a journey to-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