Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland ..

THE DESCRIPTION OF BRITAINE. B5
m length, and halfc a mile in brc;idi]i, low ground also but yet verie fc-iiile. In the
mouth likewise of the Glot, licth the more Cumber and the lesse, not farre in sunder one
from another, and both fruitful! inough the one for corne, and the other for Platyceraton.
The Auon another Hand lieth about a mile from Cantire, and is verie commodious to ships,
wherof it is called Auon, that is to saie, Portuosa, or full of harbor : and therefore the
Danes had in time past great vse of it. Then haue we the Raclind, the Kyntar, the
Cray, the Gegaw six miles in length and a mile and a halfe in breadth ; the Dera full of
deore, and not otherwise vnfruitfull : and therefore some thinke that it was called the He
of deere in old time. Scarba foure miles in length, and one in breadth, verie little in- Scarba,
habited, and thereinto the sea betweene that and the He of deere is so swift and violent,
that except it be at certeine times, it is not casilie nauigable. Being past these, we come
to certeine Hands of no great fame, which lie scattered here and there, as Bellach, Gyrastell,
Longaie, both the Fiolas, the three Yarues, Culbrenin, Duncomell, Lupar, Belnaua,
Wikerua, Calnle, Luing, Sele He, Sound, of which the last three are fruitfull, and belong
to the earle of Argile. Then haue we the Slate, so called of the tiles that are made slaic I'.c.
therin. The Nagsey, Isdalf, and the Sken (which later is also called Thian, of a wicked
herbe growing there greatlie hurtfull, and in colour not much vnlike the lillie, sauing that
it is of a more wan and feeble colour) Vderga, kings He, Duffa or blacke He, Kirke
He and Triarach. There is also the He Ard, Humble He, Greene He, and Heth He,
Arbor He, Gote He, Conies He aliiis idle He, Abrid He or bird He, and Lismor, wherein
the bishop of Argill sometime held his palace, being eight miles in length and two miles in
breadth, and not without some mines also of good mettall. There is also the He Ouilia,
Siuna, Trect, Shepey, Fladaw, Stone He, Gresse, great He, Ardis, Musadell, & Berner,
sometime called the hoiie sanctuarie, Vghe He, Molochasgyr, and Drinacha, now ouergrowne
with bushes, elders, and vtterlie spoiled by the ruines of such great houses as
haue heretofore beene found therin. There is in like sort the Wijc, the Ranse, and the
Caruer.
In this tract also, there are yet three to intreat of, as Ha, Mula and lona, of which the ila,
first is one of the most, that hath not bcene least accounted of. It is not much aboue
24 miles in length, and in breadth 16 reaching from the south into the north, and yet it is an
exceeding rich plot of ground verie plentious of corne, cattell, deere, and also lead, and
other mettals, which were easie to be obteined, if either the people were industrious, or
the soile ye'eldable of wood to fine and trie out the same. In this Hand also there is a
lake of sweet water called the Laie, and also a baie wherein are sundrie Hands ; and therevnto
another lake of fresh water, wherein the Falangam He is situate, wherein the souereigne
of all the lies sometime dwelled. Neere vnto this is the round He, so called of the con- Round He.
sultations there had : for there was a court sometime holden, wherein 1 4 of the principall
inhabitants did minister iustice vnto the rest, and had the whole disposition of things
committed vnto them, which might rule vnto the benefit of those Hands. There is also
the Stoneheape, an other Hand so called of the heape of stones that is therein. On the
south side also of Ila, we find moreouer the Colurne, Mulmor, Osrin, Brigidan, Corkerke,
Humble He, Imersga, Bethy, Texa, Shepeie, Naosig, Rinard, Cane, I'harscher, Aknor,
Gret He, Man He, S. lohns He, and Stackbed. On the west side thereof also lieth Ouersey,
whereby runneth a perilous sea, and not nauigable, but at certeine houres. Merchant
He, Vsabrast, Tanask, NefF, Wauer He, Oruans, Hog He, and Colauanso.
Mula is a right noble He, 24 miles in length and so manie in bredth, rough of soile, yet Mula*^
fruitfull enough : beside woods, deere, & good harbrough for ships, replenished with diners
and sundrie townes and castels. Ouer against Columkill also, it hath two riuers, which
yeld verie great store of salmons, and other riuellets now altogither vnfruitfull, beside
two lakes, in each of which is an Hand : and likewise in euerle of these Hands a castell.
The sea beating vpon this He, maketh foure notable baies wherein great plentie and verie
good herrings are taken. It hath also in the northwest side Columbria, or the He of
douesj