Mr. Pennant's
delineations, which are doubtless exact, have made my unskilful
description less necessary.
The episcopal church consists of two parts, separated by the
belfry, and built at different times. The original church had,
like others, the altar at one end, and tower at the other: but as
it grew too small, another building of equal dimension was added,
and the tower then was necessarily in the middle.
That these edifices are of different ages seems evident. The arch
of the first church is Roman, being part of a circle; that of the
additional building is pointed, and therefore Gothick, or
Saracenical; the tower is firm, and wants only to be floored and
covered.
Of the chambers or cells belonging to the monks, there are some
walls remaining, but nothing approaching to a complete apartment.
The bottom of the church is so incumbered with mud and rubbish,
that we could make no discoveries of curious inscriptions, and what
there are have been already published. The place is said to be
known where the black stones lie concealed, on which the old
Highland Chiefs, when they made contracts and alliances, used to
take the oath, which was considered as more sacred than any other
obligation, and which could not be violated without the blackest
infamy. In those days of violence and rapine, it was of great
importance to impress upon savage minds the sanctity of an oath, by
some particular and extraordinary circumstances. They would not
have recourse to the black stones, upon small or common occasions,
and when they had established their faith by this tremendous
sanction, inconstancy and treachery were no longer feared.
The chapel of the nunnery is now used by the inhabitants as a kind
of general cow-house, and the bottom is consequently too miry for
examination. Some of the stones which covered the later abbesses
have inscriptions, which might yet be read, if the chapel were
cleansed. The roof of this, as of all the other buildings, is
totally destroyed, not only because timber quickly decays when it
is neglected, but because in an island utterly destitute of wood,
it was wanted for use, and was consequently the first plunder of
needy rapacity.
The chancel of the nuns' chapel is covered with an arch of stone,
to which time has done no injury; and a small apartment
communicating with the choir, on the north side, like the chapter-
house in cathedrals, roofed with stone in the same manner, is
likewise entire.
In one of the churches was a marble altar, which the superstition
of the inhabitants has destroyed. Their opinion was, that a
fragment of this stone was a defence against shipwrecks, fire, and
miscarriages. In one corner of the church the bason for holy water
is yet unbroken.
The cemetery of the nunnery was, till very lately, regarded with
such reverence, that only women were buried in it.
