Ossian Collection > Ossian's Fingal

NOTES. 237
It was the opinion of the times that the souls of heroes
went immediately after death to the hills of their country,
and the scenes they frequented in the most happy time of
their life. Tt was thought too that dogs and horses saw
the ghosts of the deceased.
Note 15.
And note a hundred youths of warlike fame
Colled the heath ; ten heroes blow the flame.
The ancient manner of preparing feasts after hunting is
thus handed down by tradition. A pit was prepared, and
lined with smooth stones ; and near it stood a heap of
smooth flat stones of the flint kind. The stones as well
as the pit were properly heated with burning heath. Then
they laid some venison in the bottom and a stratum of the
stones above it, and thus they did alternately till the pit
was full. The whole was covered over with heath to
confine the steam. Some pits are still shown, which the
vulgar say were used in this manner.
Note 16.
The plaintive mclodj/ of Ossian's so7ig. Ossian, the