Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

012 NORTH »ON.\.
Barra: it never had been inhabited ; nor indeed was that
possible, as we afterwards discovered. At some former
period, as we were told, Rona had contained five fami-
lies; until an unfortunate accident produced a revolution
in the island. They had possessed a boat, which they
contrived to house in some cranny on the southern point;
but in attempting to land, on some stormy day, all the
men were drowned. Rona thus became deserted ; and,
falling into the hands of a tacksman in Lewis, to which
estate it belongs, was put under the present system.
Such was the traditional history of North Rona, accord-
ing to Kenneth Mac Cagie ; who united in his own person,
the various offices of feudal sovereign, vassal, serf, and
historiographer, besides many more. I ought not to
have doubted Kenneth's tradition; because tradition is a
touchy sort of personage ; generally claiming implicit
faith for itself, and commonly also relying on the strength
of Lord Peter's argument. He always reminds me of the
gentleman called Oui-dire, " qui avoit la gueule fendue
juses aulx aureilles, dedans la gueule sept langues, et
chasque langue fendue en sept parties;" while the audi-
ence '* devenoient clercs et scavants en pen d'heures, et
parloient de choses prodigieuses, elegamment et par
bonne memoire." I have a right however to doubt in
this case; having authority against authority; Martin
and Sibbald against Mac Cagie ; and as the history of
this minutest of tributary kingdoms deserves at least as
much respect as that of St. Marino, the most microscopic
of republics, I must give it you. I have had no great
opportunity as yet of showing my talents as a historian.
In the year 1670, or thereabouts, North Rona was
possessed by five families, each having its dwelling-
house, barn, storehouse, and cattle-house. The houses
then were built with stones and thatched with straw
but whether built under ground or above ground, this;
;