o f fa n c y , an d id o ls in t r o d u c e d . H e r e w e m a y fu p p o fe th a t th f i
d e ity w a s w o r lh ip p e d in th e u tm o f t f im p l ic i ty .
J o l y 22. P r o c e e d o n o u r jo u r n e y •, p a fs o v e r a "b la c k a n d p a th le f s trad off
m o o r an d b o g , fo r a b o u t f ifte e n m ile s . D in e on a f o f t fp o t o f heath.l
w i th th a t a p p e t it e w h ic h e x e r c i fe a n d th e f r e e a i r n e v e r fa il to]
c r e a t e . A r r i v e o n th e b a n k s o f L a c h -G r ife rn is, a b r a n c h o f Locb\
fn ifa r t ■: ta k e b o a t 5 o b fe r v e th a t th e ro p e s fo r th e f iih in g -n e t s a r j
m a d e o f th e p u r p le m elic g r a f s , th e ■pund-glas o f th e h ig h la n d e r s ]
r em a r k a b le fo r la d in g lo n g w i th o u t r o t t in g . A f t e r a paffage 0 ]
a m ile , la n d a t K in g s b u r g h ; im m o r ta l iz e d b y it s m if ir e f s , t h ]
c e le b r a te d F l o r a M a c - d o n a l d , th e f a i r p ro te d fr e fs o f a fug itiv e ]
a d v e n t u r e r ; w h o , a f t e r fem e d a y s c o n c e a lin g h im f e l f from p u r ]
fu i t , in th e d t fg u i fe o f th e la d y ’ s m a id , h e re f lu n g o f f the female]
h a b it .
M r . M a c-d o n a ld d id m e t h e f a v o r o f p r e fe n t in g m e w i th three very]
c u r io u s p ie c e s o f a n t iq u i t y : an u r n , a G la in -n a id r, o r ferpent-bead]
a n d 3. D en a riu s, fo u n d n o t r em o te f r om his h o u fe . T h e f i r f t i s a J
u rn o f e le g a n t w o r km a n fh ip , fo u n d in a d o n e c h e d , fo rm e d o f f u l
d a g s as b e fo r e d e f c r ib e d : th is u rn w a s f il le d w i th a llie s ; was p la c e *
n o t p r o n e , a s th a t m e n t io n e d in th e fo rm e r v o lu m e , b u t with t h ]
m o u th u p , a n d c o v e r e d w i th a l ig h t th in d o n e . T h i s w a s difcoveredl
b e n e a th an im m en fe ca irn .
R* T h e G la in -n a id r , o r D r u id ic a l b e a d , as i t is v u lg a r l y ca lled, isanj
u n iq u e in it s k in d , b e in g o f a t r ia n g u la r f h a p e ; b u t , a s u fu a l, made!
o f g la f s , m a r k e d w i th fig u r e s o f fe rp e n ts c o i le d u p . T h e common!
p e o p le in W tie s a n d in Scotla n d re ta in th e fam e fu p e rd it io n s relating
to i t as th e a n t ie n ts , an d c a l l i t b y th e n am e o f Serpent-Jlonc. The]
G a u ls, ta u g h t b y th e ir p r i e d s , b e l ie v e d th e d r a n g e d ta le s o f their]
fe r p e n ts ,]
ferpents, d e f c r ib e d f r o m th e p r o fe o f P lin y , in a m o d fp i r i t e d m an n e r ,
by the in g e n io u s M r . M a fo n , w h o th u s m a k e s h is D r u id d em a n d o f
a fapient b r o t h e r :
But tell meyet
From the grot of charms and fpellst
Where our matron fitter dwells;
Brennus, has thy holy hand
Safely brought the Druid wand,
And the potent adder-ft one.
Gender’d ’fore the autumnal moon»?
When in undulating twine
The foaming fnakes prolific jpin;
When they hifs, and when they bear
Their wond’rous egg aloof in air;
Thence, before to earth it fall,
The Druid in his holy pall»
Receives the prize,
And inttant flies,
Follow’d by the envenom’d brood',
TilL he crofs the filver flood.
. T h e an t ien ts a n d m o d e rn s a g r e e in th e ir b e l i e f o f it s p ow e r s >
that g o o d fo r tu n e a t te n d s th e p o f fe f fo r w h e r e v e r he g o e s . T h e
dupid C la u d iu s, th a t L u d ib rium a u la A u g u s t i , p u t t o d e a th a
Gaulijh * k n ig h t , fo r n o o th e r re a fon th a n , th a t h e c a r r ie d an ovum
mguinum, a f e r p e n t -d o n e , a b o u t h im . T h e v u l g a r o f th e p r e fe n t a g e
attribute t o i t o th e r v ir tu e s ; fu c h as it s c u r in g th e b it e o f th e a d d e r ,
and g iv in g eafe to w om e n in c h i ld - b i r th , i f t ie d a b o u t th e k n e e ,
* PHnii, lib. xxix. c. 3. Equitem Rmanume Vocon/iis, a peopleof Daufkihy.