Ossian Collection > Thoughts on the origin and descent of the Gael

311
of ground are called, in the language of the low
country Scots, sheelings. So that evidently ari-
ghael signifies the breeding grounds oj the Gael,
and therefore extended in ancient times over the
whole mountainous tracts of Albinn.
The only remains we have of our ancient chro-
nicles or annals, written originally in the Gaelic
language, are Latin versions of those chronicles
or annals, in which, as might be expected, occur
many mutilations of the orthography of the ori-
ginal language.
We find that Arigadhel has been latinized
Ergadia by some translators of our ancient ma-
nuscripts.
*' Haec gens sub lege iiaturae, sed sine rege,
" Donee ad Ergadiam tulit audax nomine quidain
" Fergusius lapideni, de quo sit mentio pridem."*
" Kinath Mac-Alpin l6 an. Super Scotos reg-
" navit, destructis Pictis; mortuus in Fortevioth;
" sepultus in Yona insula, ubi tres filii Ere, scili-
" cet Fergus, Loarn, et Enegus sepulti fuerant.
" Hie mira caUiditate duxit Scotos de Argadia
" in terram Pictorum."!
And we are told, that this Fergus was the
first who reigned over Albinn from the moun-
* Vide Innes's Appendix, c. v. NO. 6.
t Appendix, NO. 5.