a journey to-第32节

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INCH　KENNETH



In　the　morning　we　went　again　into　the　boat；　and　were　landed　on　Inch
Kenneth；　an　Island　about　a　mile　long；　and　perhaps　half　a　mile
broad；　remarkable　for　pleasantness　and　fertility。　　It　is　verdant
and　grassy；　and　fit　both　for　pasture　and　tillage；　but　it　has　no
trees。　　Its　only　inhabitants　were　Sir　Allan　Maclean　and　two　young
ladies；　his　daughters；　with　their　servants。

Romance　does　not　often　exhibit　a　scene　that　strikes　the　imagination
more　than　this　little　desert　in　these　depths　of　Western　obscurity；
occupied　not　by　a　gross　herdsman；　or　amphibious　fisherman；　but　by　a
gentleman　and　two　ladies；　of　high　birth；　polished　manners　and
elegant　conversation；　who；　in　a　habitation　raised　not　very　far
above　the　ground；　but　furnished　with　unexpected　neatness　and
convenience；　practised　all　the　kindness　of　hospitality；　and
refinement　of　courtesy。

Sir　Allan　is　the　Chieftain　of　the　great　clan　of　Maclean；　which　is
said　to　claim　the　second　place　among　the　Highland　families；
yielding　only　to　Macdonald。　　Though　by　the　misconduct　of　his
ancestors；　most　of　the　extensive　territory；　which　would　have
descended　to　him；　has　been　alienated；　he　still　retains　much　of　the
dignity　and　authority　of　his　birth。　　When　soldiers　were　lately
wanting　for　the　American　war；　application　was　made　to　Sir　Allan；
and　he　nominated　a　hundred　men　for　the　service；　who　obeyed　the
summons；　and　bore　arms　under　his　command。

He　had　then；　for　some　time；　resided　with　the　young　ladies　in　Inch
Kenneth；　where　he　lives　not　only　with　plenty；　but　with　elegance；
having　conveyed　to　his　cottage　a　collection　of　books；　and　what　else
is　necessary　to　make　his　hours　pleasant。

When　we　landed；　we　were　met　by　Sir　Allan　and　the　Ladies；
accompanied　by　Miss　Macquarry；　who　had　passed　some　time　with　them；
and　now　returned　to　Ulva　with　her　father。

We　all　walked　together　to　the　mansion；　where　we　found　one　cottage
for　Sir　Allan；　and　I　think　two　more　for　the　domesticks　and　the
offices。　　We　entered；　and　wanted　little　that　palaces　afford。　　Our
room　was　neatly　floored；　and　well　lighted；　and　our　dinner；　which
was　dressed　in　one　of　the　other　huts；　was　plentiful　and　delicate。

In　the　afternoon　Sir　Allan　reminded　us；　that　the　day　was　Sunday；
which　he　never　suffered　to　pass　without　some　religious　distinction；
and　invited　us　to　partake　in　his　acts　of　domestick　worship；　which　I
hope　neither　Mr。　Boswell　nor　myself　will　be　suspected　of　a
disposition　to　refuse。　　The　elder　of　the　Ladies　read　the　English
service。

Inch　Kenneth　was　once　a　seminary　of　ecclesiasticks；　subordinate；　I
suppose；　to　Icolmkill。　　Sir　Allan　had　a　mind　to　trace　the
foundations　of　the　college；　but　neither　I　nor　Mr。　Boswell；　who
bends　a　keener　eye　on　vacancy；　were　able　to　perceive　them。

Our　attention；　however；　was　sufficiently　engaged　by　a　venerable
chapel；　which　stands　yet　entire；　except　that　the　roof　is　gone。　　It
is　about　sixty　feet　in　length；　and　thirty　in　breadth。　　On　one　side
of　the　altar　is　a　bas　relief　of　the　blessed　Virgin；　and　by　it　lies
a　little　bell；　which；　though　cracked；　and　without　a　clapper；　has
remained　there　for　ages；　guarded　only　by　the　venerableness　of　the
place。　　The　ground　round　the　chapel　is　covered　with　grave…stones　of
Chiefs　and　ladies；　and　still　continues　to　be　a　place　of　sepulture。

Inch　Kenneth　is　a　proper　prelude　to　Icolmkill。　　It　was　not　without
some　mournful　emotion　that　we　contemplated　the　ruins　of　religious
structures　and　the　monuments　of　the　dead。

On　the　next　day　we　took　a　more　distinct　view　of　the　place；　and　went
with　the　boat　to　see　oysters　in　the　bed；　out　of　which　the　boat…men
forced　up　as　many　as　were　wanted。　　Even　Inch　Kenneth　has　a
subordinate　Island；　named　Sandiland；　I　suppose　in　contempt；　where
we　landed；　and　found　a　rock；　with　a　surface　of　perhaps　four　acres；
of　which　one　is　naked　stone；　another　spread　with　sand　and　shells；
some　of　which　I　picked　up　for　their　glossy　beauty；　and　two　covered
with　a　little　earth　and　grass；　on　which　Sir　Allan　has　a　few　sheep。
I　doubt　not　but　when　there　was　a　college　at　Inch　Kenneth；　there　was
a　hermitage　upon　Sandiland。

Having　wandered　over　those　extensive　plains；　we　committed　ourselves
again　to　the　winds　and　waters；　and　after　a　voyage　of　about　ten
minutes；　in　which　we　met　with　nothing　very　observable；　were　again
safe　upon　dry　ground。

We　told　Sir　Allan　our　desire　of　visiting　Icolmkill；　and　entreated
him　to　give　us　his　protection；　and　his　company。　　He　thought　proper
to　hesitate　a　little；　but　the　Ladies　hinted；　that　as　they　knew　he
would　not　finally　refuse；　he　would　do　better　if　he　preserved　the
grace　of　ready　compliance。　　He　took　their　advice；　and　promised　to
carry　us　on　the　morrow　in　his　boat。

