»*]g2,, antiquities in Scotland, 289 



sed deity responses to their prayers, accompanied 

 with apparitions that were fitted to appall the bold- 

 est, and with sounds that could not fail to imprel's 

 the minds of a rude people with the most reverential 

 awe " High broken rocks," says Ofsian in the po- 

 em of Sul Malla of Lumon, " high broken rocks 

 were round with all their bending trees. Near were 

 two circles of Loda with the stone of power, where 

 spirits descended at night in dark red streams of fire. 

 'There, mixed with the murmur of water, rose the 

 voice of aged men. Thej called the forms of night 

 to aid them in their war." This spirit of Loda 

 which they vvorfhipped, was believed to be all power- 

 ful in battle, as appears from the following pafsa^e : 

 " He called," says Ofsian, speakiag of Starno king 

 »of Lochlin, " he called grey haired Snivan, that of- 

 ten sung round the circle of Loda, when the stone of 

 power heard his cry, and the battle turned in the 

 field of the valiant." 



Here we have described,, not only the ohject of 

 their worftiip, but the form of their ceremonies also, 

 and the nature of their apparitions. Aged men sing 

 round tlie stone of power, — they call the forms of 

 night to aid them in their war, — these sjjirits of night 

 descend in dark red streams of fire. This spirit of 

 Loda is still more particularly described by Ofsian 

 in the poem of Garicthura : " A blast," says he, 

 *' came from the mountain, which bore on its wings 

 the spirit of Loda. He came to his place in his ter- 

 rors, and he Ihook liis dufky spear. His eyes ap- 

 pear like flames in his dark face, and liis voice is? 

 'i!te distant thunder." 



vol.. viii. + 



