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* The battle of Killicrankie was fought on Saturday, July 27th, 1689, and on August 21st the Highlanders attacked Dunkeld, but were repulsed with the loss of 30U men. Captain Campbell gives a free translation of the song which relates to the battle of Killiecrankie, fought on the 27th of July, 1687, and the repulse at Dunkeld on the 2lst of August following. Raon Ruairi's day has chased away my rest, *This word has no representative in English. It means the wool of sheep that died on the hill, and were left to be consumed by birds and beasts of prey. * Campbell's Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans. And rules the mixed emotions of my breast, For there, alas, my high and noble race, Have met a loss the age will not replace, But, ah, though all had 'scaped since Clavers fell, Our much wronged King may bid his throne farewell. In glory's path with faith unstrained he moved, He spurned ambition, love of gold he proved Beneath his thoughts, undaunted though alone, He faced rebellion and sustained the throne, In manhood's calmness, as in fervid youth, One path was his—the path of loyal truth. The carnage at this battle must have been considerable, for in the " Memoirs of Dundee" printed for James Brown at the Black Swan without Temple Bar in 1714, " the enemy did not maintain their ground two minutes after the Highlanders were amongst them, and I dare bold to say, there were scarce ever such strokes given in Europe as were given that day by the Highlanders. Many of General MacKay's officers and soldiers were cut down through the skull and neck to the very breast, others had their skulls cut off above their ears like night caps, some soldiers had both their bodies and cross-belts cut through at one blow. Pikes and small swords were cut like willow wands. Whoever doubts this, may consult many witnesses of the tragedy still living." When Ronald of the shield heard of the execution of Charles I. he composed " Cumha Righ Tearlach a h-Aon "—lament for King Charles the first—of which the following is a stanza :— An cualadh sibh sgeula an lèiridh's a' chràidh, Chuir an rioghachd fo bhròn o Scuir Mhòr-bheann gu tràigh Dh'fhalbh Prionnsa' bha saibhir an ealain's an iuil, 'S tha' Bhan-righ a' cumlìadh's an deur 'na sùil, 'S tha, &e. Heard ye the news of grief and pain, That has put the country in mourning from the peaks of the mountains to the shores, Gone is the Prince that was rich in science and various knowledge, And the Queen is lamenting with the tear in her eye. Little else is known of this poet-soldier who was evidently a very brave man.* DOMHNULL MACRAONUILL (Donald, son of Ronald). Donald MacDonald, son of Ronald of the Shield, already mentioned as having escaped the massacre of Glencoe, was the maternal grandfather of Captain Campbell, author of " The Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans." He commanded the Glencoe men in the " forty-five," whose gay wit and broad humour kept the men of the glens in continual amusement. He was the author of the famous burlesque song, "Bha claidheamh air Iain 'san t-shearmoin," occasioned by some practical joking on the part of the poet. On one occasion he called with his friend " Acha-Triachadain " on a weaver named "IainMac-a-Ghibidh"—John, son of the shaggy—whose vanity contrasted strangely with his shabby appearance and doubtful reputation for bravery, and asked how they happened to find him at home, when the Prince having arrived, the whole people of the glen had gone to church in the "Isle of Munn" fully dressed and armed. "How is that," replied John, suspiciously "and you absent." " Our arms and dress are hid in a cave in the hill, and we are on our way to get them," replied Donald. " Good morning, John, I thought your loyalty was more zealous and less hesitating." No sooner did they disappear than John started to dress himself in great delight having donned his kilt and arms, and marched to the little island where he broke in upon the worshippers who were both surprised and amused at his appearance. Next day the glen rung with the burlesqne song of "Bha Claidheamh air Iain'san t-shearmoin" (the sword on John at the sermon). The song, which is very amusing, and full of humour, describes the swagger of the warrior minutely, and was as follows :— Bha Claidheamh air Iain's an t-searmoin, Air Iain, air Iain, Bha Claidheamh air Iain's an t-searmoin, Bha Claidheamh air Iain, Fear deas-laimh mo chridhe, 'S tu dheanadh an fhighe neo-chearbach. A sword was on John, On John, on John; A sword was on John at the sermon, A sword was on John. The right-handed man of my heart, Who makes the weaving not awkwardly. Bha Iain gun teagaibh Prfaighaadh e freagairt feosgail nafmnattfan le iolach's le aighear . ^"airXaìrtich a claidheamh 'san t-searmo.i: t-searmoin. John never doubted That his offer had been accepted, So he went to the church in arms. How the women opened their eyes and shouted with joy When his sword glittered at the sermon. Great disparagement to thy person, Was thy excess of harness; When thou went magnificently under arms, Thy reeds, thy looms, Thy shuttles, thy clews, And thy skin-bags full of marachunn.