Blair Collection > Galic antiquities

A POEM. 295
of my friend. A while he ftalked before me, mournful ; and of-
ten the blaft had whirled his limbs together ; bvit flill he feemed
like Curach.
" Why fleeps OfTian ?" he faid, as bending over me, on the
bread of his blafl, he leaned : " Should the warriors of Morven
reft, when danger rolls in darknefs around them ?" — He took the
pine of Moruth by the head, and fhook it as he flew, Amids a
Ihower of ruftling leaves, I awoke from my dream, and kindled
the flame in the withered oak. The wanderers from the hofl:
of Cuthon beheld it, and retired. I called for the fcout. He came.
His fteps had been over Moruth ; he had been viewing the hofl:s of
the foe.
Dargo they had fent to the green ifle, where his fathers reft *.
Dark-bending over them fpreads an aged oak. Its waving branches
are worn by the gray mofly ftones that lift their head in its fliade.
Bards fing there to Dargo's praife ; and the forms of his fathers are
feen above, dark-mufing, on their mifty clouds. Their red eyes are
fad, for they behold the fall of their fon.
With Suloicha the fcout, I crofs in filence the ftream of Moruth.
Wc hear the voice of the fons of Loda, as, three times, they call
on the fpirits of their fear. We hear their flirieks going round the
ilone of their power.
" Roll," they faid, " ye vapours of Lano, that bring death to
the
* This ifle is fuppofed to be that of I- lumba fixed upon it for the feat of his
cna, to which the laft remains of the monaftery, towards the end of the 6ti\
Druids, according to bifhop Pocock, had century. Their butial-place is flill fhewn,
retired. Its ancient name was Itmis- at a due diftance from the confecrated
Druinach, or " The ifle of the Druids." ground allowed for the repofe of thcirCa-
Tkey were in pofieffion of it till St Co- tholic brethren.