Hew Morrison Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry

ALASDAIR MAC-IONMHUINN.
339
Ged* bhiodh mile cuip gad' shlaiseadh
Clia tig an stadaich a t-earball.
Sibhs ann sam beil feum a's dii'eadh,
Ruithibt) grad an tim gu fieagairt ;
Mu II cosgiar sibh fo shlait iarainn
Ban-mhaighstear iamaidb na sgi'eatachd.
CLACH-CUIMHNE
GHLINNE-GABAIDH AIG TOBAR-NAN-CEANN.
Fhir astair ! thig faisg a's leubh
Sgeul air ceartas an De bhualn ;
Eisd ri diol na ceilg a dh'fhàg
A Cheapach na làraich fhuair.
Sgaoil na milltich lion an eig
Mil bhord eibhinn nam fleagh fial
•S mheasgnaich iad an scan 's na h-òig
'S an aon tòrr na'm fuil gun ghiomh.
Mhosgail corruich an t-aid-thriath,
Ursann dbian nan comhlan cruaidh,
IVIorair Chlann-DòmhnuiU an fhraoich,
Leoghann nan euchd, craobh nam buadh,
Dh-iarr e 's chaidh Dioghailt na leum,
Mar bheitbir bheumnaich nan Dial,
Ghlac e'n dream a dheilbh an fhoill,
'S thug Ian duais mar thoill an gniomh.
Lamb riut-sa' ghòrm fhuarain gbrinn,
Dh' ionnlaideadh seachd cinn nan lùb,
'S aig casan a ghaisgich àigh
Thilgeadh iad air làr a dhùin.
Corr as coig fichead bliadhn' deug
Thriall nan speur bho dheas gu tuath,
Bbo 'n ghairmeadh Tobar-nan-Ceann,
De'n t-sruthan so 'n cainnt an t-shluaigh.
Mise 'n Scachdamh thar dheich gluin
De fhreumh ùiseil an laoicb threin,
Mac-Mbic-Alasdair m'ainm gnàiths,
Flath Chlann-Dbmhnuill nan sàr euchd,
Thog mi chlacba' air lorn an raoin,
Faisg air caochan a chliii bhuain, —
Mar mheas do cheann-stuic nan triath,
'S gu'n cuimhnicht' an gniomh ri luatlis.
ALASDAIR MAC-IONMHUINN.
Alexander M'Kinnon was born in Moror, in the district of Arisaig, Inverness-shire, in
the year 1770, in which farm his father was tacksman. At the age of 24, he enlisted in
the gallant 92d regiment, in which he served with marked distinction till 1801, when, in
the famous battle of Alexandria, he received three several wounds, which were the means
of breaking up his connexion with that corps. After the battle. Corporal M'Kinnon was
found lying among the wounded and dead, " with his back to the field and his feet to the
foe," in frozen gore, and on the apparent verge of dissolution. In disposing of the many
brave fellows who fell on that memorable day, it was found necessary to dig ditches or
pits in which indiscriminately to inter them ; and such was the seemingly lifeless condition
of M'Kinnon, that he was ordered to be buried among the others. This order would
have been executed had not Sergeant M'Lean, a bosom-friend and companion of our bard,
been prompted by feelings of the purest friendship, to seek him out amid the heaps of
carnage in which he was entombed. The Sergeant, applying his ear to the poet's breast,
perceived that everlasting silence had not yet been imposed on his lyre ; — his respirations
were feeble and slow, but he lived ; and his friend insisted upon having him forthwith
conveyed to one of the hospital ships.