* Another of his humorous songs was "Brigis Mhic Ruaraidh "—Roryson's breeks. The subject was a Glencoe man who had learned the tailoring trade in Glasgow, and in his outlandish Lowland dress tried to pass himself off on an old aunt as a great foreign gentleman. The poet was not pleased with the saxonised tailor for this irreverent exhibition of his aged relative and caused his " inexpressibles " to be abstracted at night, fixed them like a banner on a hay-fork and sent them with three verses of poetry all over the country, the result of which was that hundreds of satirical verses were composed for them. The chorus is as follows :— Oh ho, oh ho, oh he, oh he, An d' fhio8raich, an d'-fharraid, no'n cualadh sibh, Oh ho, oh ho, oh he, oh he, Cò idir 'thug brigis Mhic Ruaraidh leis ? Oh ho, oh ho, oh he, oh he, Searched ye, asked ye, or heard ye, Oh ho. oh ho, oh he, oh he, For the wandering breeks of Roryson ? His poem on the battle of Sheriffmuir is considered one of his best satirical productions—of which the following is a stanza with chorus— Chorus. Ho ro agus ho ! ho so an t-eagal ! Mile mallachd 'uar deigh Gu lèir o'n theich sibh. Fire faire Lochial! 'S clisg thair sliabh do bhratach ! 'M bu chleaehda dhith riamh Sealltainn fiata's sgapadh ? Ob, ob, na "fir mhòra" 0 shrath-Iòchaidh' bhradain! Dhoch-an-asaidh chruidh-mhin, Luib is ghlinn Lochaircaig! Chorus. Ho ro and ho ! ho ro the panic ! May a thousand curses pursue, Since all of you have fled ! Fire faire * Lochiel! How swiftly thy banner (cian) Has cleared the heath ! Is it always their wont Thus to shy and scatter ? Ob, ob, the " big warriors t Of Strathlochy of the salmon ! Of Doch-an-assay of milky kine And the holms and glens of Lochaircaig ! Donald MacDonald and Duncan Bàn Mac-Intyre were great friends although the former was a much older man, and they fought on different sides in the "forty-five." On one occasion they had a bet which resulted in two of the best descriptive poems in the Gaelic language, the subject being their favourite forests— Coireachan Ghlinne-Comhan and Beinndorain. It may here be mentioned that the following traditional tune is commemorative of the surprise of a party ol English soldiers from the castle of Lochandorb by the MacDonalds—King Edward having in one of his Scottish raids placed a garrison in that castle, they were obliged to scour the surrounding country for supplies. One of these parties which had committed cruel excesses in a foraging expedition were overtaken when at their dinner, and their conduct having been infamous, the pursuers determined to make an example of them. They took tile ears off all the men, and the tails off all the horses, and sent them in this state to join the main army, then in full retreat. The tradition is adverted to in a MacDonald parody on the Gaelic verses of " The Campbells are Coming." 'Siad Clann Dhòmhnuill tha mi 'g àireamh— Buidheann g'an òrdugh sròil is àrmaibh— Buidheann dheas ullamh 'fhuair urram 'an Albain 'Dh' fhàg an trup shalach air cumachd na h-earba. It is the MacDonalds I am commemorating, Tlie party to whom has been decreed banners and arms— The ready, active party that are famed in Albyn, Who left the infamous troops trimmed like roes (without tails). In MacKenzies " beauties of Gaelic Poetry" Aonghus Mac Alasdair Ruaidh, Angus son of Alexander Roy MacDonald is mentioned as the author of the burlesque song. " Bha Claidheamh air Iain's an t-searmoin," but there is a considerable difference between the words of the song and * Mocking and scarcastic exclamations which have no equivalents in English. t A sarcastic allusion to the cian men that " ran awa " at Sheriffmuir. description of the weaver " shaggy Johi.," in this work and that in Campbell's—both evidently referring to the same individual—which causes some confusion of names. MacKenzie was in Glencoe in 1833, and probably got his version from oral tradition there, but since Campbell was a grandson of the poet I have adopted his version of tlie story. According to MacKenzie the weaver had been at the battle of Sherin'muir in 1715, and was among those that ran away, and to shield himself from clanger he lay down beside a dyke, pulling a portion of it over him to screen him from the enemy, and on the tirst favourable opportunity he bolted home to Glencoe. As is usual in the Highlands several songs may have been composed to the same air, or the same individual by different persons, and sometimes the beat words are lost sight of. Otherwise I can hardly reconcile the different versions of the weaver warrior and his famous song. DOMHNALL BAN A' BHOC AIN. Donald Bàn MacDonald of the spectre, was of the Keppoch family. For the following account of him I am indebted to Mr MacLean Sinclair's " Gaelic Bards." It was related to him in Gaelic by a Lochaber tailor named John MacDonald, who claimed the following pedigree. He was a son of Gilleasbuig MacAonghais Mac Alastair Bhàin, Mac Alastair Mhòir, Mac Aonghais a' Bhòcain, Mac Aonghais Mhòir Bhoth-Fhiunntain, Mac Alastair Mac Iain Duibh, Mac Raonaid Mhòir na Ceapaich. He had been about 30 years of age when he came to