Blair Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry, and lives of the Highland bards

EACHUNN MAC-LEOID. 159
EACHUNN MAC-LEOID.
Eachunn Mac-Leoid, or Hector M'Leod, the South Uist bard, lived after the year
1745, on the main land, chiefly in the districts of Arisaig and Morar. He composed and
sung as he was moved by those internal powers ot which the generality of men appear
but little sensible. There are some individuals that appear heavy and destitute of parts,
who are possessed of powers which attract the attention and merit the esteem of those who
are more intimately acquainted with them : our poet was one of these. What occasioned
his removal from the Long Island we know not. It is not unhkely that he was sent
hither to watch and give information of what was going on in those troublesome times.
He went often to Fort- William, as if doing something of no consequence, while in
reality he was hearing all the news of the day, which he related to friends who durst not
appear themselves. Shrewd and intelligent, he concealed those talents from strangers, to
whom he seemed fooling, which character he could assume as occasion required. As he
was frequently going and returning the same way, he was suspected and brought as a
spy before the Governor of the Fort : on being examined and interrogated, he acquitted
himself so well, under the assumed character, that he was dismissed as a fool.
BIOLADH DO CHOILEACH SMEORAICH.
MocH madainii shamliiai' am mios (as nam meas, 'Nuair bliios seilleaii le lau shòlas
'Nuair bu lo aluinn leirin sgiamh gach luis, , Deilleanachd a mciisg nan dithean,
Bha cuibhrig, air dhreach ci'iostail de 'n dealt, | Cop meala niu ghob a cbrònain,
Na dhlù bhrat a' còmhdach gach cnuic. ' A' deoghladh nan geugan mine.
Sin àmanns,am molaich Ic duilleach gach craobh, 'Nuair bhitheas gach iilfan, 's gach doire
'S ro bhnidheach gach tullach fo bhlà, I.e blà uaine to Ian toraidh,
A's nuallaiiach gach uile spreidh, A's racanglain gach craoibb sa' choille
A' geimnich ri cheil' jad I'tiii, 's an cuid ail. C'romadb lo thioni nam nieas mills.
An ccann leath dara mios an t-samhraidb, Cbualas co-sheirm binii, ceolmhor,
'Muair a's grianaich gach aon ardan, Beagan roimh eirigh na greine,
'S gach fiadhair gu mion-bbreac, boidheach, Aig coltas coilcich na smeòraich,
Le meilbheig, le nòinean, 's le alàn-lus. 'S maighstir mac-talla 'g a bheusadh.