New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-11


tn THE ROYAL GRAvES-A RAMBLE IN
NrI1,-scENERY OF THE HEBRIDEs.
,,,ow STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.I
Island of Iona, In the Hebrides.
September "a.
Tho sky was cloudy and the wind was cold
~ We sailed out Of Oban, bound for Staffa
.rd Iona. but the sea was smooth, and soon the
., struggled through the clouds and streaked
-, ,ouid nlain with ace-like rays of silver On
,,u Tho mountain shapes were dark and stately.
-, tho green hills of Morrer.-less impressive
,,aver than when they are half hidden by
LEVERS Of drifting ist-stood forth. bold and
.s,a,d,d in the gray light of an autumn morn
to- The tide was gently FLASHING on the Lady
10, as we swept by It.. and. frownng in the
,,a,arce rose the grim ruin Of Quart Castle
',..o,s very eloquent of the cruel Maclean and
- his baf1ied crime, long since commemorated
.,,,. in poem and in play In the work saw
ain Ardtornsh. and we thought Of Scott and
- .he Lord OF the Isles. over that region. also.
'. over Loeb Katrine Loeb Lomond. and the
- ~ the Macgregor the great minstrel of
son,,and has cast the impershable glamour Of
81. senlus and his renown. Upon both shores
:, tho snacous Sound OF Null saw the many
s,,red castles that Scott has immortalized-
s,rorgbolds Of ancient chieftans. long since dead
.a .one-and soon we looked on modest Salem
ord naughty Tabermory. sheltered secure In
..o,r neaceful bays A trim silver haze had
va,bsred on the mountains. when we put to sea
= r,bermorv but through ii we had grand
,son Of lofty Ardnamurchan.-the cape OF the
craa, Scar the extreme western point Of Br!-
,o,n-and far away we could discern the seques-
Col Tirea 1xin ikp
Glands on the western horizon At Staffa the
wind was hushed the sun shone brightly on that
mysterious isand.-bosomed On the ocean like a
great shin dsmantled ard grounded.-and. save
for a deep. regular swell that surged through
the channels of rock upon its riven coast. the
ssa was silent-a gian: breathing low in his
boavv sleep The boatmen OF GOnetra were
there with the great red lifeboat. and the land
ing was easily made. Some of us. indeed. were
rowed into Finga.s Cave. so that We could gaze
inward in the very centre Of its superb cathe-
dral aisle and hear from its reverberant aisles.
grained by the hand Of God. the echo Of the
musical surfs that solemny break upon its base.
Staffa night perhaps. be adequately described by
an observer who should dwell there for time
without human OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES in so-
itude the spirit of the place would stand re-
vealed and would become inspiration and a
.ude Even when marred by the chatter ana
lev.ty o. a commonplace throng of sightseers, the
scene has still a wonderful power upon the heart.
II was very glorious on this day-the solemn
cave almost flooded with brilliant sunshine. the
Jagged walls covered with cleaning sea-grass
and limpets and all the dark basatic columns
basking in light and heat. To be there alone 10
listen TO the breakers TO see the endless success
sion of on-coming waves.-each sinister with
cruel desire and awful with silent menace.-and
to hear the wind among the rocks. would be 10
jeer the divine might. the wierd mystery, ana
the nameless terror of the governed Isle, ana,
perhaps 10 translate them into words
In the Highlands and among the Hebrides the
traveller is influenced more by natural OBJECTS
and their atmosphere than by the influence or
historic association. Throughout those mountain
elens and upon those lonely islands and those
bleak and wandering waters, man has, indeed
been active. from an immemorial time. alike IN
the ravages of war and the pursuits OF peace
hut in contrast with those solitary hills ana
tina, gloomy ocean. man and all his works
dwind,e to insignifcance and seem no more than
the diving echo Of a wave that Is spent. win
tina, thought | stood upon the summit OF the
crags Of Staffa and gazed out upon the Hebrides
sleeping in sea Of gold Never have the SHORES
Of Scotland been more lovely TO human eyes than
they were that day.-for Fever was the suhlgh'
more Respondent upon them or the oVef-archihg
skv more cloudless or the grdiing sea more
brilliant or more clam NOrthward the Tres
hush islands lay Ike gems Of jet in the spark
ling water Eastward green Inch Kenneth smiled
upon sable Ulva and the Jagged rudy coas, OF
Null Westward, a dark speck in the wild Al
Iantic was dmly visible the rock of Skerryvore
And in the south rose the single mountain OF
Iona.-the Holy Isle. the land Of my desire ana
the chief goal Of my pilgrimage; at once the most
romantic the most pastoral. and the most IL
lus,rious Of all the shrnes Of Scotland.
II has been said Of Iona that tits interest lies
altogether in human memories. Those MEM
cries certainly hallow it. and they invest II with
a peculiar solemnlty; but in itself, by reason OF
It's pos!ton and it's physical attributes. Iona ex-
ercses upon the senses AMI the Imagination the
ex ceptonal spell of an august and me .anchoy
charm and therefore it possesses. think. an In
terest essentially its own. You can go nowhere
in that island without seeing, every hour, new
picture and every picture will be superb In the
early morning the scene is usually sombre; but
as the sun mounts into the clear heavens, Durn-
ing away the mist all the region begins 10 glow
with glistenng verdure and with a sheen OF
many-colored waters and TO vibrate with the
vital energy OF a cool, crystal air. which Is de-
licous with varied fragrance and with the music
Of many birds. The surrounding sea Is mirror
sometimes purple sometimes blue or green, ana
alike upon the and the land the passing
clouds cast many gray shadow as they drht
along. In little gardens, here and there. the req
roses are still in bloom, the flaming marigolos
lift their bright heads. and the broad shields OF
the clemats heck the cottage walls with purple
splashes, -darkly beautiful against green leaves
and gray stone. Fields Of clover. Hooded with
sunshine. trembe In the breeze The walihow-
ers and thin grasses upon the ruined churcn ana
nunnery stir family and seem to make the SILL
ness stlller and the solitude more deep. Far on
In austere Null. the rays OF the sum- falling from
behind great cloud. light up the red, barren
rocks. and make them. for moment. great
masses M ruhv and diamond. Every minute the