298 ISLES OF SCOTLAND. 



thus described by Mr. Banks. " We proceeded along the shore, 

 treading upon another Giant's Causeway, every stone being regularly 

 ' formed into a certain number of sides and angles ; till, in a short 

 time, we arrived at the mouth of a cave, the most magnificent, I sup- 

 pose, that has ever been described by travellers. The mind can 

 hardly form an idea more magnificent, ihan such a space, supported 

 on each side by ranges of columns, and roofed by the bottoms of those 

 which have been broken off in order to form it, between the angles 

 of which, a yellow stalagmatic matter has exuded, which serves lo 

 define the angles precisely, and at the same time vary the colour, 

 with a great deal of elegance ; and to render it still more agreeable, 

 the whole is lighted from without ; so that the farthest extremity is 

 very plainly seen from without; and the air within, being agitated 

 with the flux and reflux of the tide, is perfectly dry and wholesome, 

 free entirely from the damp of vapours, with which natural caverns 

 in general abound." 



To the north-west of Mull are the islands, of Tirey and Col ; the 

 former of which produces a beautiful marble of a rose colour. Tirey 

 Is level and fertile, but Col is rocky, or rather, as Dr Johnson has 

 observed, one continued rock, covered with a thin layer of earth. 

 This latter island is about thirteen miles long, and three broad, and 

 contains about 800 inhabitants. 



Hina,or St. Kilda, is the most western island of the Hebrides, and 

 is three miles long, and two broad. The soil is fertile, but the arable 

 land scarcely exceeds eighty acres, though by industry more might 

 be added. The mountain or rock of Congara, in this island, is ac- 

 counted the Teneriff of the British islands, its height above the level 

 of the sea being 1800 yard;,. The whole island is surrounded with 

 the most tremendous rocks, and has only one landing place, and even 

 there it is impossible to land, except in calm weather. About twenty- 

 seven families reside here, in a small village on the eastern side of 

 the island. These people display the most astonishing courage and 

 dexterity in climbing the dreadful precipices in quest of sea-.fowls and 

 their eggs, which furnish them with food during a great part of the 

 year. The multitudes of these birds are prodigious, the rocks round 

 the island being so covered with them that they appear like moun- 

 tains covered with snow ; yet they so entirely disappear in Novem- 

 ber, that from the middle of that month to the middle of February 

 not one is to be seen. The people of the Hebrides are clothed and 

 live like the Scotch Highlanders. They are similar in persons, con- 

 stitutions, customs, and prejudices ; but with this difference, that 

 the more polished manners of the Lowlanders are every day gaining 

 ground in the Highlands. Perhaps the descendants of the ancient 

 Caledonians, in a few years, will be discernible only in the Hebrides. 



Those islands alone retain the ancient usages of the Celts, as des- 

 cribed by the oldest and best authors ; but with a strong tincture of 

 the feudal constitution. Their shanachies, or story tellers, supply 

 the place of the ancient bards, so famous in history ; and are the his- 

 torians, or rajther genealogists, as well as poets, of the nation and 

 family. The chief is likewise attended, when he appears abroad, 

 with his musician ; who is generally a bagpiper, and dressed in the 

 manner of the English minstrels of former times, but, as it is said, 

 much more sumptuously. Notwithstanding the contempt into which 

 that music is fallen, it is almost incredible with what care and atten- 

 tion it was cultivated among these islanders so late as the beginning 



