a journey to-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





SKY。　　ARMIDEL



In　the　morning；　September　the　second；　we　found　ourselves　on　the
edge　of　the　sea。　　Having　procured　a　boat；　we　dismissed　our
Highlanders；　whom　I　would　recommend　to　the　service　of　any　future
travellers；　and　were　ferried　over　to　the　Isle　of　Sky。　　We　landed　at
Armidel；　where　we　were　met　on　the　sands　by　Sir　Alexander　Macdonald；
who　was　at　that　time　there　with　his　lady；　preparing　to　leave　the
island　and　reside　at　Edinburgh。

Armidel　is　a　neat　house；　built　where　the　Macdonalds　had　once　a
seat；　which　was　burnt　in　the　commotions　that　followed　the
Revolution。　　The　walled　orchard；　which　belonged　to　the　former
house；　still　remains。　　It　is　well　shaded　by　tall　ash　trees；　of　a
species；　as　Mr。　Janes　the　fossilist　informed　me；　uncommonly
valuable。　　This　plantation　is　very　properly　mentioned　by　Dr。
Campbell；　in　his　new　account　of　the　state　of　Britain；　and　deserves
attention；　because　it　proves　that　the　present　nakedness　of　the
Hebrides　is　not　wholly　the　fault　of　Nature。

As　we　sat　at　Sir　Alexander's　table；　we　were　entertained；　according
to　the　ancient　usage　of　the　North；　with　the　melody　of　the　bagpipe。
Everything　in　those　countries　has　its　history。　　As　the　bagpiper　was
playing；　an　elderly　Gentleman　informed　us；　that　in　some　remote
time；　the　Macdonalds　of　Glengary　having　been　injured；　or　offended
by　the　inhabitants　of　Culloden；　and　resolving　to　have　justice　or
vengeance；　came　to　Culloden　on　a　Sunday；　where　finding　their
enemies　at　worship；　they　shut　them　up　in　the　church；　which　they　set
on　fire；　and　this；　said　he；　is　the　tune　that　the　piper　played　while
they　were　burning。

Narrations　like　this；　however　uncertain；　deserve　the　notice　of　the
traveller；　because　they　are　the　only　records　of　a　nation　that　has
no　historians；　and　afford　the　most　genuine　representation　of　the
life　and　character　of　the　ancient　Highlanders。

Under　the　denomination　of　Highlander　are　comprehended　in　Scotland
all　that　now　speak　the　Erse　language；　or　retain　the　primitive
manners；　whether　they　live　among　the　mountains　or　in　the　islands；
and　in　that　sense　I　use　the　name；　when　there　is　not　some　apparent
reason　for　making　a　distinction。

In　Sky　I　first　observed　the　use　of　Brogues；　a　kind　of　artless
shoes；　stitched　with　thongs　so　loosely；　that　though　they　defend　the
foot　from　stones；　they　do　not　exclude　water。　　Brogues　were　formerly
made　of　raw　hides；　with　the　hair　inwards；　and　such　are　perhaps
still　used　in　rude　and　remote　parts；　but　they　are　said　not　to　last
above　two　days。　　Where　life　is　somewhat　improved；　they　are　now　made
of　leather　tanned　with　oak　bark；　as　in　other　places；　or　with　the
bark　of　birch；　or　roots　of　tormentil；　a　substance　recommended　in
defect　of　bark；　about　forty　years　ago；　to　the　Irish　tanners；　by　one
to　whom　the　parliament　of　that　kingdom　voted　a　reward。　　The　leather
of　Sky　is　not　completely　penetrated　by　vegetable　matter；　and
therefore　cannot　be　very　durable。

My　inquiries　about　brogues；　gave　me　an　early　specimen　of　Highland
information。　　One　day　I　was　told；　that　to　make　brogues　was　a
domestick　art；　which　every　man　practised　for　himself；　and　that　a
pair　of　brogues　was　the　work　of　an　hour。　　I　supposed　that　the
husband　made　brogues　as　the　wife　made　an　apron；　till　next　day　it
was　told　me；　that　a　brogue…maker　was　a　trade；　and　that　a　pair　would
cost　half　a　crown。　　It　will　easily　occur　that　these　representations
may　both　be　true；　and　that；　in　some　places；　men　may　buy　them；　and
in　others；　make　them　for　themselves；　but　I　had　both　the　accounts　in
the　same　house　within　two　days。

Many　of　my　subsequent　inquiries　upon　more　interesting　topicks　ended
in　the　like　uncertainty。　　He　that　travels　in　the　Highlands　may
easily　saturate　his　soul　with　intelligence；　if　he　will　acquiesce　in
the　first　account。　　The　Highlander　gives　to　every　question　an
answer　so　prompt　and　peremptory；　that　skepticism　itself　is　dared
into　silence；　and　the　mind　sinks　before　the　bold　reporter　in
unresisting　credulity；　but；　if　a　second　question　be　ventured；　it
breaks　the　enchantment；　for　it　is　immediately　discovered；　that　what
was　told　so　confidently　was　told　at　hazard；　and　that　such
fearlessness　of　assertion　was　either　the　sport　of　negligence；　or
the　refuge　of　ignorance。

