GENERAL DESCRIPTION 5 



the Strand, has been suggested as his probable landing-place. 

 According to local tradition, this was also the spot where, at 

 a later date, the galley of a viking chief came ashore. It is 

 related of St Columba that before he left Ireland he made a 

 vow never to settle within sight of his native hills, and dis- 

 covering that he could still see them from the Beinn in 

 Oransay, he moved to lona. 



The earliest mention that we have of Colonsay is in 

 Adamnan's Life of St Columba, which was written about 

 A.D. 693, i.e. about ninety-six years after the saint's death. 

 The name in Adamnan's Latin is Colosus. In this, the oldest 

 book which can be proved to have been written in Scotland, 

 the author relates an interesting story of one Ere Mocudruidi, 

 who had the hardihood to cross, in a small boat, the stormy 

 strip of ocean that separates Colonsay from lona, with the 

 intention of stealing the seals that St Columba was rearing 

 for his own use. He hid his coracle among the sand-hills in 

 Mull, on the opposite side of the sound, and, in concealment, 

 waited for the fall of night for carrying out his dishonest 

 design. St Columba, perceiving his purpose, sent two of 

 the brethren to apprehend him. " Why dost thou often 

 steal the goods of others, transgressing the divine command ? 

 When thou art in need, come, and then thou shalt receive 

 for the asking all that is necessary," said the saint when 

 the culprit was brought before him; and, lest he should 

 return empty, he caused sheep to be killed for him. Fore- 

 seeing in spirit that the death of the thief was at hand, 

 St Columba ordered Baithene in Tiree to send to him 

 to Colonsay, as a last gift, a fat sheep and six pecks of 

 corn. On the day that the presents arrived Mocudruidi 

 died suddenly, and the gifts were used by the mourners 

 at the funeral feast. 



The Norwegians held the Western Islands for upwards of 

 400 years, and although it is nearly 650 years since they lost 

 possession, evidences of their occupation are not wanting in 



