a journey to-第27节

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education；　and　leaves　the　young　gentleman；　our　friend；　to　govern
his　dominions；　with　the　full　power　of　a　Highland　Chief。　　By　the
absence　of　the　Laird's　family；　our　entertainment　was　made　more
difficult；　because　the　house　was　in　a　great　degree　disfurnished；
but　young　Col's　kindness　and　activity　supplied　all　defects；　and
procured　us　more　than　sufficient　accommodation。

Here　I　first　mounted　a　little　Highland　steed；　and　if　there　had　been
many　spectators；　should　have　been　somewhat　ashamed　of　my　figure　in
the　march。　　The　horses　of　the　Islands；　as　of　other　barren
countries；　are　very　low：　　they　are　indeed　musculous　and　strong；
beyond　what　their　size　gives　reason　for　expecting；　but　a　bulky　man
upon　one　of　their　backs　makes　a　very　disproportionate　appearance。

From　the　habitation　of　Captain　Maclean；　we　went　to　Grissipol；　but
called　by　the　way　on　Mr。　Hector　Maclean；　the　Minister　of　Col；　whom
we　found　in　a　hut；　that　is；　a　house　of　only　one　floor；　but　with
windows　and　chimney；　and　not　inelegantly　furnished。　　Mr。　Maclean
has　the　reputation　of　great　learning：　　he　is　seventy…seven　years
old；　but　not　infirm；　with　a　look　of　venerable　dignity；　excelling
what　I　remember　in　any　other　man。

His　conversation　was　not　unsuitable　to　his　appearance。　　I　lost　some
of　his　good…will；　by　treating　a　heretical　writer　with　more　regard
than；　in　his　opinion；　a　heretick　could　deserve。　　I　honoured　his
orthodoxy；　and　did　not　much　censure　his　asperity。　　A　man　who　has
settled　his　opinions；　does　not　love　to　have　the　tranquillity　of　his
conviction　disturbed；　and　at　seventy…seven　it　is　time　to　be　in
earnest。

Mention　was　made　of　the　Earse　translation　of　the　New　Testament；
which　has　been　lately　published；　and　of　which　the　learned　Mr。
Macqueen　of　Sky　spoke　with　commendation；　but　Mr。　Maclean　said　he
did　not　use　it；　because　he　could　make　the　text　more　intelligible　to
his　auditors　by　an　extemporary　version。　　From　this　I　inferred；　that
the　language　of　the　translation　was　not　the　language　of　the　Isle　of
Col。

He　has　no　publick　edifice　for　the　exercise　of　his　ministry；　and　can
officiate　to　no　greater　number；　than　a　room　can　contain；　and　the
room　of　a　hut　is　not　very　large。　　This　is　all　the　opportunity　of
worship　that　is　now　granted　to　the　inhabitants　of　the　Island；　some
of　whom　must　travel　thither　perhaps　ten　miles。　　Two　chapels　were
erected　by　their　ancestors；　of　which　I　saw　the　skeletons；　which　now
stand　faithful　witnesses　of　the　triumph　of　the　Reformation。

The　want　of　churches　is　not　the　only　impediment　to　piety：　　there　is
likewise　a　want　of　Ministers。　　A　parish　often　contains　more　Islands
than　one；　and　each　Island　can　have　the　Minister　only　in　its　own
turn。　　At　Raasa　they　had；　I　think；　a　right　to　service　only　every
third　Sunday。　　All　the　provision　made　by　the　present　ecclesiastical
constitution；　for　the　inhabitants　of　about　a　hundred　square　miles；
is　a　prayer　and　sermon　in　a　little　room；　once　in　three　weeks：　　and
even　this　parsimonious　distribution　is　at　the　mercy　of　the　weather；
and　in　those　Islands　where　the　Minister　does　not　reside；　it　is
impossible　to　tell　how　many　weeks　or　months　may　pass　without　any
publick　exercise　of　religion。



GRISSIPOL　IN　COL



After　a　short　conversation　with　Mr。　Maclean；　we　went　on　to
Grissipol；　a　house　and　farm　tenanted　by　Mr。　Macsweyn；　where　I　saw
more　of　the　ancient　life　of　a　Highlander；　than　I　had　yet　found。
Mrs。　Macsweyn　could　speak　no　English；　and　had　never　seen　any　other
places　than　the　Islands　of　Sky；　Mull；　and　Col：　　but　she　was
hospitable　and　good…humoured；　and　spread　her　table　with　sufficient
liberality。　　We　found　tea　here；　as　in　every　other　place；　but　our
spoons　were　of　horn。

The　house　of　Grissipol　stands　by　a　brook　very　clear　and　quick；
which　is；　I　suppose；　one　of　the　most　copious　streams　in　the　Island。
This　place　was　the　scene　of　an　action；　much　celebrated　in　the
traditional　history　of　Col；　but　which　probably　no　two　relaters　will
tell　alike。

Some　time；　in　the　obscure　ages；　Macneil　of　Barra　married　the　Lady
Maclean；　who　had　the　Isle　of　Col　for　her　jointure。　　Whether　Macneil
detained　Col；　when　the　widow　was　dead；　or　whether　she　lived　so　long
as　to　make　her　heirs　impatient；　is　perhaps　not　now　known。　　The
younger　son；　called　John　Gerves；　or　John　the　Giant；　a　man　of　great
strength　who　was　then　in　Ireland；　either　for　safety；　or　for
education；　dreamed　of　recovering　his　inheritance；　and　getting　some
adventurers　together；　which；　in　those　unsettled　times；　was　not　hard
to　do；　invaded　Col。　　He　was　driven　away；　but　was　not　discouraged；
and　collecting　new　followers；　in　three　years　came　again　with　fifty
men。　　In　his　way　he　stopped　at　Artorinish　in　Morvern；　where　his
uncle　was　prisoner　to　Macleod；　and　was　then　with　his　enemies　in　a
tent。　　Maclean　took　with　him　only　one　servant；　whom　he　ordered　to
stay　at　the　outside；　and　where　he　should　see　the　tent　pressed
outwards；　to　strike　with　his　dirk；　it　being　the　intention　of
Maclean；　as　any　man　provoked　him；　to　lay　hands　upon　him；　and　push
him　back。　　He　entered　the　tent　alone；　with　his　Lochabar…axe　in　his
hand；　and　struck　such　terror　into　the　whole　assembly；　that　they
dismissed　his　uncle。

