TORSAY, an island, in the parish of Kilbrandon-and-KiLCHATTAN,
district of Lorn, county of Argyll.
This small isle lies in a sound encompassed by the
islands of Seil, Luing, and Shuna, and on the west by
the main land of Nether Lorn. It has a quarry of excellent
slate, and is inhabited. There is an ancient
tower here, which at one period belonged to the great
Macdouald, who made it his half-way hunting-seat in
his progress from Cantyre to his northern isles. Hence
it was called Dog Castle. Macdonald invariably resided
in the tower until he had expended the whole of the revenue
collected by him in the neighbourhood.