Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire
by John H. Dixon · English · Gutenberg #41227 · 1,416,933 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire
Author: John H. Dixon
Release date: October 29, 2012 [eBook #41227]
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GAIRLOCH IN NORTH-WEST ROSS-SHIRE ***
Produced by Tor Martin Kristiansen, Margo von Romberg,
Michael and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
http://www.pgdp.net. This book was produced from scanned
images of public domain material, including material from
the Google Print project. Map reproduced by permission of
the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland.
[Illustration: FLOWERDALE HOUSE, GAIRLOCH,
WEST COAST RESIDENCE OF THE BARONETS OF GAIRLOCH.]
GAIRLOCH
IN NORTH-WEST ROSS-SHIRE
ITS RECORDS, TRADITIONS, INHABITANTS, AND NATURAL HISTORY
WITH A
GUIDE TO GAIRLOCH AND LOCH MAREE
AND A MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS
By JOHN H. DIXON, F.S.A. Scot.
INCLUDING CHAPTERS BY
_WILLIAM JOLLY, F.G.S., F.R.S.E.; THE REV. JOHN McMURTRIE, M.A.;
AND PROFESSOR W. IVISON MACADAM, F.C.S., F.I.C., M.M.S., &c.,
EDINBURGH_
EDINBURGH
CO-OPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY LIMITED
1886
[_Entered at Stationers' Hall._]
EDINBURGH
CO-OPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY LIMITED,
BRISTO PLACE.
TO
_SIR KENNETH S. MACKENZIE_,
SIXTH BARONET AND THIRTEENTH LAIRD OF GAIRLOCH,
AND
HER MAJESTY'S LIEUTENANT OF ROSS-SHIRE,
Is Dedicated
THIS ACCOUNT OF THE ROMANTIC HIGHLAND PARISH
WITH WHICH, DURING FOUR CENTURIES,
HE AND HIS ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN SO INTIMATELY ASSOCIATED.
PREFACE.
The preparation of the following account of Gairloch has been prompted
by regard--almost affection--for this beautiful and interesting Highland
parish. It is published in the hope that it may not only assist the
tourist, but also be found to constitute a volume worthy of a nook in
the great library of local history. Here and there some few general
remarks on the subjects dealt with have necessarily been introduced by
way of explanation or illustration, but in the main this book relates
solely to Gairloch. I have tried to make short chapters, and to dispense
with footnotes.
Without much assistance the work could not have been satisfactorily
completed. The necessary help has been given with the greatest freedom
and kindness. Sir Kenneth S. Mackenzie, Bart. of Gairloch, has himself
furnished much valuable and accurate information, and Lady Mackenzie of
Gairloch has kindly assisted. From Mr Osgood H. Mackenzie of Inverewe,
youngest son of the late Sir Francis Mackenzie, Bart. of Gairloch, I
have received a large amount of personal aid. Much of the information
about the Mackenzies has been culled from the works of Mr Alexander
Mackenzie (a native of Gairloch) with his consent. He is the able author
of a copious history of the Mackenzies and other important books, and
the editor of the _Celtic Magazine_, from which last the memoir of John
Mackenzie of the "Beauties" and several of the traditions have been
mainly taken. From the MS. "Odd and End Stories" of Dr Mackenzie,
Eileanach, only surviving son of Sir Hector Mackenzie, Bart., eleventh
laird of Gairloch, numerous quotations will be found. These extracts are
published with the consent of Dr Mackenzie, as well as of Mr O. H.
Mackenzie to whom he has given his MS. volumes. With one exception,
wherever Dr Mackenzie is quoted the extract is taken from his "Odd and
End Stories." The Dowager Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch has been so good as
to prepare a short statement, from which extracts are made. Dr Arthur
Mitchell, C.B., Senior Commissioner in Lunacy for Scotland, has
permitted the use of his paper on the Isle Maree superstitions. Mr Jolly
has contributed three valuable chapters, and the Rev. J. M'Murtrie and
Professor W. Ivison Macadam have each given a chapter. To Mr William
Mackay of Craigmonie, Inverness, I am indebted for full notes on
ecclesiastical matters, and for extracts from the old records of the
Presbytery of Dingwall. The Rev. Alexander Matheson, minister of
Glenshiel, has supplied extracts from the records of the Presbytery of
Lochcarron. I have to thank Messrs Maclachlan & Stewart, of Edinburgh,
who in 1882 brought out a sumptuous edition of the "Beauties of Gaelic
Poetry," by the late John Mackenzie, a Gairloch man, for permission to
use the accounts of John Mackay (the blind piper), William Ross, William
Mackenzie, and Malcolm Maclean, contained in the "Beauties." James
Mackenzie, of Kirkton (brother of John Mackenzie of the "Beauties"), has
furnished a large chapter of Gairloch stories, besides a number of
facts, traditions, and anecdotes; wherever the name of James Mackenzie
occurs in these pages, it is this worthy Highlander who is referred to.
Other Gairloch traditions, stories, and information have been furnished
by Kenneth Fraser, Leac nan Saighead (through the medium of the _Celtic
Magazine_); Alexander Maclennan, Mossbank; Roderick Mackenzie (Ruaridh
an Torra), Lonmor; George and Kenneth Maclennan, Tollie Croft; John
Maclean (Iain Buidhe Taillear), Strath; Simon Chisholm, Flowerdale;
Roderick Campbell, Tollie; Donald Ross, Kenlochewe; Alexander Mackenzie
(Ali' Iain Ghlass), piper, Poolewe; George Maclennan, Londubh; and
Alexander Maclennan (Alie Uistean), Inveran, who especially has given me
considerable assistance. The legend of Ewan Mac Gabhar is mainly in the
form given in the works of James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, supported
to some extent by several of the old people now living in Gairloch. That
enthusiastic friend of the Highlander, Professor Blackie, has kindly
contributed two English versions of Gaelic songs; and Mr William
Clements Good, of Aberdeen, has given similar aid. Professor W. Ivison
Macadam has communicated the results of his analyses of ores and slags,
and has assisted in examining the remains of the old ironworks. Mr D.
William Kemp, of Trinity, Edinburgh, has generously done a very great
deal to unravel the history of the ironworks, and in other ways.
Lieutenant Lamont, of Achtercairn, has procured the traditions given on
the authority of Ruaridh an Torra. Mr Mackintosh, postmaster, Poolewe,
has supplied some anecdotes and facts. The Glossary has been prepared
with the aid of Mr O. H. Mackenzie; the Rev. Ronald Dingwall, Free
Church minister, Aultbea; Mr Alexander Cameron, the Tournaig bard; and
Mr Alexander Maclennan, Inveran. The names of some others who have
rendered valuable help are stated where their information is utilised.
To all these ungrudging helpers, and to many others not mentioned by
name, I beg to offer my sincere thanks.
To render the natural history of Gairloch complete, lists are still
needed of the insects, sea-anemones, grasses, mosses, lichens, fungi,
sea-weeds, and fresh-water weeds. Any information on these and other
branches of natural history will be heartily welcomed, with a view to
insertion in a possible future edition.
The process of zincography, by which nearly all the illustrations have
been reproduced, has not in many cases realised my expectations, but it
has been thought best to issue the book at once rather than wait until
the illustrations could be rendered in a superior manner.
The profits, if any, from the sale of this book will be applied in aid
of the Poolewe Public Hall.
JOHN H. DIXON.
Inveran, Gairloch, _1st September 1886_.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Flowerdale House, West Coast Residence of
the Baronets of Gairloch _Frontispiece_
Loch Maree, from Inveran 9
Crosses on the Graves of the Prince and Princess on Isle Maree 10
At Ardlair 15
On Craig Tollie 22
Island or Crannog on Loch Tollie 25
Gairloch, from Strath 35
Glen Grudidh, from Loch Maree 42
Beinn Lair, from Fionn Loch 54
Chapel of Sand of Udrigil 70
Sir George Hay, of Megginish, Knight, the Ironfounder of Loch
Maree _Facing_ 75
The Minister's Stone, Ardlair 81
Sir George Hay, First Earl of Kinnoull, High Chancellor of
Scotland, the Ironfounder of Loch Maree _Facing_ 82
On the Ewe 96
A Mutch 130
Cabar Lar, or Turf Parer 131
Tor-sgian, or Peat Knife 133
Cliabh Moine, or Peat Creel 134
Highland Hand-Plough called Cas-Chrom, or "crooked foot" 135
A Gairloch Man 216
Umbrella Fir, Glas Leitire 305
Above Grudidh Bridge 306
Leth Chreag, Tollie 314
Dunan, on Loch Tournaig 319
Near Grudidh 322
Slioch, from Rudha Aird an Anail 326
Natural Arch, Cove 334
Curious Rocks, Sand of Udrigil 338
Loch Maree, from Ardlair 340
Clach a Mhail, Ardlair 342
Uamh a Mhail, Ardlair 343
ANTIQUITIES
_From Drawings by Finlay Mackinnon. The numbers correspond with
those given on pp. 103, 104._
PAGE
1. Bronze Ring, found at Londubh 103
2. Hollow Bronze Ring, found at Londubh 104
3. Bronze Spear Head, found, along with a Stag's Horn, near
Inverewe House 104
4. Bronze Spear Head, found at Londubh 110
5. Bronze Celt, found at Slatadale 110
6. Stone Celt, found at Cove 113
7. Bronze Spear, found at Croft 117
8. Bronze Celt, found at Londubh 121
9. Stone Implement, found in Peat-Cutting between Inveran and
Kernsary 124
10. Quern or Trough, found in a Broch or Pictish Round House at
Tournaig 142
11. Fragment of Trough, found in a Broch or Pictish Round House
at Tournaig 146
12. Bronze Penannular Ring, found at Londubh 150
13. Cast Iron Appliance, probably part of Machinery, from the
Fasagh Ironworks 158
14. Tuyere, from the Fasagh Ironworks 163
NOTES.--The portraits of Sir George Hay, the Ironfounder of
Loch Maree, are lithographed reproductions from photographs
of pictures in Dupplin Castle, taken by permission of the
present Earl of Kinnoull.
All the illustrations are original, except No. 12 of the
Antiquities, which is reduced from that in Mr Jolly's paper
on "Bronze Weapons and other Remains found near Poolewe."
The sketches for the illustrations of Flowerdale House and
the Natural Arch at Cove are after photographs by Mr Fraser
of Reilig. In no case have published photographs been used
in the preparation of illustrations.
Map _At the end_
CONTENTS.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi
GLOSSARY OF GAELIC NAMES AND WORDS xxvii
INTRODUCTION.
Extent of Gairloch parish--Name--Curious muddle about "the
Gairloch"--Name used in four senses--Attractions of
Gairloch--Loch Maree--Superficial observation of
tourists--A party declare they have "seen Loch
Maree"--Inducements to longer visits--Credibility of old
traditions--Gaelic names--Pronunciation--Interference with
sportsmen and deer forests deprecated--Mountain
ascents--Drawbacks to them--Shorter climbs
recommended--Mania for exterminating plants--Instances xliii
PART I.--RECORDS AND TRADITIONS OF GAIRLOCH.
CHAPTER I.--EARLY HISTORY.
Absence of ancient records--Giants in those days--Fingalian
legends--Condition of Pictish aborigines--Their houses and
implements--Druids--Roman invasion--Pictish
monarchy--Introduction of Christianity--St
Maelrubha--Hermits of Isle Maree--Norse vikings--Norwegians
and Danes--End of Norwegian rule in 1263--The earls of
Ross--Donald of the Isles--The Mackenzies 3
CHAPTER II.--THE TRAGEDY OF ISLE MAREE.
Scene laid in Isle Maree--The hermit saint--Prince Olaf--His
fiery temper--Falls in love--Brings his bride to Isle
Maree--Is compelled to leave her on an expedition--The white
and black flags--Return of the prince--Jealousy of the
princess--Her scheme to test Olaf's affection--His madness
on seeing the black flag--Thinking her dead he kills
himself--The princess stabs herself and dies--Their graves
on Isle Maree 7
CHAPTER III.--THE MACKENZIES OF KINTAIL.
Two origins of the family of Mackenzie--The Cabar
Feidh--Angus Mac Mhathain--Kenneth, first lord of
Kintail--John, second lord, shelters Robert Bruce--Kenneth
of the Nose--Kenlochewe ravaged--Leod Mac
Gilleandreis--Black Murdo of the Cave--Joined by Gille
Riabhach--Comes to Kenlochewe--Slays Leod Mac Gilleandreis
and his followers--Ath nan Ceann--Fe Leoid--Black Murdo of
the Cave recovers Kintail--Murdo of the Bridge, fifth lord
of Kintail--Alexander the Upright, father of Hector Roy,
first laird of Gairloch--Skirmish of Beallach nam
Brog--Residences of lords of Kintail 11
CHAPTER IV.--EWAN MAC GABHAR, THE SON OF THE GOAT.
Ardlair--The cave of the king's son--Old Oighrig and her son
Kenneth--The goat Earba nourishes Ewan in the cave--Flora and
Ewan come to Letterewe--Ewan's sword and mantle of
state--The lord of Kintail comes to hunt--Flora and Ewan
suspected--Kenneth and Flora carried off to
Eileandonain--Oighrig and Ewan conveyed to Colin Mor
Gillespie--Colin Mor brings up Ewan--Great war against the
queen widow of Olamh Mor--Ewan gets a command--His slender
page--Mull plundered--The invaders surprised at night and
captured--The queen condemns the chiefs to death--Ewan led
forth to die--The execution arrested--Ewan identified and
proclaimed king--Prophecy fulfilled 14
CHAPTER V.--THE MACRAES OF KINTAIL AND GAIRLOCH.
The Macraes settle in Kintail--Become Mackenzie's "shirt of
mail"--The sons of Fortune--Assist in conquest of
Gairloch--List of Macraes who fought for Gairloch--Effigy
of Donald Odhair--Macraes renowned archers--Compared with
Turkish archers--The Macraes bore the dead bodies of their
chiefs to burial--The last occasion of this--Curious
statement 19
CHAPTER VI.--THE MACBEATHS.
MacBeaths from Assynt--Some still in Gairloch--Had several
strongholds--Lochan nan Airm--Kintail men come to Loch
Tollie--Shoot MacBeath's servant on the island--MacBeath
flies--Is struck by an arrow--Kintail men stay a night on
the island--Come through Gairloch--Report to their chief 21
CHAPTER VII.--THE M'LEODS OF GAIRLOCH.
The Siol Torquil--Claim to Gairloch--Legal title commenced
1430--MacBeaths expelled--The Tigh Dige--Strongholds of the
M'Leods--Eilean Ruaridh--Allan M'Leod, laird of
Gairloch--Murdered by his brothers at the "Hill of evil
counsel"--They also murder his two boys--The widow takes
their bloody shirts to her father--Hector Roy takes the
shirts to the king--Who gives Hector commission of fire and
sword against the M'Leods--The M'Leods confined to one-third
of Gairloch 24
CHAPTER VIII.--THE MACDONALDS IN GAIRLOCH.
Macdonalds, clansmen of Donald of the Isles--Probably some
settled in Gairloch--Still in Gairloch and Alligin--Mac
Gille Riabhaich--His cave--Story of his oak cudgel--The
soubriquet Darach--His descendant, Darroch of
Torridon--Donald Dubh Mac Gillechriosd Mhic Gille Riabhaich
--Threatens Hector Roy--Slays Buchanan after Flodden Field 27
CHAPTER IX.--HECTOR ROY MACKENZIE, FIRST LAIRD OF GAIRLOCH.
Vision of the great chief and his bodyguard--His appearance
and valour--Obtains charter to Gairloch--Slays three
M'Leods at "the Gairloch"--The battle of Park--Hector Roy
and Big Duncan of the Axe--Hector Roy at Sauchieburn--He
claims Kintail--Battle of Drum a Chait--Big Duncan again
assists--Hector Roy outlawed--Assists Mac Cailean--Kneels
before the king--Grasps his hand--Is pardoned--Abandons his
claim to Kintail--Fight with M'Leods at Beallach
Glasleathaid--Big Duncan and his son Dugal--Hector Roy
conquers part of Gairloch--Battle of Flodden--Clan Eachainn 29
CHAPTER X.--JOHN GLASSICH MACKENZIE AND HIS SONS.
John Glassich brought up in Strathglass--Claims
Kintail--Refuses to join the royal standard--Apprehended by
Kenneth of Kintail--Iain Gearr's pluck--Death of John
Glassich--Donald Gorme invades Kenlochewe--Hector and
Alexander, sons of John Glassich, both slain 36
CHAPTER XI.--JOHN ROY MACKENZIE.
John Roy resembled his grandfather Hector--His youth--Visits
his mother, wife of Mackay--Goes with a bodyguard to Iain
Liath at Glas Leitire--Lord Kintail abandons his hunt on the
Glas Leitire hills--John Roy and Iain Liath go to
Gairloch--Iain Dubh Mac Ruaridh M'Leod abandons the Gairloch
dun--Struggles with the M'Leods--John Roy's family--His
bodyguard composed of his twelve sons--Dealings with the
tithes of Gairloch--The Talladale ironworks--John Roy's
residence--Visits Mackay--Mackay's piper becomes John Roy's
piper--Lord Mackenzie summons John Roy to Torridon--He stays
the night with his lordship--Proposed assassination
deferred--John Roy's sons arrive and take him away--Allies
of Glengarry Macdonalds make an incursion to
Kenlochewe--Lord Mackenzie visits John Roy--John Roy granted
a remission by the crown 38
CHAPTER XII.--EXPULSION OF THE M'LEODS FROM GAIRLOCH.
Murchadh Riabhach na Cuirce--Slays Mac Iain Dhuibh
M'Leod--Ruaridh Mac Allan M'Leod assassinates Iain Mac
Ghille Challum M'Leod and his sons by Janet Mackenzie--John
Roy revenges the murder--Expels the M'Leods from
Gairloch--The Cnoc a Chrochadair--The affair at Leac nan
Saighead--Mor Ban persuades the M'Leods to invade
Gairloch--They come to Fraoch Eilean--Donald Odhar and his
brother shoot them from Leac nan Saighead--Only two M'Leods
escape in the birlinn--Donald Odhar's long shot from Craig a
Chait--Young M'Leod of Assynt asks John Roy's daughter for
his wife--Is refused--Fionnla Dubh na Saighead insults
him--The M'Leods return to take vengeance on Finlay--He and
Chisholm shoot many of them--Finlay pursues Neil M'Leod to
the Bac an Leth-choin and shoots him at the Druim Carn
Neill--Fight at Lochan an Fheidh--Affair at Raasay--Murdo
Mackenzie in his ship driven into Kirkton--Young M'Leod of
Raasay and his companions visit him--All the party get drunk
except four Gairloch men--A fight ensues--Murdo drowned--All
on board slain except three of the abstainers--They escape 43
CHAPTER XIII.--ALASTAIR BREAC, AND HIS SON AND GRANDSON.
Alastair Breac, a renowned warrior--Raids of cattle
lifters--Iain Geal Donn proposes a raid on
Gairloch--Alastair Buidhe Mackay intercepts him at
Scardroy--Slays him and all his men except one--Alastair
Breac sends the news to Lord Mackenzie--Cameron of Lochiel
plans a raid on Gairloch in revenge--Alastair Breac sends
eighty men to oppose him, but he has retired--Song composed
to the Guard of the Black Corrie--Colla Ban--In default of
blackmail threatens raid on Gairloch--His spies are
frightened by four Gairloch men at Luibmhor--Kenneth, sixth
laird of Gairloch, fined as a "malignant"--Alexander,
seventh laird of Gairloch 49
CHAPTER XIV.--THE BARONETS OF GAIRLOCH AND SOME OTHER
GAIRLOCH MACKENZIES.
Sir Kenneth, eighth laird of Gairloch--M.P. for
Ross-shire--Sir Alexander, ninth laird of Gairloch--Builds
Flowerdale--The "Forty-five"--Murder of the Gille Buidhe,
valet to Prince Charlie--Duncan Macrae conveys a keg of gold
for Prince Charlie's use--The "sian"--English man-of-war
fires at Flowerdale--Sir Alexander, tenth laird of
Gairloch--Builds Conan House--His son called "Fighting
Jack," the father of the British army--Sir Hector
Mackenzie--Lives at home--Lord-Lieutenant of Ross-shire--His
beloved lady--Sir Francis Mackenzie--Publishes his "Hints"
in 1838--Sir Kenneth, present baronet--Mackenzies of
Letterewe--Mackenzies of Lochend--Mackenzies of
Gruinard--Large family--Mackenzies of Kernsary--Summary of
Mackenzie History--Crest, Badge, Slogan, and Pipe tunes 53
CHAPTER XV.--GAIRLOCH ESTATES, AND OLD NAMES OF PLACES.
Kenlochewe--Gairloch--Description in protocol of
1494--Description in retour of 1566--Description in
1638--Names in Dutch map of 1662--Second half of the water
of Ewe bought in 1671--Strip on north of River Ewe acquired
in 1844--Letterewe originally Kintail property--Acquired by
Charles Mackenzie in 1696--Sold to Mr Bankes in
1835--Northern parts of Gairloch belonging to Gruinard
Mackenzies before 1655--Sold to Davidson of Tulloch in
1795--Afterwards acquired by Mr Bankes--Mr O. H. Mackenzie's
estate of Inverewe 60
CHAPTER XVI.--ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF GAIRLOCH.
