An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Deo-gréine > Volume 13, October 1917-September 1918

AN DEO-GREINE.
156
Mac-an-Aba mach agus air dha ceum a thoirfc
air feadh a’ chlobhsa, thainig e stigh agus
thubhairt e r’a mbic. “Si an oidhclie an
oidhche, nam b’ iad na gillean na gillean.” Air
ball bha ’mhic air an casan agus armaichte le
sgian dubh, tuath, agus claidlieamh mor, agus lean
iad Ian Min gu taobh Loch Tatha far an
d’ fhuair iad bata iasgaich. Thilg iad am bata
air an guailibh. Bha ochd mile de astar
monaidh air thoiseach orra. Cha robh iad fada
ruigheachd muliach a’ mhonaidh agus an sin cha
robli iad fada deanamh a’ chladaich dheth air
taobh eile a’ mhonaidh. ’Nuar a ruig iad Loch
Eire chuir iad am bata air an loch, agus
dh’ iomram iad dll’ ionnsuigh caisteal ’Ic Nis.
Bha e an deidh mheadhon oidhche an uair a
ruig iad daingneach an robair, ach cha robh e
fhathast air do! gu fois. Bhuail Ian Min an
dorus, agus chlisg an robair leis an eagal agus
ghlaodh e, “ Go th’ aig an dorus?” Fhreagair
Ian Min, “C6 bu lugha ort bhi ann ? ” “ Tba,”
deir, MacNis, “ Ian Min Mac-an-Aba,” “ Ma bha
e Min gu so, gheibh thusa e garg gu lebir an
npchd,” arsa Mac-an-Aba, agus le aon bhuille
air an dorus, bhris e ’na bhloighdean a stigh air
an iirlar e. Ghlac e an sin an robair, agus
ghearr e an ceann dheth, ’n uair a bha
’bhraithrean a’ milleadh agus a’ marbhadh a’
chuid eile ’s an tigh. Cha d’ fhuair ach aon
neach as beo, giullan beag a dh’ fholaich e fein
fo ’n leabaidh. Thug Clann-iin-Aba ceann ’Ic
Nis leo, chaidh iad a rithist do’n bh&ta, agus
air d|ioibh an cladach a ruigheachd, ghiulain
iad e suas fagus do mhullach a’ mhonaidh, ach
air dhoibh fas sgith, dh’ fhag iad an sin e, agus
cha deachaidh a thoirt dhachaidh gu Ginn Alla
riamji tuilleadh. Rainig na daoine Cinn-Alla
aig brise na faire agus ’n uair a dh’ fheuch iad
ceann an robair d’ an athair, thubhairt e riubh,
“ Na cuireadh ni air bith eagal oirbh.” An
deidh a’ ghnlomh ole, oillteill so, b’e suaicheantas
Chloinn-an.Aba, ceann molach, agus na facail so
sgrlobte foidlie ann an Laidinn, “ Timor omnis
abesto.”
Cha robh Clann-an-Aba riamh ro lionmhor,
ach bha iad ro ainmeil am an eachdraidh. Bha
cuibhidonn mhath de thalamh aca ’an Gleann-
Dochart, aig Cill-fhinn agus aig Cala-straid. O
cheann ceitbir fichead bliadhna agus deich,
chaidh moran de Chlann an-Aba do Chanada,
agus fhuair iad air adhairt gle mhath an sin,
agus tba na b-uibhir dhiubh an inbhe iiird san
duthaich sin. O la Baon Flodden gu la Chuil-
fhodair bha iad iomraiteach air son cogaidh.
Ann an Oran nam Fineachan Gaidhealach tha
Donnchadh Ban a’ toirt so f ar comhair :—
Thig laoich bharraichte a Cinn-Alla,
’S krd an air’ air morchuis,
Air mheud na carraid, beus nam fear ud,
Gleusdachd far an coir dhaibh :
An cliu bh’aig sinnsireachd nan gallan
Cha chaillear r’am bed e,
Daoine rioghail, dileas, daingean,
Fior ’nan gealladh-cdmhraidh.
THE U.F. CHURCH ASSEMBLY RE¬
PORT ON THE HIGHLANDS AND
ISLANDS.
Mr John G. Miackay, M.B:E., Portree,
seconded the adoption of the report, and' said
they had for years been endeavouring to get
their language put on a satisfactory footing in
their schools, but with little success. Many
seemed to think that the sooner the Highlands
were denationalised the better—and the whole
population made up into one conglomerate
mass. Where would then be our famous High¬
land divisions? He thought that, considering
the part these had taken in recent events, that
most people would agree that it was a good
thing that we still had a few Highlanders left.
Why, their conduct during the past few weeks
had caused a thrill through the hearts-of even
the most phlegmatic Saxons. Was-it not a
touching thing to see the hundreds of young
men, the descendants of evicted Highlanders,
coming over from the Colonies to help the Old
Country in her hour of need? Did any one
think that it was their love for the laws of the
country that brought them? No, nothing of
the kind ; but their love for the laud of their
race and kindred. He had seen many of these
young fellows coming to see the ruins of the
old homesteads; he had actually seen them
sending stones from the old walls to their grand¬
parents in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
In one case he had seen a young man, who
thought he had found a treasure in a piece of
an old cabar, or rafter, which covered the root
of the old dwelling, and which he sent with
pride to his grandfather in Australia. That
was the class of man that was cleared out of
this country as useless rubbish. When they
saw such an attachment to the Old Country as
that among the grandsons of evicted ancestors,
they must admit that there was,something, ’'
the Highlander that was worth preserving. He
knew the Church had an interest in the High¬
lands ; they had given largely of their men and
money to the work there. He was not making
an eleemosynary appeal, but he wanted their
help. Here he might say that, while he had
addressed many meetings in his day, he had
never spoken to such an august gathering as
this, and he must put on the brake ; but would
they allow him to say that, as soon as the war
was over, the state of matters in the Highlands
must be altered. There is to be no more