Nova Scotia. He had a good memory and had a great love for the history and traditions of the Highlanders. He knew a great deal about the MacDonalds of Keppoch's family and history. He could repeat portions of a great many Gaelic songs, and the following story was taken down from him on the 12th of January, 1885. He was then in declining health and died some months afterwards. He said that Donald Bàn a' Bhòcain lived at " Muin-Easaidli." He was of the MacDonalds of Keppoch, and had been married to a Miss MacGregor, Rannoeh. He was at the battle of Culloden. After the battle he hid himself in a "bothan airidh" a sheilingbothy. He had two guns with him ; one was loaded but the other one was not. While in hiding MacDonald of Sleat's company came upon him, whereupon he jumped out of a back window, taking with him by mistake the unloaded gun. The soldiers fired at him and the bullet broke his leg,- then they came np to him and demanded of him who he was. " I am a MacDonald," he replied, but nevertheless they took him with them to Inverness where he was confined in prison. He was tried by court martial but got off. When in prison he had a dream in which he saw himself Alastair Mac Cholla, and Donald MacRaonaill Mhòir, " ag òl," over a glass of grog. It was this Donald MacRanald Mhòir, of whom it was alleged that he had two hearts. He was taken prisoner at Falkirk, and subsequently executed at Carlisle. After Donald Bàtfs dream he composed the following song :— Gur h-e mise 'tha sgith 'S mi air leaba leam fhìn, 'S iad ag ràitinn nach bi mi beò. Gur mise, &c. Chunnacas Alastair Bàn Is dà Dhòmhnall mo ghràidh 'S sinn ag òl nan deocli-slàìnt air bòrd. |Nuair a dhiiisg mi a ni' shuain, Se dh' fhàg ni' aigneadh fo ghruaim, Nach robh agam rsan uair ach sgleò. Ged a tha mi gun sprèidh, Bha mi mòr asam fèin Fhad's a mhair sibh fhèin dhomh beò. Faodaidh balach gun taing 'N diugh 'bhi ràidh air mo cheann: Dh'fhalbh mo thaiceadh, mq chàil's mo threòir. The Bòcan, or spectre, was annoying Donald Bàn very much, and he thought that if he left his house he would have no more trouble. He did so and took everything away with him except a pair of harrows, which he left alongside the house. The people who were carrying his goods and chattels away saw the harrows coming after thw'n This being reP°rted to Donald, he said "Well, if the harrows are coming after us we may as well return," so he at once returned and never left his house after. The relater's grandfather, Aonghas Mac Alastair Bhàin, who was a very truthful and honest man, was one night at Donald Ban's house, and slept there ; something caught hold of both his toes from which he could no more escape than from the vice of a blacksmith. He could not move ; it was the Bòcan that had hold of him, but he did him no other harm. Ronald of Aberarder was also one night ao Donald Ban's house, and Donald's wife said to Ronald, " Should I put the butter on the table to-night, it will get dirtied ;" to which Ronald replied " I will go and put out the butter with a dirk in my hand and a bonnet over the butterdish, and it won't be dirtied to-night." Ronald . down with her and took away the butter but it "Wfw dirty *> before- Na clachan agus na caoban Cha leigeadh leis an naomhan cadal. -Ri The last night the bòcan came, he told them that he had other spirits along with him, and Donald's wife remarked, " I would think that if these came with him they would speak to us." The bòcan answered, " they have no more power to speak than the sole of your foot." He also miff "come out here, Donald Bàn;" "yes," replied Donald, "and thank God that you have asked me to do so." Donald was going out with nis dirk, " Leave your dirk in the lioiise, Donald Bàn," said the bòcan, " Leave your knife in also." JJon'ald went out and he and the bòean then went through Acha-nac-Comhachan in the middle of the night, then they went through rivers and hirch woods for three miles until they caine to Fheairt; when they arrived there the bòcan searched two holes where he hid some plough irons when he was alive. When he was taking them out of the hole the bòcan's eyes gave him a
reater fright than anything he had ever seen or eard. When he found the irons they returned home to " Muin-Easaidh," and they separated that night at Donald Ban's house. Then the bòcan went to a farmer's house. He stretched his arm over the farmer and began to put the clothes upon lus wife. " What are you doing there ?" said the irate farmer. "I am putting the clothes upon my kinswoman," said the bòcan, who immediately disappeared and was never seen again. Donald Bàn also composed a laoidh, or hymn, of 40 lines, of which the following is a stanza :— 'Dhia, a chruthaich mi gun chàileachd. Daingnich mo chreideamh is dean làidir ; Thoir air aingeal tighinn a Pàras Is còmhnuidh 'ghabhail ann am fhàrdaich, Gu m' theasraiginn bho gach buaireadh 'Tha droch shluagh a' cur 'am charaibh : 'Iosa, a dh'fhuiling do eheusadh, Cais? am beusan's bi fhèin mar-rium ! I might have mentioned under the head of Gilleasbuig na Ceapaich, that his son Angus Odhar composed a very good satirical song to a man of the name of Cameron who took a bet of a cask of whisky with him that he could not compose a song that would offend him. The result was a song of seven verses, of which the following are stanzas:— Gu bheil mise de Chlann Dòmhnaill, Is tha thusa 'nad Chamshronach, 'S cha'n fhaca mi gin riamh dhe d' sheòrsa Nach buailinn mo dhòrn air 'san leithcheann. 