First church in Gairloch--Other early ecclesiastical
buildings--Rector of Gairloch at date of
Reformation--Presbyterianism--Tulchan bishops--Changes from
Episcopalianism to Presbyterianism--Rev. Alexander
Mackenzie--Rev. Farquhar Macrae--Rev. Roderick
Mackenzie--Rev. Kenneth Mackenzie of Kernsary--Rev. John
Morrison--Persecuted by Episcopalians--Anecdotes--His
turf-built church in Tollie Bay--Christmas story--Rev. James
Smith--First school in Gairloch--Anecdote of Rev. Mr
Sage--Rev. Æneas McAulay--Rev. John Dounie--Rev. James
Russell--His imperfect Gaelic--Poolewe made a separate
parish--The Disruption--Presbyteries of Dingwall,
Kenlochewe, Chanonry, Gairloch, and Loch Carron--Churches in
Gairloch--Manse and glebe at Achdistall, Cliff and
Strath--Free churches and their ministers 63
CHAPTER XVII.--ANCIENT GAIRLOCH IRONWORKS.
Two classes of remains of ironworks--Rev. Donald M'Nicol's
statement--Coin found near old Yorkshire ironworks--Iron
implements used by ancient inhabitants--Disappearance of
them accounted for--Other ancient remains in
Sutherlandshire, Ross-shire, and Inverness-shire--Bog iron
was the ore used of old in Gairloch--Processes of the
ancient ironworkers--Wasteful richness of their slags
accounted for--Charcoal was their fuel--The ancient forests
of timber--Their disappearance--Water power anciently
employed for working hammers 72
CHAPTER XVIII.--THE HISTORIC IRONWORKS OF LOCH MAREE.
The present series of Scottish ironworks commenced on Loch
Maree--The licence to Archibald Primrose for making iron
ratified in 1612--Spread of the iron industry in the
eighteenth century--Iron furnaces in Glengarry--Abernethy
furnaces of the York Buildings Company--The Bonawe
furnace--The Argyle Furnace Company--The Lorn Company--The
Carron ironworks--The Wilsonton works--Furnace at
Goatfield--Pennant's notice of the furnace near Poolewe--The
Fife Adventurers and the Lews--The Rev. Farquhar Macrae,
vicar of Gairloch--The Letterewe furnace established in 1607
by Sir George Hay--Previous history of Sir George--His
residence at Letterewe--His ironworks--The timber
consumed--The goods produced--The improvements he
effected--Act prohibiting the making of iron with
wood--Monopoly of iron manufacture granted to Sir
George--Ratified by Parliament--Proclamation restraining the
export of iron ore--Licence to Sir George to sell iron in
royal burghs--Sir George's probable acquaintance with John
Roy Mackenzie, laird of Gairloch--Sir George's friendship
with the Rev. Farquhar Macrae--The minister's stone--Sir
George leaves Letterewe--His distinguished
after-career--Created first Earl of Kinnoull--Continuance of
the ironworks--Tombstone of John Hay--His probable
relationship to Sir George--Discontinuance of the
ironworks--The artisans employed--Whence they came--The
Kemps--The Cladh nan Sasunnach--Condition of the ironworkers
in the then state of the Highlands--The Big Englishman 75
CHAPTER XIX.--THE IRON ORES USED IN GAIRLOCH.
References to local iron ore--Local bog iron used at ancient
bloomeries--Ferruginous rocks and shales--Traditional
quarries--Richness of bog iron--Places where it is still
found in Gairloch--Bog iron originally used by Sir George
Hay--He afterwards imported red hematite and clayband
ironstone--Mr Marr's description of these ores--They were
landed at Poolewe--Remains of them there--Mr Macadam's
analyses--Mixture with local ore--Classification of the ores 86
CHAPTER XX.--REMAINS OF IRONWORKS IN THE PARISH OF GAIRLOCH.
Mr Macadam's description of two classes of slag--List of six
localities of ironworks--Glen
Dochartie--Fasagh--Analyses--Lochan Cul na
Cathrach--Furnace, Letterewe--Talladale--Garavaig, on
Slatadale farm--Red Smiddy, near Poolewe--Iron articles
found--The borings at Cuil an Scardain--Chronological order
of the ironworks--Other supposed furnaces--Notices of
ironworks or mines in old Dutch map, and in "Present State
of Great Britain and Ireland"--Conclusion 90
CHAPTER XXI.--ANTIQUITIES.
Want of interesting remains of ancient buildings--Supposed
Druidical remains in Tollie wood--Druidical enclosure on
Isle Maree--The Island of Justice--Pictish round
houses--Vitrified fort--Ancient duns, strongholds, or
crannogs--Remains of churches--Gairloch church--Culinellan
church--Turf-built church in Tollie Bay--Church at Tollie
Croft, or Cruive End--Chapel of Inverewe--Chapel of Sand of
Udrigil--Old burial-grounds--Remains of other old
buildings--Remains on Isle Maree--On Eilean Ruaridh Beag--On
Eilean Suainne--The Tigh Dige--The Sabhal-Geal--The Temple
house--Old houses--Ancient weapons and implements--The Feill
Iudha--Caves 97
PART II.--INHABITANTS OF GAIRLOCH.
CHAPTER I.--ANCESTRY AND NAMES.
Highlanders different to Scotch--Gairloch people originally
Celtic--Admixture of blood--Mackenzies
predominant--Surnames little used--Mode of constructing
Gaelic names--Examples--Bynames--Curious names of girls 109
CHAPTER II.--WARFARE AND WEAPONS.
Gairloch a bone of contention--Broadsword and targe--Bows
and arrows--Battle-axe--Dirk--Guns--Clan fights no
more--Seaforth Highlanders--A Gairloch company--The
press-gang--Donald M'Lean returns "from hell"--Volunteer
corps--Story of Finlay Fraser and his guns 112
CHAPTER III.--POLITY AND CUSTOMS.
Improvement after the "Forty-five"--Increase of
schools--Report on educational position of the people by
Rev. James Russell--Education under the School
Boards--Relief of the poor--Beggars almost
unknown--Tramps--Tinkers--Old man seeking America--Her
Majesty's note about him--Old marriage customs--Funeral
customs--Whisky at funerals--Heaps of stones at
halting-places--New Year's day, old style--Administration of
justice at the Island of Justice--Mode of procedure--The
Cnoc a Chroich, or Gallows Hill--Some old Gairloch men
acquainted with folk-lore 114
CHAPTER IV.--RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES.
No records of Episcopal times--Sunday services--Baptism--The
Lord's supper dispensed in the Leabaidh na Ba Bàine--Dr
Mackenzie's account of churchgoing and the
communions--Johnnie at church for the first time--Five days'
services--Large crowd; few communicants--Preparation for
Gairloch communion--The scene in the Leabaidh--Aunt
Sally--Characteristics of Free Church services and religion 117
CHAPTER V.--CHARACTER AND CHARACTERISTICS.
Criticism invidious--Gairloch people have a good
character--Fidelity, courtesy, and hospitality--Sir G. S.
Mackenzie's opinion--Sir Francis Mackenzie's tribute to his
Gairloch people--Attachment to home--Caution and keenness
in money matters--Anecdote--Captain Burt's charge of want of
cleanliness not generally applicable
now--Morality--Indolence--Always behind time--Clinging to
old ways--Old Highland _esprit_ dying out--Annual
competition recommended 121
CHAPTER VI.--LANGUAGE AND DRESS.
Gaelic called Irish--Gairloch dialect--Not dying
out--Knowledge of English increasing--Old people still
unable to speak English--Gaelic phrases in English--Gaelic
literature in Gairloch--Should Gaelic be
discouraged?--Ancient dress in Gairloch--Belted plaid or
truis--Separate form of the kilt--Antiquity of the
kilt--Highland dress proscribed--Subterfuges--Discouraged
homespun fabrics--Kilt common in Gairloch in early part of
nineteenth century--Sir Francis Mackenzie on the kilt--Now
fallen into disuse--Present dress of men--Gairloch
hose--Dress of women--The mutch--Maiden's headdress--Dr
Mackenzie on maiden's hair and on mutches 125
CHAPTER VII.--WAYS AND MEANS.
Sources of livelihood--Industry of women--Dwellings--Byres
adjoining--No chimneys--Gradual improvement--Gardens
rare--Fevers and consumption--Food--Absence of
pigs--Whisky--Illicit distillation--Fuel--Torasgian--Cabar
lar--Peat creel--Carts--Sledges before roads were made 132
CHAPTER VIII.--AGRICULTURE AND STOCK.
Little agriculture in ancient days--Black cattle--Blood
taken from living cattle--The bowmen--Hill shielings
miserable places--Introduction of sheep farming--Sheep
farms forested--Sheep deteriorate pasture--Ancient breed of
sheep--Present farms--Run-rig--Crofts established in
Gairloch--Crofters' crops--The cas-chrom--Sir G. S.
Mackenzie on imperfect agriculture--On indolence--The
Highland husbandman--His negligence--Sir Francis Mackenzie
on imperfect cultivation--On manures--On the cas-chrom--On
lack of industry--On absence of gardens--Introduction of the
potato 136
CHAPTER IX.--FISHERIES.
Gairloch fishermen and fish--Herring fisheries--Lobsters and
crabs--Oysters--Gairloch cod fishery--Under Sir Alexander
Mackenzie, 1721 to 1766--In 1792--Sir G. S. Mackenzie's
account of it under Sir Hector--Lines and hooks formerly
home-made--First foreign hooks in 1823--Cod fishery in 1884
and 1885--Salmon fishery--Bag-nets--Diminution in stock of
salmon 143
CHAPTER X.--POSTS AND ROADMAKING.
Post-runners to Gairloch--Dr Mackenzie's account--Donald
Charles--Roderick M'Lennan--William Cross--M'Leay--Iain Mor
am Post--General Wade's road--Bridges in Gairloch--Road from
Gairloch to Poolewe--The Dowager Lady Mackenzie's account of
road-making--Destitution Committee contribute to
road-making--Road to Fionn loch 147
CHAPTER XI.--SUPERSTITIONS OF ISLE MAREE.
Isle Maree conspicuous--The wishing-tree--Her Majesty's
offering--St Maelrubha permitted sacrifices of
bulls--Continued to 1678--Latterly associated with cure of
insanity--Treatment of lunatics--Still continued--Dr
Mitchell's description--Circular enclosure supposed to be
Druidical--Graves of the prince and princess--The
well--Description of the wishing-tree--Trees of Isle
Maree--Probability of the legend of Isle Maree--Name of
island derived from St Maelrubha--St Maelrubha worshipped 150
CHAPTER XII.--SUPERSTITIONS OF ISLE MAREE--_continued._
Druidical sacrifices engrafted on Christianity--Resort to
Isle Maree for cure of lunacy probably ancient--Parallel
superstitions--Bull sacrifice at Kirkcudbright--Sacrifices
of bulls not confined to the saint's day--Descriptions of
proceedings for cure of lunatics--MacCulloch's
description--No form of words--Recent cases--St Maelrubha
and St Ruffus identical--Mad dog dipped in the well--Sad
consequences--Quotations as to Pagan practices engrafted on
Christianity 153
CHAPTER XIII.--SUPERSTITIONS GENERALLY.
Highlanders' surroundings suggest superstition--Gradual
diminution of it--Older superstitions--Loch Maree water
cure--The Fox Point--Coins found--The Cathair mor and
Sitheanan Dubha--Gairloch fairy tale--The Shiant Isles'
fairy--Eilean Suainne--Fairies seen on Isle Ewe in
1883--Lights and music of fairies noticed at Mellon
Charles--William M'Lean gets a bagpipe chanter from the
fairies--The Gille Dubh of Loch a Druing--Superstitious
fancies--The Loch of the Beast--Evidence of the appearance
of the beast--Proceedings for its suppression--Rorie and the
mermaid 158
CHAPTER XIV.--WITCHCRAFT AND MAGIC.
Rudha Chailleach--Witchcraft and magic still believed
in--Jessie the cripple, a witch--Depriving milk of its
fruit--Kenlochewe case in presbytery records--Kenneth
Mackenzie, the maighstair sgoil, punishes the witch at
Strath--His cows recover--Recent cases--The
sian--Description of it--Duncan M'Rae--His song--Entrusted
with a keg of gold for Prince Charlie--Hides the keg in the
Fedan Mor--Renders it invisible by the sian--The wife of the
Cibear Mor sees the keg--The cave at Meallan a Ghamhna--The
cave and weapons concealed by the sian--Seen by several
women recently--Another similar case on Loch Maree--Alastair
Mor an t' Sealgair--Runs the blockade by means of the
sian--His variations of the sian--Other examples of
Alastair's and his father's powers--The wind made favourable
by magic 163
CHAPTER XV.--VISIONS AND SECOND-SIGHT.
Distinction between visions and second-sight--Old Alastair's
vision of Hector Roy and his bodyguard--A young man sees a
ghost--Two men see a woman in a house--Spectre seen before a
shoot--Two kinds of second-sight--Jessie the cripple--Ducked
as a witch--Her vision of a shepherd, his dog and sheep,
fulfilled--The smith's son sees a crowd on Poolewe
bridge--His vision fulfilled--The great storm on Loch
Ewe--Great sight at Mellon Udrigil--Fleet of ships and boats
filled with red coats--Visions of soldiers in red uniforms
near Inveran--These visions compared with similar sights
elsewhere 169
CHAPTER XVI.--BARDS AND PIPERS.
Ancient bards an illustrious class--Ossian's poems--Office
of bard or seannachie--Bards of recent
date--Ceilidh--Antiquity of bagpipes--Office of piper in old
days--In the present day--Love of pipe music in
Gairloch--Some old Gairloch bards--Ruaridh Breac--The
English bard--Duncan M'Rae--Roderick Campbell, piper and
fiddler--The Piobaire Ban--List of living Gairloch pipers 173
CHAPTER XVII.--HEREDITARY PIPERS OF THE GAIRLOCH FAMILY.
The Mackays--Rorie Mackay, piper to John Roy
Mackenzie--Alastair Breac, and his son and grandson--His
brother Donald--John Mackay, the blind piper--Taught by the
M'Crimmons--Piper to the two first baronets of Gairloch--His
compositions--Anecdotes of his life with the M'Crimmons--His
songs and poems--Angus Mackay--Piper to Sir Alexander, third
baronet--Moladh Mairi--John Mackay, piper to Sir
Hector--Emigrates to America--A splendid piper--His
offspring 177
CHAPTER XVIII.--WILLIAM MACKENZIE AND MALCOLM MACLEAN.
William Mackenzie a catechist--His song to Balone's
sister--His song lampooning a wedding party--His consequent
dismissal--Malcolm Maclean a notorious bacchanalian--His
beautiful daughter--His wife's resignation illustrated by an
anecdote--Translation by Professor Blackie of his song to
his daughter 180
CHAPTER XIX.--WILLIAM ROSS, THE GAIRLOCH BARD.
William Ross, a grandson of the "Blind piper"--His
youth--His travels--Appointed schoolmaster of Gairloch--Dies
young--Monument over his grave--Estimate of his poetry 183
CHAPTER XX.--ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, BARD TO SIR HECTOR.
Alastair Buidhe's ancestry and youth--Appointed
ground-officer and bard to Sir Hector--Instructed to remove
the roof from a defaulting tenant's house--His prudent
artifice approved by Sir Hector--Dr Mackenzie's
recollections of Alastair as bard--His bad health, and
death--His character--His friendship with William Ross--His
descendants--His poetry highly appreciated 185
CHAPTER XXI.--ALEXANDER GRANT, THE GREAT BARD OF SLAGGAN.
Sandy Grant's ancestry--His enormous stature and
strength--His appearance, portrait, and poetry--Reputed to
have second-sight--Anecdote--Sandy Grant discovers cheeses
stolen in Loch Carron--His descendants 187
CHAPTER XXII.--JOHN MACKENZIE OF THE "BEAUTIES."
John's ancestry and youth--His mechanical skill--An accident
disables him--Collects Gaelic poems--Devotes himself to
literary work--List of books he translated--Known as a poet
and piper--Anecdote of his humour--Buys a ship and her
cargo--Gives up the bargain--Monument to his memory 189
CHAPTER XXIII.--LIVING GAIRLOCH BARDS.
Alexander Mackenzie, of Oban--Duncan Mackenzie, the
Kenlochewe bard--Short memoir--His poetry--His epithalamium
on the marriage of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie--Translation of it
by Professor Blackie--Alexander Cameron, the Tournaig
bard--His song in praise of Tournaig--English translation by
Mr W. C. Good--Alexander Bain--His elegy on the late Dr
Kennedy--English translation 192
CHAPTER XXIV.--THE POOLEWE ARTIST.
Paucity of art in Gairloch--Finlay Mackinnon--His
characteristics--His yearning for art as a young
boy--Assisted by Mr Davis, R.A., and others--His watercolour
sketches 200
CHAPTER XXV.--JAMES MACKENZIE'S GAIRLOCH STORIES.
Short Account of James Mackenzie--William Roy Mackenzie and
the exciseman--Kenneth and John Mackenzie of Rona and the
press-gang--John M'Gregor of Londubh escapes from the
press-gang, but is killed by a fall over a rock--Murdo
Mackenzie, or Murdo's son, marries Lord Breadalbane's
daughter and takes possession of a lugger full of smuggled
spirit--Anecdote of Sir Hector Mackenzie and M'Leod of
Raasay's boat--Mackenzie of Kernsary and James Mackenzie's
grandfather--The whale in Loch Ewe drowns three men--A story
of Rob Donn--The Loch Broom herring fishery--The other Rob
Roy Macgregor and the Dundonnell estates--Cases of drowning
in Loch Maree--Hector Mackenzie, William Urquhart and his
son, and Kenneth Mackenzie--A Kenlochewe man rolls
overboard--Kenneth Mackenzie and Gregor Macgregor carried
down by the Talladale river--John M'Ryrie--Kenneth
Urquhart--Sandy Mackenzie--The Stornoway packet and the
whale--Wreck of M'Callum's schooner at Melvaig--A sea
captain buried in Isle Ewe--The loss of the "Glenelg"--Wreck
of the "Helen Marianne" of Campbeltown--Wreck of the "Lord
Molyneux" of Liverpool--John Macdonald, the drover of Loch
Maree--The murder of Grant, the peddler, by M'Leod, who is
at length hung--Death of the Shieldaig shoemaker and his
companions at Lochinver 201
PART III.--NATURAL HISTORY OF GAIRLOCH.
CHAPTER I.--PHYSICAL FEATURES.
Area and boundaries of Gairloch--Sea-board--Long valley
bisecting the parish--Ranges and groups of
mountains--Islands in the sea--Fresh-water
lochs--Rivers--Woods--Caves--Waterfalls--The Steall a
Mhuinidh--Victoria Falls--Letterewe waterfall--Kerry
falls--Flowerdale waterfalls--Scenic beauties 219
CHAPTER II.--CLIMATE AND WEATHER.
Healthy climate of north-west Highlands--Changeable
weather--Sir G. S. Mackenzie on the climate--Dr Mackenzie on
the old-fashioned summers--Former abundance of
nuts--Strawberries on 4th June, also cherries--Short summer
nights--Aurora borealis--Rarity of intense frosts--Spring
mist presages snow--A hard winter--Sunsets from the Gairloch
Hotel--Cloudscapes--Colouring of landscapes 222
CHAPTER III.--ANECDOTES AND NOTES.
Birds, formerly rare in Gairloch, now plentiful, and _vice
versâ_--Dr Mackenzie's remarks on this point--Eagles in
Gairloch--Anecdote of Craig-Tollie eagle and roe
deer--Confirmation from Martin's book--Also from story of
Kirghiz eagles, &c.--Anecdote of Kenlochewe eagle and the
cat--Subject of a well-known Gaelic riddle--Eagle at
Talladale--Two-and-a-half brace of eagles killed in Gairloch
before breakfast--Sea-gulls--How they were driven from
Eilean Ruaridh--Sounds of various birds at
Inveran--Insects--Midges and wasps--Her Majesty's remarks on
them--Rhyme on midges--Preventive measures--Other
insects--Animals in general--Vermin--Marten's fur--Wild
cats--Wild cat in Loch Tollie island--Highland
cattle--Goats--Ponies 227
CHAPTER IV.--LOWER FORMS OF LIFE.
Diffusion of life--Luminosity of footprints on boggy
ground--Reptiles--Fresh-water fish--Shells--Molluscs--The
spout fish--How to take it--Sea anemones--Love of
flowers--Localities recommended to
botanists--Grasses--Mosses--Lichens--List of a
few--Seaweeds--Fungi--Conclusion 233
CHAPTER V.--MAMMALS OF GAIRLOCH.
List of Gairloch mammals, with notes--Notes on Arctic fox in
Gairloch and elsewhere 236
CHAPTER VI.--BIRDS OF GAIRLOCH.
List of Gairloch birds, with notes 241
CHAPTER VII.--FLOWERING PLANTS OF GAIRLOCH.
List imperfect--A word to visitors--Destruction of plants by
sheep--Bouquets of wildflowers--Seasons for them--Rarer
plants--List of flowering plants 256
CHAPTER VIII.--SHELLS OF GAIRLOCH, BY REV. JOHN M'MURTRIE, M.A.
Paper by Rev. John M'Murtrie, M.A., on "Springtide at
Gairloch, a Study of small Shells"--Appendix, with list of
shells 265
CHAPTER IX.--THE GEOLOGY OF LOCH MAREE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD,
BY WILLIAM JOLLY, F.G.S., F.R.S.E.
