XV

Oban

And Oban is a beautiful town, stretched along the curve of its spacious bay. Its house fronts, white and yellow and grey, brightly reflected the sinking sun. It would have stood comparison, we felt, with any classical town of the Mediterranean, and we wondered at a round building, high on the hill behind, like the Roman Colosseum. For Scotland, it had, in truth, a southern air, something captured from a brighter clime.

When we went to draw water from the well under the tall monument, to which the fisherman directed us, we lay on the grass in a perfect evening and stared across the many anchored craft. It was the perfect spot and perhaps the perfect hour for beholding this attractive town. Behind the sea-front, the ground rose steeply, deeply wooded, irregular, with fronts and gables of many fine houses. Even as we looked, we saw the smoke of a train approaching through a valley behind so as not to disturb the harmony. The passenger steamers, with their dark hulls and bright red funnels, swept from the piers at speed. Along the esplanade, the crowd sauntered slowly. Railway station, piers and fish market were all grouped together to the right of the esplanade and gave an impression of lively business, balanced in design by the uprising of wooded Pulpit Hill still farther to the right, with its irregularly placed private and boarding houses.

It was inevitable that a town should arise here, for such a situation must have been of social importance long before the days of recorded history. In digging foundations for houses, workmen have in fact laid open caves where the primitive hunters and fishers lived and loved and multiplied. Many strange craft crossed Oban Bay before King Haco of Norway entered it in the summer of 1263 and dipped his colours to the castle that is now an ivied ruin (though still prepared to wave a noble flag). Here he waited for his allies from the West Coast and the Islands before proceeding to the Clyde to teach Alexander III of Scotland a lesson he would remember. The grand fleet of 180 craft, with Haco’s own Christsuden in command, must have been reviewed by the lads of Oban village with considerable respect.

And fine sweeping lines the vessels had, with high beaks, striking colour, and banks of rowers. The beak of the Christsuden was a gilded dragon’s head; the hull was all oak and ornamented with more dragon heads overlaid with gold. And right princely courtesies they had in those days, too. Ewen of Lorn refused to help Haco, even though he held land from him; for he also held land from the Scottish king. Honourably, he offered to give up the Haco land, but by no persuasion could he be made to assist Haco. So Haco held on to him, until negotiations began between the kings, when Haco set him at liberty with many costly gifts; and on his part Ewen promised to do his best to make, peace between the two kings.