A parish often contains more Islands
than one; and each Island can have the Minister only in its own
turn. At Raasa they had, I think, a right to service only every
third Sunday. All the provision made by the present ecclesiastical
constitution, for the inhabitants of about a hundred square miles,
is a prayer and sermon in a little room, once in three weeks: and
even this parsimonious distribution is at the mercy of the weather;
and in those Islands where the Minister does not reside, it is
impossible to tell how many weeks or months may pass without any
publick exercise of religion.
GRISSIPOL IN COL
After a short conversation with Mr. Maclean, we went on to
Grissipol, a house and farm tenanted by Mr. Macsweyn, where I saw
more of the ancient life of a Highlander, than I had yet found.
Mrs. Macsweyn could speak no English, and had never seen any other
places than the Islands of Sky, Mull, and Col: but she was
hospitable and good-humoured, and spread her table with sufficient
liberality. We found tea here, as in every other place, but our
spoons were of horn.
The house of Grissipol stands by a brook very clear and quick;
which is, I suppose, one of the most copious streams in the Island.
This place was the scene of an action, much celebrated in the
traditional history of Col, but which probably no two relaters will
tell alike.
