34 COLONSAY 



banks of the stream. The delicate white-flowered Grass of 

 Parnassus is seen in profusion in moist places. Orchids in 

 a variety of colours, blue Gentian, pink Centaury, orange 

 Stork's-bill, and other free-flowering plants peculiar to such 

 situations delight the senses with richness of colouring and 

 sweetness of fragrance. 



Garvard occupies the central part of the southern end of 

 the island. The outlook among the islets of the strand is 

 an ever-changing scene : at low tide, when the water recedes, 

 wide tracts of shell-strewn sand are left exposed ; at high 

 tide, a land-encircled islet-studded sea, with the hills of 

 Oransay in the background, lies before us. Memorials 

 connected in traditional lore with interesting events in days 

 gone by are not rare in this locality. Situated close to the 

 road, about half a mile from the strand, are the partially 

 standing Avails of the Temple of the Glen, silent reminders 

 of old ways that vanished together with the sway of the 

 Romish Church at the advent of the Reformation. Local 

 tradition associates the Temple of the Glen with a visit of 

 King Robert the Bruce on the eve of his return to the main- 

 land to reassert his right to the Scottish crown after his 

 prolonged retreat in Rathlin; and there is nothing im- 

 probable in the supposition that this vigorous monarch 

 visited Colonsay and other islands, either on pilgrimage, 

 or in the hope of winning over their hardy chiefs to his 

 patriotic but desperate cause. In Sir Walter Scott's 

 poetical narrative of the battle of Bannockburn in the 

 Lord of the Isles Bruce is supported by a contingent 

 of island chiefs under the leadership of the Lord of 

 the Isles, and among these the Lord of Colonsay bears no 

 inconspicuous part : 



Brave Torquil from Dunvegan high, 



Lord of the misty hills of Skye, 

 Mac-Niel, wild Bara's ancient thane, 



Duart, of bold Clan Gillian's strain, 



