ony of no less than sixty families, mostly of his own name, to whom he gave lands upon his property; hence it is that the name of Morrison is prevalent in these parts, for though the property has fallen into other hands, the stock of the inhabitants remains.'

In 1518, Mac Ian of Ardnamurchan was killed; † the Uist historian says that he fled for the space of a mile, but was overtaken by Mr. (i. e. the Master or Heir) Allan Morrison, and killed by the Laird of Raisay.‡

In 1546-47, March 22, there is a remission to "Rorie M'Cleud of the Lewis," and some of his clan, for treasonable assistance given to "Mathew, formerly Earl of Lennox,"§ among whom is "William Mhucheon," probably a son of the brieve.

In 1551, July 23, Patrick Davidson is paid £10 by the king's treasurer that he may go to the Lewis to charge "M'Cleude of the Lewis and Hucheon of the Lewis to come to my Lord Governor [Arran] at the aire at Inverness." This is Hucheon Morrison, brieve or judge of Lewis, who was indirectly the cause of the ruin of the Siol Torquil.

The Mackenzie faction, having failed to gain Lewis, left the Morrisons exposed to the vengeance of the Macleods for their treachery to Torquil Du. The oligarchic Sir R. Gordon cannot imagine that the ties of blood should be superior to fealty to a chief. About this time the Morrisons fortified themselves in Dun Eystein, at Ness.

Dun Eystein is a natural stronghold at the north end, or Ness, of Lewis, in the townland of Cnoc Aird, to which the Morrisons were wont to retire when hard pressed or in times of war. It is a flat, cliffy island, of a somewhat oval shape, about 75 yards long and 50 yards broad, and is separated from the mainland by a narrow, perpendicular ravine, through which the sea flows at high water. The ravine is between 30 and 40 feet broad, and the same in height. The remains of a strong wall follow the edge of the cliff on the landward side of the island, and through the wall there are said to have been squints or loopholes for observation and defence.

Towards the northeast corner of the island is a dûn or castle, sometimes called Tigh nam Arm, or the House of Arms, now but 4 feet high. The outside of the dûn is an oblong square, 23 by 18 feet; and this basement is nearly solid, for the central area, which is of an oval shape, is only 64 by 43 feet, and there is no appearance of any doorway. The entrance or doorway was no doubt at the height of the first floor, similar to a dûn in Taransay. The walls are of dry-stone masonry, but that is no proof of age in this part of the country. When exploring the ruins, the Rev.

* O. S. A., vol. vi, Edderachylis; where the tradition of the circumstance which caused the lands to be claimed by the Sutherlands is stated. + Gregory, "Hist. West. Isles," p. 125.

De Reb. Alb., p. 324.
§ Reg. Privy Seal. Greg. Colls. MS.
Treasurer's Accts.-Greg. Colls MS.

M. Macphail, who made the above measurements, found a small piece of flint, fragments of charcoal, and a strip of leather such as was used for making brogues.

There are the remains of huts upon the island; and on the south sides is a flat ledge, called Pallu* na Biorlinn, or the Ledge of the Galley or Birlin, whereon tradition tells that the Morrisons used to haul up their boat.

There is no tradition of the Eysteinn who gave his name to the dûn; it is a common Norse name.

Many sanguinary battles, still recounted by tradition, were fought between the Macleods and Macaulays on one side, and the Morrisons on the other. At last the Morrisons were forced to leave Lewis, and take refuge with that branch of their clan which was settled in Duirness and Edderachyllis, in Sutherland, where still, in 1793, the natives were all, except a few, of the three names of Mac Leay, Morrison, or Macleod.

At that time there lived on Eilean Shiandaidh (pronounced Elen Handa), i. e. Sandey or Sand Island, one of the family of Assynt Macleods, named Little John Mac Donald Vic Hucheon, a man of low stature, but of matchless strength and skill in arms. He and the brieve, John Morrison, met accidentally in a house in Inverkirkaig in Assyant. Being in one room and of contrary factions, presently they fell to fighting, when, although the Brieve had six men, and John of Sandey but four, the Brieve and five of the Morrisons were killed without any loss on the side of the Macleods. Sir R. Gordon suggests that God deprived the Brieve and his company of the courage or ability to resist; but it must not be forgotten that this same John of Sandey had been previously defeated at Carloway, in Lewis, by the Morrison faction.†

Among the numerous islands on the coast of Edderachyllis is one called Eilean a Bhritheimh, or Judge's Island; for after John Morrison had been slain, his friends in Lewis came in a galley to bring home his corpse; but contrary winds arising, they were driven to this island, where they found it convenient to disembowel the body and bury the intestines, and on the wind changing they arrived in safety at Ness.‡

Malcolm Mor Mac Ian, who now succeeded to the chieftainship of the Morrisons, sought for John of Sandey, in order to revenge the death of his father, when both parties met by chance in Coygeach. They fought; but John of Sandey, besides killing most of the opposite party, took Malcolm Mòr himself prisoner, and carried him to Tormod Macleod in Lewis, who caused him to be beheaded. This was between 1601 and 1605.

