Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

398 DUNTULM.
landers were a religious people. I have thought them
peculiarly so, and should have marked them as an ex-
emplary people, as well in their belief and their feelings,
as in their conduct and in the practice of religious du-
ties, wherever they have the means of performing these.
And I did not think, that although deprived of religious
instruction and of education throughout so large a por-
tion of the country, they ever ceased to be anxious for
what was unattainable, or ever forgot to make that day
which they could not make a day of public prayer, one
of rest, and gravity, and serious thought. Thinking
thus, I should have been led to say so, had I not been
induced to avoid this subject altogether, from fearing
that 1 am either an incompetent judge, or that my preju-
dices in favour of the moral and religious character of the
Highlanders have influenced my judgment. I read in
the writings of others, and in reports from authorities
which ought not to be deceived, opinions very different
from those which I had formed. Still, I know not how to
believe that, in former days, their religion was like their
politics, obeying the orders of their Chiefs, and changed
with as much facility as their dress. If indeed it be now
so lax as is represented, and if the people are in a state
so grossly negligent and ignorant on this subject as has
been said in recent documents that must be considered
official, I can only submit my imperfect experience and
observation to those of better judges, and add, to that,
my regret that it should be the fact. I only hope that
the laudable ardour of those pious personages has led
them at least to overrate the evil ; but, in the mean time,
it is my duty to submit, and be silent.
While I was meditating over Mr. O'Gorgon and his
hermitage, we opened Duntulm Bay and Castle. There
was no occasion to stop here, as my good friend the
Major had quitted his lands, and taken tlie great Stuart