Long controversy--Attack by eminent geologists--Others enter
the lists--Prospect of early peace--Conditions of the
problem well exhibited round Loch Maree--Succession of
rocks--Hebridean gneiss--Torridon red
sandstone--Quartzite--Its annelid borings--Its fucoid
remains--Limestone--The "Logan" rock--The eastern
gneiss--The controversy--Other noteworthy geological
phenomena--Faults--Glaciation--Denudation--Rock
junctions--The valley of the hundred hills--Curious
impressions on Torridon sandstone near Talladale--The Fionn
and Dubh loch--The Trias at Loch Gruinard 271
CHAPTER X.--MINERALS OF GAIRLOCH, BY PROFESSOR W. IVISON
MACADAM, F.C.S., F.I.C., M.M.S., &c., Edinburgh.
List of minerals and localities 289
PART IV.--GUIDE TO GAIRLOCH AND LOCH MAREE.
CHAPTER I.--GAIRLOCH OF THE PRESENT DAY.
No town in Gairloch--List of townships or hamlets--Ministers
and services--Free churches and ministers--Schools--School
Board--Table of Schools, with average attendance--List of
school teachers--Side schools--School rate--Obstacles to
regular attendance--Annual inspections--Registrar of Births,
Deaths, and Marriages--Pauperism--Poor-rates--Pauper
lunatics--Medical officer--The county road--Private
roads--Policemen--Justices of the Peace--Licensed
houses--Postal
arrangements--Telegraph--Carrier--Bank--Markets--Preventive
service--Steamers--Rifle corps--Its three
sections--Principal houses in Gairloch--Poolewe Public Hall 293
CHAPTER II.--APPROACHES AND ROADS.
Approach from Achnasheen--From Loch Carron--From Loch
Torridon--From Gruinard--By steamer--By boat from
Ullapool--On foot--Main road maintained by the
county--Private roads--Loch Maree a highway 299
CHAPTER III.--ACHNASHEEN TO KENLOCHEWE.
Dingwall and Skye railway--The Gairloch mail-car--Natural
terraces like railway embankments--Loch Rosque--Remains of
ancient ironworks--The Clach an t' Shagart at Bad a
Mhanaich--Luibmhor in Gairloch--View of Scuir
Mhullin--Persistent inquirer--Hill resembling a
profile--Glen Dochartie--View of Loch
Maree--Trysting-place--More old ironworks--View of Beinn
Eay--Kenlochewe--Hugh Miller on this name--Kenlochewe
village and hotel--Culinellan churchyard--The Cnoc a
Chrochadair--Ath nan ceann--Two routes to Gairloch 301
CHAPTER IV.--KENLOCHEWE TO TALLADALE.
Tagan farm--Glas Leitire woods--Ru Nohar--Umbrella-like
firs--Her Majesty's description of the road--Glen
Grudidh--Old fir trees--Eilean Grudidh--Wild stretch of road
described by Her Majesty--Hamlet of Talladale--The Loch
Maree Hotel--Accommodation--Angling--Visit of Her
Majesty--Commemorative Gaelic inscription on a
boulder--English translation 305
CHAPTER V.--TALLADALE TO THE GAIRLOCH HOTEL.
Road through woods--The Victoria Falls--Garavaig
ironworks--Slatadale farm--Old road to west of Craig
Tollie--View of the islands of Loch Maree--Feur loch--Loch
Bad na Sgalaig--Kerry falls--Kerry bridge--Her Majesty's
interview with Lews' people here--Kerrysdale House--Resort
of fairies--Charleston--Flowerdale House--Port na heile--The
Gairloch--Established church--The Leabaidh na Ba
Bàine--Gairloch churchyard--Old ironworks--Monument to John
Mackenzie of the "Beauties"--The Crasg--The Cnoc a
Croiche--The Gairloch Hotel--Accommodation and
arrangement--Sea-bathing--Boating--Angling--Fine view 308
CHAPTER VI.--THE GAIRLOCH HOTEL TO POOLEWE.
Achtercairn--Views of Strath and the hills of Skye--Deep
gorge--Geikie on geology of a curious hill--The
Shoe-stone--Funeral heaps--Lochan nan Airm--The Glen--Craig
Bhadain an Aisc--Blar na Fala--Loch Tollie--Its
crannog--Surrounding hills--Distant views--Old road--View of
Loch Maree--Beinn Aridh Charr--Spidean Moirich--Croft
Brae--Hamlet of Croft--Ceann a Chro, or Cruive End--The
Still--The Hill of evil counsel--The Trossachs of Loch
Maree--Poolewe village--The church--The inn--Pool
House--Other houses--Londubh--The Inverewe burial-ground 312
CHAPTER VII.--POOLEWE TO AULTBEA.
The pool--Srondubh--Inverewe House and gardens--Description
from the _Times_--Loch nan Dailthean--Tournaig--The Dowager
Lady Mackenzie's residence--Description of the garden from
the _Times_--Coile Aigeascaig--Mac Gille Riabhaich's
cave--Bleeding living cattle--Tournaig farm--Loch
Tournaig--Dunan--The road ascends--Views--Drumchork--Aultbea--
Townships--Houses--Anchorage--Aultbea inn 318
CHAPTER VIII.--EXCURSIONS FROM KENLOCHEWE.
Drives--Expedition to Loch Torridon--Cromasaig--Fe
Leoid--Loch Clair--Maelrubha's seat--Carn Anthony--Coire
Cheud Cnoc--Precipices of Liathgach--Her Majesty's
remarks--Sguir Dubh--Lochan an Fheidh--Loch
Torridon--Village--Mr Darroch and Torridon House--Ploc of
Torridon--The heights of Kenlochewe--Glen Cruaidh
Choillie--Glen na Muic--Excursions on foot by the path on
the east side of Loch Maree--Excursions on Loch Maree 321
CHAPTER IX.--EXCURSIONS FROM TALLADALE.
Drives and walks--Expeditions on Loch Maree--The
steamer--Boats 326
CHAPTER X.--EXCURSIONS FROM GAIRLOCH.
The south side of Gairloch--Shieldaig--Leac nan
Saighead--Badachro--Loch Bad na h' Achlais--Port
Henderson--Opinan--Cave--South Erradale--Ancient
ironworks--Point--Views--North side of
Gairloch--Achtercairn--Strath--Carn Dearg--Little Sand
farm--Big Sand--Iron furnace--North Erradale--Wonderful
cave--Peterburn--Altgreshan--Melvaig--The Leac--Rudha
Reidh--Stac Buidhe--Other drives--Tour of Loch
Maree--Boating expeditions--Walks--Geikie on geological
features 327
CHAPTER XI.--EXCURSIONS FROM POOLEWE.
West side of Loch Ewe--Cliff House--Cuil an Scardain--Boor--
Views--Naast--Inverasdale--Brae--Midtown--Coast--Board
school--Firemore--Telegraph to Stornoway--Meallan na
Ghamhna--Caves--Loch a Druing woods--Cove--The village--The
cave--Natural arch--Fionn Loch excursion--Craig an
Fhithich--Inveran wood and farm--Inveran river--Loch
Kernsary--Innis a Bhaird--Kernsary farm--Fionn Loch--Fine
view--Other excursions by road--Walks--Craig Bhan 332
CHAPTER XII.--EXCURSIONS FROM AULTBEA.
To Mellon Charles--Cuilchonich--Bual na luib--Mellon
Charles--Mellon Udrigil--Laide--The Loch of the
Beast--Second Coast--Old church of Sand--Sandy
beach--Curious rocks--First Coast and Second Coast--Mill
Bay--Cadha Beag--Little Gruinard--Fisherfield--Meikle
Gruinard river--Excursions by water 337
CHAPTER XIII.--EXCURSION BY STEAMER ON LOCH MAREE.
Road to north end of Loch Maree--Opinions of the
scenery--Leading characteristics--Tollie pier--Fox
Point--Clearness of water--Sweetheart's
stepping-stones--Fhridh Dhorch--Ardlair--Cave of the king's
son--The minister's stone--Clach a Mhail--Uamh a
Mhail--Rudha Chailleach--The white horse--The Bull rock--The
cave of gold--Gold mining in
Scotland--Mountains--Letterewe--Limestone
quarry--Waterfall--Furnace--Innis
Ghlas--Coppachy--Regoilachy--Slioch--Cladh nan
Sasunnach--Fasagh--Tagan--Ru Nohar--Undercliffs of Meall a
Ghiubhais--Woods of Glas Leitire--View of Glen Grudidh--Aid
na h' Eigheamh--Isle Maree--Whittier's verses--Eilean
Suainne--Eilean Dubh na Sroine--Garbh Eilean--Eilean
Ruaridh--The planted island--Wild
fowl--Talladale--Slatadale--Doire--Craig Tollie--Bay of
Corree--Rudha Aird an Anail--Cave--Heather burning 340
CHAPTER XIV.--THE FIONN LOCH AND ITS DUBH LOCH,
BY WILLIAM JOLLY.
Name--Approaches--Loch Kernsary--View of Fionn
Loch--Mountains described--Visits to the loch--Lochanan
Beannoch--Beinn Aridh Charr--Black-throated divers--Beinn
Lair--Narrow glen--Old hill fort--Craig an Dubh
Loch--Pegmatite--Dubh Loch--Thunder
shower--Islands--Birds--Marten cats 349
CHAPTER XV.--LOCH GRUINARD, BY WILLIAM JOLLY.
Loch Ewe--Mountain view--Aultbea--Moraines--Summer
Isles--Distant views--Old Chapel--Caves--Modern
Cave-dweller--Gruinard House--Gruinard river--Mountains of
Loch na Sheallag 355
CHAPTER XVI.--ANGLING IN SEA LOCHS.
Several classes of anglers--Outfit recommended--Two usual
modes of sea fishing--Trolling for lythe--Artificial
sand-eels--Handline fishing--Scalps--Fishes captured--Conger
eels--Large halibut--Large skate 359
CHAPTER XVII.--ANGLING IN LOCH MAREE.
Excessive fishing--Reserved water--Species of
fish--Char--Salmon--Sea-trout--Bull-trout--Finnocks--Property
in salmon and sea-trout--Large brown trout--Ferox not a
separate species--Variations in trout--So-called ferox not
worth eating--Gizzard trout 361
CHAPTER XVIII.--ANGLING IN FRESH-WATER LOCHS.
Permission required--Trout scarcer than formerly--Dr
Mackenzie accounts for this--The tarry sheep--Fionn
Loch--Angling deteriorated--Good day's angling--The Dubh
loch--Three trout at a cast--Bait fishing for trout--Loch
Kernsary--Char--Char and trout, and pink and white-fleshed
trout, indistinguishable to the taste--Burn fishing--Best
time for trout fishing--Eels--Pike--Their introduction
described by Dr Mackenzie--Re-introduced in Sir Kenneth's
time 363
CHAPTER XIX.--SALMON ANGLING.
Salmon rivers--The Ewe--Cruives--The old cruive used for
crossing the river--Roderick Campbell and an American
merchant drowned--The new cruive--Gradual diminution of
stock of salmon--Length of the Ewe--Pools on the east
side--Pools on the other side--Runs of salmon and
grilse--Kelts--Bull-trout--Sea-trout--Large salmon--Best
flies--Dr Mackenzie's anecdote of Sir Humphrey Davy--John
Bright--Odd incidents--Damaged fly--Successful fishing after
a friend--Hooking a fish after losing another--Was it a
rise?--Fish taking when line slack--Kelt caught
twice--Holding on for five hours--Angler compared to the
evil one--Water-bailiffs--John Glas--Sandy Urquhart--His
loquacity--Fishing on the Ewe--Tailing salmon--Spiked
gloves--Bags of salmon now and formerly--Singular mode of
fishing by Sir Hector--Charms of the Ewe--Other salmon
rivers in Gairloch 366
CHAPTER XX.--DEER FORESTS AND GROUSE SHOOTING.
The red deer--Free to roam--Antiquity of--Formerly
scarce--Meaning of "forested"--List of deer
forests--Estimated yield and stock--Stag season--A
"royal"--Best heads--Hinds--Deer-stalking--Great caution
required--Staghounds not much used now--Quotation from John
Taylor, the "Water-Poet"--Present system of letting deer
forests--Colonel Inge in Gairloch--Misconceptions with
regard to deer forests--Opinions of the Crofters
Commission--Depopulation not due to deer forests--Deer
forests not suitable for occupation by crofters--Loss of
mutton and wool insignificant--Depredations by deer on
crofters' crops easily remedied--Deterioration of pasture by
deer not proved--Demoralization of gillies not due to
forests--Summary of opinions--Substantial benefits conferred
by deer forests--Afford employment to a greater extent than
sheep farms--Recommendation by Commissioners--Grouse
shooting--Grouse not abundant--Disease infrequent--Late
birds--Mixed bags--Separate grouse shootings 372
LIST OF BOOKS AND MSS. QUOTED OR REFERRED TO 381
STATEMENT OF AUTHORITIES FOR TRADITIONS, &C., EMBODIED IN
THIS BOOK 383
TABLES.
I. Mountains of Gairloch 387
II. Distances 387
III. Population of Gairloch 390
IV. Ministers of the parish of Gairloch 390
V. Lairds of Gairloch 391
APPENDICES.
A. Genealogical Account of the MacRas, by Rev. John Macrae,
who died 1704 395
B. Tour in Scotland by Thomas Pennant in 1772 396
C. Old Statistical Account of Scotland, 1792 399
D. Dr MacCulloch's Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland,
1811 to 1821 400
E. New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1836 403
F. Records of the Presbytery of Dingwall 408
G. Records and Extracts relating to Sir George Hay and the
Manufacture of Iron 412
H. Addenda on St Maelrubha, and Ecclesiastical History 415
Glossary of Gaelic Names and Words.
The pronunciation is given approximately in parentheses. In many cases
no combination of letters pronounced in English fashion can accurately
represent the Gaelic pronunciation.
The pronunciation of _ch_ is almost the same in Gaelic as in German.
Sometimes the _ch_ is best rendered as an aspirate only, the _c_ being
treated as if silent.
The letter _c_, unless followed by _h_, is always pronounced in Gaelic
like the English _k_, a letter not found in Gaelic.
The Gaelic pronunciation of the letters _b_, _d_, and _g_ is soft, and
they are often sounded more as if they were _p_, _t_, and _k_.
In Ross-shire Gaelic _sr_ is pronounced as if it were _str_, and _rt_ as
if it were _rst_.
The consonant _d_ before the vowels _e_ and _i_, whether followed by
another vowel or not, is pronounced as if it were _j_.
The consonant _s_ before the vowels _i_ or _e_ is sounded as _sh_.
The consonant _l_ has a liquid double sound, unlike anything in English;
it may be approximated by lisping the vowel _u_ before and the letter
_y_ after the ordinary sound of the letter _l_.
The letter _h_ after the consonants _d_, _f_, _g_, _t_, and _s_, in
Ross-shire Gaelic, renders those consonants silent; _bh_ and _mh_ are
usually pronounced like _v_, a letter not found in the Gaelic alphabet.
Sometimes _adh_ seems to be pronounced very like _ag_.
The possessive case is frequently formed in Gaelic by the insertion of
the letter _h_ after the initial consonant, and of the letter _i_ after
the vowel in the first or second syllable.
The aspirate _h_ is often inserted between the definite article and a
noun beginning with a vowel. Sometimes the letter _t_ is similarly
inserted before a noun commencing with a consonant. These, and some
other changes, are made for the sake of euphony.
The vowel sounds can only be defined with difficulty. The attempts made
in this glossary are but imperfect. It may be stated that _ach_ is
generally pronounced _och_; _ao_ and _u_, as _oo_; _ea_, as _a_ in
"bake"; _a_, _e_, and _i_, usually as in French; _ei_, sometimes as _a_
in "bake," and sometimes as _i_ in "bin"; and _ai_ is sometimes almost
like _u_ in "dull," and sometimes like _a_ in "tan."
Anyone desiring to pronounce a Gaelic name or word correctly, should ask
a native to render it, and try to imitate him; even then, in some cases,
it will be impossible to be exactly right.
_A cheardach ruadh_ (ar charstock rooer), The red smithy.
_Ceardach_, a smithy; _ruadh_, red.
_A Mhaighdean_ (ar veytchen), The maiden. See _Maighdean_.
_Achagarbh_, properly spelt _Achadhgarbh_ (ach a garrav),
Rough field. _Ach_, a field; _garbh_, rough.
_Achagarve._ See _Achagarbh_.
_Achdistall_, or _Achdiestal_ (achjestel), Field of Diestal.
_Ach_, a field; _Diestal_, a Norse word, probably the name
of a rock.
_Achnasheen_ (achnasheen), Field of storms. _Ach_, or
_achadh_, a field; _sian_ (shee-on), means wind and rain
combined, _i.e._, a rainstorm. _Sian dubh_ (black storm) is
so-called in contradistinction to a snowstorm, which is
designated _cur is cathadh_. An old Kintail priest long ago
prophesied that this country would be brought to nought by
_Sian dubh_, and that the people would have to go away to
islands at the other side of the world.
_Achtercairn_, properly _Achadhacharn_ (achterkairn), Field
of the cairn. _Ach_, or achadh, a field; _carn_, a heap of
stones.
_Aigeascaig_ (aigaskaik). Name of place, meaning unknown.
Colonel Robertson says _Aigeas_ is a corruption of
_aiguisg_, by reason of the water. The termination _aig_
signifies a small bay; it was originally Danish.
_Aird_ (aird), a height, a promontory or headland.
_Aird na h' eigheamh_ (art na heyhugh), eight of calling.
_Aird_, a height; _eigh_, to call.
_Airdheslaig_ (artishlak). Supposed to be a Norse name.
_Aird_, a height; _heslaig_ may be for _h'aslaich_,
_aslaich_, to entreat; _aslachadh_, entreaty.
_Alastair Breac_ (allaster brake), Alexander the spotted.
_Alastair_, Alexander; _breac_, spotted, or more correctly
pock-marked. See _Breac_.
_Alastair Buidhe Mackay_, properly MacAoidh (allaster boo-ie
mackai), Yellow Alexander Mackay. _MacAoidh_ is pronounced
Macooie.
_Alastair Buidhe MacIamhair_ (allaster boo-ie makeemver),
Yellow-haired Alexander MacIver; pronounced MakEever.
_Alastair Liath_ (allaster leear), Grey-headed Alexander.
_Liath_, grey, grey-headed. It means light blue when not
applied to a human being.
_Alastair MacIain Mhic Earchair_ (allaster makeeanvic
erraquhar), Alexander, son of John, son of Farquhar.
_Earchair_ is incorrectly written for _Fhearchair_, the
possessive of _Farquhar_; _Fhearchair_ is pronounced
Erraquhar or Earchair.
_Alastair Mor an t' Sealgair_ (allaster more ant shollager),
Big Alexander the hunter. _Sealgair_, a hunter, a stalker,
literally a sneaker.
_Ali' Iain Ghlais_ (alian loss), Alexander [son] of Pale
John. From _Alie_ (short for _Alastair_), Alexander; _Iain_,
John; and _glas_, pale or sallow. _Glas_ means grey when not
applied to human beings.
_Alie Uistean_ (ally ooshtan), Alick Hugh. _Alie_, short for
Alexander. See _Uistean_.
_Allt a Choire Dhuibh Mhoir_ (arlta corrie oo-ie vore), The
burn of the great black corrie. _Allt_, a burn; _choire_,
possessive of _coire_, a corry; _dhuibh_, possessive of
_dubh_, black; _mhoir_, possessive of _mor_, great.
_Altgreshan_, properly _Alltgrisean_ (alt-grishan), Roan or
grizzly burn. _Allt_, a burn; _grisfhionn_ (grishan),
grizzly.
_Am port Leathach_ (am porsht layoch), The port at half
[tide]. _Leath_ is half.
_An Amilt_, or _An Amhuilt_ (ann amvilt). Name of a place;
means the stratagem.
_An Fhridh dhorch_ (an ree dorroch), the dark forest.
_Fridh_, forest; _dorch_, dark.
_An Groban._ See _Groban._
_An t' Eirthire Donn_. See _Eirthire Donn._
_Angus._ See _Aonghas._
_Aonghas_ (unnus), Angus, or Æneas, which last is nearer in
sound to the Gaelic.
_Applecross._ English name as now used. Colonel Robertson
says it is for the Gaelic _Abercroisean_, or
_Abhircroisean_, from _aber_, mouth, or confluence of;
_croisean_, of troubles; or perhaps _croisean_ was the name
of the little river.
_Ardlair_ (ardlair), The mare's height or headland. _Aird_,
a height; _lair_, a mare.
_Ath nan ceann_ (arnankown), Ford of the heads. _Ath_, a
ford; _ceann_, heads. Often written _Anagown_.
_Aultbea_, should be spelt _Alltbeithe_ (arltbay), Burn of
birches. _Allt_, a burn; _beath_, or _beith_, a birch.
_Bac an Leth-choin_ (bark an lechun), Shelf of the crossbred
dog. _Leth-choin_, a crossbred dog, a lurcher. _Bac_ is a
shelf or flat on the side or top of a hill; in this case the
name is popularly applied to the whole hill.
_Bac Dubh_ (bark dhoo), Black shelf. _Bac_, a shelf or flat
place among rocks or on a hill; _dubh_, black.
_Bad_ (bat), a clump, a grove.
_Bad a Chrotha_ (badachro). Full Gaelic spelling of
Badachro, which see.
_Bad a mhanaich_ (bat er vannich), Grove of the monk. See
_Bad_. _Mhanaich_, possessive of _manach_, a monk.
_Bad an t' Sluig_ (bat ant slook), Grove of the miry puddle.
_Bad_, a grove; _sluig_, possessive of _slug_, a miry
puddle.
_Badachro_ (badachro), Grove of the cruive. _Bad_, a grove;
_chro_, possessive of _cro_, a cruive, a fank.
_Badfearn_, should be _Badfearna_ (batfern), Alder grove.
