Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

426 MAC DONALD.
Judging from the buildings themselves, it would ap-
pear that, out of the four castles in Sky belonging to
Macdonald, those of Knock and Kyle Haken were the
most ancient: whether the present or Duntulm is the
most recent, it would be difficult to say. Besides these,
this family had two other abodes in the island, Mugstot
and Armadale. It is not probable that these were all in-
habited at once, or even in the same age : but still, as
belonging to one family, in one spot of no great extent,
they bespeak luxury, such as it was, and abundance of
wealth; since they were not mere garrisons or military
posts, but dwelling places. Indeed this dynasty, at its
several periods, seems to have had a great love of castles;
and, instead of one supreme residence or Court, to have
lived, at some time or another, in every part of its do-
minions. I cannot pretend to enumerate the whole of
these palaces, or houses, or castles, or whatever they are
to be called : nor, of some, is it easy to know whether
they belonged originally to the Lords of the Isles, or
were built only by the clans that sprung from them, or
that established themselves as independent Chiefs. Be-
sides the three in Sky just named, however, the following
are, by tradition, supposed to have been, not only built
but inhabited, by the Lords of the Isles : some apparently
as head-quarters or Courts, others as occasional hunting
boxes or country seats. In Mull, Aros unquestionably
belonged to them ; whether Duart and Loch Buy ever
did, or whether there were castles at these places before
the present works of the Macleans after they had ac-
quired an independency, remains uncertain. On the
opposite shore of Morven, they possessed Ardtorinish
and the Castle of Dogs, and probably also. Loch Aline
Castle. Tirim Castle, and that of Airdnamurchan, must
also be included in the same list. On Torsa, it is known
that they possessed one. Kerrera, DunstafFnage, and