C a ir n .
I n c h - h a i l .
F r a o ch E l a n.
Glenurchie. He conduits me to a cairn, in which had been found
the afhes perhaps of fome antient hunter, and the head of, a
deer, probably buried with them, from the opinion that the departed
Ipirit might ftill be delighted with its favorite employ during
the union with the body.
Eadem fequitur tellure repoilos.
The cuitom of burning the dead was common to the Caledonians
as well as the Gauls *. Both were attentive to the fecurity of thefe
poor remains; thought a neglect, impiety ; and the violation of
them the greatefl: ait of enmity. The highlanders to this day retain
a faying, derived from this very remote cuftom. If they would
exprefe the malice o f an enemy, they would tell him, that was it
in his power, P he would wilh to fee their alhes floating on the
i‘ water: Dhurige tu mo luath le Uifge.”
Take boat, and vifit lnch-hail, a little ifle, on which had been a
cell of Cifiercians, dependent on Dunkeld. Amidfl: the ruins of the
church are fome tombs of rude fculpture; among others, one of
a Campbel, of Inveraw, of uncommon workmanlhip indeed !
Pafs under Fraoch Elan, a fmal-1 but lofty ifland tufted with
trees, with the ruins of a fortrefs appearing above.
A little higher to the north opens the difcharge of the lake ; a
narrow ilrait, ihagged on each fide with woods. From hence,,
after a turbulent courfe of three miles, a feries of catarails, the
water drops into Loch Etive, an arm of the lea..
On the fide of this ftrait is a military road leading from Dalmalie
# Cum mortuis cremaut atijue defbdiunt apta viventibus oMm. M ila. lib. iii. c. 2.
", r ' ' ■ tO
to Bunaw, and near it is the cave of Mac-Phaidan, a chieftain,
who, taking part againft his country with Edw. I, was purfued
and flain in this retreat by the hero Wallace.
I Vifit Kilchunt caftie, a magnificent pile, now in ruins, feated on
a low ifle, near the fouthern border of the lake, whofe original
name was Elan-keil guhirn. The fortrefs was built by Sir Colin
Campbel, Lord of Lochow, who died, aged 8o, in 1480: others
fey, by his lady, during the time of his abfence, on an expedition
againft the infidels, to which he' might have been obliged by his
profefiion, being a knight of Rhodes. His fucceflbrs added greatly
to it. Within are fome remains of apartments, elegant, and of
no great antiquity. The view from it of the rich vale, bounded
by vaft mountains, is fine; among which Crou-achan foars preeminently
lofty.
This ifland was probably the original feat of the O'Duimhms
Lords of Lochow, the, ancefeors of the -Campbels, who in the reign
of Malcolm Canmore, aflumed their prefent name, on account of
the marriage of a Malcolm Mac-I)uimhm (who had gone into France
in queft of adventures) with the heirefs qf Bellus Campus, or Beauchamp
in Normandy. From thofe lands Giallaefpig, or Archibald, his
fon took the name of Campbel, came into England with the Conqueror,
and vifiting the country of his anceftors, married Evah,
fble daughter of the Chieftain ; and thus became pofiefior of the
•eftate of Lochow. This barony, and the land of Ardfcordyrche,
•were confirmed, by Robert I, to Colin, fon of Nigel Campbel, by the
tenure of providing for the king’s fervice, whenever it was demanded,
a Ihip of forty oars, completely furniihed and manned,
C 2 and
K l L C H U R l f
C a s t l e .