Blair Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry, and lives of the Highland bards > Volume 1

EACHUNN MAC-LEOID. 159
EACIIUNN MAC-LEOID.
Eachunn Mac-Leoid, or Hector M'Leod, the South Uist bard, lived after the year
1745, on the main land, chiefly in the districts of Arisaig and Morar. He composed and
sung as he was moved by those internal powers of which the generality of men appear
but little sensible. There are some individuals that appear heavy and destitute of parts,
who are possessed of powers which attract the attention and merit the esteem of those who
are more intimately acquainted with them : our poet was one of these. What occasioned
his removal from the Long Island we know not. It is not unlikely that he was sent
hither to watch and give information of what was going on in those troublesome times.
He went often to Fort- William, as if doing something of no consequence, while in
reality he was hearing all the news of the day, which he related to friends who durst not
appear themselves. Shrewd and intelligent, he concealed those talents from strangers, to
whom he seemed fooling, which character he could assume as occasion required. As he
was frequently going and returning the same way, he was suspected and brought as a
spy before the Governor of the Fort : on being examined and interrogated, he acquitted
himself so well, under the assumed character, that he was dismissed as a fool.
MOLADH DO CHOILEACH SMEORAICH.
MocH madainn shamhrai' am mios fas nam meas, 'Nuair bhios seillean le Ian shòlas
'Niiair bu ro aluinn leinn sgiamh aach luis, Deilleanachd a measg nan ditheaii,
Bha cuibhrig, air dhreach criostail de 'ii dealt, ! Cop meala mu ghob a chroiiain,
Na dhlù bhrat a' còmhdach gach cnuic. A' deoghladh nan geugan mine.
Sin àmaims.am molaich le duillea(^h gach craobh, 'Nuair bhitbeas gach àilean, 's gach dolre,
'S ro bhoidheach gach tullach fo bhià, I^e blà uaine fo làii toraidh,
A's nuallanach gach uile spreidh, A's meanglain gach craoibh sa'choille
A' gtininich ri cheil' iad t'ein, 's an cuid ail. Cromadh fo throm nam nieas mills.
i
An cpann leath dara mios an t-samhraidh, Chiialas co-sheirm binn, ceolmhor,
'Nuair a's grianaich gach aon ardan, Beagan roimh eirigh na greine,
'S gach fiadhair gu mion-bhreac, boidheach, | Aig coltas coileich na smeoraich,
Le meilbheig, le nòinean, 's le slàn-las, I 'S maighstir mac-talla 'g a bheusadh.