Ossian Collection > Selections from the Gaelic bards

218 HEBRIDIAN SKETCHES.
SIR LACHLAN MOR
A DISTINGUISHED chief of the MacLeans, who was known as Sir
Lachlan Mòr, on account of his great size and prowess, was killed
in a bloody battle between his own clan and the Macdonalds,
which took place in the year 1598, on the shore of Gruinart, Islay.
The story says that he was killed by a deformed and very dimi-
nutive man, named Dubh Shee, who had oflercd tlie chief his
services before the fight commenced, but met with rather a con-
temptuous refusal, nie man immediately went over to the other
side, whose leader, Sir James Macdouald, received him gladly.
Dubh Shee was unfit to mingle in the strife of strong men. So it
is said he took up his position on a tree which overlooked the field
of battle, though I believe there are no ti-ees growing there now.
He was a famous archer, and he watched his opportunity till the
chances of the fight brought Sir Lachlan Mòr within his reach,
when he shot him dead at the head of his men. The MacLeans
were completely defeated with heavy loss. A day or two after
this, it is said that two females, of whom different accounts are
given — some calling them strangers, some clanswomen, some
relatives of the dead — grieving to think that the body of so
notable a chief as Sir Lachlan Mòr should lie iinburied and
Tincared for on the moorland, came from a distance in search of it.
They hired a rude vehicle — the only one to be had in the neigh-
bourhood — and having found the corpse, proceeded to carry it to
the nearest burying-ground, about six miles distant. The way
was rough, and the driver looking behind him saw the head of the
great chief, which extended beyond the car, nodding to him at
every jolt, as if it had life, and were giving him directions. Boor,
or perhaps enemy, as the fellow was, he laughed when he saw this.
At the next heavy rut he looked again to please his savage soul,
with the same ferocious enjoyment. But this time the elder
female, wlio had watched him, acted as described in the ballad.
She killed the brutal driver with the chieftain's dagger. Then,
along with her companion, she brought the mortal remains of Sir