_Fearn_, the alder tree. See _Bad_. The place has still a
clump of alders.
_Badluachrach_ (bat loocharar), Rushy clump. _Luachair_,
rushes.
_Baile na h' eaglais_ (bally-na-herkless), Town of the
church, or Kirkton. _Baile_, a town; _eaglais_, a church.
Compare _Ecclesia_.
_Ballymeon_ (bally-mey-on), properly spelt _Baile-meadhon_,
pronounced exactly the same. _Baile_, a town; _meadhon_,
middle. _Anglicè_, Middleton.
_Bard Mor an t' Slaggan_ (bart more ant slaggan), The great
or big bard of Slaggan, which see.
_Bard Sasunnach_ (bart Sassenach), English bard.
_Sasunnach_, English, i.e. not a Gaelic speaker.
_Bathais Bheinn_ (boorsh ven), Forehead mountain (very
descriptive). From _Beinn_, mountain, and _bathais_,
forehead; or perhaps it should be called _Baoisg Bheinn_
(boiskivin), the mountain of gleaming, because it catches
the first rays of the rising sun. This is also true of this
mountain.
_Beag_ (bek), little. It seems to appear as _bach_ in some
English names.
_Beallach Glasleathaid_ (baaloch glass laid), Pass of the
gray slope. _Beallach_, a pass; _glas_, pale; _leathaid_,
possessive of _leathad_, a slope.
_Beallach nan Brog_ (baaloch nam progue), Pass of the shoes.
_Brog_, a shoe.
_Beallach a Chomhla_ (baaloch a korvla), Pass of the door.
_Comhladh_, a door.
_Beinn Alligin_ (bin allikin), Jewel mountain. Properly
_Ailleagan_, a jewel, or darling, anything precious.
_Beinn a Chaisgean_ (bin a harshkin), Mountain of casgean;
which may be a corruption of _caisg_, Easter.
_Beinn Aridh Charr_ (bin arry har), The mountain of the
rough shieling. _Beinn_, a mountain; _aridh_, a shieling;
_charr_, a corruption of _garbh_, rough.
_Beinn a Chearcaill_ (bin a herkill). Mountain of the hoop.
_Cearcall_, a hoop. Descriptive of bands or lines of
stratification encircling this hill.
_Beinn a Mhuinidh_ (bin ar voonie), Mountain of the
"Pisvache."
_Beinn an Eoin_ (bin-in-eeōn), The mountain of the bird.
_Beinn_, a mountain; _eoin_, possessive of _eun_, a bird.
The bird in this case is the ptarmigan.
_Beinn Bheag_ (bin vek), Little mountain. _Beag_, little.
_Beinn Bhreac_ (bin y vraick), Spotted mountain. _Breac_,
spotted.
_Beinn Damph_, properly _Beinn Damh_ (bin damff), Mountain
of the stag. _Damh_, a stag.
_Beinn Dearg_ (bin jarrak), Red mountain. _Beinn_; and
_Dearg_, red.
_Beinn Eighe_ (bin ay), File mountain. _Eighe_, a file. The
topmost ridge is jagged or serrated like a file.
_Beinn Lair_ (bin lar), Mountain of the mare. _Lair_, a
mare.
_Beinn Liathgach_ (bin learoch). This mountain should not be
called _Beinn Liathgach_, but _Liathgach_, which see.
_Beinn na h' Eaglais_ (binnaherkless), Mountain of the
church. _Beinn_, mountain; _eaglais_, church.
_Beinn nan Ramh_ (bin an rahv), Mountain of the oar. _Ramh_,
an oar.
_Beinn Slioch_ or _Sleugach_ (bin sleoch). Should be
_Slioch_ without _Beinn_. See _Slioch_.
_Beinn Tarsuinn_ (bin tarsing), Mountain across.
_Beinn Tarsuinn Chaol_ (bin tarsing chool), Narrow Beinn
Tarsuinn. _Caol_, narrow or slender.
_Bhantighearna Ruadh_ (vancherna rooar), Red lady.
_Bhantighearna_, literally she-lord.
_Bho Iutharn_, or _Bho Iuthrna_ (vo ewern), From hell.
_Bho_, from; _Iuthrna_, hell.
_Bidean clann Raonaild_ (peetyan clan ruynuld), Clan
Ranald's peak. _Bidean_, a peak.
_Blar na Fala_ (blar ner falla), Plain of the blood. _Blar_,
a plain or bog, or flat place; _fala_, possessive of _fuil_,
blood.
_Blar na Pairc_ (blar ner park), Battle of the park.
_Pairc_, possessive of _parc_, a park or field.
_Bonaid donn_ (boanat down), Brown bonnet. _Bonaid_, a
bonnet, a cap; _donn_, brown.
_Boor_ (bore). Either from _buradh_, a bursting forth of
blood; or from a word containing the root _boor_, meaning
"roaring," because stags used to roar here.
_Bothie_ (bothy, _othie_ pronounced as in frothy), a little
hut or hovel. _Both_, a hut. Compare English _booth_. The
_ie_ is an old Gaelic diminutive, often written _idh_.
_Braemore_, properly _Braighmor_ (bray more), Great summit
or hill. _Mor_, great; _braigh_, summit.
_Breac_ (brake), spotted, marked with smallpox (when applied
to human beings), a trout.
_Breacan an Fheilidh_ (brayken an aylie), the belted or
kilted plaid. _Breacan_, a tartan plaid; _fheilidh_,
possessive of _feileadh_, a kilt.
_Bruachaig_ (brooachak). Perhaps from _Bruach_, and
_achadh_, a field; _bruach_, a bank, border, edge, steep;
_aig_, means a small bay in old Danish.
_Buaile na luib_ (pool na loop), Fold of the bend. From
_buaile_, a fold; and _luib_, a bend or loop.
_Buidhe_ (boo-ie), yellow-haired, yellow.
_Cabar Feidh_ (kapper fay), deer's antler. _Cabar_, antler,
or a stick; _feiah_, possessive of _fiagh_, deer.
_Cabar Lar_ (kapper law), Turf parer. _Cabar_, a stick;
_lar_, a floor, the ground.
_Cadha Beag_ (kaar pek), Little pass in the rock. _Beag_,
little; _cadha_, a pass in a rock.
_Cailleach a Mhuillear_ (kaillyoch a vuillyear), The
miller's wife. _Cailleach_, an old woman; _muillear_,
miller.
_Cailleach Liath Rasaidh_ (kaillyoch leear raasa), Grey old
woman of Raasay. _Cailleach_, an old woman; _liath_, grey
(light blue when not applied to a human being).
_Callum a Ghlinne_ (kallum a glinnie), Malcolm of the glen.
_Callum_, Malcolm.
_Carn a Ghlinne_ (karn a glinnie), Cairn of the glen.
_Carn_, a cairn or heap of stones; _ghlinne_, possessive of
_gleann_, a glen.
_Carn Anthony_ (karn anthony), Cairn of Anthony. _Carn_, a
heap of stones.
_Carn Dearg_ (karn jarrak). Red cairn. _Carn_, a heap of
stones. See _Dearg_.
_Carn Liath_ (karn leear), Light blue cairn. _Carn_, a heap
of stones; _liath_, light blue.
_Cas chrom_ (kas-rhoum), foot plough; literally crooked
foot, from _cas_, a foot; and _crom_, crooked.
_Cathair mhor_ (kaar more). Big seat, _i.e._ Fairies' seat.
See _Kerrysdale_.
_Ceann a Chro_ (kayoun-a-chroe), End or head of the cruive.
_Ceann_, end or head; _cro_, a cruive, or fank.
_Ceann a chruinn_ (kayoun a chreinie), mast head, or tree
head or end. _Ceann_, a head, end; _cruinn_, possessive of
_crann_, a tree or mast.
_Ceann an t' sail_ (kayoun an tarl), end or head of the salt
water. _Ceann_, end or head; _sail_, salt water. Corrupted
further south into Kintail.
_Ceann loch iu_ (kayoun loch ew), head of Loch Ewe. _Ceann_,
a head.
_Ceardach ruadh_ (karstoch roo-er), Red smiddy. See _A
cheardach ruadh_.
_Ceilidh_ (kayley), social meetings. From _ceilidh_, to
visit.
_Ceistear crubach_ (kaister crupboch), lame catechist.
_Ceistear_, a catechist; _crubach_, lame.
_Cibear Mor_ (keeipber more), big shepherd. _Cibear_, a
shepherd; _mor_, great or big.
_Clach_ (klarch), a stone. Possessive, _Cloiche_. Compare
_clough_, found in some English names.
_Clach a Mhail_ (klarch ar varl), Stone of rent. _Clach_, a
stone; _Mal_, rent, tribute.
_Clach an t' Shagart_ (klarch an taggart), Stone of the
priest. _Clach_, a stone; _shagart_, possessive of _sagart_,
a priest.
_Clach nam Brog_ (klarch nam progue), Shoe stone. _Clach_, a
stone; _brog_, a shoe.
_Clachan garbh_ (klachan garrav), Rough village. _Clachan_,
a village; literally stones; supposed to have originally
been a Druidical term. See _Garbh_.
_Cladh nan Sasunnach_ (klug nan sarsenach), Burial-place of
the English. _Cladh_, a burial-place; _Sasunnach_, English,
Saxon, not a Gaelic speaker.
_Claidheamh mor_ (klymore), a broadsword, a claymore.
_Claidheamh_, a sword; _mor_, great, here broad.
_Clais na leac_ (klarsh na lyck), Hollow of the flat stones
or flags. _Clais_, a furrow, a hollow between ridges or
hills; _leac_, a flag.
_Claonadh_ (kluanar), slopes. Compare _inclining_.
_Clann Eachainn_ (klan erchen), offspring of Hector.
_Clann_, offspring or descendants. See _Eachainn_.
_Claymore._ See _Claidheamh mor_.
_Cleireach_ (klearoch), literally clerk. Priests often
called so from their scholarship. The Priest island off the
Greenstone Point is called _Cleireach_ in Gaelic. Compare
_Clericus_.
_Cliabh moine_ (kleea moanyer), peat creel. _Cliabh_, creel;
_moine_, peats.
_Cliff_, or _Clive_ (Gaelic Clu). See _Meall na Cluibha_.
_Clu_ (kloo), a local name; now treated as synonymous with
English _cliff_. See _Meall na Cluibha_.
_Cnoc a chrochadair_ (kroka chrochater), Hangman's hill.
_Cnoc_, a hill, a hillock; _chrochadair_, possessive of
_crochadair_, a hangman.
_Cnoc a croiche_ (krok a chroich), Gallows hill. _Croich_, a
gallows.
_Cnoc na mi-chomhairle_ (krok na mee ho-airlie), Hillock of
evil counsel. _Cnoc_, a hillock; _mi_ (like _mis-_), evil,
_comhairle_, counsel. _Mi_ is also a negative prefix like
_un-_.
_Coigeach_ (ko-yoch), probably the "fifth portion" [of a
davach]. _Coig_, five.
_Coille Aigeascaig_ (kul yaikaskaik); Wood of Aigeascaig.
_Coille_, a wood; see _Aigeascaig_.
_Coinneach_ (kuinyoch), Kenneth. The progenitor of the
Mackenzies.
_Coinneach Mac Sheumais_ (kuinyoch mak eearmis), Kenneth the
son of James. _Coinneach_, Kenneth; _Seumas_, James.
_Coinneachadh Beag_ (koonyochor bek), Little meeting-place.
_Coinneachadh_, meeting-place; _beag_, little.
_Coire an Easain_ (corrie an easan), Corrie of the little
waterfall. _Easan_, a little waterfall.
_Coire Cheud Cnoc_ (corrie hehud crok), Corrie of a hundred
hillocks. _Coire_, a corrie; _ceud_, hundred; _cnoc_, a
hillock.
_Coire Cheud Creagh_ (corrie hehud krayar), Corrie of a
hundred spoils. _Coire_, corrie; _ceud_, a hundred;
_creagh_, spoils. Name erroneously given by some to the
Corrie of a hundred hillocks. See last name.
_Coire Dubh Mor_ (corrie dhoo more), Great black corrie (or
dell).
_Coire Mhic Cromail_ (corrie vic krommle), The corrie of the
son of Cromail. _Mhic_, of the son of; _Cromail_, an old
name, meaning unknown.
_Coire nan Cuilean_ (corrie nan coollin), Corrie of the
cubs. _Cuilean_, a cub, a pup.
_Coppachy_, properly _Copachaidh_ (koppachie), Foam field.
_Cop_, foam; _achadh_, a field.
_Corcur_ (korker), red, crimson.
_Cota gearr_ (koita gaerr), short coat. _Cota_, a coat;
_gearr_, short.
_Co-thional_ (ko-yearnal), gathering together. _Comh_, or
_co_, fellowship (compare _company_); _tional_, gathering.
_Cove._ English name altered from cave. The Gaelic name of
the place is really _An Uamhaidh_ (nouahvie), or the place
of caves, from _uamh_, a cave. But it is more properly
called _An Uamh Mhor_, or the great cave, a name descriptive
of the cave still used as a place of worship.
_Cradh Gheadh_ (crargeear), Shieldrake. _Geag_, a goose.
_Craig_ (kraik), a crag or rock; properly spelt _creig_, or
_creag_.
_Craig a Chait_ (kraig a hart), Rock of the cat. _Chait_,
possessive of _cat_, which is the same in Gaelic as in
English, but was originally applied only to the wild cat.
_Craig an Dubh Loch_ (kraigan dhoo-loch), Rock of the black
loch.
_Craig an Fhithich_ (kraig an eech), Crag of the raven.
_Fhithich_, possessive of _fitheach_, a raven.
_Craig an Fhithich Mhor_ (kraig an eech vore), Big crag of
the raven.
_Craig an t' Shabhail_ (kraig an towl), Rock of the barn.
_Sabhal_, a barn.
_Craig Bhadain an Aisc_ (kraik vatn an ashk), Rock of the
clumps or groves of burial. _Badan_, clumps or groves;
_aisc_, obsolete word, meaning burial or interment, or
preparation for burial.
_Craig Bhan_ (kraig varn), White crag. _Ban_, white; and see
_Craig_.
_Craig Roy._ Properly _Craig Ruadh_, which see.
_Craig Ruadh_ (kraik roo-er), Red crag. See _Craig_ and
_Ruadh_.
_Craig Thairbh_ (kraik-harve), Bull rock. _Tarbh_, a bull.
_Craig Tollie_ (kraig tollie), properly _Creag Thollie_
(kraig holly), Rock of Tollie. See _Tollie_.
_Crannag_ (crannog). A crannog, or insulated fortress,
usually constructed on piles in a loch; the same word as
_crannag_, a pulpit.
_Crasg_ (krask). Meaning uncertain, possibly something that
lies across. _Crasg_ is the top of a spade, or cross piece
of a crutch. _Crasgach_ is something that goes contrary.
_Creagan an Inver_ (kraigan an innyr), Little rock of the
mouth of the river. _Inver_, mouth of a river.
_Cromasaig_, properly spelt _Crom Fhasadh_ (krommasak),
Crooked hollow. _Crom_, crooked; _fhasadh_, possessive of
_fasadh_, a hollow.
_Crubach_ (kruboch), lame of a leg. Compare _cripple_.
_Cruitear_, or _Cruitire_ (kroo-iter), a musician, a harper.
_Cuairtear nan Gleann_ (kooairter nan gleyoun), Pilgrim of
the glens. _Cuairtear_, a pilgrim; _gleann_, glens.
_Cu-dubh_ (koo dhoo), black dog. _Cu_, a dog.
_Cuil an Scardain_ (kool an scarten), Corner of the screes.
_Cuil_, a corner, a nook; _sgardan_, screes. The name is
very descriptive.
_Cuilchonich_ (kulhoanie), Mossy corner. _Coinneach_, green
moss; _cuil_, a corner.
_Culinellan_, properly _Cul an eilean_ (koolineylen), Back
of the island. _Cul_, back of; _eilean_, an island.
_Cumha Thighearna Ghearrloch_ (koovtcheerna yairloch),
Lament of or for the laird of Gairloch. _Cumha_, lament. See
_Tighearna_.
_Dal Cruaidh_ (dal crewie), hard field or flat. _Dal_, a
flat field; _cruaidh_, hard.
_Darach_ (darroch), an oak.
_Dearg_ (jarrak), red, like a rose.
_Diabaig_ (teapik). Norse name, meaning unknown; possibly
connected with _Dia_, God; _aig_, a small bay, so that it
may mean the small bay of God. Perhaps this has reference to
religious rites imported from the neighbouring monastery of
Applecross. _Diabaig_ is spelt _Typack_ on the map of 1662.
_Doire_ (derry), a grove.
_Domhnull Dubh_ (donnullul dhoo), Black Donald. _Domhnull_,
Donald; _dubh_, black.
_Domhnull Gorm_ (donnullul gorrum), Blue Donald. _Gorm_,
blue.
_Domhnull Greannach_ (donnullul gruonnoch), Sour or
savage-looking Donald. _Greannach_ also means irascible.
_Domhnull M'Eaine Roy Vic Choinnich_, should be _Domhnull
Mac Iain Ruadh Mhic Choinnich_ (donald mak eean ruar vick
kuinyoch), Donald son of John Roy (red John) son of Kenneth.
_Mac_, son of; _Mhic_ (or _Vic_), possessive of _Mac_.
_Domhnull Mor_ (donnullul more), Big Donald. _Domhnull_,
Donald; _mor_, big.
_Domhnull Odhar MacIain Leith_ (donnullul our mak yan lay),
Sallow or dun Donald son of Iain Liath or grey-haired John.
_Odhar_ also means drab. _Leith_, possessive of _Liath_,
grey.
_Donald._ See _Domhnull Dubh, &c._ Donald is often written
in these pages instead of its Gaelic spelling.
_Donn_ (down), brown, bay, or sable. Compare _dun_.
_Donnachadh Mor na Tuaighe_ (donnochar mor na tew-ay), Big
Duncan of the axe. _Donnachadh_, Duncan; _mor_, big;
_tuagh_, an axe.
_Donnachadh na Fadach_ (dunochar na fardoch), Duncan Fadach.
_Donnachadh_, Duncan; _Fadach_, name of the farm he had in
Kintail before he came to Inveran.
_Druim a Chait_ (dream a-hart), Ridge of the cat. _Druim_, a
ridge; _chait_, possessive of cat.
_Druim Carn Neill_ (dream karneyal), Ridge of the cairn of
Neil. _Druim_, or _droim_, a ridge or keel.
_Drumchork_, properly _Druim a choirc_ (drum-a-hawk), Ridge
of corn, or oats. _Druim_, a ridge; _coirce_, oats, corn.
_Dubh_ (dhoo), black.
_Dubh Loch_ (dhoo-loch), Black loch.
_Dun_ (doon), a castle; _Dunan_ (doonan), a small castle.
_Dun Naast_ (doonarst), Castle of Naast. See _Naast_.
_Eachainn_ (erchen), Hector. Hector is considered the
English equivalent, though it is not a translation of this
Gaelic name.
_Eachainn Geal_ (erchen gayal), White Hector. See _Eachainn_
and _Geal_.
_Eachainn Ruadh_ (erchen roo-er), Hector Roy. Hector is
considered the English equivalent for _Eachainn_; and see
_Ruadh_.
_Eilean_ (eylan), an island, isle.
_Eileanach_ (eylanoch), Island of the field. _Eilean_, isle;
_ach_, or _achadh_, or _achaidh_, a field. Perhaps it would
be more accurately translated The place of islands.
_Eileandonain_ (eylan donnan), Island Donain. _Donain_, name
of a saint, probably short for _Donnachadh_, or Duncan.
_Eilean a Mhor Righ_ (eylan a vor ree), Island of the great
king. An erroneous suggestion of the origin of the name
Maree.
_Eilean Dubh na Sroine_ (eylan dhoo na stronyer), Black
island of the nose or promontory. _Dubh_, black; _sron_
(stron), a nose or promontory.
_Eilean Grudidh_ (eylan gruydgie), Island Grudie. See
_Eilean_ and _Grudidh_.
_Eilean Horisdale_ (eylan horrisdel), properly _Eilean
Thorisdal_, the island of Thorsdale, a Norse name, which
see.
_Eilean Maree_ (eylan maree), Isle Maree. See _St
Maelrubha_.
_Eilean na h' Iolaire_ (eylan nar hewlar-yer), Island of the
eagle. _Iolaire_, an eagle.
_Eilean Ruaridh Beag_ (eylan rooarie vek), Little island of
Rorie or Roderick. _Beag_, little.
_Eilean Ruaridh Mor_ (eylan ruorie mor), Big island of
Rorie. _Mor_, big.
_Eilean Suainne_ (eylan soo-in), Everlasting isle.
_Suainne_, everlasting.
_Eirthire Donn_ (erriyer down), Brown shore. _Eirthira_,
shore; _donn_, brown.
_Erradale_ (erradale). Norse; probably from _earr_, a
boundary, the edge of.
_Ewan McGabhar_, properly _Eoghan Mac Gabhar_ (ewen mak
gower), Ewan son of the goat. _Gabhar_, a she-goat.
_Ewe_ (ew). May be a corruption from _uisge_ (usque), water.
Compare similar Welsh root _gwy_, water, as in Wye.
_Faidhir Mor_ (fire more), Great market. _Faidhir_, a fair
or market; _mor_, great or big.
_Failte Uilleam Dhuibh_ (falt yllyam oo-ey), Black William's
salute. _Failte_, a salute; _Uilleam_, William; _dhuibh_,
possessive of _dubh_, black.
_Fannich_, properly _Fanaich_ (fannich). Meaning unknown.
