THE TESTIMONY OF TRADITION.
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
ANCIENT AND MODERN BRITONS: a Retrospect.
2 vols., demy 8vo, 24s.
ACCOUNTS OF THE GYPSIES OF INDIA. Collected
and Edited. With Map and 2 Illustrations.
Crown 8vo, 3s. 6d.
London : Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Ltd.
[Illustration: THE BRUGH OF THE BOYNE, NEW GRANGE, COUNTY MEATH.
(_From the South._)]
THE
TESTIMONY OF TRADITION
BY
DAVID MACRITCHIE
AUTHOR OF "ANCIENT AND MODERN BRITONS"
_WITH TWENTY ILLUSTRATIONS_
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO., LIMITED
1890
LONDON:
PRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDER,
70 TO 76, LONG ACRE, W.C.
PREFACE.
A large portion of this work has already appeared in the form of a
series of articles contributed to the _Archæological Review_
(Aug.-Oct., 1889, and Jan., 1890), but these have here undergone
some alteration and have been supplemented to a considerable extent.
With regard to the correctness of the deductions drawn in the
following pages from the facts and traditions there stated, there
may easily be a difference of opinion. And indeed one writer, Mr.
Alfred Nutt, in the course of a very learned dissertation on the
Development of the Fenian or Ossianic Saga,[1] has expressed his
dissent from the theories advanced in the articles referred to. It
would be out of place to enter here into a consideration of the
grounds of Mr. Nutt's objections, even if that did not demand an
undue amount of space; but it may be pointed out that the articles
upon which his criticism is based only state very partially the case
which even the following more enlarged version is far from
presenting fully. But what is of much greater importance is, that
the theory which I have here endeavoured to set forth has the
peculiar advantage of possessing a tangible test of its worth. What
that test is will be readily seen by every reader. If the result of
future archæological excavations should be to confirm tradition (as
it is needless to say the writer of these pages believes will be the
case), the question then will be one, not of interpreting tradition
so that it may square with current beliefs, but of modifying or
altering these beliefs, where they are distinctly in disagreement
with tradition.
FOOTNOTE:
[1] Appended to the collection of "Folk and Hero Tales from
Argyllshire" which forms the second volume of the series entitled
"Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition" (London, 1890; published by
the Folk-Lore Society).
CONTENTS.
PAGE
PREFACE v
CHAPTER I.
Shetland Finns--Orkney Finnmen--Finn Localities--Kayaks
and Kayak-men--An Orkney Kayak of 1696 1-11