a journey to-第38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！


Norwegian　or　Irish　princes　were　reposited　in　this　venerable
enclosure。　　But　by　whom　the　subterraneous　vaults　are　peopled　is　now
utterly　unknown。　　The　graves　are　very　numerous；　and　some　of　them
undoubtedly　contain　the　remains　of　men；　who　did　not　expect　to　be　so
soon　forgotten。

Not　far　from　this　awful　ground；　may　be　traced　the　garden　of　the
monastery：　　the　fishponds　are　yet　discernible；　and　the　aqueduct；
which　supplied　them；　is　still　in　use。

There　remains　a　broken　building；　which　is　called　the　Bishop's
house；　I　know　not　by　what　authority。　　It　was　once　the　residence　of
some　man　above　the　common　rank；　for　it　has　two　stories　and　a
chimney。　　We　were　shewn　a　chimney　at　the　other　end；　which　was　only
a　nich；　without　perforation；　but　so　much　does　antiquarian
credulity；　or　patriotick　vanity　prevail；　that　it　was　not　much　more
safe　to　trust　the　eye　of　our　instructor　than　the　memory。

There　is　in　the　Island　one　house　more；　and　only　one；　that　has　a
chimney：　　we　entered　it；　and　found　it　neither　wanting　repair　nor
inhabitants；　but　to　the　farmers；　who　now　possess　it；　the　chimney　is
of　no　great　value；　for　their　fire　was　made　on　the　floor；　in　the
middle　of　the　room；　and　notwithstanding　the　dignity　of　their
mansion；　they　rejoiced；　like　their　neighbours；　in　the　comforts　of
smoke。

It　is　observed；　that　ecclesiastical　colleges　are　always　in　the　most
pleasant　and　fruitful　places。　　While　the　world　allowed　the　monks
their　choice；　it　is　surely　no　dishonour　that　they　chose　well。　　This
Island　is　remarkably　fruitful。　　The　village　near　the　churches　is
said　to　contain　seventy　families；　which；　at　five　in　a　family；　is
more　than　a　hundred　inhabitants　to　a　mile。　　There　are　perhaps　other
villages：　　yet　both　corn　and　cattle　are　annually　exported。

But　the　fruitfulness　of　Iona　is　now　its　whole　prosperity。　　The
inhabitants　are　remarkably　gross；　and　remarkably　neglected：　　I　know
not　if　they　are　visited　by　any　Minister。　　The　Island；　which　was
once　the　metropolis　of　learning　and　piety；　has　now　no　school　for
education；　nor　temple　for　worship；　only　two　inhabitants　that　can
speak　English；　and　not　one　that　can　write　or　read。

The　people　are　of　the　clan　of　Maclean；　and　though　Sir　Allan　had　not
been　in　the　place　for　many　years；　he　was　received　with　all　the
reverence　due　to　their　Chieftain。　　One　of　them　being　sharply
reprehended　by　him；　for　not　sending　him　some　rum；　declared　after
his　departure；　in　Mr。　Boswell's　presence；　that　he　had　no　design　of
disappointing　him；　'for；'　said　he；　'I　would　cut　my　bones　for　him；
and　if　he　had　sent　his　dog　for　it；　he　should　have　had　it。'

When　we　were　to　depart；　our　boat　was　left　by　the　ebb　at　a　great
distance　from　the　water；　but　no　sooner　did　we　wish　it　afloat；　than
the　islanders　gathered　round　it；　and；　by　the　union　of　many　hands；
pushed　it　down　the　beach；　every　man　who　could　contribute　his　help
seemed　to　think　himself　happy　in　the　opportunity　of　being；　for　a
moment；　useful　to　his　Chief。

We　now　left　those　illustrious　ruins；　by　which　Mr。　Boswell　was　much
affected；　nor　would　I　willingly　be　thought　to　have　looked　upon　them
without　some　emotion。　　Perhaps；　in　the　revolutions　of　the　world；
Iona　may　be　sometime　again　the　instructress　of　the　Western　Regions。

It　was　no　long　voyage　to　Mull；　where；　under　Sir　Allan's　protection；
we　landed　in　the　evening；　and　were　entertained　for　the　night　by　Mr。
Maclean；　a　Minister　that　lives　upon　the　coast；　whose　elegance　of
conversation；　and　strength　of　judgment；　would　make　him　conspicuous
in　places　of　greater　celebrity。　　Next　day　we　dined　with　Dr。
Maclean；　another　physician；　and　then　travelled　on　to　the　house　of　a
very　powerful　Laird；　Maclean　of　Lochbuy；　for　in　this　country　every
man's　name　is　Maclean。

Where　races　are　thus　numerous；　and　thus　combined；　none　but　the
Chief　of　a　clan　is　addressed　by　his　name。　　The　Laird　of　Dunvegan　is
called　Macleod；　but　other　gentlemen　of　the　same　family　are
denominated　by　the　places　where　they　reside；　as　Raasa；　or　Talisker。
The　distinction　of　the　meaner　people　is　made　by　their　Christian
names。　　In　consequence　of　this　practice；　the　late　Laird　of
Macfarlane；　an　eminent　genealogist；　considered　himself　as
disrespectfully　treated；　if　the　common　addition　was　applied　to　him。
Mr。　Macfarlane；　said　he；　may　with　equal　propriety　be　said　to　many；
but　I；　and　I　only；　am　Macfarlane。

