The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-31


clan and the scene of dark deeds done
by Donald Gruamach the Grim and
his clansmen, was abandoned at a
date unknown, and the Chiefs OF Sleat
ruled from their new stronghold, the
Castle OF Duntulm, to which Ia as
cribed a fairy origin: Beneath a mys-
tic spell 1t grew In one night, dark,
massive walls, Jagged battlements,
rounded turrets fashioning In the moon
light, till when day dawned II stood
cold, defiant, impregnable; sheer above
the rocking sea, clear cut against the
pallld sky" brooding over the blue
waters OF the Minch, that broke in
cessantly against It's rocky cliff. A
beetling crag perched hold, with dark
chambers and passageways, repository
OF many q mysterious secret: with It's
great hall, It's rock bored dungeons. It's
spacious chapel: now Wondering, dis
migrating in swift decay. Behind II
rose in succession the Hill of Judg-
ment. the Hill of Counsel and the Hill
Of Hanging-names that commence
rate the elementary but swift and ef-
fective processes Of Justice among the
hard men OF Skye.
In one OF the dungeons persisted mis-
'''p'y 'ht 'hubi, htti VI ibiB
Blue Donald, Chief Donald Gorme Nor.
Hugh was n bad man and had many
enemies, among them Chief Donald.
against whose life he had basely
plotted, hoping himself TO become head
Of the clan. He had Just finished the
building of n tower, Casteal Uisdean,
or Hugh's Castle, and planned a merry
housewarming to which. with hypo-
rri 90 10 q.
misdoings, he invited the chief. But
a letter intended for n fellow conspira-
tor fell into Donald's hands. He took
Hugh and proceeded with merciless
ingenuity to teach through him les
son or effect upon any who might
emulate his rebelllous example. After
some days of confinement without food
or drink he caused n large ration Of
salt beef to be lowered to the captive.
DevouripR this the bold, bad Hugh
was tortured by new pangs OF thirst; .
and he died, raving, in his dungeon.
The novelist Black, II we remember
right, embroiders this sufficiently hor-
rible tale with mention OF a cup sent
down after the salt meat had done It's
captive's hope OF relief with discov-
cry OF It's emptiness.
A Wild night Mt Dunvegan. Macleod,
looking out over the stormy sea: "It
will he a giants night. n my bitter
est foe were at the foot OF those rocks
demanding shelter on such q night
could not refuse H." And almost with
the utterance of the words enter the
Lord Of Duntulm and his men, wrecked
on tho rocks below and claiming right
Of hospitality:
In the torchiit hail the Maodonaids and
the Macieods sat down 20 eat together;
and dour were their looks, though out
wRrdly peace was maintained. But by
and by tho conversation strayed into a
dangerous channel. the respective richness
OF the dfrks with which each man was
equipped. Only the Chief OF sleat sat In
moody silence. I'LL Macleod. turning to him.
demanded: why do you not show your
dirk, Macdonald7 hear II IL very hne."
Here Il is Macleod" responded Mac
donald. promptly. holding II up in his right
hand; and IN the best hand for driving
Il homo OF any in the four and twenty
Islands OF the Hebrides."
Now Macleod was a less powerfully built
man than Macdonald, and, thinking that
his guest would. OF courtesy, at least men
tion him next in order OF merit, he in
Quired complacently:
And where is the next best hand for
pushing dirk home IN the four and
twenty ISLANDER"
Here" cried Donald Gorm. holding up
his dirk in his left hand. and brandishing
II ominously in the face OF Macleod.
That night the barn in which the Mac.
donalds had been invited to sleep went
up In smoke; but Donald was canny and
the tainted hospitality had been spurned
Away in tho morning marched the
Duntulm men, with their piper toot-
ling his windy taunts at the Dunve-
gans. The wars OF the clans are
sketched with vigorous appreciation,
and the end OF It all Is stated with q
touch OF poetry:
Upon Duntulm. for all time the mys-
terious silence fell. Cott.r. now
shelter behind tho stona. which once
housed the great lords OF a dead past while
to- day. upon tho headiand. the founda
lions OF broken wall alone remain "a
show with Intermittent outline the exten,
OF the once vast pile. Crumbling gables
appear to indicate the former site of a
chapel with dark vaults beneath; the re.
mains of a banqueting hall pierced by
windows, overlook the cliffs edge, and two
isolated columns alone denns the place OF
the former keep.
Through the sixteenth and seven
teeth centuries tho island feuds con-
tinued. Their power in Scotland cut
of. the MGcdonalds OF Sleat kept UT
the form at least OF their insular EN-
perry, and the Macdonalds OF Clanran.
aid and OF Glengarry, the Macleods Of
Dunvegan and those of Harris, thu
M'Neills of Barra and the Macleans OF
Null furnished stimulus OF competition
In 174s hereditable Jurisdiction was
abolished and sherifrs appointed by dis.
tricts: tho modern era, not wholly
happy, began. High rents caused heavy
emigration. Sheep herding was intro.
duced. The island folk lived on pota.
toes and herring. The later Sky,
comes into Mrs. Strings purviev
with account. from the Macdonald
point OF view, OF the visit Of the Grea
Bear described by Boswell, and of 9
Sassenach" diary Of a tour OF tn,
sland. II was the father OF the Sill
Alexander who entertained, with Sigh
reward for his hospitality, johnson
touring the Hebrides, upon whom II
1746 tho Jacobites. Indignant that {
man who at heart was their adheren
rad not been so in name" circulated
he epitaph:
II Hssvn be plead when sinners cease Z,
n He'll be picard when sinners sntsr In;
II earth be picard to lose . truckiin,
Then all are pieasd-Macdonsids in HI