RODEL

rodel, in the extreme south of harris, is a church, all that is left of an augustinian monastery. the foundation is norman and the superstructure early english. on the towers are curious carved figures and in the interior several tombs of the macleods, the most remarkable being that of alastair (alexander), son of william macleod of dunvegan, dated 1528. the monument, a full-length recumbent effigy of a knight in armour, lies at the base of a tablet in the shape of an arch divided into compartments, in which are carved in bas-relief, besides the armorial bearings of the deceased and a rendering of dunvegan castle, several symbolical scenes, one of which exhibits satan weighing in the balance the good and evil deeds of alastair macleod, the good obviously preponderating. stornoway, the chief town (pop. 3852) is treated under a separate heading. at callernish, 13 m. due w. of stornoway, are several stone circles, one of which is probably the most perfect example of so-called "druidical" structures in the british isles. in this specimen the stones are huge, moss-covered, undressed blocks of gneiss. twelve of such monoliths constitute the circle, in the centre of which stands a pillar 17 ft. high. from the circle there runs northwards an avenue of stones, comprising on the right-hand side nine blocks and on the left-hand ten. there also branch off from the circle, on the east and west, a single line of four stones and, on the south, a single line of five stones. from the extreme point of the south file to the farther end of the avenue on the north is a distance of 127 yds. and the width from tip to tip of the east and west arms is 41 yds. viewed from the north end of the avenue, the design is that of a cross. the most important fishery centre on the west coast is carloway, where there is the best example of a broch, or fort, in the hebrides. rory, the blind harper who translated the psalms into gaelic, was born in the village. tarbert, at the head of east loch tarbert, is a neat, clean village, in communication by mail-car with stornoway. at coll, a few miles n. by e. of stornoway, is a mussel cave; and at gress, 2 m. or so beyond in the same direction, there is a famous seals' cave, adorned with fine stalactites. port of ness, where there is a harbour, is the headquarters of the ling fishery. loch seaforth gave the title of earl to a branch of the mackenzies, but in 1716 the 5th earl was attainted for jacobitism and the title forfeited. in 1797 francis humberston mackenzie (1754-1815), chief of the clan mackenzie, was created lord seaforth and baron mackenzie of kintail, and made colonel of the 2nd battalion of the north british militia, afterwards the 3rd battalion of the seaforth highlanders. the 2nd battalion of the seaforth highlanders was formerly the ross-shire buffs, which was raised in 1771.