' BOSWELL. 'Well then, Sir, I shall be easy.
Remember, I am to have fair warning in case of any quarrel. You are
never to spring a mine upon me. It was absurd in me to believe you.'
JOHNSON. 'You deserved about as much, as to believe me from night
to morning.'
After breakfast, we got into a boat for Sky. It rained much when we set
off, but cleared up as we advanced. One of the boatmen, who spoke
English, said, that a mile at land was two miles at sea. I then
observed, that from Glenelg to Armidale in Sky, which was our present
course, and is called twelve, was only six miles: but this he could not
understand. 'Well, (said Dr. Johnson,) never talk to me of the native
good sense of the Highlanders. Here is a fellow who calls one mile two,
and yet cannot comprehend that twelve such imaginary miles make in
truth but six.'
We reached the shore of Armidale before one o'clock. Sir Alexander
M'Donald came down to receive us. He and his lady, (formerly Miss
Bosville of Yorkshire[449],) were then in a house built by a tenant at
this place, which is in the district of Slate, the family mansion here
having been burned in Sir Donald Macdonald's time. The most ancient
seat of the chief of the Macdonalds in the isle of Sky was at Duntulm,
where there are the remains of a stately castle. The principal residence
of the family is now at Mugstot, at which there is a considerable
building.
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