_Faoileag_ (fewlak), a sea-gull, name for a dog.
_Farquhar_ (properly _Fearchar_) _Buidhe_ (farkar boo-ie),
Yellow-haired Farquhar. See _Buidhe_.
_Fasagh_ (fassoch). From _Fasadh_ (pronounced fassoch),
meaning a hollow.
_Fe Leoid_, properly _Feith Leoid_ (fay lee-oade), The bog
of Leod (Loud). _Feith_, a bog; _Leoid_, possessive of
_Leod_, a Norse Christian name.
_Feachaisgean_, properly _Feith Chaisgean_ (fay harshkin),
Bog of Casgean. See _Beinn a Chaisgean_.
_Feadag-chuirn_ (fettak hee-oorn), Cairn plover. Gaelic name
of the dotteril. _Feadag_, a plover; _chuirn_, possessive of
_carn_, a cairn.
_Fear_, _Feur_, _Feir_, or _Fiar loch_ (fear loch), sedgy
loch. _Feur_, possessive _feoir_ (feyoar), sedge, reedy
grass.
_Fear Shieldaig_ (fear shieldak), The goodman of Shieldaig.
_Fear_ means a man, a goodman.
_Fedan Mor_ (fettan more), Big gullie. _Fead_ (fet), a
whistle; _feadan_, a little whistle or whistling thing
(applied to a gully because the wind whistles through it).
_Feadag_, the feminine diminutive of _fead_, is the name
given to the golden plover on account of its piping.
_Feileadh-beag_ (faylabek), philabeg, or kilt; literally
little kilt, _i.e._ the kilt made up separately as
distinguished from the _Breacan an Fheilidh_, the belted or
kilted plaid.
_Feill Iudha_ (fail you-her), Ewe market. _Feill_, a market;
_Iudha_, possessive of _Iu_, Ewe.
_Feir loch._ See _Fear loch_.
_Feith an Leothaid._ Same as _Fe-Leoid_, which see. This is
the more correct spelling.
_Feith Mhic Iain Dhuibh_ (fay vik an ooie), The bog of Black
John's son. _Feith_, a bog. See _Mac Iain Dhuibh_.
_Feithean Mor_, properly _Na feithean mor_ (fain more), The
great morasses. _Feith_ (pl. _feithean_), a morass, a bog.
_Feur loch._ See _Fear loch_.
_Fiaclachan_ (feearclochon), little toothed things.
Diminutive of _fiaclach_, toothed or jagged, _i.e._ the
little jagged rock; very descriptive.
_Fiar loch._ See _Fear loch_.
_Fionn Loch_ (fee-un-loch), Fingal's loch, or The white
loch. It is called Loch Finn on the map of 1662. _Fionn_
means white, pale, or wan. It is said the Fingalians were
called the white men in contradistinction to the Dugals or
black men.
_Fionnla Dubh MacGillechriosd_ (feeounla dhoo mak gillie
chree-est), Black Finlay, son of the servant of Christ. See
_MacGillechriosd_.
_Fionnla Dubh na Saighead_ (feeounla dhoo na side), Black
Finlay of the arrow. _Saighead_, an arrow.
_Fionnla Liath_ (feeounla leear), Grey Finlay. _Liath_,
grey.
_Firemore._ See _Faidhir mor_.
_Foura_ (foora), an island at the mouth of Loch Ewe. The
name includes the Norwegian suffix "a," meaning an island.
_Fuar_ (four) is Gaelic for cold.
_Fraoch-eilean_ (frooch-eylan), Heather isle. _Fraoch_,
heather.
_Fuirneis_ (furniss), Furnace. This name was most likely
originated here by iron-workers from Furness in Lancashire.
Furness, according to Rev. Isaac Taylor, may be Fireness,
the "fire isle," or "Fore-ness." Ness is Norse for a nose or
headland.
_Gael_ (gale), properly _Gaidheal_ (gai-al), a Highlander, a
Gael.
_Gaelic_ (gallik), properly _Gaidhealach_ (gai-alloch),
Highland.
_Gairloch_ (garloch), Short loch. Originally, and more
correctly, spelt _Gearrloch_ or _Gerloch_. _Gearr_, short.
It is always spelt _Gearrloch_ in Gaelic.
_Garadh Iaruinn_ (gaarogh eerun), Iron dyke. _Garradh_, a
dyke, a fence wall; _iaruinn_, iron.
_Garavaig_, properly _Garbhaig_ (garavaik), name of a small
river or burn. The termination "aig" is said to be old
Danish, and means a small bay, but the prefix is probably
from _garbh_, rough.
_Garbh_ (garav, or garve), rough.
_Garbh Choire_ (garav chorrie), Rough corrie.
_Garbh eilean_ (garaveylan), Rough island. _Garbh_, rough.
_Geal_ (gayal), white, bright.
_Gille_ (gillie), a lad, a young man, a gillie, a servant.
_Gille Buidhe_ (gillie boo-ie), Yellow, or yellow-haired
gillie. See _Gille_.
_Gille Cailean Mor_ (gilly callain more), The lad big Colin.
See separate words.
_Gille Dubh_ (gillie dhoo), Black, or black-haired lad.
_Gille Riabhach_ (gillie ree-oach), Brindled lad.
_Riabhach_, brindled.
_Gillean_ (gillyon), lads. Plural of _Gille_, which see.
_Gillean an t' Sealgair_ (gillyon ant shallager), the
hunter's lads. _Gillean_, lads, or young men; _sealgair_, a
hunter.
_Gillespic_ (gill-yespik), servant of the bishop. _Gille_,
servant; _easbuig_ (espik), bishop. Compare _Episcopus_.
_Glac Mhic Iain Dhuibh_ (glark vik an oo-ie), Hollow or dell
of the son of Black John. _Glac_, a hollow or dell; _Mhic_,
possessive of _Mac_, the son of; _dhuibh_, possessive of
_dubh_, black.
_Glac na Sguithar_ (glark nar skither), Hollow of Sguithar.
An old name; meaning now lost.
_Glas_ (glosh), grey. When applied to a man it means that he
is pale or sallow, never grey-haired.
_Glas eilean_ (glosh-eylan), Grey island. _Glas_, grey;
_eilean_, an island.
_Glas Leitire_ (glosh laytcher), Grey slope. See _Glas_ and
_Leitir_.
_Glen_, properly _Gleann_ (glen or gloun), a valley, a dale.
_Glen a Bianasdail_ (gloun ar beeanarstle), Glen of skin
field or dale, or _thal_. _Bian_, a wild animal's skin.
_Glen Cruaidh Choillie_ (glen or gloun cruchollie). May
perhaps be the hardwood glen. _Cruid_, hard; _coille_, wood.
_Glen Dochartie_, properly _Gleann Dochartidh_ (gloun
dochartie). _Dochart_, or _Dochartie_, is believed to have
been the name of a man.
_Glen na Muic_ (gloun na mook). _Muic_, possessive of _muc_,
a pig.
_Gobha dubh an uisge_ (gow dhoo an uisk), Blacksmith of the
water. _Gobha_, a smith; _dubh_, black; _uisge_, water.
_Gorm_ (gorrum), blue.
_Groban_ (groben). Probably a grooved rock, from _grobadh_,
to groove.
_Grudidh_, more correctly _Gruididh_ (gruydyie). Possibly
from _gruid_, dregs; because the dregs and sediment of
several burns drain into the Grudidh river.
_Gruinard_, in Gaelic _Gruinaird_ (grinyard). Meaning
unknown; may be from _grian_, the sun, and _aird_, a height.
It used to be sometimes spelt _Greinord_; may be Norse.
_Hector Roy._ English rendering of _Eachainn Ruadh_, which
see. No Gaelic word begins with _H_.
_Heglis Gherloch_, for _Eaglais Ghearrloch_ (erkless
yairloch), Church of Gairloch. _Eaglais_, a church.
_Heglis Loch Ew_, for _Eaglais Loch Iu_ (erkless loch ew),
Church of Loch Ewe.
_Horisdale._ See _Eilean Horisdale_.
_Iain Buidhe_ (eean boo-ie), Yellow, or yellow-haired John.
_Iain_, John. See _Buidhe_.
_Iain Buidhe Taillear_ (eean boo-ie tyler), Yellow-haired
John the tailor. _Taillear_, a tailor.
_Iain Caol_ (eean cool), Slender John. _Caol_, slender.
_Iain Dall_ (eean toul), Blind John. _Dall_, blind.
_Iain Dubh Mac Ruaridh_ (eean dhoo mak rooarie), Black John,
son of Rorie or Roderick. See separate words.
_Iain Geal Donn_ (eean gel town), Whitey-brown John. _Geal_,
white; _Donn_, brown.
_Iain Gearr_ (eean garr), Short John. _Gearr_, short.
_Iain Gearr Mac Mhurchaidh Mhic Iain_ (eean garr mak
muroochie vic yan), Short John, son of Murdo, son of John.
_Iain Glassich_ (eean glassoch), John of [Strath] Glass.
_Iain Liath_ (eean leear), Grey John. _Liath_, grey.
_Iain MacAllan Mhic Ruaridh_ (eean mak allan vik rooarie),
John, son of Allan, son of Rorie. See separate words.
_Iain Mac Coinnich Mhic Eachainn_ (eean mak kunyich vik
erchen), John, son of Kenneth, son of Hector.
_Iain Mac Eachainn Chaoil_ (eean mak erchen chooil), John,
son of slender Hector. _Chaoil_, possessive of _caol_,
slender.
_Iain Mac Ghille Challum_ (eean mak illie challum), John,
son of the lad Malcolm. See _Mac Ghille Challum_.
_Iain Mac Iain Uidhir_ (eean mak an eer), John, the son of
dun John. _Uidhir_ is the possessive of _odhar_, dun.
_Iain Mor am Post_ (eean more am post, pronounced like
cost), Big John the post.
_Iain Odhar Mac Iain Leith_ (eean our mak an lay), Dun John,
son of Grey John. _Odhar_, dun; _liath_, grey.
_Iain Ruadh_ (eean ruor, or ruag), John Roy, or Red John.
_Innis a Bhaird_ (ish y vard), Oasis (or "clearing") of the
bard. _Innis_, an island, or green oasis in a brown heathery
region; _bhaird_, possessive of _bard_.
_Innis Ghlas_ (inch gloss), The grey oasis. See _Innis a
Bhaird_. _Glas_, grey.
_Inveran_, in Gaelic _Inbhiran_ (in youren). _Inbhiran_ is
the diminutive of _Inbhir_ (inver), an estuary, or mouth of.
Inveran therefore means the little estuary. It takes this
name from the small estuary formed where the little river
from Kernsary enters Loch Maree.
_Inverasdale_, should be spelt _Inbhirasdal_ (in-ur-astle),
Mouth of the river Asdaile. Called _Ashfidill_, _Aspedell_,
or _Absdill_ in old documents.
_Inverewe_, Anglicé for _Inbhiriu_ (in yer ew), The mouth of
the Ewe. _Inver_ (Gallice _Inbhir_), mouth of a river.
_Judha._ See _Feill Iudha_. There is no word beginning with
_J_ in Gaelic.
_Kenlochewe_ (kinloch ew). See _Ceann loch iu_. The letter
_k_ does not occur in true Gaelic.
_Kenneth._ English form of _Coinneach_, which see.
_Kernsary_, spelt in Gaelic _Cearnsair_. A corruption,
probably from _carn_, a cairn; _aridh_, a shieling.
_Kerry_, properly spelt _Cearridh_. Meaning unknown; may be
connected with _cearr_, left, or wrong.
_Kerrysdale._ A modern English name; in Gaelic it is called
_Cathair Bheag_, or the little seat or green knoll on which
the fairies used to sit. Compare similar word in Welsh, as
in _Cader Idris_. _Bheag_ is possessive of _beag_, little.
_Kintail._ See _Ceann an t' sail_.
_Laide_ (laide), a slope. From _leathad_ (pronounced
_laid_), a slope. The place is called in Gaelic _Leathad
Udrigil_, or The slope of Udrigil.
_Lasan_ (larsan), a slight passion, wrath, anger.
_Leabaidh na Ba Bàine_ (lyeppy na papann), Bed of the white
cow. _Leabaidh_, a bed; _ba_, possessive of _bo_, a cow;
_bàine_, possessive of _ban_, white.
_Leabhar na Feinne_ (leeoar na fainyie), Book of the
Fingalians.
_Leac nan Saighead_ (lake nen side), Flag or flat rock of
the arrow. _Leac_, a flat rock, a flag; _saighead_, an
arrow.
_Leacaidh_ (lyechy), Place of flags, or flat rocks.
_Leitir_ (laychter, letter), slope on a hill side,
declivity.
_Leth chreag_ (laychrig), Half rock. _Leth_, half; _chreag_,
possessive of _creag_, a rock. This name is applied to
several rocky hills in Gairloch; it seems to imply that
one-half of the rock has fallen away.
_Letterewe_ (letter ew), Slope of Ewe. See _Leitir_. This
name is properly _Leitir Iu_.
_Leum an Doill_ (layum an toul), Blind man's leap.
_Lews_ (looze). From _Leogheas_ (leoas), _i.e._, the lands
of Leod, the progenitor of the MacLeods of the Lews.
_Liathgach_ (leeroch), The light-blue mountain. _Liath_,
light blue. This name should not have _Beinn_ before it.
_Loch_ (loch), a lake, an arm of the sea. _Lochan_, a small
lake, a tarn.
_Loch a Bhaid Luachraich_ (loch a vat loocharar), Loch of
the clump of rushes. _Bad_, a clump; _luachair_, rushes.
_Loch a Bheallaich_ (loch a veealoch), Loch of the pass.
_Beallach_, a pass.
_Loch a Chroisg_ (loch ach roshk). Anglicé _Loch Rosque_.
_Chroisg_, possessive of _Crosg_, name of a place. Meaning
unknown; possibly connected with _Crasg_, which see. Another
suggestion is that _Crosg_ may mean the Cross, and that the
name was given by ecclesiastics who unquestionably lived
here.
_Loch a Druing_ (loch a tring), Loch of Druing. _Druing_ is
probably a Norse word. It occurs as _Druingag_ in _Tobar
Druingag_, The well of Druingag, which is at the south end
of Loch a Druing.
_Loch an Iasgair_ (loch an ee-esker), Loch of the fisherman.
_Iasgair_, a fisherman; but in this case it refers to the
nesting here of the osprey or fishing eagle.
_Loch Bad na Sgalaig_ (loch bat na skallak), Loch of the
servant's grove. _Bad_, a grove (or clump); _sgalag_, a
servant.
_Loch Bad na h' Achlais_ (loch pat 'n achlass), Loch of the
grove of the hollow. _Achlais_, a hollow, the armpit.
_Loch Bharanaichd_ (loch varranocht), Loch of the barony.
_Baranachd_, a barony.
_Loch Broom_ (loch broom). An English imitation of the
Gaelic name, which is _Loch Bhraoin_ (loch vruin). _Braon_
means a light shower, drops of rain, drizzle.
_Loch Clair_, properly _Clar_ (loch clar). Means anything
flat, as the head of a barrel, leaf of a table, the front or
plain piece of a kilt. The stone tables of the law are
called _clar_ in the Gaelic bible.
_Loch Coulin_ (loch koalin). Coulin (or Connlin) is from
_Connlach_, a Fingalian hero, who was buried on a promontory
in the loch. The site of his grave is still pointed out.
_Loch Fada_ (loch fatter), Long loch. _Fada_, long.
_Loch Fear_, _Feur_, _Feir_, or _Fiar_. See _Fear loch_.
_Loch Gharbhaig_ (loch garravaik), Loch of the Garavaig,
which see.
_Loch Maree._ See _St Maelrubha_.
_Loch Mhic 'ille Rhiabhaich_ (loch vik illie reeoach), Loch
of MacGille Riabhach, whom see.
_Loch na Beiste_ (loch na peyest), Loch of the beast.
_Beist_, a beast, a brute.
_Loch na h' Oidhche_ (loch na hayich), Loch of night.
_Oidhche_, night.
_Loch nan Dailthean_ (loch nan dullann), Loch of the
meadows. _Dail_, a field, a meadow.
_Loch Rosque._ See _Loch a Chroisg_.
_Loch Torr na h' Eiginn_ (loch torr na haykin), Loch of the
mound of violence. _Torr_, a mound; _eiginn_, violence.
_Lochan a' Neigh._ Should be _Lochan an Fheidh_, which see.
_Lochan an Fheidh_ (lochan a neay), Loch of the deer.
_Fheidh_, possessive of _fiadh_, deer.
_Lochan Cul na Cathrach_ (lochan cool na karroch), Tarn of
[or at] the back of the fairies' seat. _Cul_, back of;
_cathrach_, possessive of _cathair_, a seat, a word usually
applied to the fairies' seats.
_Lochan nan Airm_ (lochan nan arram), Loch of the arms.
_Airm_, possessive of _aram_ (or _armachd_), arms.
_Lochan nan Breac_, or _Lochan nan Breac Adhair_ (lochanan
brake aar), Lochan of the trout from the sky. _Adhar_, the
sky. When trout are found in a loch without inlet or outlet,
they are supposed to have fallen from the sky.
_Lochend_ (Dog Gaelic), End of the loch.
_Londubh_ (lonedhoo), Black bog. _Lon_, a bog; _dubh_,
black.
_Longa_ (longer). Norse name; the termination _a_ is an old
Norse suffix meaning an isle. _Long_ may be Norse equivalent
to the English _long_, or it may possibly be the Gaelic
_long_, a ship. In old maps it is called _Lunga_.
_Lonmor_ (lone more), Big bog. _Lon_ (lone), a bog; _mor_,
big.
_Luibmhor_ (loopmore), Great bend [or loop]. _Luib_, a bend.
_Lungard_ (lungard). An old name; meaning unknown.
_Mac_ (mak), Son of. Possessive _mhic_ (vik), of the son of.
_Mac a Ghille Riabhaich_ (mak illie ree-oach), Son of Gille
Riabhach. See _Gille Riabhach_.
_Mac Callum_ (makallum), Son of Malcolm.
_Mac Coinnich_ (mak kunnich), Son of Kenneth. _Mac_, son of;
_Coinnich_, possessive of _Coinneach_, which see.
_Mac Ghille Challum_ (mak illie Challum), The son of the lad
Malcolm. _Ghille_, possessive of _Gille_; _Challum_,
possessive of _Callum_, Malcolm.
_Mac Gilleandreis_ (mak gilloundris), Son of the servant of
[St] Andrew. _Gille_, a servant; _Aindrea_, or _Andreis_,
Andrew.
_Mac Gillechriosd_ (mak gillie chree-est), Son of the
servant of Christ. _Chriosd_, Christ. See _Gille_.
_Mac Iain Dhuibh_ (mak an ooie), Son of Black John. _Mac_,
son of; _dhuibh_, possessive of _dubh_, black.
_MacLean_ (mak laine). In Gaelic this name is _Mac'ill'ean_,
possibly for _Mac Ghille Iain_, meaning the son of the
servant of John, or St John.
_MacLennan_ (maklennan). In Gaelic the name is _Mac a
Leinnan_, from _leine_, a shirt, referring to the first
MacLennan having been the armour bearer who carried his
"shirt" of mail for Mackenzie, lord of Kintail.
_Mac Leod_ (makloud), the Son of Leod, progenitor of all the
MacLeods.
_Mac Mhic Cordaigh_ (mak vik orday), Son of the son of
Cordaigh.
_Mac Olamh Mhor_ (mak olar vor), Son of Olaf the Great.
_Olaf_, a Norse name.
_Macdonald_, The son of Donald. It is not used in this form
in Gaelic. The proper Gaelic equivalent is _Domhnullach_
(donnulloch); it also means, the son of Donald. _Mac
Dhomhnuill_ is, however, frequently used.
_MacRae_ (mak ray), Son of fortune. _Mac_, son of; _rath_,
fortune.
_Maighdean_ (maidchen), Maiden.
_Maighstir Sgoil_ (maishter skol), Schoolmaster.
_Maighstir_, a master; _sgoil_, a school.
_Mali chruinn donn_ (mallie cruntown), Round brown Molly.
_Mali_, Molly; _cruinn_, round; _donn_, brown.
_Maolmuire_ (melmur), Tonsured one of Mary. _Maol_, a
cropped head; _muire_, the virgin [Mary].
_Marbhrann_ (marvran), an elegy. _Marbh_, dead; _rann_,
verse.
_McKenzie_ or _Mackenzie_. Corrupted from _Mac Coinnich_,
which see.
_Meall_ (meoul), a hill; literally a lump, usually applied
to a lump of a hill. _Meallan_, a little hill.
_Meall a Deas_, (mella teyess), Hill of the south. _Deas_,
south.
_Meall a Ghuibhais_ (meyoul a huish), Hill of the fir.
_Guibhas_, a fir.
_Meall an Doire_ (meyoul an derry), Hill of the grove.
_Meall Aridh Mhic Craidh_ (meyoul arry vik creear), Hill of
the shieling of Criadh. _Aridh_, a shieling; _Criadh_, name
of a man, meaning unknown.
_Meall Aundrairidh_ (meyoul aurndrarey). Possibly meant for
hill of Andrew, or of Andrew's shieling; if the latter, the
termination would be from _aridh_, a shieling.
_Meall Lochan a Chleirich_ (meyoul lochan a chlearich), Hill
of the loch of the priest. _Cleireach_, a clerk. The priests
were sometimes called _cleireach_, from their scholarship.
_Meall na Cluibha_ (meyoul na clua), Hill of Clu (_Anglicè_
Cliff hill). _Clu_ may be connected with _cluain_, good
pastures.
