gentleman, whofe name, I think, is Maclean, should be regularly called Muck; but the appellation, which he thinks to be too coarfe for his ifland, he would like ftill lefs for himfelf, and he is therefore addreffed by the title of, Isle of Muck.

This little ifland, however it be named, is of confiderable value. It is two English miles long, and three quarters of a mile broad, and confequently contains only nine hnndred and fixty English acres. It is chiefly arable. Half of this little dominion, the Laird retains in his own hand, and on the other half lived one hundred and fixty perfons, who pay their rent by exposed corn. What rent they pay, we were not told, and could not decently enquire.

The Laird having all his people under his imediate view, feems to be very attentive to their hap piness. The devastation of the small-pox, when it vifits places where it comes feldom, is well known. He has difarmed it of its terrour at Muack, by inoculating eighty of its people. The expence was two fhillings and fix-pence a-head. Many trades they cannot have among them, but upon occafion he fetches á finith from the Isle of Egg, and has a tailor from the main land, fix times a-year. This ifland well deferved to be feen, but the Laird's abfence left us no opportunity.

Every inhabited ifland has its appendant and fubordinate iflets. Muck, however fmall, has yet other fmaller about it, one of which has only

ground fufficient to afford pafture for three wethers.

At Dunvegan I had tafted lotus, and was in danger of forgetting that I was ever to depart, till Mr Bofwell fagely reproached me with my fluggishness and foftness. I had no very forcible defence to make; and we agreed to pursue our journey. Macleod accompanied us to Ulinifh, where we were entertained by the sheriff of the island.

ULINIS H.

Mr Macqueen travelled with us, and directed our attention to all that was worthy of obfervation. With him we went to fee an ancient building, called a dun or borough. It was a circular enclofure, about forty-two feet in diameter, walled round with loose ftones, perhaps to the height of nine feet. The walls are very thick, diminishing a little towards the top, and though in these countries stone is not brought far, must have been raifed with much labour. Within the great circle were feveral fmaller rounds of wall, which formed distinct apartments. Its date and its use are unknown. Some fuppofe it the original feat of the chiefs of the Macleods. Mr Macqueen thought it a Danish fort.

The entrance is covered with flat ftones, and is narrow, because it was neceffary that the ftones

which lie over it, fhould reach from one wall to the other, yet, strait as the paffage is, they seem heavier than could have been placed where they now lie, by the naked strength of as many men as might ftand about them. They were probably raised by putting long pieces of wood under them, to which the action of a long line of lifters might be applied. Savages, in all countries, have patience proportionate to their unskilfulness, and are content to attain their end by very tedious methods.

If it was ever roofed, it might once have been a dwelling, but as there is no provifion for water, it could not have been a fortrefs. In Sky, as in every other place, there is an ambition of exalting whatever has furvived memory, to fome important ufe, and referring it to very remote ages. I am inclined to fufpect, that in lawless times, when the inhabitants of every mountain ftole the cattle of their neighbour, thefe enclosures were ufed to fecure the herds and flocks in the night. When they were driven within the wall, they might be eafily watched, and defended as long as could be needful; for the robbers durft not wait till the in-. jured clan fhould find them in the morning.

The interior enclosures, if the whole building were once a house, were the chambers of the chief inhabitants. If it was a place of fecurity for cattle, they were probably the fhelters of the keep

ers..

I 2.

1

From

From the Dun we were conducted to another place of fecurity, a cave carried a great way under ground, which had been discovered by digging after a fox. Thefe caves, of which many have been found, and many probably remain concealed, are formed, I believe, commonly by taking advantage of a hollow, where banks or rocks rife on either fide. If no fuch place can be found, the ground must be cut away. The walls are made by piling ftones against the earth, on either fide. It is then roofed by larger ftones laid across the cavern, which therefore cannot be wide. Over the roof, turfs were placed, and grafs was fuffered to grow; and the mouth was concealed by bushes, or some other cover.

These caves were represented to us as the cabins of the first rude inhabitants, of which, however, I am by no means perfuaded. This was fo low, that no man could stand upright in it. By their construction they are all fo narrow, that two can never pafs along them together, and being fubterraneous, they must be always damp. They are not the work of an age much ruder than the prefent; for they are formed with as much art as the conftruction of a common hut requires. I imagine them to have been places only of occafional use, in which the islander, upon a fudden aların, hid his utenfils, or his clothes, and perhaps sometimes his wife and children.

This

This cave we entered, but could not proceed the whole length, and went away without knowing how far it was carried. For this omiflion we shall be blamed, as we perhaps have blamed other travellers; but the day was rainy, and the ground was damp. We had with us neither fpades nor pickaxes, and if love of eafe furmounted our defire. of knowledge, the offence has not the invidioufnefs of fingularity..

Edifices, either standing or ruined, are the chief records of an illiterate nation. In fome part of this journey, at no great distance from our way, stood à fhattered fortrefs, of which the learned minister, to whofe communication we are much indebted, gave us an account..

Thofe, faid he, are the walls of a place of refuge, built in the time of James the Sixth, by Hugh Macdonald, who was next heir to the dignity and fortune of his chief. Hugh, being fo near his wifh, was impatient of delay; and had art and influence fufficient to engage feveral gentlemen in å plot against the Laird's life. Something must be ftipulated on both fides; for they would not dip their hands in blood merely for Hugh's advancement. The compact was formally written, figned by the confpirators, and placed in the hands of one Macleod.

It happened that Macleod had fold fome cattle to a drover, who not having ready money, gave him a bond for payment. The debt was difchar