ISLA. ANTIQUITIES. %35 



well known Tynewald hill of the Isle of Man, and of 

 which the purpose was probably the same here as in that 

 island, namely, that of the seat of justice. This coin- 

 cidence is to be expected, since the Sudereys to which 

 Isla belonged, formed at one period a common kingdom 

 with Man. 



Remains of different strong holds or castles of more 

 modern date are still existing in different parts of the 

 island ; the residences of the turbulent chieftains of the 

 Macdonald race. One of the most noted of these is at 

 Loch Guirm, placed on a small island in the lake ; a very 

 common mode of natural defence in the Highlands of 

 Scotland, examples of which occur everywhere. Similar 

 remains, situated in the same manner, are seen at Loch 

 Finlagan ; but none of them present any interest to detain 

 either the painter or the antiquary. 



Ecclesiastical remains form the last division of the anti- 

 quities of this island. It appears to have abounded in 

 these ; a natural consequence perhaps of its fertility, as 

 well as of its vicinity to the parental establishment of 

 Oransa. The west side of the country retains charac- 

 teristic traces of its religious appropriation, in the names 

 of Balinabby, Ardneave, and the island of Neave, or 

 Heaven. In comparing the former with the present state 

 of the Western islands, few circumstances are much more 

 striking than the enormous disproportion of their religious 

 establishments at that period ; when also, if we may judge 

 from the poverty of the territory, there could be but few 

 temporal motives for such establishments. If Tirey, from 

 the fertility of its grassy plains, offered such inducements, 

 assuredly the rocky and barren mountains of Harris seem 

 to have held out no great temptations beyond those of 

 a spiritual nature for the erection of twelve churches ; 

 while its present population, now perhaps more than 

 doubled, would with difficulty fill one. Many of the 

 chapels in Isla are still tolerably entire, although roof- 

 less ; and being without ornament, and of small dimensions, 



