : Lauchlani Domini de. . . .
Befides this place of. fepulture, was another on the outfide, all
lotted for the nuns; where, at a refpeftable diftance from the virl
tuous reclufes, lies in folitude, a frail fitter.
* Or Charles.
Thil
I Thk n u n n e ry could never have been founded (as fome aflert) in
■the days of St. Golumba, who was no admirer of the fair fex : in
t t t he held them in fuch abhorrence, that he detefted all cattle
In their account, and would not permit a -cow' to come within
irnht of his fac-red walls; becaufe, *Sfar urn hi bo, bi’dh bean,
|S/ijr am bi bean, bi’dh mallacha: “ Where there is a cow, there
1 “ mutt be a woman | and where there is a woman, there mutt be
i l mifchiof.”
I Advance from hence along a broad paved way, which is conti-
lued in a line from the nunnery to the cathedral : another branches
■rom it . to the Bay of Martyrs-: and a third narrower than the-others,
■joints towards the hills.
■ On this road is a large and1 elegant crofs, called that o f Macleant,
lone of three hundred and fixty, that were Handing in this ifland
lit the reformation *, but immediately after were almoft entirely
Bemolilhed by order o f a provincial aflembly, held in the ifland.
Bt feems -to have been cuftomary in Scotland for individuals to eredt
■erodes, probably in confequence of fome vow, or perhaps out of
la vain hope of perpetuating their memory.
■ Arrive at -Reilig ourain, or the burying-place of Oran: a vaft
■endofure; the great place of interment for 'the number o f mo-
■larchs who were depofited here; and for the potentates of every ifle,
■and their lineage; for all were ambitious o f lying in this holy
■pot. The place is in a manner filled with grave-ftones, but fo
■overgrown with weeds, efpeci-aHy with the commun butter-bitr,
■hat very few are at prefent to be feen.
I Short Defer, otjona, 1693- Advoc. Libr. M. S.
O o 2 I was
R E I t l G O U R A I « ;