SCALLOWAY CASTLE. 
69 
our weary search, we were in hut little mood for 
hearing the tales of the garrulous old lady who did 
the honours of the place. From her we gathered 
some curious popular traditions respecting the build¬ 
ing of the pile, and declining her invitation to fore¬ 
gather round her peat fire, and enjoy what humble 
fare she had to offer, we inspected such details of 
the mediaeval Celtic architecture as remained ; we saw 
the solid arches on which the upper stories of the 
building rested; and while we speculated on the use 
of the usual turreted extremities of the structure so 
common in early Scottish buildings, the guide ran on 
with her quaint account of the merciless exactions of 
the founder, who compelled all his lieges to supp]y 
sufficient white of egg of the sea-fowl, which abound 
in these islands, to temper his mortar, in the hopes 
of rendering his donjon impervious to the onslaught 
of his enemies, or the wearing tooth of time, giving 
the refractory the alternative of hanging if they 
declined to assist. After we had satisfied ourselves 
with a survey of the ancient castle, we requested the 
worthy dame to let us see some samples of her skill 
in Shetland wool-work, but she as persistently declined 
to offer any of her work for our inspection, fearing 
that we should tempt her to trade with us on the 
Sabbath day. 
