Duinonlaigh expulsio Ainfceallach filii Ferchar de regno et vinctus ad Hiberniam vehitur." (Ann. Ulst.)

For twenty-nine years afterwards Selbhach ruled Dalriada with a high hand, and also fought several battles. At first he seems to have met with some resistance from his brother's sympathisers, to which he retaliated, as three years after his brother's expulsion he destroyed Dunolly. "Destructio Duinonlaigh apud Selbhach." (Ann. Ulst.)

In 704, we learn that the Dalriadans were slaughtered at a place called in the Annals of Ulster, Valle Limnae, and by Tighernac, Glenlemnae-Vale of Leven.-(Skene.) Not many years afterwards several engagements took place between the Scots of Dalriada and the Britons of Strathclyde, whose stronghold was Ailcluaith or Dumbarton Castle, when the tables were turned against the Britons. In 710, a battle took place between the race of Comgall, that is the inhabitants of Cowal, and the Picts, when two of the sons of Nechton, the son of Doirgarto, were slain. "Imbairece apud genus Comgaill ubi duo filii Nechtan meic Doirgarto jugulati sunt." (Ann. Ulst.)

"

In 711, the Britons and the Dalriadans fought a battle at Loirg-Eclat, where the Britons were conquered. Congreisio Brittonum et Dalriadha for Loirg Eclat ubi Brittons devicti." (Tighernac.)

In 712, Selbhach besieged the Castle of Dunaverty. Absessio Aberto apud Selbacam." (Ann. of Ulst.) And in the same year Tairpirt Boetter, the other stronghold of the race of Gabhran in Kintyre was burnt. "Combustio Tairpirt Boetter." (Ann. Ulst.) I presume this was the ancient royal castle of Tarbert, Lochfyne, which was of so much importance in the days of Edward I. and Robert Bruce.

In 714, Selbhach rebuilt Dunolly, and his daughter Ailen destroyed it. "Dunollaig construitur apud Selbacum. Ailen na ingen struibitur." (Ann. Ulst.)

In 717, an engagement took place between the Scots and the Britons at a place called Minvirce, where the Britons were overcome. Congressio Dalriati acus Britonum in lapide qui vocator Minvirce et Britons devicti sunt." (Ann. Ulst.)

In 719, Ainbhceallach, after being in exile for twenty-one years, returns from Ireland, apparently with the object of recovering his lawful kingdom, and has a pitched battle with his brother Selbhach at a place called Finnghlinne, where Ainbhceallach was slain. This battle was fought on the stream in Finglen in Lorn. The place of battle is still called Ath-na-fola, or the ford of blood. "Cath Finnglinne itir da meic Fearchair fota in qui Ainbhceallach jugulatus est die quinte ferie. Id. Septembris."-(Tighernac.) In the following month of the same year a naval battle was fought at Ardeanesbi, between Donchad becc rex cinntire (of the race of Gabhran) and Selbhach, when Duncan was defeated. "Cath maritimum Arddeanesbi etir Dunchadh m-becc cum genere Gabrain acus Selbac cum genere Loairn acus versum est super Selbacum ii. Non. Octobris, die iii. ferie in quo quidam comites corruerunt.” -(Tighernac.) In 723 Selbhach entered a monastery. "Clericatus Selbhach."-(Ann. Ulst.)

In 727 a battle was fought at Ross-feochan, between Selbhach and Eachdach, the grandson of Domnal Brec, but the result is not given. Congressio Irrois-foichnae (Ross-feochan, Skene) ubi quidam ceciderunt den dibh Airgiallaibh (of the two Airgiallas) inter Selbacam acus familiam Echdach nepotis Domhnaill."” (Ann. Ulst.)

In 730 Selbhach mac Ferchair, after having ruled Dalriada for about twenty-nine years, died. Selbhach mac Fercair mortuus est." (Ann. Ulst.)

In 731 his footsteps were followed by his turbulent son Donald, whose first act was to burn the castle of Tarbert. "Combustio Tairpirt Boittir apud Dungal." (Ann. Ulst.) In

the same year a battle was fought between the Scots and the Picts at Murbulg in Dalriada, where the Picts were defeated. "Cath itir cruithnui acus Dalriada in Murbulg ubi cruithniu devicti." (Tighernac.)

In 733 Donald disgraced himself by plundering and violating religious houses on the coast of Ireland. Dungal mac Selbaich dehoneravit." (Ann. Ulst.) In the same year Muredac, son of Ainbhceallach, the lineal descendant of Ferchar fada, assumed the kingdom. Muredac mac Ainfceillach regnum generis Laoirnd assumet." (Ann. Ulst.) He seems to have come from Ireland to establish his right to the kingdom of Dalriada.

