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第15节

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not spoil the present hour with thoughts of departure。

Dunvegan is a rocky prominence; that juts out into a bay; on the
west side of Sky。  The house; which is the principal seat of
Macleod; is partly old and partly modern; it is built upon the
rock; and looks upon the water。  It forms two sides of a small
square:  on the third side is the skeleton of a castle of unknown
antiquity; supposed to have been a Norwegian fortress; when the
Danes were masters of the Islands。  It is so nearly entire; that it
might have easily been made habitable; were there not an ominous
tradition in the family; that the owner shall not long outlive the
reparation。  The grandfather of the present Laird; in defiance of
prediction; began the work; but desisted in a little time; and
applied his money to worse uses。

As the inhabitants of the Hebrides lived; for many ages; in
continual expectation of hostilities; the chief of every clan
resided in a fortress。  This house was accessible only from the
water; till the last possessor opened an entrance by stairs upon
the land。

They had formerly reason to be afraid; not only of declared wars
and authorized invaders; or of roving pirates; which; in the
northern seas; must have been very common; but of inroads and
insults from rival clans; who; in the plenitude of feudal
independence; asked no leave of their Sovereign to make war on one
another。  Sky has been ravaged by a feud between the two mighty
powers of Macdonald and Macleod。  Macdonald having married a
Macleod upon some discontent dismissed her; perhaps because she had
brought him no children。  Before the reign of James the Fifth; a
Highland Laird made a trial of his wife for a certain time; and if
she did not please him; he was then at liberty to send her away。
This however must always have offended; and Macleod resenting the
injury; whatever were its circumstances; declared; that the wedding
had been solemnized without a bonfire; but that the separation
should be better illuminated; and raising a little army; set fire
to the territories of Macdonald; who returned the visit; and
prevailed。

Another story may show the disorderly state of insular
neighbourhood。  The inhabitants of the Isle of Egg; meeting a boat
manned by Macleods; tied the crew hand and foot; and set them a…
drift。  Macleod landed upon Egg; and demanded the offenders; but
the inhabitants refusing to surrender them; retreated to a cavern;
into which they thought their enemies unlikely to follow them。
Macleod choked them with smoke; and left them lying dead by
families as they stood。

Here the violence of the weather confined us for some time; not at
all to our discontent or inconvenience。  We would indeed very
willingly have visited the Islands; which might be seen from the
house scattered in the sea; and I was particularly desirous to have
viewed Isay; but the storms did not permit us to launch a boat; and
we were condemned to listen in idleness to the wind; except when we
were better engaged by listening to the ladies。

We had here more wind than waves; and suffered the severity of a
tempest; without enjoying its magnificence。  The sea being broken
by the multitude of islands; does not roar with so much noise; nor
beat the shore with such foamy violence; as I have remarked on the
coast of Sussex。  Though; while I was in the Hebrides; the wind was
extremely turbulent; I never saw very high billows。

The country about Dunvegan is rough and barren。  There are no
trees; except in the orchard; which is a low sheltered spot
surrounded with a wall。

When this house was intended to sustain a siege; a well was made in
the court; by boring the rock downwards; till water was found;
which though so near to the sea; I have not heard mentioned as
brackish; though it has some hardness; or other qualities; which
make it less fit for use; and the family is now better supplied
from a stream; which runs by the rock; from two pleasing water…
falls。

Here we saw some traces of former manners; and heard some standing
traditions。  In the house is kept an ox's horn; hollowed so as to
hold perhaps two quarts; which the heir of Macleod was expected to
swallow at one draught; as a test of his manhood; before he was
permitted to bear arms; or could claim a seat among the men。  It is
held that the return of the Laird to Dunvegan; after any
considerable absence; produces a plentiful capture of herrings; and
that; if any woman crosses the water to the opposite Island; the
herrings will desert the coast。  Boetius tells the same of some
other place。  This tradition is not uniform。  Some hold that no
woman may pass; and others that none may pass but a Macleod。

Among other guests; which the hospitality of Dunvegan brought to
the table; a visit was paid by the Laird and Lady of a small island
south of Sky; of which the proper name is Muack; which signifies
swine。  It is commonly called Muck; which the proprietor not
liking; has endeavoured; without effect; to change to Monk。  It is
usual to call gentlemen in Scotland by the name of their
possessions; as Raasay; Bernera; Loch Buy; a practice necessary in
countries inhabited by clans; where all that live in the same
territory have one name; and must be therefore discriminated by
some addition。  This gentleman; whose name; I think; is Maclean;
should be regularly called Muck; but the appellation; which he
thinks too coarse for his Island; he would like still less for
himself; and he is therefore addressed by the title of; Isle of
Muck。

This little Island; however it be named; is of considerable value。
It is two English miles long; and three quarters of a mile broad;
and consequently contains only nine hundred and sixty English
acres。  It is chiefly arable。  Half of this little dominion the
Laird retains in his own hand; and on the other half; live one
hundred and sixty persons; who pay their rent by exported corn。
What rent they pay; we were not told; and could not decently
inquire。  The proportion of the people to the land is such; as the
most fertile countries do not commonly maintain。

The Laird having all his people under his immediate view; seems to
be very attentive to their happiness。  The devastation of the
small…pox; when it visits places where it comes seldom; is well
known。  He has disarmed it of its terrour at Muack; by inoculating
eighty of his people。  The expence was two shillings and sixpence a
head。  Many trades they cannot have among them; but upon occasion;
he fetches a smith from the Isle of Egg; and has a tailor from the
main land; six times a year。  This island well deserved to be seen;
but the Laird's absence left us no opportunity。

Every inhabited island has its appendant and subordinate islets。
Muck; however small; has yet others smaller about it; one of which
has only ground sufficient to afford pasture for three wethers。

At Dunvegan I had tasted lotus; and was in danger of forgetting
that I was ever to depart; till Mr。 Boswell sagely reproached me
with my sluggishness and softness。  I had no very forcible defence
to make; and we agreed to pursue our journey。  Macleod accompanied
us to Ulinish; where we were entertained by the sheriff of the
Island。



ULINISH



Mr。 Macqueen travelled with us; and directed our attention to all
that was worthy of observation。  With him we went to see an ancient
building; called a dun or borough。  It was a circular inclosure;
about forty…two feet in diameter; walled round with loose stones;
perhaps to the height of nine feet。  The walls were very thick;
diminishing a little toward the top; and though in these countries;
stone is not brought far; must have been raised with much labour。
Within the great circle were several smaller rounds of wall; which
formed distinct apartments。  Its date; and its use are unknown。
Some suppose it the original seat of the chiefs of the Macleods。
Mr。 Macqueen thought it a Danish fort。

The entrance is covered with flat stones; and is narrow; because it
was necessary that the stones which lie over it; should reach from
one wall to the other; yet; strait as the passage is; they seem
heavier than could have been placed where they now lie; by the
naked strength of as many men as might stand about them。  They were
probably raised by putting long pieces of wood under them; to which
the action of a long line of lifters might be applied。  Savages; in
all countries; have patience proportionate to their unskilfulness;
and are content to attain their end by very tedious methods。

If it was ever roofed; it might once have been a dwelling; but as
there is no provision for water; it could not have been a fortress。
In Sky; as in every other place; there is an ambition of exalting
whatever has survived memory; to some important use; and referring
it to very remote ages。  I am inclined to suspect; that in lawless
times; when the inhabitants of every mountain stole the cattle of
their neighbour; these inclosures were used to secure the herds and
flocks in the night。  When they were driven within the wall; they
might be easily watched; and defended as long as could be needful;
for the robbers durst not wait till the injured clan should find
the

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