When　he　landed　at　Col；　he　saw　the　sentinel；　who　kept　watch　towards
the　sea；　running　off　to　Grissipol；　to　give　Macneil；　who　was　there
with　a　hundred　and　twenty　men；　an　account　of　the　invasion。　　He　told
Macgill；　one　of　his　followers；　that　if　he　intercepted　that
dangerous　intelligence；　by　catching　the　courier；　he　would　give　him
certain　lands　in　Mull。　　Upon　this　promise；　Macgill　pursued　the
messenger；　and　either　killed；　or　stopped　him；　and　his　posterity；
till　very　lately；　held　the　lands　in　Mull。

The　alarm　being　thus　prevented；　he　came　unexpectedly　upon　Macneil。
Chiefs　were　in　those　days　never　wholly　unprovided　for　an　enemy。　　A
fight　ensued；　in　which　one　of　their　followers　is　said　to　have　given
an　extraordinary　proof　of　activity；　by　bounding　backwards　over　the
brook　of　Grissipol。　　Macneil　being　killed；　and　many　of　his　clan
destroyed；　Maclean　took　possession　of　the　Island；　which　the
Macneils　attempted　to　conquer　by　another　invasion；　but　were
defeated　and　repulsed。

Maclean；　in　his　turn；　invaded　the　estate　of　the　Macneils；　took　the
castle　of　Brecacig；　and　conquered　the　Isle　of　Barra；　which　he　held
for　seven　years；　and　then　restored　it　to　the　heirs。



CASTLE　OF　COL



From　Grissipol；　Mr。　Maclean　conducted　us　to　his　father's　seat；　a
neat　new　house；　erected　near　the　old　castle；　I　think；　by　the　last
proprietor。　　Here　we　were　allowed　to　take　our　station；　and　lived
very　commodiously；　while　we　waited　for　moderate　weather　and　a　fair
wind；　which　we　did　not　so　soon　obtain；　but　we　had　time　to　get　some
information　of　the　present　state　of　Col；　partly　by　inquiry；　and
partly　by　occasional　excursions。

Col　is　computed　to　be　thirteen　miles　in　length；　and　three　in
breadth。　　Both　the　ends　are　the　property　of　the　Duke　of　Argyle；　but
the　middle　belongs　to　Maclean；　who　is　called　Col；　as　the　only
Laird。

Col　is　not　properly　rocky；　it　is　rather　one　continued　rock；　of　a
surface　much　diversified　with　protuberances；　and　covered　with　a
thin　layer　of　earth；　which　is　often　broken；　and　discovers　the
stone。　　Such　a　soil　is　not　for　plants　that　strike　deep　roots；　and
perhaps　in　the　whole　Island　nothing　has　ever　yet　grown　to　the
height　of　a　table。　　The　uncultivated　parts　are　clothed　with　heath；
among　which　industry　has　interspersed　spots　of　grass　and　corn；　but
no　attempt　has　yet　been　made　to　raise　a　tree。　　Young　Col；　who　has　a
very　laudable　desire　of　improving　his　patrimony；　purposes　some　time
to　plant　an　orchard；　which；　if　it　be　sheltered　by　a　wall；　may
perhaps　succeed。　　He　has　introduced　the　culture　of　turnips；　of
which　he　has　a　field；　where　the　whole　work　was　performed　by　his　own
hand。　　His　intention　is　to　provide　food　for　his　cattle　in　the
winter。　　This　innovation　was　considered　by　Mr。　Macsweyn　as　the　idle
project　of　a　young　head；　heated　with　English　fancies；　but　he　has
now　found　that　turnips　will　really　grow；　and　that　hungry　sheep　and
cows　will　really　eat　them。

By　such　acquisitions　as　these；　the　Hebrides　may　in　time　rise　above
their　annual　distress。　　Wherever　heath　will　grow；　there　is　reason
to　think　something　better　may　draw　nourishment；　and　by　trying　the
production　of　other　places；　plants　will　be　found　suitable　to　every
soil。

Col　has　many　lochs；　some　of　which　have　trouts　and　eels；　and　others
have　never　yet　been　stocked；　another　proof　of　the　negligence　of　the
Islanders；　who　might　take　fish　in　the　inland　waters；　when　they
cannot　go　to　sea。

Their　quadrupeds　are　horses；　cows；　sheep；　and　goats。　　They　have
neither　deer；　hares；　nor　rabbits。　　They　have　no　vermin；　except
rats；　which　have　been　lately　brought　thither　by　sea；　as　to　other
places；　and　are　free　from　serpents；　frogs；　and　toads。

The　harvest　in　Col；　and　in　Lewis；　is　ripe　sooner　than　in　Sky；　and
the　winter　in　Col　is　never　cold；　but　very　tempestuous。　　I　know　not
that　I　ever　heard　the　wind　so　loud　in　any　other　place；　and　Mr。
Boswell　observed；　that　its　noise　was　all　its　own；　for　there　were　no
trees　to　increase　it。

Noise　is　not　the　worst　effect　of　the　tempests；　for　they　have　thrown
the　sand　from　the　shore　over　a　considerable　part　of　t