_Meall na Glaice Daraich_ (meyoul na glarker darroch), Hill
of the oak dell. _Glac_, a dell; _darach_, oak.
_Meall nam Meallan_ (meyoul namellan), Hill of the hills.
_Meallan_, plural of _Meall_, hills.
_Meall Mheannidh_, or _Meadhonach_, more correctly the
latter (meyoul vahanny, or meyharnoch), The middle hill.
_Meall_, hill; _meadhonach_, intermediate.
_Meallan Chuaich_ (mellan chuaich), Little hill of the cup,
or quaich. Compare _quaff_.
_Meallan na Ghamhna_ (mellan a gowna), Stirk hill.
_Meallan_, a little hill, _gamhainn_, a stirk.
_Meallan Thearlaich_ (mellan harelich), Little hill of
Charles. _Tearlach_, Charles; _meallan_, diminutive of
_meall_. _Anglicè_, Mellon Charles.
_Mellon Charles._ See _Meallan Thearlaich_.
_Mellon Udrigil_ (mellon oodrigil), Hill of Udrigil, which
see.
_Melvaig_ (melvik). Probably Norse; or may be from _meal_
and _beag_, making _Mealbheag_ (meyoul vek), the little
hill. In Gaelic it is spelt _Mealabhaig_, which favours the
Norse origin. _Aig_, old Danish for a little bay. _Melvaig_
used to be spelt _Malefage_, _Mailfog_, _Melvag_.
_Midton_, for Middletown. An English word. See _Ballymeon_.
_Mioll._ Corruption of _Meall_.
_Moladh Mairi_ (molloch marrie), Praise of Mary. _Moladh_,
praise; _Mairi_, Mary.
_Mor_ (more, or mohr), great, or big.
_Mor Ban_ (moore barn), Fair Sarah. _Mor_, Sarah; _ban_,
white, fair.
_Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair_ (mulloch corrie vik
erraquhar), Summit of the corrie of Farquhar's son.
_Mulloch_, summit; _coire_, corrie; _Mhic_, of the son of;
_Fhearchair_, possessive of Farquhar.
_Murchadh Mac Mhurchaidh_ (muroochuch mak muroochie), Murdo,
son of Murdo. _Murchadh_, Murdo; possessive _Murchaidh_.
_Murchadh Riabhach na cuirce_ (muroochuch reeoach na kurke),
Brindled Murdo of the bowieknife. _Murchadh_, Murdo;
_riabhach_, brindled; _cuirce_, possessive of _corc_, a
knife like a bowieknife (a knife that does not shut).
_Murdo Mc Conill varchue vic Conill vic Allister._ Old
(almost phonetic) way of writing the Gaelic for "Murdo the
son of Donald Murdo, the son of Donald, the son of
Alastair." _Conill_ seems to represent _Dhomhnuill_ (the
initial "c" belongs to the preceding word), and _varchue_ is
for _Mhurchaidh_, the possessive cases respectively of
_Domhnuill_ and _Murchadh_. _Vic_, of course, is for _Mhic_,
of the son of.
_Naast_, or _Naust_ (narst). A Norse word. Fäste is Norse
for a fortress; its Gaelic form with the article would be
Näste. There is here a knowe by the sea called _Dun Naast_,
apparently including the Gaelic _Dun_, a castle.
_Ob Choir' I_ (ope corree), Bay of the island of the corrie,
or Island Corrie Bay. _Ob_, a bay; _choire_, possessive of
_coire_, a corrie; _i_, old Gaelic for an island. Iona is
still called "_I_" in Gaelic.
_Oban_ (open, or oben), a little bay.
_Og_ (ogue, pronounced as in rogue), young.
_Oighrig_ (eyrig). Woman's name; Euphemia is considered to
be the English equivalent.
_Openham._ Corrupted from _Opinan_, which see.
_Opinan_ (opinen), Little bays. Corrupted from _Obanan_,
plural of _Oban_, which see.
_Oran na Feannaige_ (oran na feounak), Song of the hoodie
crow. _Oran_, song; _feannag_, a hoodie crow, _i.e._ the
Royston or grey crow.
_Ormiscaig_ (ormscaik). A Norse name; its termination means
a small bay. The word may include _Ormr_, Norse for a
serpent. (See Rev. Isaac Taylor on Orme's Head.)
_Padruig Caogach_ (partrik kuogoch), Skew-eyed Peter.
_Caogach_, skew-eyed; _Padruig_, Peter, or Patrick.
_Philabeg._ See _Feileadh Beag_. _Philabeg_ is a lowland
form of the name of the kilt.
_Piobaire Ban_ (peepier ban), The fair piper. _Piobaire_, a
piper; _ban_, fair, white.
_Piobaire Dall_ (peepi-er toul), Blind piper. _Piobaire_, a
piper; _dall_, blind.
_Piobaireachd_ (peebyrocht), Pipe music. Usually applied to
a set piece in the form now commonly called a pibroch.
_Ploc_ (plok), a round mass.
_Ploc_ (plok) of Torridon. See _Ploc_.
_Ploc-ard_ (plokart), Height of the round mass. See _Ploc_
and _Aird_.
_Poll a Chuillin_ (poll a choolin), Pool of the hollies.
_Poll_, a pool; _cuilionn_, hollies.
_Poolewe_ (pool-ew). This name means the pool of the Ewe; in
Gaelic it is _Poll-iu_. _Poll_, a pool; _iu_, ewe.
_Port Henderson._ A modern name. The colloquial Gaelic name
of the place is _Portigill_ (porstigil). May be from _Port a
geal_, the white port.
_Port na h' Eille_ (port na hail), Port of the thong.
_Iall_, a thong, a leather strap; possessive _eille_.
_Port na Heile_ (port na hail). See _Port na h' Eille_.
_Pronadh na Mial_ (prone-a na meoul), Crushing the louse.
_Pronadh_, crushing; _mial_, louse.
_Raasay_, properly _Rasaidh_ (raaser). Norse name. May
perhaps include _rath_, an obsolete word for a round fort.
_Rathad Mor_ (rart more), High (great) road. _Rathad_, road;
_mor_, great.
_Regoilachy_ (regoalachie). From _fhrith_ (_ree_), a forest,
and _gobhlach_, forked. The termination is probably for
euphony, but may represent _achadh_, a field.
_Rob Donn_ (rob doun), Brown or dun Robert; the soubriquet
of the great Reay bard. _Rob_, Robert; _donn_, brown, or
dun.
_Rob Roy_, for _Rob Ruadh_ (rob rooer), Red Robert.
_Rona_ (rowna). Norse; probably seal island. _Ron_ is Gaelic
for a seal; _a_ is a Norse suffix meaning an island.
_Roy._ See _Ruadh_.
_Ru_, or _Rudha_ (roo, or rooah), a point, a promontory.
_Ru Nohar._ Should be _Rudha 'n Fhomhair_, which see.
_Ruadh_ (ru-er, or rooag), red, or auburn. Anglicé, _roy_.
_Ruadh Stac_ (rooer stak), Red stack, or steep rock. _Stac_,
a steep rock.
_Ruaridh an Torra_ (roo-arie-an-tor), Rorie of the tor, or
round smooth hill.
_Ruaridh Breac_ (roo-arie brake), Spotted (or pock-pitted)
Rorie, or Roderick. See _Breac_.
_Ruaridh Ceard_ (roo-arie kard), Rorie the tinker. _Ceard_,
a tinker.
_Ruaridh Donn_ (roo-arie doun), Brown or dun Rorie.
_Ruaridh Mac Allan M'Leod_ (roo-arie mak allan mak loud),
Rorie, son of Allan M'Leod.
_Rudha aird an anail_ (roo-arten annall), High point of
breathing. _Anail_, breathing; _aird_, high.
_Rudha Chailleach_ (roo chyleoch), Point of the old woman.
_Rudha_, a point; _cailleach_, an old woman.
_Rudha Mac Gille Aindreas_ (roo mak ill andres), Point of
the servant of [St] Andrew. See _Mac Gilleandreis_.
_Rudha mhadaidh ruaidh_ (roo vatter roo-ie), Fox point, or
point of the red dog. _Rudha_, a point; _madadh_, a dog;
_ruadh_, red.
_Rudha 'n Fhomhair_, or _Fhamhair_ (roo noher), The point of
the giant. _Fomhair_, a giant.
_Rudha na Cloiche uaine_ (roo na clor-choo-ownyer),
Greenstone point. _Cloiche_, possessive of _clach_, a stone;
_uaine_, green.
_Rudha Reidh_ (roo ray), Smooth point or headland. _Rudha_,
a point; _reidh_, level. The name is very descriptive of the
appearance of the headland as seen from the sea.
_Runrig._ A south Scotch or English word. In Gaelic it is
called _Mag maseach_ (mark mer sharch). _Mag_, a rig;
_maseach_, alternate.
_Ruymakilvandrich._ See _Rudha Mac Ghille Aindreas_.
_Sabhal Geal_ (sowl gayal), White barn. See separate words.
_Sail Mor_ (sal more, or sowl more), The great heel. _Sail_,
a heel. Descriptive of the shape of this spur of _Beinn
Eighe_.
_Saint Maelrubha_ (saint malruie). Maree is a corruption
from this saint's name.
_Sand_ (sand, or saunda). Name of a place by a sandy beach;
evidently Norse. The full name of the place called Big Sand
is _Sanda a chorran_, meaning "the sand of the shingly
spit."
_Sasunnach_ (sarsenach), Saxon, English, not a Gaelic
speaker. _Sasunnach mor_, the big Englishman.
_Scardroy._ See _Sgaird ruadh_.
_Scuir_, or _Sgorr_ (skoor), a peak or cliff.
_Scuir a Laocainn_ (scoor a lyooakin), Peak of the calf's
skin. _Laodh_, a calf; _gin_, abbreviation for _craiceann_
(crakin), a skin.
_Scuir a Mhuilin_ (skoor a voollin), Peak of the mill.
_Mhuilin_, possessive of _muileann_, a mill.
_Scuir na Feart_ (scoor na hairsht). Name of a peak; meaning
unknown.
_Seann Rudha_ (shoun roo), Old promontory. _Seann_, old;
_rudha_, promontory.
_Seann Seoc_ (shoun shok), Old Jock. _Seann_, old; _seoc_,
Jock or Jack.
_Seann Tighearna_ (shoun tcheerna), Old laird. _Seann_, old;
_tighearna_, laird, proprietor.
_Seannachaidh_ (shennachie), Reciter of old tales, recorder,
remembrancer.
_Seonaid Chrubach_ (shounat chruboch), Lame Jessie.
_Seonaid_, Jessie; _crubach_, lame.
_Sgaird ruadh_ (scart rooer), Red scree. _Sgaird_, a scree,
shingly slope.
_Sgalag_ (skallak), a servant, farm servant.
_Sgeir_, or _Skeir_ (skeer), a rock surrounded by the sea.
_Sgeir a Bhuic_ (skeir a vook), Island rock of the buck.
From _sgeir_, a rock surrounded by the sea, and _bhuic_,
possessive of _boc_, a buck.
_Sgeir an Fharaig_ (skeir an harrik), Island rock of the
surf. From _fairge_, surf, sea.
_Sgeir Bhoora_ (skeir voora), Island rock of Boor. From
_sgeir_, a rock surrounded by the sea, and _Bhoora_,
possessive of _Boor_.
_Sgorr_, or _Sgurr_ (skor, or skoor), a peak. It is often
written here as elsewhere _Scuir_, but the former words are
more correct.
_Sgorr Dubh_ (scorr dhoo), Black peak.
_Sgurr Ban_ (skoor barn), White peak. _Sgurr_, a peak;
_ban_, white.
_Shieldaig_ (shieldak). Probably a Norse name; meaning
unknown. _Aig_ is an old Danish suffix meaning a small bay.
_Shieldaig_ was formerly spelt _Syldage_, _Sildag_, and
_Shilkag_.
_Sian_, or _Seun_ (shee-un), a spell, charm, incantation.
_Siol Mhic Ghille Challum_ (sheeol vik illie challum), Seed
of Mac Gille Challum, whom see.
_Siol Tormod_ (sheeol tormot), Seed of Tormod.
_Siol Torquil_ (sheeol torquil), Seed of Torquil.
_Sitheanan Dubha_ (sheean-an dhooar), Black knowes, fairies'
hills. _Sithean_, a knowe; _dubh_, black.
_Skar_ (scar), a screen. Obsolete.
_Slaggan_, properly _Slagan_ (slagan). Diminutive of slag,
or lag, a hollow. This place is for identification called in
Gaelic _An slagan odhar_ (an slagan our), or The little dun
hollow.
_Slatadale_ (slay ter dle). Norse; or it might possibly be
connected with _slaitan_, fishing rods. In the old map of
1662 it is spelt _Slotadull_.
_Slioch_, or _Sleugach_ (slee-och), resembling a spear.
_Sleagh_, a spear. The mountain from some points of view is
like a broad spear head. The name should not have _Beinn_
before it.
_Slogan_ (sloggan), a war cry. Obsolete now.
_Smiorsair_ (smearesar). Name of a hamlet; probably from
_smior_, the marrow, the best; _aridh_, a shieling.
_Spidean Moirich_ (speetan moi-or-ich), Peak of Martha.
_Spidean_, a peak; _Moirich_, possessive of _Moireach_,
Martha.
_Sporan_ (sporran), a purse.
_Srondubh_ (strondhoo), Black nose or promontory. _Sron_
(stron), a nose or promontory.
_Sron a Choite_ (strunyer hote), Nose (or promontory) of the
coble. _Sron_ (stron), a nose or promontory; _choite_,
possessive of _coite_, a coble.
_Stac Buidhe_ (stack boo-ie), Yellow stack, _i.e._ steep
rock. _Stac_, a stack, _buidhe_, yellow.
_Stank house._ An English name; but _stank_ is from the
Gaelic _staing_, a ditch.
_Steall a Mhunidh_ (shteyole a vonie), Splash of the
Pisvache. A fine waterfall, resembling the _Pisvache_ of
European celebrity.
_Strath_, properly _Srath_ (strah), a broad valley.
_Strath Chromple_ (strath roumpil), Valley of the curved
opening. _Crom_, curved; _beul_, mouth or opening.
_Suarachan_ (shore-achen). Soubriquet of Big Duncan of the
Axe, being the diminutive of _Suarach_, insignificant;
referring to his not having been thought worthy of being
armed for the battle of Park.
_Suidheachan Fhinn_ (seeachan een), Fingal's seat.
_Suidheachan_, a turf seat; _Fhinn_, possessive of _Fionn_,
Fingal.
_Tagan_ (tahkan). Possibly Norse; may be from _tathaich_, a
resort.
_Talladale_ (tallardle). Probably Norse; may be from
_talla_, a hall, and the Norse _dahl_ or _dal_. In old
documents it is spelt _Alydyll_, _Allawdill_, and
_Telledill_. The two former spellings suggest that the name
was formerly spelt with "th," pronounced as a soft aspirate.
_Thorisdal_, Dale of the Norse god Thor. See _Eilean
Horisdale_.
_Tigh Dige_ (ty dgeegie), House of the ditch. _Tigh_, a
house; _dig_, a ditch.
_Tigh mo Sheanair_ (ty mer henner), House of my grandfather.
_Tigh_, a house; _mo_, my; _sheanair_, possessive of
_seanair_, grandfather.
_Tighearna Crubach_ (tcheerna krupboch), Lame laird.
_Tighearna Ruadh_ (tcheerna roer), Red or auburn-haired
laird or proprietor. _Tighearna_, laird; _ruadh_, red.
_Tighearna Storach_ (tcheerna storroch), Buck-toothed laird.
_Tighnafaolinn_ (ty na fualin). The sea-mews' home. _Tigh_,
a house, home; _faoileann_, a sea-gull.
_Tobar Mhoire_ (toppervorie) Well of the Virgin Mary, or of
Mourie. _Tobar_, a well; _Mhoire_, possessive of _Moire_,
Mary.
_Tobar nan ceann_ (topper nan keyoun), Fountain or well of
the heads. _Tobar_, a fountain, a well; _ceann_, a head.
_Tollie_, properly _Tollidh_ (tolly), diminutive of _Toll_,
a hole. All the _Tollies_ are in hollows. _Idh_ is a rare
diminutive, but is sometimes used even in the present day.
_Torasgian._ See _Tor-sgian_.
_Torr_ (torr), a mound or lump; generally applied to a round
hill. The name is common in Gairloch and the neighbourhood,
and seems specially applicable to the hummocks or domes of
gneiss, noted as so frequent in this locality by Professor
Geikie. The name _Cnoc_ (krock), a knoll, has a somewhat
similar meaning.
_Torran nan Eun_ (torranan eeon), Mounds of the birds.
_Torran_, mounds; _eun_, a bird.
_Torran nan tighearnan_ (torran nan tchee-ernan), Mounds of
the chieftains. _Torr_, a mound; _tighearn_, a chief,
literally superior of land.
_Torridon_ (torriden). Old name; perhaps Norse. Can it
possibly be connected with _torran_, mounds, or lumps, which
would be very descriptive? It is spelt _Torvedene_ in the
Sheriff's protocol of 1494.
_Tor-sgian_ (toroshkin), peat cutter. _Tor_, a lump;
_sgian_, a knife.
_Tournaig_, Gallice _Turnaig_ (toornak). A Norse name. The
suffix _aig_ means a small bay in old Danish.
_Truibhais_ (trewish), trews, a sort of trousers.
_Tulachan_ (toolachen), a sham calf. Compare Gaelic _tulg_,
to rock, or toss. The sham calf was moved to and fro to make
the cow think it was sucking.
_Tulchan._ See _Tulachan_.
_Tulloch Ard_ (tullochart), High knoll. _Tulloch_ from
_tulach_, a knoll; _ard_, high.
_Uamh_ (oo-av), a cave.
_Uamh a' Mhail_ (oo-av a varl), Cave of rent or tribute.
_Mhail_, possessive of _Mal_, rent or tribute.
_Uamh nam Freiceadain_ (ooie nam rekatan), Cave of the
guard. _Freiceadan_, a guard, watching.
_Uamh an Oir_ (ooav an or), Cave of gold. _Oir_, possessive
of _or_, gold.
_Uamh gu do roghiann_ (ooie gat der ooun), Cave for your
choice. _Gu_, to, or for; _do_, your; _roghiann_, choice.
_Uamh Mhic 'ille Rhiabhaich_ (ooie vick illie reeoach), The
cave of the son of the brindled gillie or lad. _Mhic_ (vik),
possessive of _Mac_, son of; _'ille_, for _ghille_,
possessive of _gille_. See _Mac Gille Riabhaich_.
_Udrigil_ (oodrigil). Probably a Norse name; meaning
unknown.
_Ullapool_ (oo-la-pull). An old name; probably from _uile_,
all, and _poll_, a pool; signifying that it is a pool large
enough for all.
_Uistean_ (ooshtan). A Gaelic Christian name; Hugh is
considered the English equivalent.
_Vic._ Popular spelling of _Mhic_, the possessive of _Mac_,
son of. There is no _v_ or _w_ in Gaelic.
INTRODUCTION.
Rathad mor a Ceann-loch-iu,
Rathad ur a Ghearloch;
Gabhaidh sinn an rathad mor
Olc na math le cach e.--_Gaelic Song._
The high road to Kenlochewe,
The new road to Gairloch;
Storm or sunshine, take with me
The high road to Gairloch.--_Free rendering._
Gairloch is a typical Highland parish on the west coast of Ross-shire.
Its length, from Loch Rosque to Rudha Reidh, is thirty miles, and its
width is fifteen miles, so that it is one of the most extensive parishes
in Great Britain.
The name "Gairloch" is composed of two Gaelic words, _gearr_ and _loch_.
_Gearr_ means "short"; and the sea-loch which gives its name to the
parish is appropriately called short, as compared with Loch Broom, Loch
Ewe, and other more deeply indented arms of the sea. The native spelling
and pronunciation of the name prove the derivation beyond all question.
There is a curious muddle in the old and new Statistical Accounts about
the origin of the name Gairloch. In the former (Appendix C) it is said
to have been taken from "a very small loch near the church and the house
of Flowerdale, and so close by the shore that the sea at high tides
covers it." In the New Statistical Account (Appendix E) "a hollow spot
of ground" is spoken of as "the Gairloch," and the writer states that
the natives allege that the parish takes its name from it. The
explanation is supplied by the story of Hector Roy and the three M'Leods
given in Part I., chap. ix. The place referred to as "a very small loch"
and "a hollow spot of ground," is now represented by a well, still
called "the Gairloch" from the reason given in that story, but it did
not originate the name of the parish.
* * * * *
The name Gairloch is used in four different senses both in the following
pages and among the inhabitants. It means,--
1. The sea-loch or bay of Gairloch.
2. The whole parish.
3. The place at the head of the sea-loch where the hotel,
&c., stand, more properly called Achdistall.
4. The original estate of the Mackenzie lairds of Gairloch.
These various meanings are a little confusing, but the context generally
makes clear what is intended.
* * * * *
Considerations of health, followed by growing appreciation of the charms
of Gairloch, have caused me to make my Highland home in this
out-of-the-world parish. Its romantic scenery and health-giving climate
are its most obvious attractions; but add to these its wonderful legends
and traditions, the eventful history of its dominant family, the story
of its old ironworks, the interesting peculiarities of its Highland
inhabitants, the distinction conferred upon it by the visit of Her
Majesty Queen Victoria, the great geological controversy about its
rocks, the sport its waters afford to the angler, the varied subjects it
displays to the artist, and the pregnant fields of research it yields to
the scientist, and you have a list of allurements it would be difficult
to beat elsewhere. Though its boundary line extends to within five miles
of the railway, Gairloch still preserves many of the characteristics of
old days, and these not only possess a peculiar fascination for most
people, but are also well fitted to arouse and nourish a spirit of
investigation.
