Malcolm, James Peller: First Impressions Or Sketches from Art and Nature, Animate and Inanimate (London, 1807)

the skyrrid. i59
natives is to be preferred, which ascribes the rent
to the earthquake occurring when the second
person os the Holy Trinity suffered crucifixion.
Whence they term it The Holy Mountain.
Kilpec.
Part of our walk to this interesting place was
through a thick coppice, composed of a great
variety of ssourishing trees, the branches of which
form numbers os arched avenues, roads, and
paths. As the castle is situated on an eminence
perfectly detached, it might almolt be supposed
an artisicial cone ; but a ssight examination of
the sides, where the trees have not woven their
branches into an impenetrable veil, convince the
observer, that Nature alone could pile the rocks
he will perceive in them. The base, surrounded
by a very deep moat, is buried in bushes and
nettles, and still difficult to pass. The remains
of the castle are reduced to two fragments.
That on the West side of the area, is nearly
semicircular, at the South end os which is the
half of a circular aperture, or well, that con-
tracts at the summit: possibly part of a stair-
case ; where the stones composing it are so per-
fectly preserved that the mason's operations on
them are vilible ; and the cement is of incredible
solidity.