a journey to-第16节

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for　the　robbers　durst　not　wait　till　the　injured　clan　should　find
them　in　the　morning。

The　interior　inclosures；　if　the　whole　building　were　once　a　house；
were　the　chambers　of　the　chief　inhabitants。　　If　it　was　a　place　of
security　for　cattle；　they　were　probably　the　shelters　of　the
keepers。

From　the　Dun　we　were　conducted　to　another　place　of　security；　a　cave
carried　a　great　way　under　ground；　which　had　been　discovered　by
digging　after　a　fox。　　These　caves；　of　which　many　have　been　found；
and　many　probably　remain　concealed；　are　formed；　I　believe；　commonly
by　taking　advantage　of　a　hollow；　where　banks　or　rocks　rise　on
either　side。　　If　no　such　place　can　be　found；　the　ground　must　be　cut
away。　　The　walls　are　made　by　piling　stones　against　the　earth；　on
either　side。　　It　is　then　roofed　by　larger　stones　laid　across　the
cavern；　which　therefore　cannot　be　wide。　　Over　the　roof；　turfs　were
placed；　and　grass　was　suffered　to　grow；　and　the　mouth　was　concealed
by　bushes；　or　some　other　cover。

These　caves　were　represented　to　us　as　the　cabins　of　the　first　rude
inhabitants；　of　which；　however；　I　am　by　no　means　persuaded。　　This
was　so　low；　that　no　man　could　stand　upright　in　it。　　By　their
construction　they　are　all　so　narrow；　that　two　can　never　pass　along
them　together；　and　being　subterraneous；　they　must　be　always　damp。
They　are　not　the　work　of　an　age　much　ruder　than　the　present；　for
they　are　formed　with　as　much　art　as　the　construction　of　a　common
hut　requires。　　I　imagine　them　to　have　been　places　only　of
occasional　use；　in　which　the　Islander；　upon　a　sudden　alarm；　hid　his
utensils；　or　his　cloaths；　and　perhaps　sometimes　his　wife　and
children。

This　cave　we　entered；　but　could　not　proceed　the　whole　length；　and
went　away　without　knowing　how　far　it　was　carried。　　For　this
omission　we　shall　be　blamed；　as　we　perhaps　have　blamed　other
travellers；　but　the　day　was　rainy；　and　the　ground　was　damp。　　We　had
with　us　neither　spades　nor　pickaxes；　and　if　love　of　ease　surmounted
our　desire　of　knowledge；　the　offence　has　not　the　invidiousness　of
singularity。

Edifices；　either　standing　or　ruined；　are　the　chief　records　of　an
illiterate　nation。　　In　some　part　of　this　journey；　at　no　great
distance　from　our　way；　stood　a　shattered　fortress；　of　which　the
learned　minister；　to　whose　communication　we　are　much　indebted；　gave
us　an　account。

Those；　said　he；　are　the　walls　of　a　place　of　refuge；　built　in　the
time　of　James　the　Sixth；　by　Hugh　Macdonald；　who　was　next　heir　to
the　dignity　and　fortune　of　his　chief。　　Hugh；　being　so　near　his
wish；　was　impatient　of　delay；　and　had　art　and　influence　sufficient
to　engage　several　gentlemen　in　a　plot　against　the　Laird's　life。
Something　must　be　stipulated　on　both　sides；　for　they　would　not　dip
their　hands　in　blood　merely　for　Hugh's　advancement。　　The　compact
was　formerly　written；　signed　by　the　conspirators；　and　placed　in　the
hands　of　one　Macleod。

It　happened　that　Macleod　had　sold　some　cattle　to　a　drover；　who；　not
having　ready　money；　gave　him　a　bond　for　payment。　　The　debt　was
discharged；　and　the　bond　re…demanded；　which　Macleod；　who　could　not
read；　intending　to　put　into　his　hands；　gave　him　the　conspiracy。
The　drover；　when　he　had　read　the　paper；　delivered　it　privately　to
Macdonald；　who；　being　thus　informed　of　his　danger；　called　his
friends　together；　and　provided　for　his　safety。　　He　made　a　public
feast；　and　inviting　Hugh　Macdonald　and　his　confederates；　placed
each　of　them　at　the　table　between　two　men　of　known　fidelity。　　The
compact　of　conspiracy　was　then　shewn；　and　every　man　confronted　with
his　own　name。　　Macdonald　acted　with　great　moderation。　　He　upbraided
Hugh；　both　with　disloyalty　and　ingratitude；　but　told　the　rest；　that
he　considered　them　as　men　deluded　and　misinformed。　　Hugh　was　sworn
to　fidelity；　and　dismissed　with　his　companions；　but　he　was　not
generous　enough　to　be　reclaimed　by　lenity；　and　finding　no　longer
any　countenance　among　the　gentlemen；　endeavoured　to　execute　the
same　design　by　meaner　hands。　　In　this　practice　he　was　detected；
taken　to　Macdonald's　castle；　and　imprisoned　in　the　dungeon。　　When
he　was　hungry；　they　let　down　a　plentiful　meal　of　salted　meat；　and
when；　after　his　repast；　he　called　for　drink；　conveyed　to　him　a
covered　cup；　which；　when　he　lifted　the　lid；　he　found　empty。　　From
that　time　they　visited　him　no　more；　but　left　him　to　perish　in
solitude　and　darkness。

We　were　then　told　of　a　cavern　by　the　sea…side；　remarkable　for　the
powerful　reverberation　of　sounds。　　After　dinner　we　took　a　boat；　to
explore　this　curious　cavity。　　The　boatmen；　who　seemed　to　be　of　a
rank　above　that　of　common　drudges；　inquired　who　the　strangers　were；
and　being　told　we　came　one　from　Scotland；　and　the　other　from
England；　asked　if　the　Englishman　could　recount　a　long　genealogy。
What　answer　was　given　them；　the　conversation　being　in　Erse；　I　was
not　much　inclined　to　examine。

