for the monks; but they preserved learning in the darkest age of the world, lived undisturbed in their sequestered territory, and introduced a mild religion among a barbarous race of men.

The regal tombs of the Scotish, Irish, and Norwegian princes are now incapable of being distinguished except by tradition almost every ornament is effaced from their sepulchral stones. Some of the present stock of European sovereigns should visit Iona and pause a little on the confines of the other world.

I ascended Crachmore [? Dun-i] to have an idea of the island and view the rocks of which it is composed. The two extremities of the island rise in clusters of white rocks, which consist chiefly of trapp, gray granite schistus, and schorlaceous schistus. The low ground is fertile and well cultivated.

The island pays about £200 of yearly rent, and produces more grain than is sufficient for the inhabitants, who consist of 376 souls, according to the account of Mr MacLean the catechist, who accompanied us to the ruins, which he exhibits to strangers, detailing to them portions of the legend of St Columba.

From Iona we procured a boat to coast along the east shore of Mull, which we had not seen, and to carry us to Oban. Our boat was only a clumsy open coble rowed by four unskilful fishermen, with very awkward oars, over a space which none of them had traversed. But the most disagreeable circumstance was, that there was no room to lie, and hardly any to sit or stand. We coasted along the low shore of Ross, the rocks of which consist almost entirely of red and gray granite and porphyry. As it was high

water we sailed through the narrow strait which they termed the Sound of Fechan, which is very shallow, and dry at the ebbing of the tide. The east shore of Mull is high, abrupt, and rocky, with a considerable surf breaking constantly on the shelves. In two or three places basaltic columns distinctly appeared, and there are some spots where the land is heaved and tossed like immense waves, and variegated with white rocks which have no inconsiderable resemblance to the Trosachs. Finding that our boat by some mistake had not been sufficiently victualled as we had now the appearance of continuing all night at seawe hove-to near near Carsaig bay, and landed amid a strange cluster of rocks, where we found a hut and procured some goats' milk and goats'-milk cheese, but no bread. During the night the fishermen amused us with singing con

cerning Oscar MacOshin, who, as they translated the stanza, was so dreadfully gashed at the battle of Ben Eden that the cranes might have flown through him, yet he was cured by Fingal. The common phrase of making the sun and wind to shine through a person is nothing to this. They likewise related the story of MacPhail of Colonsay, with whom the Mermaid of the gulf of Corrivrekin fell in love; and snatching him down to her palace in Davie's locker, detained him for a long period, during which she bore him several children, and generally appeared to him in the form of a beautiful woman, advising him, however, to keep his distance whenever she assumed her fishy tail, lest she should devour him. But carrying him one day near the land, he sprang suddenly ashore and deserted his sea-goddess. This last story, however, seemed to amuse us much more

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than the fishermen, who appeared to be dreadfully afraid of some sea-spirit's appearance from some of the stormy recesses of the dark shore of Mull. I know not how far they might be to the taste of a sea-nymph, but I apprehend there was little danger of their being ravished by a land one.

About seven o'clock in the morning we reached Oban in safety, having experienced no real dangers, though we encountered numerous possible ones.

July 25.-Our German friends were preparing to set out for Dalmally at our arrival, along with Sir Francis D'Ivernois. We parted from them with considerable regret, after interchanging mutual promises of correspondence.

Baron Vincke, of Prussian Minden, possessed more intelligence than his countenance augured. With something