Having wandered over those extensive plains, we committed ourselves again to the winds and waters; and after a voyage of about ten minutes, in which we met with nothing very observable, were again safe upon dry ground.

We told Sir Allan our desire of visiting Icolmkill, and entreated him to give us his protection, and his company.  He thought proper to hesitate a little, but the Ladies hinted, that as they knew he would not finally refuse, he would do better if he preserved the grace of ready compliance.  He took their advice, and promised to carry us on the morrow in his boat.

We passed the remaining part of the day in such amusements as were in our power.  Sir Allan related the American campaign, and at evening one of the Ladies played on her harpsichord, while Col and Mr. Boswell danced a Scottish reel with the other.

We could have been easily persuaded to a longer stay upon Inch Kenneth, but life will not be all passed in delight.  The session at Edinburgh was approaching, from which Mr. Boswell could not be absent.

In the morning our boat was ready:  it was high and strong.  Sir Allan victualled it for the day, and provided able rowers.  We now parted from the young Laird of Col, who had treated us with so much kindness, and concluded his favours by consigning us to Sir Allan.  Here we had the last embrace of this amiable man, who, while these pages were preparing to attest his virtues, perished in the passage between Ulva and Inch Kenneth.

Sir Allan, to whom the whole region was well known, told us of a very remarkable cave, to which he would show us the way.  We had been disappointed already by one cave, and were not much elevated by the expectation of another.

It was yet better to see it, and we stopped at some rocks on the coast of Mull.  The mouth is fortified by vast fragments of stone, over which we made our way, neither very nimbly, nor very securely.  The place, however, well repaid our trouble.  The bottom, as far as the flood rushes in, was encumbered with large pebbles, but as we advanced was spread over with smooth sand.  The breadth is about forty-five feet:  the roof rises in an arch, almost regular, to a height which we could not measure; but I think it about thirty feet.

This part of our curiosity was nearly frustrated; for though we went to see a cave, and knew that caves are dark, we forgot to carry tapers, and did not discover our omission till we were wakened by our wants.  Sir Allan then sent one of the boatmen into the country, who soon returned with one little candle.  We were thus enabled to go forward, but could not venture far.  Having passed inward from the sea to a great depth, we found on the right hand a narrow passage, perhaps not more than six feet wide, obstructed by great stones, over which we climbed and came into a second cave, in breadth twenty-five feet.  The air in this apartment was very warm, but not oppressive, nor loaded with vapours.  Our light showed no tokens of a feculent or corrupted atmosphere.  Here was a square stone, called, as we are told, Fingal’s Table.