ristine glories, Finlagan?
The voice of mirth has ceased to ring thy walls,
Where Celtic lords and their fair ladies sang
Their songs of joy in Great Macdonald's halls.
And where true knights, the flower of chivalry,
Oft met their chiefs in scenes of revelry--
All, all are gone, and left thee to repose,
Since a new race and measures new arose.

'The Macdonalds had a body-guard of 500 men, of whose quarters there
are marks still to be seen on the banks of the loch. For their
personal services they had lands, the produce of which fed and clothed
them. They were formed into two divisions. The first was called
Ceatharnaich, and composed of the very tallest and strongest of the
islanders. Of these, sixteen, called Buannachan, constantly attended
their lord wheresoever he went, even in his rural walks; and one of
them, denominated "Gille 'shiabadh dealt," headed the party. This
piece of honourable distinction was conferred upon him on account of
his feet being of such size and form as, in his progress, to cover the
greatest extent of ground, and to shake the dew from the grass
preparatory to its being trodden by his master. These Buannachan
enjoyed certain privileges, which rendered them particularly obnoxious
to their countrymen. The last gang of them was destroyed in the
following manner by one Macphail in the Rinns:--Seeing Macdonald and
his men coming, he set about splitting the trunk of a tree, in which
he had partly succeeded by the time they had reached. He requested the
visitors to lend a hand. So, eight on each side, they took hold of the
partially severed splits; on doing which, Macphail removed the wedges
which had kept open the slit, which now closed on their fingers,
holding them hard and fast in the rustic man-trap. Macphail and his
three sons equipped themselves from the armour of their captives,
compelled them to eat a lusty dinner, and then beheaded them, leaving
their master to return in safety. Macphail and his sons took shelter
in Ireland. The other division of these 500 were called
Gillean-glasa, and their post was within the outer walls of their
fastnesses. These forts were so constructed that the Gillean-glasa
might fight in the outer breach, whilst their lords, together with
their guests, were enjoying themselves in security within the walls,
and especially within the impenetrable fortifications of Finlagan.

'On Freuch Isle, in the Sound, are the ruins of Claig C