We　passed　the　remaining　part　of　the　day　in　such　amusements　as　were
in　our　power。　　Sir　Allan　related　the　American　campaign；　and　at
evening　one　of　the　Ladies　played　on　her　harpsichord；　while　Col　and
Mr。　Boswell　danced　a　Scottish　reel　with　the　other。

We　could　have　been　easily　persuaded　to　a　longer　stay　upon　Inch
Kenneth；　but　life　will　not　be　all　passed　in　delight。　　The　session
at　Edinburgh　was　approaching；　from　which　Mr。　Boswell　could　not　be
absent。

In　the　morning　our　boat　was　ready：　　it　was　high　and　strong。　　Sir
Allan　victualled　it　for　the　day；　and　provided　able　rowers。　　We　now
parted　from　the　young　Laird　of　Col；　who　had　treated　us　with　so　much
kindness；　and　concluded　his　favours　by　consigning　us　to　Sir　Allan。
Here　we　had　the　last　embrace　of　this　amiable　man；　who；　while　these
pages　were　preparing　to　attest　his　virtues；　perished　in　the　passage
between　Ulva　and　Inch　Kenneth。

Sir　Allan；　to　whom　the　whole　region　was　well　known；　told　us　of　a
very　remarkable　cave；　to　which　he　would　show　us　the　way。　　We　had
been　disappointed　already　by　one　cave；　and　were　not　much　elevated
by　the　expectation　of　another。

It　was　yet　better　to　see　it；　and　we　stopped　at　some　rocks　on　the
coast　of　Mull。　　The　mouth　is　fortified　by　vast　fragments　of　stone；
over　which　we　made　our　way；　neither　very　nimbly；　nor　very　securely。
The　place；　however；　well　repaid　our　trouble。　　The　bottom；　as　far　as
the　flood　rushes　in；　was　encumbered　with　large　pebbles；　but　as　we
advanced　was　spread　over　with　smooth　sand。　　The　breadth　is　about
forty…five　feet：　　the　roof　rises　in　an　arch；　almost　regular；　to　a
height　which　we　could　not　measure；　but　I　think　it　about　thirty
feet。

This　part　of　our　curiosity　was　nearly　frustrated；　for　though　we
went　to　see　a　cave；　and　knew　that　caves　are　dark；　we　forgot　to
carry　tapers；　and　did　not　discover　our　omission　till　we　were
wakened　by　our　wants。　　Sir　Allan　then　sent　one　of　the　boatmen　into
the　country；　who　soon　returned　with　one　little　candle。　　We　were
thus　enabled　to　go　forward；　but　could　not　venture　far。　　Having
passed　inward　from　the　sea　to　a　great　depth；　we　found　on　the　right
hand　a　narrow　passage；　perhaps　not　more　than　six　feet　wide；
obstructed　by　great　stones；　over　which　we　climbed　and　came　into　a
second　cave；　in　breadth　twenty…five　feet。　　The　air　in　this
apartment　was　very　warm；　but　not　oppressive；　nor　loaded　with
vapours。　　Our　light　showed　no　tokens　of　a　feculent　or　corrupted
atmosphere。　　Here　was　a　square　stone；　called；　as　we　are　told；
Fingal's　Table。

If　we　had　been　provided　with　torches；　we　should　have　proceeded　in
our　search；　though　we　had　already　gone　as　far　as　any　former
adventurer；　except　some　who　are　reported　never　to　have　returned；
and；　measuring　our　way　back；　we　found　it　more　than　a　hundred　and
sixty　yards；　the　eleventh　part　of　a　mile。

Our　measures　were　not　critically　exact；　having　been　made　with　a
walking　pole；　such　as　it　is　convenient　to　carry　in　these　rocky
countries；　of　which　I　guessed　the　length　by　standing　against　it。
In　this　there　could　be　no　great　errour；　nor　do　I　much　doubt　but　the
Highlander；　whom　we　employed；　reported　the　number　right。　　More
nicety　however　is　better；　and　no　man　should　travel　unprovided　with
instruments　for　taking　heights　and　distances。

There　is　yet　another　cause　of　errour　not　always　easily　surmounted；
though　more　dangerous　to　the　veracity　of　itinerary　narratives；　than
imperfect　mensuration。　　An　observer　deeply　impressed　by　any
remarkable　spectacle；　does　not　suppose；　that　the　traces　will　soon
vanish　from　his　mind；　and　having　commonly　no　great　convenience　for
writing；　defers　the　description　to　a　time　of　more　leisure；　and
better　accommodation。

He　who　has　not　made　the　experiment；　or　who　is　not　accustomed　to
require　rigorous　accuracy　from　himself；　will　scarcely　believe　how
much　a　few　hours　take　from　certainty　of　knowledge；　and　distinctness
of　imagery；　how　the　succession　of　objects　will　be　broken；　how
separate　parts　will　be　confused；　and　how　many　particular　features
and　discriminations　will　be　compressed　and　conglobated　into　one
gross　and　general　idea。

To　this　dilatory　notation　must　be　imputed　the　false　relations　of
travellers；　where　there　is　no　imaginable　motive　to　deceive。　　They
trusted　to　memory；　what　cannot　be　trusted　safely　but　to　the　eye；
and　told　by　guess　what　a　few　hours　before　they　had　known　with
certainty。　　Thus　it　was　that　Wheeler　and　Spon　described　with
irreconcilable　contrariety　things　which　they　surveyed　together；　and
which　both　undoubtedly　designed　to　show　as　they