Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

INCANTATIONS 27
CHARM OF THE LASTING LIFE
When Clanranald's foster-father was asked whom he wept and watched, his only
reply was, ' Bu duine an de e ' — ' He was a man yesterday.'
Allan Macdonald of Clanranald was called ' Ailean Beag/ Little Allan, in contra-
distinction to some of his predecessors who had been exceptionally big men. If
apparently short of stature, he was exceedingly broad and powerful, active, gallant
of bearing, and greatly beloved by his people.
After the failure of Dundee in l6S9 Clanranald lived in France for several years.
There he made the acquaintance of Penelope, daughter of Colonel Mackenzie,
governor of Tangiers under Charles ii. Clanranald married Penelope Mackenzie and
brought her home. He also brought a French architect, French masons, and French
freestone to build a new house at Ormacleit. The house took seven years in building
and was occupied for seven years. On the night of the battle of SherifTmuir, when its
owner was killed, the house was burnt to the gromul through the kitchen chimney
taking fire. Some days previously Lady Clanranald had told some guests that she
had had a vision that her eyes melted away in scalding water and that her heart
burned up like a live coal, and she feared some dire double disaster was to befall her.
' Tota mhor Ormacleit ' — the great ruins of Ormacleit, stand high and pic-
turesque on the monotonous far-reaching niachairs of the Atlantic side of South
Uist. The gables are high-pointed, and the wings being at right angles to the main
building, the ruins show to admirable advantage in the long, level landscape.
The freestone forming the corners, doors, and windows is of peculiar hardness,
and of a blue tint.
The farm of Ormacleit had been tenanted during many years by Mr. John
Maclellan, whose wife was Miss Penelope Macdonald, a kinswoman of Flora Mac-
donald and of her chief Clanranald. Mrs. Maclellan was a lady of great beauty,
excellence, historical knowledge, and good sense. She had the happiness, a few years
before she died, of handing to her chief and relative. Admiral Sir Reginald Macdonald
of Clanranald, some jewellery that had been found in the ruins of the castle. The
jewellery in all probability had been the property of Penelope Mackenzie, the
lady of the gallant Clanranald of the '15, and for whom Penelope Macdonald had
been named.