* * * * *
The famous Loch Maree (with the small but romantic islet known as Isle
Maree) is surrounded by the finest scenery in the parish. Their
attractions bring annually some three thousand visitors to Gairloch. One
might have fancied that such an influx of people would have led to the
accumulation of a large and increasing stock of knowledge of this
Highland parish, but as a rule the visitors are here to-day and gone
to-morrow, and take no thorough interest in the country or its
inhabitants.
Some years ago I happened to travel by the railway from Inverness to
Achnasheen in the company of a pleasant party, comprising a gentleman
and three ladies, who were making a tour in the Highlands. They boasted
that, though their time had been limited to a very few days, they would
have seen the greater part of the Highlands before they returned home.
On the day I fell in with them their object was to see Loch Maree. To
accomplish this they had arranged by telegraph for a carriage and pair
to await the arrival of the train at Achnasheen. The day proved wet and
misty, and I saw them leave the railway station in a close carriage. I
followed soon after on the mail-car. A short delay took place at
Kenlochewe whilst the horses were changed. There I found my
fellow-travellers enjoying their lunch in the hotel. They told me that
although the day was too wet for them to drive down to the shore of the
loch, and too misty to admit of its being fully seen from a distance,
yet they were quite able to say that they had seen Loch Maree, for at
one point they had put their heads out of the windows of their carriage
during a brief cessation of the rain and had distinctly seen the water
of the loch! They were returning to Achnasheen as soon as they had
swallowed their lunch, to catch the train back to Inverness the same
afternoon.
These tourists, who thus professed to have "seen Loch Maree," were a
fair type of too many of those who rush through Gairloch, as if their
sole object were to cover the most ground in the shortest possible time,
and who thus fail to obtain any true perception of the belongings of the
country, even of the scenery.
There are first-rate hotels within the parish, and lodgings may
frequently be hired, or a furnished house taken. The hotels offer the
inducement of lower terms to those whose visits exceed the usually brief
period.
Impressions of scenery are fixed by repetition; insight into nature is
deepened by observation; and knowledge of a country is vastly more
valuable if it include some acquaintance with the population, their
characters, condition, and means of livelihood. Too many visitors
overlook their opportunities in these directions.
Some remarks are necessary with regard to the traditions of Gairloch,
contained mostly in Part I. In recent times there has been a tendency to
discredit all such traditions, and to treat them as symbolic or didactic
legends, or as localisations (with extra colouring) of myths common to
the heroic period of every country. The principal features of one or two
of the Gairloch traditions are certainly to be found in stories of other
parts of the Highlands, and occasionally, but rarely, a resemblance may
even be traced to the plot of some ancient European myth. On the other
hand, it is to be noted that the Highland bards, down to the present
time, have regularly transmitted their stories in precisely the same
language from one trained memory to another, so that even the very words
put into the mouths of the _dramatis personæ_ have been insisted upon in
every transmission. Another point to be noticed is, that except in two
instances the Gairloch traditions do not date further back than four
centuries. In the older legends referred to, visible evidences, such as
the tombstones in Isle Maree and the cave at Ardlair, may perhaps be
considered confirmatory. For my own part, I am disposed to accept all
the traditions as generally worthy of credence. Much interest in the
locality is gained by doing this, and certainly nothing is lost!
A difficulty the visitor to Gairloch always experiences is due to the
Gaelic names. The Glossary should help to overcome this obstacle. Not
only does it include the meanings of the Gaelic words, but it attempts
to indicate their pronunciations. I am bound to warn the reader that the
pronunciations stated are only approximate. There are sounds in the
Gaelic language which cannot be expressed by English tongues or to
English ears by any combinations of letters. Yet most of the
pronunciations stated are sufficiently near the truth to answer ordinary
purposes. I recommend the reader to refer to the Glossary at the
occurrence of each Gaelic name in the book, and those names and their
import will soon become familiar. The Gaelic sound of _ch_ is about the
same as that of the German _ch_; it does not occur in the English
language, but unless you can master it there is no use in your trying to
speak even the two leading names in this parish,--viz., Gairloch, and
Loch Maree. Whatever you do, pray avoid pronouncing _loch_ as if it were
_lock_. This is the most egregious error made by many southerners in
trying to speak the commonest Highland names.
In communicating to the public the information about Gairloch contained
in the following pages, I claim the right to offer a word or two of
counsel and entreaty.
I would submit that it is unfair, as well as discourteous, to interfere
with the rights of those who take deer forests or rent sheep farms.
Rambles on upland moors and mountain ascents are almost certain to
injure the sport or privileges of others. I am aware there is a strong
feeling that every one ought to have access to mountains. Whether this
be legalised by Parliament or not, I would appeal to the visitor here to
refrain from the illiberality and discourtesy of spoiling other people's
hardly-earned and well-paid-for privileges. There is plenty of room for
all. Why should unpleasant feelings be stirred up, and tourists as a
class be blamed for the intolerance of a few? All the mountains and
hills of Gairloch are haunts of the red deer or feeding-grounds of
sheep, and no ascents ought to be undertaken unless by due arrangement,
which cannot be expected in the deer-stalking season, and which, when
obtainable, should be made with the head-keeper of the ground.
There are some drawbacks to mountain ascents that may help the visitor
more willingly to forego them. How often the view from a summit is
entirely blotted out by clouds or mist, or marred by the distance being
lost in haze! How often the fine morning that induced the expedition is
followed by a stormy afternoon! To these must be added the frequent
injury to health caused by the unusual strain on the systems of persons
unaccustomed to mountaineering, and the possible risk of being lost in
mist. It is hoped that tourists will be content with the shorter climbs
recommended in Part IV. Artists tell us that landscapes seen from lower
elevations are more thoroughly picturesque than the bird's-eye views
from mountain tops.
Again, I entreat botanists and others looking for wild flowers and
plants to abstain from rooting up the rare or beautiful things they may
find, and from trespassing in places where their presence is obviously
not required. The mania for removing every fragment of an uncommon plant
has grown much of late years,--witness the extermination of the
edelweiss from some of its best known habitats on the Swiss Alps. Who
does not remember places whence our own rare holly-fern has within the
past few years been eradicated? A few years ago that comparatively
scarce fern the sea-spleenwort (_asplenium marinum_) was abundant within
three hundred yards of the Gairloch Hotel; now it is unknown there. A
gentleman fond of botany planted some uncommon ferns not natives of
Ross-shire in a wood in Gairloch parish; they were soon discovered by
tourists staying at a neighbouring hotel, who ruthlessly removed the
whole. Instances of this kind have brought the British tourist into
disrepute in many parts of the world.
It is in the spirit of these remarks that I beg to introduce the reader
to the charms of Gairloch and Loch Maree.
PART I.
RECORDS AND TRADITIONS OF GAIRLOCH.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. Early History 3
II. The Tragedy of Isle Maree 7
III. The Mackenzies of Kintail 11
IV. Ewan Mac Gabhar, the Son of the Goat 14
V. The MacRaes of Kintail and Gairloch 19
VI. The MacBeaths 21
VII. The M'Leods of Gairloch 24
VIII. The Macdonalds in Gairloch 27
IX. Hector Roy Mackenzie, First Laird of Gairloch 29
X. John Glassich Mackenzie and his Sons 36
XI. John Roy Mackenzie 38
XII. Expulsion of the M'Leods from Gairloch 43
XIII. Alastair Breac, and his Son and Grandson 49
XIV. The Baronets of Gairloch, and some other Gairloch
Mackenzies 53
XV. Gairloch Estates, and Old Names of Places 60
XVI. Ecclesiastical History of Gairloch 63
XVII. Ancient Gairloch Ironworks 72
XVIII. The Historic Ironworks of Loch Maree 75
XIX. The Iron Ores used in Gairloch 86
XX. Remains of Ironworks in the Parish of Gairloch 90
XXI. Antiquities 97
GAIRLOCH
Chapter I.
EARLY HISTORY.
The blessedness attributed to the nation without a history cannot be
assigned to the parish of Gairloch. Although her ancient history has
never been written, it is to be feared her inhabitants were far from
wholly blessed in the far off days of yore. The earlier annals of
Gairloch are indeed veiled in mists, almost as impenetrable as those
that often shroud her mountains. Amid the gloom there are faint glimpses
to be had of the wild natives of the district, of fierce warriors from
other lands, and of saintly Christian pioneers; but complete pictures of
the doings of those old times can be found only in the galleries of the
imagination. The same everlasting hills still tower over the same
straths, glens, and lochs; but the actors are changed, the play has
another plot, with incidents of a very different kind. In a region so
innocent of letters, so inaccessible to the scholar, it is easy to
account for the total absence of ancient records. The narratives of the
seannachies, or bards, handed down by oral tradition from generation to
generation, might have been expected to fill in the blank, yet it is
only in the stories of some few salient adventures that these traditions
have been preserved beyond the past four centuries.
Even imagination fails to carry us further back than the Picts or Celts
or Gaels, who are supposed to have been the aborigines of all the
British Isles. They were a wild warlike race,--wild from their rough
struggling state of existence, warlike in their constant attitude of
self-defence. Some have supposed that there were giants among them in
those days, and that these were the originals of the colossal heroes of
the Fingalian legends. The name of the Giant's Point (Ru Nohar) on Loch
Maree, and the discoveries in the neighbourhood of what are alleged to
be enormous graves, give some colour to the supposition. There are
slight traces of Fingalian legends still current in the parish. Thus the
hollow near the Gairloch Established Church, in which the Free Church
communion services are held, is said to have been scooped out by Fingal
for a bed where his white cow might calve. It is still called Leabaidh
na Ba Bàine, or the bed of the white cow. Then the large stones in Loch
Maree, in a line between the base of the Fox Point and the nearest part
of the opposite shore, are said to have been placed there by Fingal for
stepping-stones, to keep his feet dry when going this way to court
Malvina, who lived in the direction of Torridon. Only an enormous giant
could have stepped from stone to stone; they are to this day called the
sweetheart's stepping-stones. Again, there is a mound in a depression
near the summit of Beinn Tarsuinn, called Suidheachan Fhinn, or Fingal's
seat, where they say he used to sit and spy when hunting on the
mountains. These fragments are all we are told of Fingal's doings in
Gairloch.
Though we know nothing of their history, we can infer much regarding the
condition of the original Pictish inhabitants of Gairloch. That they
were numerous, we may judge from the several remains of Pictish brochs
or round houses to be seen in the parish. These are doubtless but
samples of numbers of others, still buried beneath moss and heather, or
long since obliterated by agricultural operations. Each broch was the
abode of several families, huddled together beneath its roof of skins.
Most of the primitive weapons or implements to be enumerated in the
chapter on the antiquities of Gairloch belonged to the Pictish natives
of the parish. Our eyes may see, our hands may grasp, the very
implements these Gairloch men formed and used possibly before the
Christian era; and as we look upon them we may readily conceive how
straitened were their owners' circumstances. Amongst the antiquities
some alleged Druidical remains will be mentioned. Whether these were
really Druidical or no, it is certain that the religion of this district
before Christianity took root was that of the Druids. The sacrifices of
bulls on Isle Maree, practised, as we shall see, so lately as 1678, were
unquestionably relics of the rites celebrated by the Druidical priests,
though they themselves had vanished a thousand years before.
When Agricola invaded Scotland in A.D. 81, the tribe of Picts who
inhabited Ross-shire was called the Cantæ. A punster might be excused
for remarking (and that truly), that in Gairloch at least the race is
still "canty," _i.e._ knowing. It is not probable that the Romans ever
reached this part of Ross-shire; the nearest evidence of their invasion
is some trace of their roads in Strathspey, a hundred miles from
Gairloch. It is very likely that Gairloch men helped their fellow Celts
in the battles with the Romans. Tacitus relates how the Highlanders at
that period made sacrifices before going to battle, and fought with
broadsword and targe. The country was then almost destitute of
agriculture, being mostly vast forests and morasses, teeming with wolves
and other wild beasts; the possessions of the people were herds of
cattle.
When the Romans abandoned Britain, about A.D. 446, the Picts were under
the sway of a king called Drust, the son of Erp, who is said to have
lived a hundred years, and to have fought a hundred battles. The Pictish
monarchy continued until A.D. 843, when Kenneth II. took Camelon, the
capital of the Picts; on this the kings of Scotland, and subsequently of
Great Britain, became at least the nominal rulers of the Highlands.
The introduction of Christianity brought a refining and civilising
element to the rough people of the North, but it was many centuries
before its influence became general. St Columba began his mission in
A.D. 563, and the ecclesiastical establishment at Iona was the result.
Local tradition says the little chapel at Sand of Udrigil, in Gairloch
parish, was built by St Columba, or one of his immediate followers. But
it was St Maelrubha who was the apostle of Gairloch and of the adjoining
parish of Applecross; he founded the church of Applecross A.D. 673, and
died there on 21st April A.D. 722. He appears to have made his Gairloch
home on Isle Maree, a site that suggests the necessity, at least at
first, of the Christian missionary having recourse to the protection
afforded by an insular position. The new teaching soon displaced the
Paganism of the Druids, though, in accordance with the policy of the
early Christian church, the sacrifices of bulls were permitted, as we
have seen, for a thousand years afterwards. The first church of Gairloch
was dedicated to St Maelrubha; it was probably not erected until many
years after his death. Tradition says that his cell on Isle Maree was
occupied for some generations by the successors of this holy man; one of
them is mentioned in the legend of the island given in the next chapter.
During the rule of the Pictish kings the Norwegian Vikings made
continual raids upon the Highlands, at first as independent pirates, but
later on as vassals of Harold Harfager, the first king of all Norway.
About the end of the ninth century the Norwegians became so powerful as
to be able to establish a separate and independent kingdom in Orkney and
the Western Isles. Parts of Ross-shire were frequently ravaged, and
often held, by them. In Gairloch they have left a number of footprints
in the names of places. Thus the Islands Longa and Foura exhibit the
Norwegian suffix _a_, meaning an island. The Vikings used to retire
during the winter months to small islands off the coast, where they laid
up their vessels. The names of these two Gairloch islands, according to
the Rev. Isaac Taylor, bear curious evidence to their having been the
winter quarters of Vikings. The tragic legend of Isle Maree, given in
the next chapter, is an episode in the career of one of these piratical
princes. A large Gairloch island is named Thorisdale, after the Norse
god Thor. Among other Norwegian names in Gairloch is "Sgeir," _i.e._ a
detached rock; it occurs in Sgeir Bhoora, Sgeir an Fharaig, &c. So also
the suffix _dale_ or _dal_ is Norwegian; it occurs in Thorisdale,
Talladale, Slatadale, Erradale, Inverasdale, &c. Naast is believed to be
a Norwegian name. Other Norse names are given in the Glossary.
It has been supposed that the Danes did not invade the west coast, but
an examination of Gairloch names shews that they were most likely here.
Some of the Vikings were Danes. Mr Taylor says that the termination
_aig_ signifies a small bay, and is Danish; it occurs in a number of
Gairloch names (_see the Glossary_). The Danes were driven out of
Scotland in 1040.
There can be no doubt that both Norwegians and Danes intermarried with
the people of Gairloch, and thus the native Pictish breed became a mixed
race. One can almost identify Norwegian and Danish types of face in
Gairloch to this day.
The dominion of the Norwegian monarchs over the Hebrides and some parts
of the mainland was broken by the defeat of Haco the aged king of
Norway, at the battle of Largs, on 3d October 1263. His successor
Magnus, in 1266, ceded the whole of the Scottish territory held by
Norway (except Orkney and Shetland) to the king of Scotland. An
Icelandic saga states that Ross-shire was part of the dominion of the
earls of Orkney under Norway, whilst another authority regards it as
part of Scotland. In all probability the wild Highlanders of Ross had
never entirely submitted to either king. Though the king of Norway at
this time abandoned all claim to Ross-shire, yet some tribes of
Norwegian descent long afterwards held Gairloch; they were the MacBeaths
and M'Leods, of whom more shortly.
The earls of Ross followed the Norwegians in the rule of the Northern
Highlands. They were of the ancient Celtic family of the O'Beolans, and
had been the Pictish maormors of Ross before the title of earl (_comes_)
took the place of the older Pictish designation. Gairloch, as a part of
North Argyle, was included by name in the Sheriffdom of Skye, erected in
1292 by King John Balliol. This is believed to be the first mention of
Gairloch in existing records. King Robert Bruce confirmed the possession
of Gairloch to the earls of Ross between 1306 and 1329. In 1366 Earl
William granted "to Paul M'Tyre and to his heirs by Mary of Grahame,
with remainder to the lawful heirs of Paul, the lands of Gerloch within
the parts of Argyle, for yearly payment of a penny of silver in name of
blench ferme in lieu of every other service except the forinse service
of the king when required." In 1372 King Robert II. confirmed the grant.
Paul M'Tyre is stated to have been a cousin of Earl William; we hear no
more of him.
Earl William left only a daughter, who married Walter Leslie. They had a
son, Alexander, who became Earl of Ross, and also a daughter, who
married Donald, Lord of the Isles. Earl Alexander married a daughter of
the Regent, Robert Duke of Albany. Their only child Euphemia died young
in 1406, after she had resigned her title to the son of the regent.
Donald, Lord of the Isles, by virtue of his marriage with the daughter
of Walter Leslie, laid claim to the earldom of Ross, in opposition to
the regent's son. After a prolonged strife the earldom of Ross was
forfeited, and annexed to the crown in 1476. During the unsettled period
which began with Donald's ambitious claim, Gairloch seems to have been
in a state of anarchy. Not only the MacBeaths and M'Leods struggled for
its possession, but the Macdonalds, as clansmen of the Lord of the
Isles, appear to have overrun the district.
Meanwhile the Mackenzies of Kintail had grown to be a great power in
Ross-shire, and being of the same original stock as the O'Beolan earls
of Ross, they had a better right to Gairloch than the other claimants,
all of whom in turn gave way to the victorious Mackenzies.
The legends and narratives which follow are placed as nearly as may be
in chronological order. They all belong to the period of the Mackenzies,
except that of the tragedy of Isle Maree, which forms our next chapter;
it occurred long before.
Chapter II.
THE TRAGEDY OF ISLE MAREE.
Isle Maree was as sweet a spot at the end of the ninth century as it is
now. A thick grove of tall trees crowded round its circular Druidical
enclosure. There were noble specimens of the indigenous oak, so
mysteriously connected with the Druidical worship; there was a dense
thicket of the smooth-leaved holly, the sacred tree brought here by St
Maelrubha himself, who, it would seem, intended it to become (as it did)
a Christian rival to the Pagan oak. Then, as now, the undergrowth of
ferns and flowers, and a large kind of grass, attained almost tropical
proportions beneath the benign influence of the warm shade.
The scene of our story is laid in this beautiful and hallowed island. St
Maelrubha had been long gathered to his fathers, and the sacred college
of Iona had appointed a successor to his hermitage on Isle Maree, who in
turn had made room for another. The occupant of the cell at the date of
our story is an aged saint of peculiar sagacity and piety. Long known to
the wild people of Gairloch for his bold denunciations and shrewd
penetration, he had acquired by his stern eloquence and ascetic life an
extraordinary influence over them. The Christian festivals brought
successive offerings to the sainted hermit, and the island oft resounded
with the psalms of David chaunted by the throng of faithful pilgrims.
But not only the common people resorted to the cell of the holy man; the
Norse Vikings, who held the district in partial subjugation, frequently
came to him for the ministrations of religion and for the benefit of his
sage counsel. To one and all, to young and old, to Celt and Norwegian,
he was alike accessible.
A young Norwegian prince was chief among the Vikings who then dominated
this part of the west coast. Prince Olaf was of the blood royal of
Norway, and on this account alone would have been willingly adopted by
his fellows as their leader, had not his personal bravery and reckless
daring secured to him the post of honour. He had a grievous failing,--a
restless and ungovernable temper. Naturally high-spirited, he had been
as a boy the spoilt darling of his fellows, and had grown up a creature
of impulse, subject to paroxysms of fearful passion. Whenever he was
thwarted in his plans, or roused to anger by foe or friend, the evil
spirit came upon him, and he lost all command of himself.
The prince lived with his fighting men in his great war galley, except
during the winter, when they encamped on one or other of the islands of
Loch Ewe. Often would Olaf repair to the hermitage of Isle Maree, and
receive from the saint kindly advice and priestly absolution.
It was natural that one so impulsive should early fall under the
influence of the tender passion. We need not try to imagine the story of
Olaf's love; it was no common attachment; the flame burned in his breast
with an intensity becoming his fiery spirit.
But a difficulty arose. He was unwilling, at least at first, to ask his
bride to exchange the comparative quietude of her father's home for the
restless life of a ship of war. In dire perplexity he sought the advice
of his friend the saint of Isle Maree. The wise old man proposed that
another and a larger dwelling should be erected in the form of a tower
to the west of the enclosure in the centre of which stood his own humble
cell. To this tower Olaf might bring his bride and there they might take
up their abode, within easy reach of the prince's galley on Loch Ewe.
To hasten on. The prince eagerly adopted this plan, and in a short time
the tower was built, and Olaf brought his bonny bride to the island.
Here they were married by the aged hermit, amid the rejoicings of their
followers. The princess and her maidens were delighted with the romantic
and secure retreat. Olaf's attendants pitched their tents around, and
the leafy grove grew gay with joyful laughter and with genial song.
