a journey to-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


manners；　whether　they　live　among　the　mountains　or　in　the　islands；
and　in　that　sense　I　use　the　name；　when　there　is　not　some　apparent
reason　for　making　a　distinction。

In　Sky　I　first　observed　the　use　of　Brogues；　a　kind　of　artless
shoes；　stitched　with　thongs　so　loosely；　that　though　they　defend　the
foot　from　stones；　they　do　not　exclude　water。　　Brogues　were　formerly
made　of　raw　hides；　with　the　hair　inwards；　and　such　are　perhaps
still　used　in　rude　and　remote　parts；　but　they　are　said　not　to　last
above　two　days。　　Where　life　is　somewhat　improved；　they　are　now　made
of　leather　tanned　with　oak　bark；　as　in　other　places；　or　with　the
bark　of　birch；　or　roots　of　tormentil；　a　substance　recommended　in
defect　of　bark；　about　forty　years　ago；　to　the　Irish　tanners；　by　one
to　whom　the　parliament　of　that　kingdom　voted　a　reward。　　The　leather
of　Sky　is　not　completely　penetrated　by　vegetable　matter；　and
therefore　cannot　be　very　durable。

My　inquiries　about　brogues；　gave　me　an　early　specimen　of　Highland
information。　　One　day　I　was　told；　that　to　make　brogues　was　a
domestick　art；　which　every　man　practised　for　himself；　and　that　a
pair　of　brogues　was　the　work　of　an　hour。　　I　supposed　that　the
husband　made　brogues　as　the　wife　made　an　apron；　till　next　day　it
was　told　me；　that　a　brogue…maker　was　a　trade；　and　that　a　pair　would
cost　half　a　crown。　　It　will　easily　occur　that　these　representations
may　both　be　true；　and　that；　in　some　places；　men　may　buy　them；　and
in　others；　make　them　for　themselves；　but　I　had　both　the　accounts　in
the　same　house　within　two　days。

Many　of　my　subsequent　inquiries　upon　more　interesting　topicks　ended
in　the　like　uncertainty。　　He　that　travels　in　the　Highlands　may
easily　saturate　his　soul　with　intelligence；　if　he　will　acquiesce　in
the　first　account。　　The　Highlander　gives　to　every　question　an
answer　so　prompt　and　peremptory；　that　skepticism　itself　is　dared
into　silence；　and　the　mind　sinks　before　the　bold　reporter　in
unresisting　credulity；　but；　if　a　second　question　be　ventured；　it
breaks　the　enchantment；　for　it　is　immediately　discovered；　that　what
was　told　so　confidently　was　told　at　hazard；　and　that　such
fearlessness　of　assertion　was　either　the　sport　of　negligence；　or
the　refuge　of　ignorance。

If　individuals　are　thus　at　variance　with　themselves；　it　can　be　no
wonder　that　the　accounts　of　different　men　are　contradictory。　　The
traditions　of　an　ignorant　and　savage　people　have　been　for　ages
negligently　heard；　and　unskilfully　related。　　Distant　events　must
have　been　mingled　together；　and　the　actions　of　one　man　given　to
another。　　These；　however；　are　deficiencies　in　story；　for　which　no
man　is　now　to　be　censured。　　It　were　enough；　if　what　there　is　yet
opportunity　of　examining　were　accurately　inspected；　and　justly
represented；　but　such　is　the　laxity　of　Highland　conversation；　that
the　inquirer　is　kept　in　continual　suspense；　and　by　a　kind　of
intellectual　retrogradation；　knows　less　as　he　hears　more。

In　the　islands　the　plaid　is　rarely　worn。　　The　law　by　which　the
Highlanders　have　been　obliged　to　change　the　form　of　their　dress；
has；　in　all　the　places　that　we　have　visited；　been　universally
obeyed。　　I　have　seen　only　one　gentleman　completely　clothed　in　the
ancient　habit；　and　by　him　it　was　worn　only　occasionally　and
wantonly。　　The　common　people　do　not　think　themselves　under　any
legal　necessity　of　having　coats；　for　they　say　that　the　law　against
plaids　was　made　by　Lord　Hardwicke；　and　was　in　force　only　for　his
life：　　but　the　same　poverty　that　made　it　then　difficult　for　them　to
change　their　clothing；　hinders　them　now　from　changing　it　again。

The　fillibeg；　or　lower　garment；　is　still　very　common；　and　the
bonnet　almost　universal；　but　their　attire　is　such　as　produces；　in　a
sufficient　degree；　the　effect　intended　by　the　law；　of　abolishing
the　dissimilitude　of　appearance　between　the　Highlanders　and　the
other　inhabitants　of　Britain；　and；　if　dress　be　supposed　to　have
much　influence；　facilitates　their　coalition　with　their　fellow…
subjects。

What　we　have　long　used　we　naturally　like；　and　therefore　the
Highlanders　were　unwilling　to　lay　aside　their　plaid；　which　yet　to
an　unprejudiced　spectator　must　appear　an　incommodious　and
cumbersome　dress；　for　hanging　loose　upon　the　body；　it　must　flutter
in　a　quick　motion；　or　require　one　of　the　hands　to　keep　it　close。
The　Romans　always　laid　aside　the　gown　when　they　had　anything　to　do。
It　was　a　dress　so　unsuitable　to　war；　that　the　same　word　which
signified　a　gown　signified　peace。　　The　chief　use　of　a　plaid　seems
to　be　this；　that　they　could　commodiously　wrap　themselves　in　it；
when　they　were　obliged　to　sleep　without　a　better　cover。

