NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 197 



tains to this solitary Lough ; brought hither on 

 purpose to reclaim the Highlander. 



Theoph. Do you romance, or not, to tell me 

 that an island swims in the midst of the ocean, 

 and a ship fluctuates in the midst of the High- 

 lands ; where every rock represents a Charibdis, 

 and every wave threatens an inundation ; where 

 there's no harbour without hazard of life, nor sea 

 enough to promise security to the mariner, when 

 the winds mingle themselves with the waves, 

 that wash the pallid cheeks of the polish'd rocks ? 

 Now tell me that can, where the mariner must 

 have birth (and the passinger supplies) in this 

 fluctuating ocean, when a storm arises to ecclipse 

 his eye from a land discovery ? 



Am. If eye-sight be good evidence, there's 

 enough to convince you ; behold the ship. 



Theoph. How came she here ? Was she not 

 built in some creek hereabouts ? 



Am. No. 



Theoph. By what means then was she moved 

 into this small Mediterrane ? I solicite advice, 

 and you can solve the doubt. 



Arn. Art was both engin and engineer to in- 

 vite this ship into this solitary Lough. 



Theoph. If so, it's strange that a vessel of her 

 force should leap out of the ocean, and over the 

 hills, to float in a gutter surrounded with rocks. 



Arn. Not so strange as true, for here she is. 



