Ossian Collection > Waifs and strays of Celtic tradition > Volume 1

Maclean of Duart. 89
of great beauty. Above all is the galley with
the sail furled. The inscription is as follows :
"Hie jacet corpus Angusii filii Domini Angusii
MacDomnill de Ila." We can infer the date of
others from this example of lettering and of
execution of sculpture.
The Macleans* are mentioned in the Craig-
nish tales, and the garb worn by these warriors
is therefore given. No clan showed a more
warlike spirit than that of Maclean. The
breath of their nostrils was the breath of battle.
Red Hector of the Battles commands as
Lieut. -General under Earl Ross at the battle of
Harlaw, 141 1. Hector 9th Duart falls fighting
at the head of his clan at Flodden. Hector
1 6th falls fighting at Inverkeithing.
Their hearts beat loudest and most joyously
amid the the carnage of the battle ; with them
a peaceful death-bed was held in contempt, or
as a great misfortune. To them the blast of
the trumpet and the shock of battle were more
familiar than the sounds and scenes of home
life and peaceful days. In the last great rising
* On the authority of Maclaine of Lochbuie, we find the
name thus variously spelt in Lochbuie Papers : Maclayne,
McLean, Maclain, McLain, McLeane, Macllean, Mclain,
Maclaine, Maclean. — Ed.