*This interesting word is a survival from the Norse, and means in Lewis "a grassy ledge in a cliff." Cf. Cleasby's "Icel. Dic.," sub voce "Pallr."

† Sir R. Gordon's "Hist. of Earl. Suth.," pp. 264, 272; O. S. A., vol. vi, pp. 292, 293.

O. S. A., vol. vi, p. 293.

As noted above, those of the Brieve's descendants* who had escaped the fury of the Macleods took refuge with the portion of their clan that was settled in Lord Reay's country. When the Mackenzies had gained possession of Lewis, the relatives of the Brieve returned and established themselves again at Ness. According to tradition, John the Brieve, who was killed at Inverkarkaig, had four sons, Allan, Donald, Kenneth, and Angus. A fifth was Malcolm Mor, who was beheaded at StornOway. Allan and two others are said to have been killed in a sea-fight by Neil Macleod, and their heads were probably taken by Neil Macleod to Edinburgh, where he himself was afterwards hanged. Of Donald we appear to have authentic record; for in a commission of Fire and Sword, dated 24th June, 1630, granted to "Rorie M'Kenzie of Cogach, Tutor of Kintaill," and others, against the remaining members of the Siol Torquil, "Donald M'Indowie [Donald Macillevore] Brieff" is included, and this is the last notice I have found of the Brieve of Lewis.

Donald, along with some Macleods, is described as having been concerned in the first rebellion against the Gentlemen Adventurers; but it is difficult to understand why a Morrison, whose clan had suffered so severely for having favored the Mackenzies, was included in the commission of extermination. It is repeatedly affirmed that the Morrisons assisted the Mackenzies to reduce Lewis, but a slight explanation is offered by one of the bards, † who states that the "Soldier of Kintail promised part of Kintail to Donald, but never gave it."

Towards the end of the seventeenth century, the whole of Lewis formed but two parishes, Barvas and Ey (Stornoway). The minister of Barvas was the Rev. Donald Morrison, who must have been born about 1620; he was a grandson of the judge, was bred an Episcopalian minister, but conformed to Presbyterianism. He was personally known to Martin, and supplied that invaluable writer with information about North Rona. Mr. Donald helped to suppress the sacrifice to Shony ‡ about 1670,

*The banker in Stornoway [the late Mr. Roderick Morrison] is the seventh or eighth in descent from the last of them;" i. e. the Brieves of Lewis. Letter, Rev. John M'Rac, Stornoway, Dec. 12, 1860.

† Angus Gunn, North Dell, Ness.

This remarkable superstition—of making and offering at Hallowmas to a supposed sea-god, that he might send a plentiful supply of sea-weed on shore, and which was supposed to have been abandoned about 1670must have been the survival of the haust-blot, or autumnal sacrificial feast of the pagan Scandinavians; for Sjoni is a name derived from son= an atonement, sacrifice (of the heathen age). (Cleasby's Iced. Dic., pp. 535, 586.) Onundr Sjoni is named in the "Land-bok," pp. 73, 89. But although the sacrifice to Shony may have been repressed, the superstition only took another form; for up to quite recent times there existed an almost extinct custom of proceeding in spring to the end of a long reef, and there invoking “Brianuil.” “Brianuilt," to send a strong north wind and drive plenty of sea-ware on shore to manure the land.

There seemed little prospect of making anything out of "Brianuil, Brianuilt," until the Rev. M. Macphail told me that Brianuilt" was the name of a saint, and that his day was about the 26th or 27th of May.

and died before 1700, in his eighty-sixth year. He was succeeded in Barvas by his son, the Rev. Allan Morrison.*

When Mr. Donald was minister of Barvas, his brother, Rev. Kenneth Morrison, was minister of Stornoway; he joined with his brother in suppressing the sacrifice to Shony, and informed Martin of a singular method which he saw practised in his own church for exorcising the second sight from a "Maid."† He also conformed to the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Kenneth was a highly gifted man, and well suited to repress the turmoils in Lewis which then existed between the Papists and Protestants; for he used to walk from his manse at Tong to the church at Stornoway with his sword at his side, and when preaching he had two men standing with drawn swords at the door of the church.

