, Maclean of Dronart in Mull married
his sister Fingala to Maclean of Coll, with a hundred and eighty kine;
and stipulated, that if she became a widow, her jointure should be three
hundred and sixty. I suppose some proportionate tract of land was
appropriated to their pasturage.

The disposition to pompous and expensive funerals, which has at one time
or other prevailed in most parts of the civilized world, is not yet
suppressed in the Islands, though some of the ancient solemnities are
worn away, and singers are no longer hired to attend the procession.
Nineteen years ago, at the burial of the Laird of Col, were killed thirty
cows, and about fifty sheep. The number of the cows is positively told,
and we must suppose other victuals in like proportion.

Mr. Maclean informed us of an odd game, of which he did not tell the
original, but which may perhaps be used in other places, where the reason
of it is not yet forgot. At New-year's eve, in the hall or castle of the
Laird, where, at festal seasons, there may be supposed a very numerous
company, one man dresses himself in a cow's hide, upon which other men
beat with sticks. He runs with all this noise round the house, which all
the company quits in a counterfeited fright: the door is then shut. At
New-year's eve there is no great pleasure to be had out of doors in the
Hebrides. They are sure soon to recover from their terrour enough to
solicit for re-admission; which, for the honour of poetry, is not to be
obtained but by repeating a verse, with which those that are knowing and
provident take care to be furnished.

Very near the house of Maclean stands the castle of Col, which was the
mansion of the Laird, till the house was built. It is built upon a rock,
as Mr. Boswell remarked, that it might not be mined. It is very strong,
and having been not long uninhabited, is yet in repair. On the wall was,
not long ago, a stone with an inscription, importing, that 'if any man of
the clan of Maclonich shall appear before this castle, though he come at
midnight, with a man's head in his hand, he shall there find safety and
protection against all but the King.'

This is an old Highland treaty made upon a very memorable occasion.
Maclean, the son of John Gerves, who recovered Col, and conquered Barra,
had obtained, it is said, from James the Second, a grant of the lands of
Lochiel, forfeited, I suppose, by some offence against the state.

Forfeited estates were not in tho