They　expected　no　good　event　of　the　voyage；　for　one　of　them　declared
that　he　heard　the　cry　of　an　English　ghost。　　This　omen　I　was　not
told　till　after　our　return；　and　therefore　cannot　claim　the　dignity
of　despising　it。

The　sea　was　smooth。　　We　never　left　the　shore；　and　came　without　any
disaster　to　the　cavern；　which　we　found　rugged　and　misshapen；　about
one　hundred　and　eighty　feet　long；　thirty　wide　in　the　broadest　part；
and　in　the　loftiest；　as　we　guessed；　about　thirty　high。　　It　was　now
dry；　but　at　high　water　the　sea　rises　in　it　near　six　feet。　　Here　I
saw　what　I　had　never　seen　before；　limpets　and　mussels　in　their
natural　state。　　But；　as　a　new　testimony　to　the　veracity　of　common
fame；　here　was　no　echo　to　be　heard。

We　then　walked　through　a　natural　arch　in　the　rock；　which　might　have
pleased　us　by　its　novelty；　had　the　stones；　which　incumbered　our
feet；　given　us　leisure　to　consider　it。　　We　were　shown　the　gummy
seed　of　the　kelp；　that　fastens　itself　to　a　stone；　from　which　it
grows　into　a　strong　stalk。

In　our　return；　we　found　a　little　boy　upon　the　point　of　rock；
catching　with　his　angle；　a　supper　for　the　family。　　We　rowed　up　to
him；　and　borrowed　his　rod；　with　which　Mr。　Boswell　caught　a　cuddy。

The　cuddy　is　a　fish　of　which　I　know　not　the　philosophical　name。　　It
is　not　much　bigger　than　a　gudgeon；　but　is　of　great　use　in　these
Islands；　as　it　affords　the　lower　people　both　food；　and　oil　for
their　lamps。　　Cuddies　are　so　abundant；　at　sometimes　of　the　year；
that　they　are　caught　like　whitebait　in　the　Thames；　only　by　dipping
a　basket　and　drawing　it　back。

If　it　were　always　practicable　to　fish；　these　Islands　could　never　be
in　much　danger　from　famine；　but　unhappily　in　the　winter；　when　other
provision　fails；　the　seas　are　commonly　too　rough　for　nets；　or
boats。



TALISKER　IN　SKY



From　Ulinish；　our　next　stage　was　to　Talisker；　the　house　of　colonel
Macleod；　an　officer　in　the　Dutch　service；　who；　in　this　time　of
universal　peace；　has　for　several　years　been　permitted　to　be　absent
from　his　regiment。　　Having　been　bred　to　physick；　he　is　consequently
a　scholar；　and　his　lady；　by　accompanying　him　in　his　different
places　of　residence；　is　become　skilful　in　several　languages。
Talisker　is　the　place　beyond　all　that　I　have　seen；　from　which　the
gay　and　the　jovial　seem　utterly　excluded；　and　where　the　hermit
might　expect　to　grow　old　in　meditation；　without　possibility　of
disturbance　or　interruption。　　It　is　situated　very　near　the　sea；　but
upon　a　coast　where　no　vessel　lands　but　when　it　is　driven　by　a
tempest　on　the　rocks。　　Towards　the　land　are　lofty　hills　streaming
with　water…falls。　　The　garden　is　sheltered　by　firs　or　pines；　which
grow　there　so　prosperously；　that　some；　which　the　present　inhabitant
planted；　are　very　high　and　thick。

At　this　place　we　very　happily　met　Mr。　Donald　Maclean；　a　young
gentleman；　the　eldest　son　of　the　Laird　of　Col；　heir　to　a　very　great
extent　of　land；　and　so　desirous　of　improving　his　inheritance；　that
he　spent　a　considerable　time　among　the　farmers　of　Hertfordshire；
and　Hampshire；　to　learn　their　practice。　　He　worked　with　his　own
hands　at　the　principal　operations　of　agriculture；　that　he　might　not
deceive　himself　by　a　false　opinion　of　skill；　which；　if　he　should
find　it　deficient　at　home；　he　had　no　means　of　completing。　　If　the
world　has　agreed　to　praise　the　travels　and　manual　labours　of　the
Czar　of　Muscovy；　let　Col　have　his　share　of　the　like　applause；　in
the　proportion　of　his　dominions　to　the　empire　of　Russia。

This　young　gentleman　was　sporting　in　the　mountains　of　Sky；　and　when
he　was　weary　with　following　his　game；　repaired　for　lodging　to
Talisker。　　At　night　he　missed　one　of　his　dogs；　and　when　he　went　to
seek　him　in　the　morning；　found　two　eagles　feeding　on　his　carcass。

Col；　for　he　must　be　named　by　his　possessions；　hearing　that　our
intention　was　to　visit　Jona；　offered　to　conduct　us　to　his　chief；
Sir　Allan　Maclean；　who　lived　in　the　isle　of　Inch　Kenneth；　and　would
readily　find　us　a　convenient　passage。　　From　this　time　was　formed　an
acquaintance；　which　being　begun　by　kindness；　was　accidentally
continued　by　constraint；　we　derived　much　pleasure　from　it；　and　I
hope　have　given　him　no　reason　to　repent　it。

The　weather　was　now　almost　one　continued　storm；　and　we　were　to
snatch　some　happy　intermission　to　be　conveyed　to　Mull；　the　third
Island　of　the　Hebrides；　lying　about　a　degree　south　of　Sky；　w