The Papists received great encouragement from John Mackenzie of Assynt (who was a Papist), Laird of Kildun, and uncle of William, Earl of Seaforth. They kept Mr. Kenneth so much on the alert that he never went to bed without having his sword lying by him. On one occasion the Laird of Kildun was so exasperated against the minister that he sent six stout men to bring Mr. Kenneth by force to Aignish, where he then resided. The men arrived at the manse just as Mr. Kenneth had gone to bed; his wife suspected some evil design, and informed her husband. He merely told her to send them up-stairs if they had any business with him. They were brought to his room, and on his asking them what they wanted, they told him that the Laird had bid them take him to Aignish. He replied, "Oh, very well; let us first drink the Laird's health, and then I will go with you." To this there was no objection. Now Mr. Kenneth had a very large "dram-horn," § which was only used on particular

Now, St. Brenden is written in Irish, Brenainn, and Martin calls St. Brendan's Chapel in St. Kilda St. Brianan. His day is on the 16th of May; and if this is taken as Old Style, his festival would be on the 28th of May, New Style.

With regard to the terminations uil, uilt, I hazard the conjecture that they represent the Gaelic Seoladair=sailor, voyager; for when written phonetically, it is Shulta, and when compounded ulta; so that Brianuilt I take to be a condensed form of Breanainn-sheoladair, i. e. Brendan the Voyager.

There is a legend among the Lewis folk which implies that the "Temple" on Sulasgeir was erected by or dedicated to St. Brendan; but the inference is countervailed by the fact that the island is known as "Bara," which surely means the island of St. Barr.

* Rev. Mr. Gunn, formerly of Lochs; MS. But the O. S. A. has "Murdoch" Morrison.

+ Martin's "Western Isles," p. 314.

Aignish, for Eggja-nes, Norse=Egg-ness, so called from the rounded pebbles found on its shores. Aignish forms the southeast point of Loch Stornoway.

§ "Dram-horn," in Gaelic Adharc-dhrama. The one I have is a section of a cow's horn, 34 inches high, and 24 inches across the mouth; it holds 34 fluid ounces, or about one third of a tumbler. How large one might be that was only used on particular occasions it would be rash to guess.

occasions; and it was now produced. The men drank the Laird's health and then that of his lady. His Reverence then asked them to drink his own health. By this time the men were so exhilarated that they would drink anybody's health. But John Barleycorn was master of them, and they were soon unable to move hand or foot. Mr. Kenneth then made his own men bind them with ropes of straw, carry them to the boat, ferry them to Aignish, and lay them in the passage leading to the Laird's room. The Laird was restless from anxiety, and rose early to learn what success had attended his adventure, and, on going out, stumbled over one of his drunken men. They could give no account of how they came there, nor why they were bound with straw in so ridiculous a manner. The Laird said this was black Kenneth's doing, and that he had practised some trick to bring them to that condition; but that they should be thankful to Mr. Kenneth for not having left them on the shore within reach of the flood.

The clemency of Mr. Kenneth softened in some degree the anger of the Laird, for shortly afterwards he wrote to Mr. Kenneth to come to Aignish to have a discussion on the merits of their respective creeds. Mr. Kenneth was kindly received, and after dinner the discussion took place. Mr. Kenneth seems to have advanced his arguments with moderation, and illustrated them with amusing stories, by which the Laird was induced to assert that he would more minutely examine into the doctrines of his Church. From that time the Laird moderated his zeal for the Papists, and lived on good terms with Mr. Kenneth.

The Rev. Kenneth Morrison was a good poet, as some of his productions in the Gaelic language sufficiently attest. The Rev. Aulay Macaulay, minister of Harris, married a daughter of the Rev. Kenneth Morrison.

Mr. Kenneth was succeeded as minister of Stornoway by his second cousin, the Rev. Donald Morrison, whose pedigree is thus given: Donald MacRorie Vic Angus Vic Allan Mhic a Bhreitheimh; i. e. son of the Brieve (John Morrison). Mr. Donald must have lived till 1747, when his successor, the Rev. John Clark, was admitted.*

It is told that Mr. Donald studied at St. Andrew's, where, having won the good opinion of the professors, they recommended him to the notice of William, Earl Seaforth, who presented him to the church of Stornoway. Mr. Donald was zealous in his calling; in no long time he married a lady of great personal attractions; Seaforth, the young Laird of Kildun, and many others were at the wedding. That night nothing but politics were discussed, and they all got early to bed. Seaforth invited Mr. Donald, his bride, and all the party to come next day to Seaforth Lodge, where there was a splendid and cheerful feast. The Rev. Kenneth Macaulay, minister of Harris, but a Lewis man, was present.

* O. S. A., vol xix, p. 250; Culloden Papers, p. 293.