Ossian Collection > Fingal

B. I. An epic P O 1-: M. 7
tribes ihiit I mav view tiic Tons ot war. Let them
move along the heath, bright as the iun-iliine be-
fore a llorni ; when the welt wind collects the
clouis and the oaks of Morven echo along, the
iTiofe.
But where are my friends in battle ? The com-
panions of my arm in danger ? Where ait ihou,
^\■hite-bofom'd Cathbat? Where is that cloud in
war, Duchomar *? and haft thou left me, O
Fergus f ! in the day of the llorm ? Fergus, firft
in our Joy at the feall ; fon of Rofia ! arm of dealli !
comeft thou like a roe X from Malmor? Like a
hart from the echoing hills? — Hail, thou fon of
RolTa ! what fhades the foul of war ?
Four Itones i!, replied the chief, rife on tlie
grave of Cathbat. — Thefe hands have laid in earth
Duchomar, that cloud in war. Cathbat, thou foii
of Torman, thou wert a fun-beam on the hill. —
And thou, O valiant Duchomar, like the miii of
marfhy Lano ;. when it fails over the plains of au-
tumn and brings death to the people. Morna !
thou faireft of maids! calm is thy fleep in the cave
of the rock. Thou hail: fallen in darknefs like a
ftar, that fhoots athwart the defart, when the tra-
B 4 veller
* Dubhchomar, nhlack iveU-Jl?aped 7nan.
■\ Fear-guth, — the man of the luord; or a commander
of an army.
t Be thou like a roe or young hart on the mountains
of Bedier, Solomon's Song.
II This palLige alludes to the manner of burial among
the ancient Scots. They opened a grave fix or eighc
feet deep : the bottom was lined with fine clay; and on
this they laid the body of the deceafed, and, if a warrior,
his fword, and tiie heads of twelve arrows by liis fide.
Above they laid another ftratum of clay, in which they
placed the horn of a deer, the fymbol of hunting. The
whole was covered with a fine mold, and four ftones pla-
ced on end to mnrk the extent of the grave. Thefe are
the four llones alluded to here.