ftrait. The mafter faw that we wanted a paffage, and with great civility fent us his boat, which quickly conveyed us to Ulva, where we were very liberally entertained by Mr. Macquarry.

To Ulva we came in the dark, and left it before noon the next day. A very exact description therefore will not be expected. We were told, that it is an island of no great extent, rough and barren, inhabited by the Macquarrys; a clan not powerful nor nume, rous, but of antiquity, which most other families are content to reverence. The name is fuppofed to bę a depravation of fome other; for the Earfe language does not afford it any etymology. Macquarry is prietor both of Ulva and some adjacent islands, among which is Staffa, fo lately raised to renown by Mr. Banks.

*

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When the islanders were reproached with their ig norance, or infenfibility of the wonders of Staffa, they had not much to reply. They had indeed confidered it little, because they had always feen it; and none but philofophers, nor they always, are ftruck with wonder, otherwife than by novelty. How would it furprise an unenlightened ploughman, to hear a company of fober men, enquiring by what power the hand toffes a ftone, or why the ftone, when it is toffed, falls to the ground!

Of the ancestors of Macquarry, who thus lie hid in his unfrequented island, I have found memorials in all places where they could be expected.

Enquiring after the reliques of former manners, I found that in Ulva, and, I think, no where elfe, is continued the payment of the mercheta mulierum; a fine in old times due to the laird at the marriage of a vir

gin. The original of this claim, as of our tenure

This

of borough English, is varioufly delivered. It is pleafant to find ancient cuftoms in old families. payment, like others, was, for want of money, made anciently in the produce of the land. Macquarry was used to demand a fheep, for which he now takes a crown, by that inattention to the uncertain proportion between the value and the denomination of money, which has brought much disorder into Europe. A heep has always the fame power of fupplying human wants, but a crown will bring at one time more, at another lefs.

Ulva was not neglected by the piety of ancient times; it has ftill to fhow what was once a church.

INCH KENNETH.

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

Romance does not often exhibit a scene that strikes the imagination more than this little defert in these depths of western obfcurity, occupied not by a gross herdsman, or amphibious fisherman, but by a gentleman and two ladies, of high birth, polished manners, and elegant converfation, who, in a habitation raised not very far above the ground, but furnished with unexpected neatnefs and convenience, practifed all the kindness of hospitality, and refinement of courtesy.

Sir Allan is the chieftain of the great clan of Maclean, which is faid to claim the fecond place among the Highland families, yielding only to Macdonald. Though by the misconduct of his ancestors, most of the extenfive territory, which would have defcended to him, has been alienated, he still retains much of the dignity and authority of his birth. When foldiers were lately wanting for the American war, application was made to Sir Allan, and he nominated a hundred men for the fervice, who obeyed the fummons, and bore arms under his command.

He had then, for fome time, refided 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 neceffary to make his hours pleasant.

When we landed, we were met by Sir Allan and the ladies, accompanied by Mifs Macquarry, who had paffed fome time with them, and now returned to Ulva with her father.

We all walked together to the manfion, where we found one cottage for Sir Allan, and I think two more for the domefticks and the offices. We entered, and wanted little that palaces afford. Our room was neatly floored, and well lighted; and our dinner, which was dreffed 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 fuffered to pass without fome religious distinction, and invited us to partake in his acts of domeftick worship; which I hope neither Mr. Bofwell nor myself will be fuf

pected of a difpofition to refufe. The elder of the ladies read the English service.

Inch Kenneth was once a feminary of ecclefiafticks, fubordinate, I fuppofe, to Icolmkill. Sir Allan had a mind to trace the foundation of the college, but neither I nor Mr. Bofwell, who bends a keener eye on vacancy, were able to perceive them.

Our attention, however, was fufficiently engaged by a venerable chapel, which ftands yet entire, except that the roof is gone. It is about fixty feet in length, and thirty in breadth. On one fide of the altar is a bas-relief of the bleffed 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 ftill continues to be a place of fepulture.

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

On the next day we took a more diftinct view of the place, and went with the boat to fee oyfters in the bed, out of which the boat-men forced up as many as were wanted. Even Inch Kenneth has a fubordinate ifland, named Sandiland, I fuppofe in contempt, where we landed, and found a rock, with a furface of perhaps four acres, of which one is naked ftone, another spread with fand and fhells, fome of which I picked up for their gloffy beauty, and two covered with a little earth and grafs, on which Sir Allan has a

few

few sheep. I doubt not but when there was a college at Inch Kenneth, there was a hermitage upon Sandiland.

Having wandered over thofe extenfive 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 obfervable, were again fafe upon dry ground.

We told Sir Allan our defire of vifiting 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 preferved the grace of ready compliance. He took their advice, and promised to carry us on the morrow in his

boat.

We paffed the remaining part of the day in fuch 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. Bofwell danced a Scottish reel with the other.

We could have been eafily perfuaded to a longer tay upon Inch Kenneth, but life will not be all paffed in delight. The feffion at Edinburgh was approach ing, from which Mr. Bofwell could not be absent.

In the morning our boat was ready: it was high and ftrong. 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 fo much kindness, and concluded his favours by configning us to Sir Allan. Here we had the laft embrace of this amiable man, who, while these pages were preparing to atteft