In　our　passage　from　Scotland　to　Sky；　we　were　wet　for　the　first　time
with　a　shower。　　This　was　the　beginning　of　the　Highland　winter；
after　which　we　were　told　that　a　succession　of　three　dry　days　was
not　to　be　expected　for　many　months。　　The　winter　of　the　Hebrides
consists　of　little　more　than　rain　and　wind。　　As　they　are　surrounded
by　an　ocean　never　frozen；　the　blasts　that　come　to　them　over　the
water　are　too　much　softened　to　have　the　power　of　congelation。　　The
salt　loughs；　or　inlets　of　the　sea；　which　shoot　very　far　into　the
island；　never　have　any　ice　upon　them；　and　the　pools　of　fresh　water
will　never　bear　the　walker。　　The　snow　that　sometimes　falls；　is　soon
dissolved　by　the　air；　or　the　rain。

This　is　not　the　description　of　a　cruel　climate；　yet　the　dark　months
are　here　a　time　of　great　distress；　because　the　summer　can　do　little
more　than　feed　itself；　and　winter　comes　with　its　cold　and　its
scarcity　upon　families　very　slenderly　provided。



CORIATACHAN　IN　SKY



The　third　or　fourth　day　after　our　arrival　at　Armidel；　brought　us　an
invitation　to　the　isle　of　Raasay；　which　lies　east　of　Sky。　　It　is
incredible　how　soon　the　account　of　any　event　is　propagated　in　these
narrow　countries　by　the　love　of　talk；　which　much　leisure　produces；
and　the　relief　given　to　the　mind　in　the　penury　of　insular
conversation　by　a　new　topick。　　The　arrival　of　strangers　at　a　place
so　rarely　visited；　excites　rumour；　and　quickens　curiosity。　　I　know
not　whether　we　touched　at　any　corner；　where　Fame　had　not　already
prepared　us　a　reception。

To　gain　a　commodious　passage　to　Raasay；　it　was　necessary　to　pass
over　a　large　part　of　Sky。　　We　were　furnished　therefore　with　horses
and　a　guide。　　In　the　Islands　there　are　no　roads；　nor　any　marks　by
which　a　stranger　may　find　his　way。　　The　horseman　has　always　at　his
side　a　native　of　the　place；　who；　by　pursuing　game；　or　tending
cattle；　or　being　often　employed　in　messages　or　conduct；　has　learned
where　the　ridge　of　the　hill　has　breadth　sufficient　to　allow　a　horse
and　his　rider　a　passage；　and　where　the　moss　or　bog　is　hard　enough
to　bear　them。　　The　bogs　are　avoided　as　toilsome　at　least；　if　not
unsafe；　and　therefore　the　journey　is　made　generally　from　precipice
to　precipice；　from　which　if　the　eye　ventures　to　look　down；　it　sees
below　a　gloomy　cavity；　whence　the　rush　of　water　is　sometimes　heard。

But　there　seems　to　be　in　all　this　more　alarm　than　danger。　　The
Highlander　walks　carefully　before；　and　the　horse；　accustomed　to　the
ground；　follows　him　with　little　deviation。　　Sometimes　the　hill　is
too　steep　for　the　horseman　to　keep　his　seat；　and　sometimes　the　moss
is　too　tremulous　to　bear　the　double　weight　of　horse　and　man。　　The
rider　then　dismounts；　and　all　shift　as　they　can。

Journies　made　in　this　manner　are　rather　tedious　than　long。　　A　very
few　miles　require　several　hours。　　From　Armidel　we　came　at　night　to
Coriatachan；　a　house　very　pleasantly　situated　between　two　brooks；
with　one　of　the　highest　hills　of　the　island　behind　it。　　It　is　the
residence　of　Mr。　Mackinnon；　by　whom　we　were　treated　with　very
liberal　hospitality；　among　a　more　numerous　and　elegant　company　than
it　could　have　been　supposed　easy　to　collect。

The　hill　behind　the　house　we　did　not　climb。　　The　weather　was　rough；
and　the　height　and　steepness　discouraged　us。　　We　were　told　that
there　is　a　cairne　upon　it。　　A　cairne　is　a　heap　of　stones　thrown
upon　the　grave　of　one　eminent　for　dignity　of　birth；　or　splendour　of
atchievements。　　It　is　said　that　by　digging；　an　urn　is　always　found
under　these　cairnes：　　they　must　therefore　have　been　thus　piled　by　a
people　whose　custom　was　to　burn　the　dead。　　To　pile　stones　is；　I
believe；　a　northern　custom；　and　to　burn　the　body　was　the　Roman
practice；　nor　do　I　know　when　it　was　that　these　two　acts　of
sepulture　were　united。

The　weather　was　next　day　too　violent　for　the　continuation　of　our
journey；　but　we　had　no　reason　to　complain　of　the　interruption。　　We
saw　in　every　place；　what　we　chiefly　desired　to　know；　the　manners　of
the　people。　　We　had　company；　and；　if　we　had　chosen　retirement；　we
might　have　had　books。

I　never　was　in　any　house　of　the　Islands；　where　I　did　not　find　books
in　more　languages　than　one；　if　I　staid　long　enough　to　want　them；
except　one　from　which　the　family　was　removed。　　Literature　is　not
neglected　by　the　higher　rank　of　the　Hebridians。

It　need　not；　I　suppose；　be　mentioned；　that　in　countries　so　little
frequented　as　the　Islands；　there　are　no　houses　where　travellers　are
entertained　for　money。　　He　that　wanders　about　these　wilds；　either
procures　recommendations　to　those　whose　habitations　lie　near　his
way；　o