Ossian Collection > Romance of the Highlands

14 THE ROMANCE OF THE HIGHLANDS.
between two hills — the hill of Snichan's son and the hill
of the King's town — and there appears to have been a
connecting thoroughfare cobbled in a primitive way ; it
is still called Stroud mhuragaid or Market Street, and
Straid nanum (Meal Street) is near. There is usually
something authentic in tradition, but doubt may be
expressed as to the story of the city's fate — like Sodom,
it was destroyed by fire from Heaven.
About this time Columba with his gospel message
had begun to make kings and peoples look to lona as a
sacred spot, and Fergus resolved to be confirmed in his
kingly office there. Carrying with him the stone, he had
himself conveyed to the lone isle of the saint. It is very
probable that the stone lay in the little church as a safe
and sacred place, and this would account for Columba
having it in his possession at the time of his death.
It was next taken to Dunstaffnage on the mainland,
which place was then called Evenium. It had been
erected b}'^ Ewan or Evenus, a King of Dalriada,
contemporary with Caesar. Its presence here is con-
firmed by a niche in the wall pointed out as the place
where it rested. Some of the ancient regalia were pre-
served in this Castle till the eighteenth century, but
servants taking advantage of the declining years of the
keeper, stripped it of all valuable ornaments, but a
beautiful battle-axe ornamented with silver was saved.
While it may be difficult to put faith in the early
history of this rolling stone, safer ground is reached at
this juncture, and it should be remembered that it was
looked upon even then as an ancient and revered symbol.
There is still a wonderfully interesting story to tell.
Professor Geikie has pronounced the stone to have
all the characteristics of similar stones that can be had
in plenty anywhere from Argyle to Fife, nor does he