Ossian Collection > Macdonald bards from mediaeval times

description of the weaver " shaggy John, m this
work and that in Campbell's— both evidently re-
ferring to the same individual— which causes
some "confusion of names. MacKenzie was in
Glencoe in 1833, and probably got his version from
oral tradition there, but since Campbell was a
o-randson of the poet I have adopted his version
of the story. According to MacKenzie the weaver
had been cat the battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715, and
was among those that ran away, and to shield
himself from danger he lay down beside a dyke,
pulling a portion of it over him to screen him
from the enemy, and on the first favourable oppor-
tunity he bolted home to (ilencoe. As is usual
in the Highlands several songs may have been
composed to the same air, or the same individual
by different persons, and sometimes the best
Avords are lost sight of. Otherwise I can hardly
reconcile the difierent versions of the weaver
warrior and his famous song.
DOMHNALL BAN A' BHOCAIN.
Donald Ban MacDonald of the spectre, was of
the Keppoch family. For the following account
of him I am indebted to Mr MacLean Sinclair's
" Gaelic Bards." It was related to him in Gaelic
by a Lochaber tailor named John MacDonald,
who claimed the following pedigree. He was a
son of Gilleasbuig MacAonghais Mac Alastair
Bhain, Mac Alastair Mhoir, Mac Aonghais a'
Bhòcain, Mac Aonghais Mhoir Bhoth-Fhiunntain,
Mac Alastair Mac Iain Duibh, iNIac Raonaill
Mhoir na Ceapaich. He had been about 30 years
of age when he came to Nova Scotia. He had a
good memory and had a great love for the history
and traditions of the Highlanders. He knew a
great deal about the MacDonalds of Keppoch's
family and history. He could repeat portions
of a great many (Jaelic songs, and the following
story was taken down from him on the 12th of
January, 1885. He was then in declining health
and died some months afterwards. He said that
Donald Ban a' Bhòcain lived at "Muin-Easaidh."
He was of the MacDonalds of Keppoch, and had
been married to a M iss MacGvegor, Kannoch. He
was at the battle of Culloden. After the battle he
hid himself in a "bothan àiridh" a shelling bothy.
He had two guns with him ; one was loaded but
the other one was not. While in hiding Mac-
Donald of Sleat's company came upon him,
whereupon he jumped out of a back window,
taking with him by mistake the unloaded gun.
The soldiers fired at him and the bullet broke his
leg ; then they came up to him and demanded of
him who he was. " I am a MacDonald," he re-
plied, but nevertheless they took him with them
to Inverness where he was confined in prison. He
was tried by court martial but got off. When in
prison he had a dream in which he saw himself,
Alastair Mac Cholla, and Donald MacRaonaill
Mhoir, " ag ol," over a glass of grog. It was this
Donald MacKanald Mhoir, of whom it was
alleged that he iiad two hearts. He was taken
prisoner at Falkirk, and subsequently executed
at Carlisle. After Donald Ban's dream he com-
posed the following song :^
Gur h-e mise 'tha sgith
'S mi air leaba learn fhin,
'S iad ag ràitinn nach bi mi beò.
Gur mise, &c.
Chunnacas Alastair Ban
Is da Dhòmhnall mo ghraidh
'S sinn ag ol nan deocii-slàmt air bòrd.
'Nuair a dhiiisg mi a ni' shuain,
'Se dh' fhàg ni' aigneadh fo ghruaim,
Nach robh agam 'san uair ach sgleò.
(ied a tha mi gun spreidh,
Bha mi mòr asam fein
Fhad 's a mhair sibh fhein dhonih beò.
Faodaidh balach gun taing
'N diugh 'bhi raidh air mo cheann :
Dh'fhalbli mo thaiceadh, mo chàil 's mo threòir.
The Bòcan, or spectre, was annoying Donald
Ban very much, and he thought that if he left his
house he would have no more trouble. He did so
and took everything away with him except a
pair of harrows, which he left alongside the
house. The people who were carrying his goods
and chattels away saw the harrows coming after
them. This being reported to Donald, he said
"Well, if the harrows are coming after us we
may as well return," so he at once returned and
never left his house after. The lelater's grand-
father, Aonghas Mac Alastair Bhain, who was a
very truthful and honest man, was one night at
Donald Ban's house, and slept there ; something
caught hold of both his toes from which he could
no more escape than from the vice of a black-
smith. He could not move ; it was the Bocan
that had hold of him, but he did him no other
harm.
Konald of Aberarder was also one night at
Donald Ban's house, and Donald's wife said to
Konald, " Should I put the butter on t\w table
to-night, it will get dirtied ;" to which Konald
replied " I will go and put out the butter with a
dirk in my hand and a bonnet over the butter-
I dish, and it won't be dirtied to-night." Konald