In 736 Angus, the son of Fergus, king of the Picts, laid waste the kingdom of Dalriada, seized Dunat, burnt Creic, and put Dungal and Ferdach, the two sons of Selbhach, in chains. (Ann. Ulst.)

In 741 the battle of Drumcathmail, between the Picts and Dalriads, took place, when the Dalriads were beaten by Angus MacFergus. There seem to have been two engagements under this date. "Bellum Drumacathmail inter Criuthniu et Dalriati

for Innrechtac. Percussio Dalriatai la Oengus Mac Ferguso." (Ann. Ulst.) Tighernac makes no reference to this event.

THE ALLEGED CONFUSION.

Dr Skene says, for upwards of one hundred years after this event there is the greatest confusion in the history of the Dalriadic kings. On the one hand the Gaelic lists of Flann Mainistreach and the Duan Albanach of the Eleventh Century vary very much from the Latin list of a later date.

The learned Doctor sympathised with the former and characterises the Latin lists as "the later form of the Scottish fable." He further says, "The compilers of the Latin list suppressed the conquest of Dalriada by Oengus Mac Fergus,

and the century of the Pictish rule in that kingdom by placing the reigns of the last four kings a century later and interpolating kings before them to fill up that vacant period." (Chron. Picts and Scots, chap. vi.)

THESE GRAVE CHARGES INVESTIGATED.

The grave charges of suppressing a conquest-interpolating kings to fill up a blank period-inverting four kings from 736 to 836, to cover over a century of fable—are enough to condemn for ever any history.

These accusations of Dr. Skene are not new discoveries. Pinkerton, in his "Enquiry" about a century earlier, takes up almost the same grounds. The only additional evidence Dr. Skene adduces is hints from the Legends of the Saints, which he admits “are not referred to as documents of historic authority." (Chron. Picts and Scots. Pref. clxiii.)

PINKERTON'S THEORIES.

Before I proceed to investigate Skene's allegations, I shall make a few observations on Pinkerton's theories of the revolution of this period in Dalriada. He magnifies the conquest of Dalriada by Ungust, son of Vergust, in 739 and 743, and says from this date the history of Dalriada is annihilated.

He then extends his theories of this period over forty-nine pages of his "Enquiry," commencing with these words, "These events call for a pause in order to investigate a curious and important point in our history, namely, what line of princes held the sceptre at the time the kings of Dalriada are said to have acceded to the Pictish throne." He says: "We are unhappily in the greatest darkness just before the morning breaks in the reign of Kenneth, the son of Alpin."

There is reason to infer that Ungust, king of Pikland, upon his conquest of Dalriada, appointed a sovereign-Aod Fin-and

that this sovereign was neither of the house of Lorn nor that of Argyle. Of what race then was he? Common-sense and the usual practice in such cases dictate that Aod was of the Pikish royal race; and in all probability son of Ungust. But upon the whole, the genealogy of Kenneth is lost-the name of the father of Alpin the father of Kenneth-I will venture to say is lost beyond all recovery. He concludes: "From 739 to 843 is the obscure part of Dalriadic history; and no pains should be spared to investigate it."

We see from the above extracts the curious way in which Pinkerton handles this tangled skein.

(1). He magnifies the conquest of Ungust by his almost annihilating the Dalriadic race and its history.

(2). He infers that in all probability Aod Fin was a son of Ungust, King of Pikland, but gives no proof.

(3). Yet, after all, the genealogy of Kenneth, son of Alpin, is utterly lost, so that his grandfather can never be ascertained.

(4). Although he paused to investigate what line of princes held the Dalriadic sceptre at the time the kings of Dalriada are said to have acceded to the Pictish throne, yet he left it as obscure as he found it, and says that "no pains should be spared to investigate it."

SKENE'S ALLEGATIONS.

Dr. Skene says: "The list of the Scottish kings which thus diverge so radically from each other consists, on the one hand, of the lists contained in the Synchronisms of Flann Mainistreach' and in the Albanic Duan,' and, on the other hand, of the lists contained in the Latin Chronicles.'-Pref. to Chron, of the Picts and Scots, p. cxxvii. In the one list the last four kings, i.e., Selvach, Echadh, Dungal, and Alpin, are placed first after Ainbhceallach. In the Latin list the four kings, Selvach, Echadh, Dungal, and Alpin, are placed last. The real difference