It is a
formidable-looking weapon, made for being swayed with both hands, and,
with its hilt on the floor, reached about to my chin; but the young girl
who showed us the armory said that about nine inches had been broken off
the point. The blade was not massive, but somewhat thin, compared with
its great length; and I found that I could blandish it, using both hands,
with perfect ease. It is two-edged, without any gaps, and is quite brown
and lustreless with old rust, from point to hilt.
These were all the memorables of our visit to Dumbarton Castle, which is
a most interesting spot, and connected with a long series of historical
events. It was first besieged by the Danes, and had a prominent share in
all the warfare of Scotland, so long as the old warlike times and manners
lasted. Our soldier was very intelligent and courteous, but, as usual
with these guides, was somewhat apocryphal in his narrative; telling us
that Mary, Queen of Scots, was confined here before being taken to
England, and that the cells in which she then lived are still extant,
under one of the ramparts. The fact is, she was brought here when a
child of six years old, before going to France, and doubtless scrambled
up and down these heights as freely and merrily as the sheep we saw.
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