Our　afternoon　journey　was　through　a　country　of　such　gloomy
desolation；　that　Mr。　Boswell　thought　no　part　of　the　Highlands
equally　terrifick；　yet　we　came　without　any　difficulty；　at　evening；
to　Lochbuy；　where　we　found　a　true　Highland　Laird；　rough　and
haughty；　and　tenacious　of　his　dignity；　who；　hearing　my　name；
inquired　whether　I　was　of　the　Johnstons　of　Glencroe；　or　of
Ardnamurchan。

Lochbuy　has；　like　the　other　insular　Chieftains；　quitted　the　castle
that　sheltered　his　ancestors；　and　lives　near　it；　in　a　mansion　not
very　spacious　or　splendid。　　I　have　seen　no　houses　in　the　Islands
much　to　be　envied　for　convenience　or　magnificence；　yet　they　bare
testimony　to　the　progress　of　arts　and　civility；　as　they　shew　that
rapine　and　surprise　are　no　longer　dreaded；　and　are　much　more
commodious　than　the　ancient　fortresses。

The　castles　of　the　Hebrides；　many　of　which　are　standing；　and　many
ruined；　were　always　built　upon　points　of　land；　on　the　margin　of　the
sea。　　For　the　choice　of　this　situation　there　must　have　been　some
general　reason；　which　the　change　of　manners　has　left　in　obscurity。
They　were　of　no　use　in　the　days　of　piracy；　as　defences　of　the
coast；　for　it　was　equally　accessible　in　other　places。　　Had　they
been　sea…marks　or　light…houses；　they　would　have　been　of　more　use　to
the　invader　than　the　natives；　who　could　want　no　such　directions　of
their　own　waters：　　for　a　watch…tower；　a　cottage　on　a　hill　would
have　been　better；　as　it　would　have　commanded　a　wider　view。

If　they　be　considered　merely　as　places　of　retreat；　the　situation
seems　not　well　chosen；　for　the　Laird　of　an　Island　is　safest　from
foreign　enemies　in　the　center；　on　the　coast　he　might　be　more
suddenly　surprised　than　in　the　inland　parts；　and　the　invaders；　if
their　enterprise　miscarried；　might　more　easily　retreat。　　Some
convenience；　however；　whatever　it　was；　their　position　on　the　shore
afforded；　for　uniformity　of　practice　seldom　continues　long　without
good　reason。

A　castle　in　the　Islands　is　only　a　single　tower　of　three　or　four
stories；　of　which　the　walls　are　sometimes　eight　or　nine　feet　thick；
with　narrow　windows；　and　close　winding　stairs　of　stone。　　The　top
rises　in　a　cone；　or　pyramid　of　stone；　encompassed　by　battlements。
The　intermediate　floors　are　sometimes　frames　of　timber；　as　in
common　houses；　and　sometimes　arches　of　stone；　or　alternately　stone
and　timber；　so　that　there　was　very　little　danger　from　fire。　　In　the
center　of　every　floor；　from　top　to　bottom；　is　the　chief　room；　of　no
great　extent；　round　which　there　are　narrow　cavities；　or　recesses；
formed　by　small　vacuities；　or　by　a　double　wall。　　I　know　not　whether
there　be　ever　more　than　one　fire…place。　　They　had　not　capacity　to
contain　many　people；　or　much　provision；　but　their　enemies　could
seldom　stay　to　blockade　them；　for　if　they　failed　in　the　first
attack；　their　next　care　was　to　escape。

The　walls　were　always　too　strong　to　be　shaken　by　such　desultory
hostilities；　the　windows　were　too　narrow　to　be　entered；　and　the
battlements　too　high　to　be　scaled。　　The　only　danger　was　at　the
gates；　over　which　the　wall　was　built　with　a　square　cavity；　not
unlike　a　chimney；　continued　to　the　top。　　Through　this　hollow　the
defendants　let　fall　stones　upon　those　who　attempted　to　break　the
gate；　and　poured　down　water；　perhaps　scalding　water；　if　the　attack
was　made　with　fire。　　The　castle　of　Lochbuy　was　secured　by　double
doors；　of　which　the　outer　was　an　iron　grate。

In　every　castle　is　a　well　and　a　dungeon。　　The　use　of　the　well　is
evident。　　The　dungeon　is　a　deep　subterraneous　cavity；　walled　on　the
sides；　and　arched　on　the　top；　into　which　the　descent　is　through　a
narrow　door；　by　a　ladder　or　a　rope；　so　that　it　seems　impossible　to
escape；　when　the　rope　or　ladder　is　drawn　up。　　The　dungeon　was；　I
suppose；　in　war；　a　prison　for　such　captives　as　were　treated　with
severity；　and；　in　peace；　for　such　delinquents　as　had　committed
crime