As, in our present confinement, any thing that had even the name of
curious was an object of attention, I proposed that Col should show me
the great stone, mentioned in a former page, as having been thrown by
a giant to the top of a mountain. Dr Johnson, who did not like to be
left alone, said he would accompany us as far as riding was
practicable. We ascended a part of the hill on horseback, and Col and
I scrambled up the rest. A servant held our horses, and Dr Johnson
placed himself on the ground, with his back against a large fragment
of rock. The wind being high, he let down the cocks of his hat, and
tied it with his handkerchief under his chin. While we were employed
in examining the stone, which did not repay our trouble in getting to
it, he amused himself with reading Gataker On Lots and on the
Christian Watch, a very learned book, of the last age, which had been
found in the garret of Col's house, and which he said was a treasure
here. When we descried him from above, he had a most eremitical
appearance; and on our return told us, he had been so much engaged by
Gataker, that he had never missed us. His avidity for variety of
books, while we were in Col, was frequently expressed; and he often
complained that so few were within his reach. Upon which I observed to
him, that it was strange he should complain of want of books, when he
could at any time make such good ones.
We next proceeded to the lead mine. In our way we came to a strand of
some extent, where we were glad to take a gallop, in which my learned
friend joined with great alacrity. Dr Johnson, mounted on a large bay
mare without shoes, and followed by a foal, which had some difficulty
in keeping up with him, was a singular spectacle.
After examining the mine, we returned through a very uncouth district,
full of sand hills; down which, though apparent precipices, our horses
carried us with safety, the sand always gently sliding away from their
feet. Vestiges of houses were pointed out to us, which Col, and two
others who had joined us, asserted had been overwhelmed with sand
blown over them. But, on going close to one of them, Dr Johnson shewed
the absurdity of the notion, by remarking, that 'it was evidently only
a house abandoned, the stones of which had been taken away for other
purposes; for the large stones, which form the lower part of the
walls, were still standing higher than the sand. If THEY were not
blown over, it was clear nothing higher than they could be blown
over.' This was quite convincing to me; but it made not the least
impression on Col and the others, who were not to be argued out of a
Highland tradition.
We did not sit down to dinner till between six and seven. We lived
plentifully here, and had a true welcome. In such a season, good
firing was of no small importance. The peats were excellent, and
burned cheerfully. Those at Dunvegan, which were damp, Dr Johnson
called 'a sullen fuel'. Here a Scottish phrase was singularly applied
to him. One of the company having remarked that he had gone out on a
stormy evening, and brought in a supply of peats from the stack, old
Mr M'Sweyn said, 'that was MAIN HONEST!'
Blenheim being occasionally mentioned, he told me he had never seen
it: he had not gone formerly; and he would not go now, just as a
common spectator, for his money: he would not put it in the power of
some man about the Duke of Marlborough to say, 'Johnson was here; I
knew him, but I took no notice of him.' He said, he should be very
glad to see it, if properly invited, which in all probability would
never be the case, as it was not worth his while to seek for it. I
observed, that he might be easily introduced there by a common friend
of ours, nearly related to the duke. He answered, with an uncommon
attention to delicacy of feeling, 'I doubt whether our friend be on
such a footing with the duke as to carry any body there; and I would
not give him the uneasiness of seeing that I knew he was not, or even
of being himself reminded of it.'