If　individuals　are　thus　at　variance　with　themselves；　it　can　be　no
wonder　that　the　accounts　of　different　men　are　contradictory。　　The
traditions　of　an　ignorant　and　savage　people　have　been　for　ages
negligently　heard；　and　unskilfully　related。　　Distant　events　must
have　been　mingled　together；　and　the　actions　of　one　man　given　to
another。　　These；　however；　are　deficiencies　in　story；　for　which　no
man　is　now　to　be　censured。　　It　were　enough；　if　what　there　is　yet
opportunity　of　examining　were　accurately　inspected；　and　justly
represented；　but　such　is　the　laxity　of　Highland　conversation；　that
the　inquirer　is　kept　in　continual　suspense；　and　by　a　kind　of
intellectual　retrogradation；　knows　less　as　he　hears　more。

In　the　islands　the　plaid　is　rarely　worn。　　The　law　by　which　the
Highlanders　have　been　obliged　to　change　the　form　of　their　dress；
has；　in　all　the　places　that　we　have　visited；　been　universally
obeyed。　　I　have　seen　only　one　gentleman　completely　clothed　in　the
ancient　habit；　and　by　him　it　was　worn　only　occasionally　and
wantonly。　　The　common　people　do　not　think　themselves　under　any
legal　necessity　of　having　coats；　for　they　say　that　the　law　against
plaids　was　made　by　Lord　Hardwicke；　and　was　in　force　only　for　his
life：　　but　the　same　poverty　that　made　it　then　difficult　for　them　to
change　their　clothing；　hinders　them　now　from　changing　it　again。

The　fillibeg；　or　lower　garment；　is　still　very　common；　and　the
bonnet　almost　universal；　but　their　attire　is　such　as　produces；　in　a
sufficient　degree；　the　effect　intended　by　the　law；　of　abolishing
the　dissimilitude　of　appearance　between　the　Highlanders　and　the
other　inhabitants　of　Britain；　and；　if　dress　be　supposed　to　have
much　influence；　facilitates　their　coalition　with　their　fellow…
subjects。

What　we　have　long　used　we　naturally　like；　and　therefore　the
Highlanders　were　unwilling　to　lay　aside　their　plaid；　which　yet　to
an　unprejudiced　spectator　must　appear　an　incommodious　and
cumbersome　dress；　for　hanging　loose　upon　the　body；　it　must　flutter
in　a　quick　motion；　or　require　one　of　the　hands　to　keep　it　close。
The　Romans　always　laid　aside　the　gown　when　they　had　anything　to　do。
It　was　a　dress　so　unsuitable　to　war；　that　the　same　word　which
signified　a　gown　signified　peace。　　The　chief　use　of　a　plaid　seems
to　be　this；　that　they　could　commodiously　wrap　themselves　in　it；
when　they　were　obliged　to　sleep　without　a　better　cover。

In　our　passage　from　Scotland　to　Sky；　we　were　wet　for　the　first　time
with　a　shower。　　This　was　the　beginning　of　the　Highland　winter；
after　which　we　were　told　that　a　succession　of　three　dry　days　was
not　to　be　expected　for　many　months。　　The　winter　of　the　Hebrides
consists　of　little　more　than　rain　and　wind。　　As　they　are　surrounded
by　an　ocean　never　frozen；　the　blasts　that　come　to　them　over　the
water　are　too　much　softened　to　have　the　power　of　congelation。　　The
salt　loughs；　or　inlets　of　the　sea；　which　shoot　very　far　into　the
island；　never　have　any　ice　upon　them；　and　the　pools　of　fresh　water
will　never　bear　the　walker。　　The　snow　that　sometimes　falls；　is　soon
dissolved　by　the　air；　or　the　rain。

This　is　not　the　description　of　a　cruel　climate；　yet　the　dark　months
are　here　a　time　of　great　distress；　because　the　summer　can　do　little
more　than　feed　itself；　and　winter　comes　with　its　cold　and　its
scarcity　upon　families　very　slenderly　provided。



CORIATACHAN　IN　SKY



The　third　or　fourth　day　after　our　arrival　at　Armidel；　brought　us　an
invitation　to　the　isle　of　Raasay；　which　lies　east　of　Sky。　　It　is
incredible　how　soon　the　account　of　any　event　is　propagated　in　these
narrow　countries　by　the　love　of　talk；　which　much　leisure　produces；
and　the　relief　given　to　the　mind　in　the　penury　of　insular
conversation　by　a　new　topick。　　The　arrival　of　strangers　at　a　place
so　rarely　visited；　excites　rumour；　and　quickens　curiosity。　　I　know
not　whether　we　touched　at　any　corner；　where　Fame　had　not　already
prepared　us　a　reception。

To　gain　a　commodious　passage　to　Raasay；　it　was　nec