Ossian Collection > Description of the Western Islands of Scotland

Weflern I/lands of Scotland. 2 1 5
Form, having a thick Wall, and about three
Stories high, and Paflages round within the
Wall ; it is furrounded with a wet Ditch ; it has
a Gate on the South, and a double Gate on the
Eaft, and a Baftion on each fide the Gate, and
without thcfe there's a Draw-Bridg, and the
Sea flows within 40 Yards of it. The Fort is
large enough for exercifing a Battalion of Men ;
it has a Chappel and feveral little Houfes with-
in, and a large Houfe of four Stories high, fron-
ting the Eaftern Gate. The People here have a
Tradition, that this Fort was built by King Ro/a,
who is faid to have come to this Ifle before
King Fergus the Firft. The other Forts are
Down-Owle and Down-Mm, both on the Weft-
fide.
THE Churches here are as follow, Kjlmhhel^
lOl'Blamf and Kji-ChAttan^ in the South Parifh ;
and Lady-Kjrk in Rothfay is the moft Northerly
Parifh ; all the Inhabitants are Proteftants.
THE Natives here are not troubled with
any Epidemical Difeafe : the Small-pox vifits
them commonly once every fixth, or feventh
Year. The oldeft Man now living in this Ifle, is
one Fleming a Weaver in Rothfaj ; his Neigh-
bours told me that he could never eafe Nature
at Sea, who is 90 Years of Age. 1 he Inha-
bitants generally fpeak the Engtifh and Irijh
Tongue, and wear the fame Habit with thofe
of the other Iflands; they are very induftrious
C) 4 Filhers