NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 199 



extraordinary means, looks like an impossibi- 

 lity ; however, here you find her, nor is it to be 

 denied that she had a passage to this solitary 

 Lough, 



Theoph. But how ? 



Arn. First, you must conclude no vessel, with- 

 out a miracle, could remove her self so far from 

 sea ; and I'Je assure you in this here's nothing 

 miraculous. Then you are to consider that so 

 eminent a ship could never shove her self to 

 reach this limit, as extends from the Orchean 

 seas to this obscure Lough Ness, without pro- 

 bable endeavours, and very considerable assist- 

 ance. Lastly, to admit of a violent motion, were 

 a kind of madness ; because to impose a contra- 

 diction upon the design. 



Tlieoph. Pray explicate the aenigma. 



Arn. A motion must be had (that you'l grant) 

 and means considerable to move by, (this you 

 must allow), which to accomplish, the sailers 

 and the souldiers equally contributed. For a 

 regiment (or it may be two) about that time 

 quartered in Inverness; who, by artifice, had 

 fastned thick cables to her fore-castle, and then 

 they got levers and rollers of timber, which 

 they spread at a distance, one before another ; 

 whilst some are of opinion these robust engi- 

 neers framed a more artificial and politick con- 

 trivance : but thus it was, and no otherwise, 



