Blair Collection > Cuairtear nan gleann âo Mhâairt 1840 [-March 1843]

186 Mort nan Eigeach. [Sept.,
IVlar a dh'ainmich mi, anns a' bliliadlina 1490 (no uaireigiiin teann
air an am sin), cliaidii ceatlirar Leodach, a mliuinntir Dliun-
bheagain, air tir le bat' ann an Eilean Eig- ; — blia e leoir-shoilleir
nach ann mar naimlidean — ceatbrar — direacb sgioba. Agus ged a
bba armaclid orra, 'de b'nrrainn iad a dbeanamh 'nan aonar ? Cba
racbadh Gaidbeal air bitii, anns na laitliibb sin, o'n bbaile gun
armacbd. Cba do dbuisg astair nan Leodacb iomaguin air bitli am
measg an coimbearsnacb ; agii?, da riribb, 's fbada mun e dortadb-
fola bb'air an aire. Bba fear detb na sgioba, Iain Buidbe Mac-
Leoid (6g-f bear clio smiorail, dbreacbmbor, 'sa sbeas riabb faicbe)
ann an trom-gbaol air Iseabal Kic-Dliombniiill (maiglidennn eir-
eacbdail cboir) ; agus b'e fatb a tliuruis do db'Eig air an am mu'm
bbeil mi a' sgriobbadb, an dara cuid a posadb le toil a parandan,
air neo a goid air falbb anns a' bbata. Biia dearbb-fbios aige
gu'n gabbadb so deanamb gu furasda, do bbrigb gu'm b'ann fo
combairl' a leannain a tbainig e ; agus far am bi da cbridlie ag
aomadb fo cbumbacbd diombair a' gbraidb a db'ionnsuidb a cbeile,
is doirbb na bacaidbnean air nacli faigb iad tbairis.
Fbuair na Leodaicb gabbail riutlia gu matb. Dbi-cbuimbnicli-
eadb gacb borb-bbuille bba eadar an da fiiine anns an fbialacbd a
noobdadb dboibb ; agus dli'fbuiricb iad, ag itbe 's a 'g-61 la no dba
combla ris na h-Eigicb.
Bba suil aig neart do ghillean Eilean Eig as deigh Iseabal.
Bbarailicb iad an t-aobbar a tbug na Leodaicb do'n eilean, agus
cbuir iad rombpa fein nacb racbadb an gnotbucb leo. Bba fios
aca, gidbeadb, nacb eisdeadb Iseabal riutba — gu'n robli a cridiie
's a b-inntinn aig Iain IMacLeoid — agus gu'm b'ann le foirneart agus
lamb-laidir a dii'fbeumadb iad a cumail gun pbosadb. Acb a
ritliifet, biia e feumail gu'n cuireadb iad an combairle ri'n ceann-
feadbna, agus gu'n tugadb esan cead dboibb na Leodaicb a gbrain-
eacbadb dbacbaidb ; oir nam bitbeadli iad ciontacb ann an ni air
bitb a db'fbaodadii diumadli Dbunbbengain a cbosnadb dboibb, bu
nibatb leo nacb bitbeadli iad feiii r'a cboireacbadb san ioinlan.
Leis na dubli-blireugan, tbug iad air an ceann-fcadlina 'cbreidsinn
gu'n robli na Leodaicb toillteannacli air an sgiursadb as an ait.
Agus fbuair iad cead sin a dlieanamb, acli db'aitbneadb dboibb gun
am marbbadli ; " oir,'' ars' an Dondiiiullacb, " a dlieanamb na
firimi, cba'n eil toil agam drannd a cbluiiintinn an drasd mu'n
bbrataicb-sbitb ; agus o'n fbuair mi siosair iir" (cba robb reasaran
aca 'san am sin), " tboid agam air an f licusaig a bliearradb, gun
cbuideacbadb blio cblaidbeamb MhicLeoid !"
Go b'e air bitb fade a fbuair atbair Iseabal, cliomliairlicb e do
iia Leodaicb teicbcadb. Tbug e lati-cbead d'a nigbin falbii leo;
agus gbeall e, ged 'am bitbeadli esan air a' bliauais, gu'n oladb e
gu suilbbear orra 'na tbigb uin. 'Nuair a sliuidb an oidbcbe gu
matb air a caitbir dboilleir cbiar-dbuibb, tbriall na suinn gu samb-
acli, balbb-tbosdacli, le Iseabal, gu beul puirt. Cba robb fuaini
acb tatbunnaicb cbianail, iarguiiicacb, nan con, agus gair nan tonn
mar a bba iad a' bristeadb air garbli-cbreagan na traigbe, a' ruigli-