Young Col told us he could run down a greyhound; ’for, (said he,) the dog runs himself out of breath, by going too quick, and then I get up with him[886].’  I accounted for his advantage over the dog, by remarking that Col had the faculty of reason, and knew how to moderate his pace, which the dog had not sense enough to do.  Dr. Johnson said, ’He is a noble animal.  He is as complete an islander as the mind can figure.  He is a farmer, a sailor, a hunter, a fisher:  he will run you down a dog:  if any man has a tail[887], it is Col.  He is hospitable; and he has an intrepidity of talk, whether he understands the subject or not.  I regret that he is not more intellectual.’

Dr. Johnson observed, that there was nothing of which he would not undertake to persuade a Frenchman in a foreign country.  ’I’ll carry a Frenchman to St. Paul’s Church-yard, and I’ll tell him, “by our law you may walk half round the church; but, if you walk round the whole, you will be punished capitally,” and he will believe me at once.  Now, no Englishman would readily swallow such a thing:  he would go and inquire of somebody else[888].’  The Frenchman’s credulity, I observed, must be owing to his being accustomed to implicit submission; whereas every Englishman reasons upon the laws of his country, and instructs his representatives, who compose the legislature.  This day was passed in looking at a small island adjoining Inchkenneth, which afforded nothing worthy of observation; and in such social and gay entertainments as our little society could furnish.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19.

After breakfast we took leave of the young ladies, and of our excellent companion Col, to whom we had been so much obliged.  He had now put us under the care of his Chief; and was to hasten back to Sky.  We parted from him with very strong feelings of kindness and gratitude; and we hoped to have had some future opportunity of proving to him the sincerity of what we felt; but in the following year he was unfortunately lost in the Sound between Ulva and Mull[889]; and this imperfect memorial, joined to the high honour of being tenderly and respectfully mentioned by Dr. Johnson, is the only return which the uncertainty of human events has permitted us to make to this deserving young man.

Sir Allan, who obligingly undertook to accompany us to Icolmkill[890], had a strong good boat, with four stout rowers.  We coasted along Mull till we reached Gribon, where is what is called Mackinnon’s cave, compared with which that at Ulinish[891] is inconsiderable.  It is in a rock of a great height, close to the sea.  Upon the left of its entrance there is a cascade, almost perpendicular from the top to the bottom of the rock.  There is a tradition that it was conducted thither artificially, to supply the inhabitants of the cave with water.  Dr. Johnson gave no credit to this tradition.  As, on the one hand, his faith in the Christian religion is firmly