'S tu cho salach agus sgàthach 'S nach b' urrainn thu n 'N cumhne leat a Lotti ghnàda 'Nuair a bha thu thall 'am Flanras rang a sheasamh? ALASDAIR MAC MHAIGHSTIR ALASDAIR. (alexander son of mr alexander.) Alexander MacDonald, better known as Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair, the greatest of all our Gaelic poets, was born about the year 1700. He was the second son of the Rev. Mr Alexander MacDonald, who was parish minister of Ardnamurchan before the revolution, but was deposed in 1697 for nonjurancy. He was evidently, from al! accounts, an upright, honest, and conscientious man, and of great bodily strength. After his deposition he resided at Dalilea in Moidart, and continued his ministrations in Ardnamurchan and Moidart, in connection with the Episcopal Church, till his death. He had a large family of sons and daughters. The latter all died of small-pox after they had families of their own. Four of his sons lived to a good old age. Angus, the eldest, and his descendants continued tacksmen of Dalilea for a century. Alexander, as already stated, was the second son, and the two younger brothers were settled as tacksmen in Uist. Of our poet's early life-history little is known. His father intended him for the church, but the cian —Ranald of the day who countenanced young men of ability, preferred that he should be educated for the bar, and he was accordingly sent to the University of Glasgow, of which his father was a graduate, for some sessions. How long he remained at the University is not known, but some of his poems indicate an acquaintance with the ancient classics. The upshot of his University career was that he followed his own inclinations, and disappointed both his father and his chief. When attending college it is certain that he did not neglect his studies altogether, as he was a good classical scholar. His genius and powers were great, and his energy of mind equal to any task he took in hand, but, like many geniuses, he was rather imprudent. He married early in life Jane MacDonald of the family of " Dail-an-Eas," in Glenetive. This rash step which interfered with his University career, compelled him to look out for some employment, and shortly after, we find him in his native parish teaching in one of the schools supported by the society for propagating Christian Knowledge, from which he was afterwards promoted to the parish school of Ardnamur-chan,* where he was an elder in the church, consequently, he must have been at that time a Presbyterian, or member of the Church of Scotland, otherwise he could not have held the office of teacher in a parish school. At this time he lived on the farm of Coirivullin, at the base of Ben-Sliiante, the highest mountain in that part of the country, and near the ruins of the famous castle of Mingarry, a romantic situation on the Sound of Mull, opposite Tobermory, where he had ample scope for courting the muses. His reputation as a scholar must have been early established, as the Presbytery of Mull recommended him to the society for the propagation of Christian knowledge, as a competent person to undertake the compilation of a Gaelic vocabulary for the use of their schools. This work he undertook, and successfully executed in 1741, which was the first of its kind ever pnblished. In 1745 when the Highland chiefs rose to support the cause of Prince Charles Edward Stewart— the "Bonnie Prince Charlie" of the Jacobites— our poet joined the Highland army under the younger Cian Ranald, ana received a commission, out whether he accompanied the Prince's army and fought in any of the battles is not known, but the probability is that he did, as he was a man of a very different calihre to Iain Lom ; he could both sing and fight. He was considered a valuable adherent to the Stewart cause, both as an officer and a poet, in which latter capacity he raised the enthusiasm of the Highlanders to the highest pitch. He shared the disasters of that campaign, and " lose his all," and after the defeat of the Prince's army at Culloden, he, like several others, was obliged to conceal himself in the wood and caves of " Ceannloch-nan-uamh," above Borrodale, in the district of Arisaig, where he was exposed to great hardships. On one occasion when lurking about with his brother Angus, the cold was so intense that the side of MacDonald's head which rested on the ground became quite grey in a single night. After the act of indemnity was passed lie received from Cian Ranald the appointment of baillie, or land steward, of the island of Canna, but how long he remained there is uncertain. He had been invited to Edinburgh by some Jacobite friends there to take charge of the education of their children, and it is supposed that he was in Edinburgh in 1751, the year in Download 4.23 Mb. Share with your friends:
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