Ossian Collection > Loch Etive and the sons of Uisnach

GLKX ETIVE. 323
They fear tlie darkness in tlie Hi^dilands even now, in the
valleys, and much more a dark passage on the top of a
black clouded mountain.
Cameron. — If they did go up the\- did not live there much ;
that is, the people who wrote did not ; but there is a class
living even now on Mount Olympus who rarely come down,
and are almost entirely separate from all others. Probabl)-
the same class lived with the same habits in old times,
unknown to the town-loving Greek, who knew little of topo-
graphy, and filled the wilds with m}'thic creatures. When we
look at that terrible pass on the western side of the Buachaill,
the pass of terror, at the time when the peaks are covered with
black clouds, and only a dark cave shows itself below, we have
room for the wild beings that were supposed to haunt this
valley. You will see a drawing of one of them in J. F.
Campbell's Tales of the West HigJilands : there is a sketch
of the wild creature of Glen Eiti (Direach Glenn Eitidh, Mac
Callain), he was also a Mac, the son of Colin. The drawing,
like the story describing him, gives " one hand out of his chest,
one leg out of his haunch, and one eye out of the front of his
face."
Margaet. — Is it not said that even the Greeks worshipped
mountains ]
Loudoun. — -i don't know of any actual worship of mountains,
but there is an abundant appearance in the Greek mind of
awe and feeling of mystery relating to them.
Willie. — Now this is a fine opportunity to tell a story as we
stand under the shed waiting for the boat.
O'Keefe. — As you are near Cruachan, I will tell }-ou a little
tale from the Irish Cruachan which is \&v\ different from