Ossian Collection > Sketches descriptive of picturesque scenery, on the southern confines of Perthshire

( n6 )
the Report on the Poems of Oflian,
p. 310. From that M. S. which is con-
iidered as of the 1 2th, or 1 3th century,
the following pafTage is extracted :
"After this, St CoUimba went upon
" a time to the King of the Pids, name-
" ly Bruidhi, fon of Milchu, and the
*' gate of the caftle was fhut againft him ;
" but the iron locks of the town opened
" inftantly, through the prayers of Co-
'-*• lumb Cille. Then came the fon of
" the King, to \vit, Maelchu, and his
" D7'uid^ to argue keenly againft Columb
" Cille, infupport of paganifm.
The pradice of the Shi^ichs, of carry-
ing off children, and women recently
delivered, is illuflrated by the follovang
tradition : " A woman, whofe new born
" child had been conveyed by them in-
** to their fecret abodes, w^a^tdfo carried
'* thither herfelf, to remain, however,
" only until fhe fhould fuckle her infant.
" She one day, during this period, ob-
** ferved the Shiichs bufily employed in
f* mixing various ingredients in a boiUng
cauldron -