Mr. TvirnbuU on Saint Bathan. 197 



collected together, inspiring in tlie hearts of the labourers a 

 heavenly and unwonted joy, banishing all sensation of fatigue 

 or sadness, and so lightening their burdens that they did not 

 feel the weight of the corn they carried on their backs from 

 the field to the Monastery. Baithen being enquired at, ex- 

 plained that Columba ever mindful of them, though not bodily 

 present, still in spirit was assisting them and gladdening their 

 hearts, upon which all kneeled down, stretched out their hands 

 to heaven and worshipped — (" Christum in sancto venerantur, 

 et beato viro.")^ 



While superior of the monastery of Nah Lunge, in Ethica 

 Insula, (Tiree,) he also had superintendence of the farm there, 

 from which the establishment at lona derived a great part of 

 its supplies : and we find on one occasion, Columba giving an 

 order to him to send a fat wether and six measures of corn to 

 a thief, who had, by supernatural information furnished to 

 Columba, been once caught in lona, and who now was in a 

 vision, perceived by the saint to be dying. The presents, 

 however, did not arrive till after he was dead, but served for 

 his funeral feast.^ 



Baithen, however, did not remain long in lona, but was 

 employed in various missionary expeditions, sometimes alone, 

 sometimes in company with Columba himself, and sometimes 

 with other monks. 



While he was on one of these expeditions to " Egea Insula" 

 (the island of Eigg), '^^the saint" (Columba) who was then in 

 Hinba, (an island which seems to have been situated to the 

 north of lona, but cannot be identified), fell into a glorious 

 trance, and while he would allow no one to approach him, he 

 complained continually that Baithen was not present with 

 him. Contrary winds, however, prevented Baithen's arrival 

 for the three days during which the trance lasted, and the old 

 chronicler laments the loss by this detention, of the informa- 

 tion regarding past or even future ages, which he assumes 

 would have been communicated to our saint.'' On another 

 occasion we find Baithen in this same island of Hinba, along 

 with Columba, rebuking a penitent there named Nemanus, 

 who refused when ordered to accept food that was ofiered him. 

 The holy man prophesied that he should be reduced to eat 

 mare's flesh in the company of thieves, and it came even as 

 they had spoken.'^ On another occasion we read of him sitting 



a Adam. i. 37. 

 b Adam. i. 42. 

 c Adam. iii. 18. 

 d Adam. i. 21. 



