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 furmounted, though more dangerous to the veracity of itinerary narratives, than imperfect menfuration. An obferver deeply impreffed by any remarkable spectacle, does not suppose, that the traces will foon vanish from his mind, and having commonly no great convenience for writing, defers the defcription to a time of more leifure, and better accommodation.

He who has not made the experiment, or who is not accustomed to require rigorous accuracy from himself, will fcarcely believe how much a few hours take from certainty of knowledge, and diftinctness of imagery; how the fucceffion of objects will be broken, how separate parts will be confused, and how many particular features and difcriminations

difcriminations will be compreffed and conglobated into one grofs and general idea.

To this dilatory notation must be imputed the falfe 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 Spen defcribed with irreconcilable contrariety things which they surveyed together, and which both undoubtedly designed to show as they saw them.

When we had fatisfied our curiofity in the cave, fo far as our penury of light permitted us, we clambered again to our boats, and proceeded along the coast of Mull to a headland, called Atun, remarkable for the columnar form of the rocks, which rife in a series of pilafters, with a degree of regularity, which Sir Allan thinks not lefs worthy of curiofity than the shore of Staffa.

Not long after we came to another range of black rocks, which had the appearance of broken pilafters, fet one behind another to a great depth. This place was chofen by Sir Allan

for

P

for our dinner. We were eafily accommodated with feats, for the ftones were of all heights, and refreshed ourselves and our boatmen, who could have no other reft till we were at Icolmkill.

The evening was now approaching, and we were yet at a confiderable distance from the end of our expedition. We could therefore ftop no more to make remarks in the way, but fet forward with some degree of eagerness. The day foon failed us, and the moon presented a very folemn and pleasing scene. The sky was clear, fo that the eye commanded a wide circle: the fea was neither ftill nor turbulent: the wind neither filent nor loud. We were never far from one coaft or another, on which, if the weather had become violent, we could have found fhelter, aad therefore contemplated at eafe the region through which we glided in the tranquillity of the night, and faw now a rock and now an ifland grow gradually confpicuous and gradually obfcure. I committed the fault which I have just been cenfuring, in neglecting, as we passed, to note the series of this placid navigation.

We were very near an İfland, called Nun's Ifland, perhaps from an ancient convent. Here is faid to have been dug the ftone that was used in

the buildings of Icolmkill. Whether it is now inhabited we could not stay to inquire.

At last we came to Icolmkill, but found no convenience for landing. Our boat could not be forced very near the dry ground, and our Highlanders carried us over the water.

We were now treading that illuftrious Ifland, which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence favage clans and roving barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the bleffings of religion. To abftra&t the mind from all local emotion would be impoffible, if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish, if it were poffible. Whatever withdraws us from the power of our lenses; whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me and from my friends, be such frigid philofophy as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground which has been dignified by wildom, bravery, or virtue. That man is little to be envied, whofe patriotifm would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Jona ?

We came too late to vifit monuments: fome care was neceffary for ourselves.

Whatever

was

was in the Island, Sir Allan could command; for the inhabitants were Macleans; but having little they could not give us much.. He went to the headman of the Hland, whom Fame, but Fame delights in amplifying, reprefents as worth no less than fifty pounds. He was perhaps proud enough of his guefts, but ill prepared for our entertainment; however, he foon produced more provifion than men not luxurious require. Our lodging was next to be provided. We found a barn well stocked with hay, and made our beds as foft as we could.

In the morning we rofe and furveyed the place. The churches of the two convents are both ftanding, though unroofed. They were built of unhewn ftone, but folid, and not inelegant. I brought away rude measures of the buildings, fuch as I cannot much truft myself, inaccurately taken, and obfcurely noted. Mr. Pennant's delineations, which are doubtlefs exact, have made my unskilful description lefs neceffary.

The epifcopal church confifts of two parts, feparated by the belfry, ahd built at different times. The original church had, like others, the altar at one end, and tower at the other; but as it grew too fmall, another building of equal dimenfion

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