For a while all went smoothly. The life of the young lovers was a
continual delight; their passion for one another only increased as
months rolled on. In vain his comrades sent message after message
entreating the presence of the prince on board his ship. He could not
tear himself away from his darling, and she in turn was more than
unwilling that he should leave her. At length there came word that a
long-planned expedition, in which other leaders were to take part, was
ready to start, and Olaf was expected to assume the command. He dared no
longer remain in retirement. With aching heart he told the princess of
his approaching departure. Her tears were unavailing; on the morrow he
must leave. Meanwhile strange forebodings of evil filled the minds of
both. What if he should be slain in battle! What if some unknown danger
should cause her death in his absence! A scheme was concocted for
shortening the final moments of suspense. It was agreed that when the
prince should return, a white flag would be displayed from his barge on
Loch Maree if all were well; if otherwise, a black flag would be shewn.
The maidens prepared these flags, and the prince took them with him. The
princess was to leave the island in her barge whenever her lord's boat
should come in sight, and she in like manner was to display a white or
black flag to denote her safety or the reverse.
The morning came, and they parted. The prince arrived at Poolewe, was
received by his men with wild enthusiasm, and set sail at once. It is
not necessary that we should follow him through the perilous campaign.
Enough that all ended well, and the victorious prince returned safely to
Poolewe. In hot haste, and half crazy with excitement, he sought his
boat on Loch Maree, raised with his own hand the snow-white banner of
success, and mustered the faithful attendants who were to row him to
Isle Maree.
During his absence the princess had passed through several phases of
anxiety. At first despair took possession of her heart, and it was long
ere the good old saint and her own maidens were able to soothe her with
words of hope. As she became calmer, a new misgiving occurred to her.
Did Olaf prefer the excitement of warfare to the peaceful society of his
bride? Had she lost the devotion of his heart? Did he really love her?
Then horrible jealousy became her absorbing feeling. Was the faithless
prince to treat her as an insignificant plaything, to be caressed one
day and deserted the next? It was all in vain that her companions strove
to check this new folly; she declared continually that her husband had
never truly loved her. Under the influence of this crushing doubt, she
devised a scheme whereby she resolved to test the reality of his vaunted
affection, if indeed he should ever return.
[Illustration: LOCH MAREE FROM INVERAN.]
At last the lookout announced that he saw the prince's barge, bearing
the white flag, emerge from the river Ewe into the open loch. And now
what emotions filled the breast of the lovely princess! What conflicting
sentiments, love and doubt, joy and fear! All had been arranged to carry
out her strange scheme. The large barge was ready; from its stern the
black flag was raised aloft; a bier was placed in the centre of the
barge on which the princess herself--now pallid with anxiety--reclined
as if sleeping the sleep of death; a white shroud covered her recumbent
form; around were grouped her maidens, gloomy with well-simulated grief;
and the sad and silent rowers moved the barge slowly onwards toward the
lower end of Loch Maree.
Meanwhile Olaf gazed earnestly in the direction of the island (which was
kept in sight all the way), urging anon his willing crew to put forth
their utmost speed. Soon, in the distance, he discovered the barge of
the princess. Could he be mistaken? Was that the black flag of death
which waved above it? He made all his men in turn scrutinize the
approaching barge, and each reluctantly confirmed what Olaf's own eyes
had testified. Gradually the prince grew frantic with awful despair. Was
he to be thus foiled by evil fate in the very hour of his triumph? Had
death snatched his darling from his fond embrace? Were they never to
meet again? Yes, he would follow her to that heavenly home the holy
father had often told them of! His agony increased each moment; he
cursed; he raved; his manly face became like a maniac's; his words and
gestures were those of a man possessed. The crew were horror-struck;
none dared speak; they pulled the oars with what seemed superhuman
strength, but the wind was against them, and some time elapsed before
the barges were alongside. The dreadful interval served only to increase
the prince's frenzy; his wild ravings became unintelligible.
Before the vessels touched, the madman leapt into the other barge. He
saw the shroud; he raised it; he gazed a moment on the still, pale face
of his bride; he gave one agonized cry; then he plunged his dirk in his
own breast, and in a moment that storm-tossed heart ceased to beat!
And now the miserable princess sprang from the bier, convinced too late
of her husband's passionate love; there he lay dead, she alone the
cause; with a wild shriek of remorse, she drew the dirk from Olaf's
heart and plunged it in her own. Her death was not so instantaneous as
his, and life had not quite fled when the barge, with its terrible
freight, arrived at Isle Maree. The holy father raised the crucifix
before the lady's closing eyes, and uttered words of earnest prayer;
then her spirit passed away, and all was over.
The bodies of the unhappy pair were buried within the enclosure on the
island, beneath the shade of the sacred hollies; they were laid with
their feet towards each other, and smooth stones with outlines of
mediæval crosses (_see illustration_) were placed over the graves, and
there remain to this day. A few stones still indicate the site of the
hermit's cell, and a considerable mound marks where the tower stood.
Such, with some little filling-in of detail, is the story as commonly
told in Gairloch of the sad tragedy which casts a halo of romance around
the beautiful Isle Maree. There are, as might be expected, some slightly
different versions of the legend, but this is the most usual one. Its
variations in form only go to prove its general truthfulness, and there
is no reason to doubt that the tragedy really occurred substantially as
here related; the tombstones, with their ancient crosses, are still to
be seen, and there is no other account of them proposed.
[Illustration: CROSSES ON THE GRAVES OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS ON ISLE
MAREE.]
Chapter III.
THE MACKENZIES OF KINTAIL.
Two origins of the great house of Mackenzie, lords of Kintail, and
afterwards earls of Seaforth, of whom the Gairloch family are a branch,
have been propounded, and have given rise to considerable discussion.
By one pedigree they have been made to spring from Colin Fitzgerald,
descendant of Otho who came to England with William the Conqueror,
fought with him at the battle of Hastings in 1066, and was created
Castellan and Baron of Windsor. Otho married a Welsh princess; their
grandson Maurice distinguished himself in the subjugation of Ireland,
was appointed to the joint government of that country, and was created
Baron of Wicklow and Naas Offelim in 1172. Others say this Maurice was
of the ancient Tuscan family of Gherardini, who date as far back as A.D.
800. Gerald, a son of Maurice, was created Lord Offally. A grandson of
Gerald married the grand-daughter and representative of the last of the
ancient line of the kings of Desmond. Colin Fitzgerald was their eldest
son. He came to Scotland, and assisted Alexander III. at the battle of
Largs. It is said that Colin was afterwards settled by Alexander III. in
Eileandonain Castle, in Kintail; that he received a grant of the lands
of Kintail from that king; that he married the daughter of MacMhathain,
heritor of the half of Kintail; and that their only son Kenneth became
the progenitor of the clan MacKenneth, or Mackenzie.
The use of the Cabar Feidh, or deers' horns, as the crest of the
Mackenzies, is supposed to have originated in a brave deed done by Colin
Fitzgerald. He was hunting with Alexander III. in the forest of Mar in
1265 when an infuriated stag, closely pursued by the hounds, charged the
king. Colin interposed, and shot the stag in the head with an arrow. The
grateful monarch granted to Colin a stag's head puissant as his armorial
bearing.
The other genealogy of the Mackenzies asserts that the first Kenneth
from whom the family sprang was of a native Gaelic stock, almost as
ancient as the ancestry of Fitzgerald. This descent is argued by Mr
Alexander Mackenzie, in his History of the Mackenzies. Relying on an old
MS. dated 1450, he shows that Kenneth was of the seed of Gilleon Og, or
Colin the younger, son of Gilleon na h' Airde, who lived in the tenth
century, and was also the ancestor of the O'Beolan earls of Ross. It
seems that Angus MacMhathain, constable of Eileandonain, was descended
from Gilleon Og, and was a near relative of the O'Beolan earls of Ross,
who were the superior lords of Kintail. Kenneth, the only son of Angus,
was a nephew of William, third Earl of Ross, and succeeded his father in
the government of Kintail. This Kenneth, we may assume, was the founder
of the Mackenzie family.
The question really seems to be whether Kenneth was a MacMhathain on his
father's side or on his mother's side. In either case he had the blood
of the earls of Ross flowing in his veins.
Kenneth, who died about 1304, set his relative, the Earl of Ross, at
defiance, and established himself in an independent position as lord of
Kintail, but his descendants were harassed by the earls of Ross, who
endeavoured to regain their power in the district.
John Mackenzie, the second lord of Kintail, and only son of Kenneth,
sheltered Robert Bruce when he was in hiding, and afterwards assisted
him to gain the throne of Scotland. John Mackenzie led five hundred of
his clansmen--some of them possibly Gairloch men--to the victorious
field of Bannockburn on 24th June 1314, and by his loyalty and valour
rendered more secure his possessions in Kintail.
Kenneth Mackenzie, called Kenneth of the Nose, only son of John, became
third chief of Kintail; he was a weak man, and in his time the Earl of
Ross regained a considerable hold over the district.
Kenlochewe, which is part of Gairloch in the present day, was attached
to the lordship of Kintail and shared its troubles. It was about 1350
that some of the followers of the Earl of Ross made a raid into
Kenlochewe, and carried off a great spoil. Kenneth Mackenzie, third lord
of Kintail, pursued them, slew many of the invaders, and recovered much
of the spoil. The Earl of Ross after this succeeded in apprehending
Mackenzie, and had him executed at Inverness. The Earl then granted the
lands of Kenlochewe to his follower Leod Mac Gilleandreis.
The fourth lord of Kintail was Black Murdo of the Cave, only lawful son
of Kenneth of the Nose. Murdo received this _soubriquet_ because, being
a wild youth, he preferred, rather than attend the ward school where the
heirs of those who held their lands from the king were sent, to take up
his abode in some one or other of the caves about Torridon and
Kenlochewe, hoping to get a chance of slaying Leod Mac Gilleandreis. The
latter hearing of Murdo's resort, and fearing mischief, endeavoured to
apprehend him, so that Murdo had to flee the country. He went to his
uncle, M'Leod of the Lews, and there met one Gille Riabhach, who had
come to Stornoway with twelve men about the same time as himself. After
so long a time had elapsed that Mac Gilleandreis supposed Murdo was
dead, his uncle gave to Murdo one of his great galleys or birlinns, with
as many men as he desired. Murdo embarked at Stornoway, accompanied also
by Gille Riabhach and his twelve men, and with a favourable wind they
soon arrived at Sanachan in Kishorn. Thence they marched straight to
Kenlochewe, and concealed themselves in a thick wood near the house of
Mac Gilleandreis. Mackenzie left his followers there, whilst he went to
look for his old nurse, who lived thereabouts. He found her engaged in
making up a bundle of sticks to carry to Leod's house. Murdo inquired
her name, for he did not remember her face at first. She gave her name,
and inquired in return who he was. He told her, on which she replied,
"Let me see your back, and I will know if you are that man." She
remembered that he had a black spot on his back. He took off his
clothes, and she saw the black spot, and so she knew him. She was
overjoyed at his return, having long grieved for his supposed death. He
asked her to procure him information of Leod's doings, and to let him
know that night. He made up the bundle of sticks for her, and she went
to Leod's house, and duly returned with the news that Leod had fixed a
hunt for the next day, and was to meet the people at Kenlochewe in the
morning. She said Leod might be known by the red jacket he wore. Murdo
determined to take advantage of this occasion, and was early on the
ground, accompanied by his followers. As the people arrived he slew all
he did not recognise; the natives he knew were dismissed to their homes.
When Leod, in his red jacket, came on the ground with his sons and
attendants, Murdo and his band attacked them with their swords, and
after a slight resistance Mac Gilleandreis and his followers fled, but
were soon overtaken at a place ever since called Fe Leoid, where they
were all slain except one of Leod's sons, named Paul, who was taken
prisoner, but afterwards released on his promising never again to molest
Mackenzie. Murdo gave the widow of Leod Mac Gilleandreis to Gille
Riabhach to wife, and their posterity were long known at Kenlochewe. The
heads of the people who were slain in Kenlochewe were cut off and thrown
into the river there; the stream carried the heads down to a ford, where
they massed together, and this place has ever since been called
Ath-nan-ceann, or the "ford of the heads." The name is now corrupted
into Athnagown or Anagown. It is shewn on the maps. The place where Leod
Mac Gilleandreis and his followers were slain is about three miles from
Kenlochewe, on the hill to the east of the Torridon road. The name Fe
Leoid, more correctly written Feith Leoid, means the bog of Leod; it is
also shewn on all the maps.
Black Murdo of the Cave, after dispossessing Leod Mac Gilleandreis, went
to Kintail, where he was received with open arms by all the people of
the country. He married the only daughter of his friend Macaulay, who
had defended Eileandonain Castle during his long absence, and through
her Mackenzie succeeded to the lands of Loch Broom (including probably
the parts of Gairloch lying to the north of Loch Maree and Loch Ewe),
granted to Macaulay's predecessor by Alexander II. In 1357, when David
II., king of Scotland, returned from England, Murdo laid before his
majesty a complaint against the Earl of Ross for the murder of his
father, but could obtain no redress; however the king confirmed him in
his possession of Kintail by charter dated 1362. Murdo died in 1375.
Murdo of the Bridge, only son of Black Murdo of the Cave, became the
fifth lord of Kintail. He was one of the Highland chiefs who accompanied
the Earl of Douglas to England and defeated the renowned Hotspur at the
battle of Otterburn, or Chevy Chase, on 10th August 1388. Murdo refused
to join Donald, the great Lord of the Isles, in his insurrection which
culminated in the battle of Harlaw. The history of the Highlands shows
that this was a period of extreme disorder and violence, and Gairloch
itself was not exempt from the terrors of anarchy. Murdo does not appear
to have troubled his head about his rights in Gairloch, and, as other
parts of our history will shew, it was overrun by several tribes.
Possibly neither this Murdo nor his father pressed their claim to
Gairloch, being sufficiently occupied in keeping possession of Kintail.
Ten years after King Robert II. had confirmed Kintail to Black Murdo of
the Cave, the same king confirmed the grant of Gairloch made by the Earl
of Ross to Paul M'Tyre (Part I., chap. i.). But we hear no more of Paul
M'Tyre; and, as an old writer has well said of this time, "during this
turbulent age securities and writs, as well as laws, were little
regarded; each man's protection lay in his own strength."
Murdo of the Bridge, who died about 1416, married Finguala, daughter of
Malcolm M'Leod of Harris by his wife Martha, daughter of Donald Earl of
Mar, a nephew of King Robert Bruce. Their only son, Alexander the
Upright, so called "for his righteousness," became the sixth laird of
Kintail. He died in 1488, about ninety years of age. By his first wife,
Anna Macdougall of Dunolly, he had two sons, Kenneth and Duncan. By his
second marriage he had one son, known among Highlanders as Eachainn
Ruadh, or Hector Roy, destined to become the famous founder of the
Gairloch family. There was also a daughter by the second marriage, who
became the wife of Allan M'Leod, laird of Gairloch.
In the year 1452, during the rule of Alexander the Upright, the
desperate skirmish of Beallach nan Brog occurred, in which the Earl of
Ross, to punish the western tribes for seizing his son, attacked and
slaughtered his foes, including Mackenzie's Kenlochewe men, who are said
to have been almost exterminated.
It is not within the scope of this narrative to pursue further the
history of the great house of Kintail. The next chapter will relate a
Gairloch legend treating of events which occurred during the time of one
of the earlier Kintail Mackenzies.
It may be convenient to explain, that long before 1609, when Kenneth,
twelfth laird of Kintail, was created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, these
great lairds were commonly called Lords of Kintail. Colin, son of this
Kenneth, was created Earl of Seaforth and Viscount Fortrose in 1623.
Some time prior to this date the possessions of the Kintail family had
increased to the dimensions of a province, and Eileandonain Castle had
ceased to be their headquarters, the castle of Chanonry in the Black
Isle, formerly the bishop's palace, being preferred. The first Lord
Seaforth added to Chanonry Castle, and built Brahan Castle, which
continued the residence of the Seaforth family to a recent date. The
family became extinct in the male line on the death of the last Lord
Seaforth in 1815. Long before the erection of Brahan Castle the lairds
of Kintail frequently resided at a mains or farm they possessed at
Brahan.
Chapter IV.
EWAN MAC GABHAR, THE SON OF THE GOAT.
On the north-eastern shore of Loch Maree, about three miles above the
place where the river Ewe leaves the loch, is situated Ardlair, than
which no lovelier spot can be found in all the range of Highland
scenery. There are groves of different kinds of trees, and a belt of
them skirts the shingly shore of the loch; smooth grassy glades are
interspersed among the woods, behind which rise a series of marvellous
precipices, unclimbable, except in two or three places, save by
sure-footed deer or goats. Below the steep background lie here and there
great masses of rock, which ages ago have fallen from the cliffs above.
About a quarter of a mile to the south-east of the present Ardlair
House, and rather nearer to the house than a small tarn nestling there
beneath the cliffs, is a large cairn or assemblage of enormous rocks,
heaped and piled upon each other in fantastic confusion. Ash trees and
wild roses, heather and ferns, grow in tangled medley among the
_débris_, and, concealing the interstices, render access extremely
difficult. But the persevering searcher will discover a roomy cave,
formed by a mighty block of rock lying slantways over other fallen
blocks. The entrance to the cave is well concealed, and can only be got
at by climbing on to a ledge that forms a narrow platform in front of
it. After groping two or three yards along a low narrow passage a dark
chamber is reached in which one can stand upright. The floor is level,
and perfectly dry. The cairn is about a hundred and fifty yards from the
shore of Loch Maree. This cave is called by old Gairloch people now
living "The cave of the king's son," a name that it owes to the
following story, the opening scene of which is laid here. No date can be
assigned to the events narrated, but they cannot have occurred later
than in the thirteenth or fourteenth century.
[Illustration: AT ARDLAIR.]
A worthy old woman named Oighrig (Euphemia) lived near Letterewe with
her only son Kenneth. They had a pet goat called Earba (_i.e._ a roe).
The goat failing to yield the usual supply of milk was watched by
Kenneth, who with much trouble and difficulty traced her at length to
"the cave of the king's son," about three miles distant from their home.
Here the goat held possession of the small platform in front of the
entrance, and would not allow Kenneth to climb to it. He went for a
rope, and throwing it over the goat's horns secured the animal. A
beautiful little boy now appeared on the scene, and uttering sympathetic
cries hugged the struggling goat. At first Kenneth thought that the
child was a fairy, but he soon discovered his mistake. A young lady of
great beauty came forth from the cave on hearing the cries of the little
boy. It now appeared that the couple had taken refuge in this cave,
where they would have perished from hunger had they not enticed the
friendly Earba to supply them with her milk. Kenneth reported all the
circumstances to his mother, who seeing that the helpless couple in the
cave must ultimately die of want and cold if they remained there, went
and persuaded them to come and live at the humble cottage near
Letterewe. The young lady's name was Flora, and she told them that the
boy's Christian name was Eoghan, or Ewan, but she would not reveal
either of their surnames, so the boy was called Eoghan Mac Gabhar,
_i.e._ Ewan the son of the goat, to his dying day. They all lived
happily together. Earba brought them kids of her own, which the little
Ewan herded and fed. Flora grew more lovely than ever, and Kenneth
astonished even his own mother by his success in hunting and fishing for
the maintenance of the increased family. Kenneth naturally fell in love
with the beautiful Flora, though his mother strongly dissuaded him from
his suit, pointing out that Flora was doubtless of royal lineage, being
probably, though much older, the sister of Ewan, who from the sword and
mantle that Flora with much care preserved for him, was probably the son
of a king. The mantle was a robe of state of scarlet velvet bound and
fringed with pure gold, and the sword had a hilt of gold and ivory, and
some mystic characters engraved upon it. As young Ewan grew, his lordly
disposition and commanding presence confirmed the belief that he was of
royal birth.
Matters continued thus until one day the great lord of Kintail came from
Eileandonain Castle to hunt the mountains of Letterewe. He came
unexpectedly to Oighrig's cottage, and entering without ceremony
jocosely blamed Kenneth, who was one of his foresters, for not being at
the hunt. Then seeing Flora and Ewan he began to inquire who they were.
Evasive answers were returned, and Kenneth and Flora pretended they were
man and wife. The lord of Kintail on hearing the name Ewan Mac Gabhar
exhibited surprise and even alarm, for he recalled a well-known prophecy
about "the son of the goat," which had been erroneously interpreted as
unfavourable to the destinies of the house of Kintail. Failing in
persuading Flora to go away with him, his lordship left his kinsman
Hector Dubh to watch the family. Flora and Ewan growing anxious under
such circumstances soon afterwards resumed their concealment in the
cave. On this Hector, suspecting that he was duped, hastened home with
the news to Kintail. Fearing Lord Mackenzie's sleuth-hounds, the whole
family decamped and went down to Poolewe, and Earba followed with her
two kids. Next evening a vessel came to Poolewe and sent a boat ashore.
Kenneth and Flora went down hand in hand to ask for a passage to the
islands. As the boat approached they saw by their tartan that the crew
were from Eileandonain Castle. They fled like deer, but the ground was
rough for Flora, and they were soon overtaken, captured, and carried off
in the vessel.
Oighrig and Ewan remained disconsolate, protected by friends near
Poolewe; their store comprised the three goats, three baskets, and a
small locked chest containing Ewan's sword and mantle and a few jewels.
The captain of a vessel, which shortly came in to Poolewe, promised to
take them to Eileandonain, where Oighrig wished to go in search of her
son; but, whether by chance or design, the hapless pair were conveyed
instead to the country of a great chief named Colin Mor Gillespie.
Oighrig and Ewan were there taken ashore. The captain searched their
baggage, and found the mantle of state and the royal sword. Oighrig told
him all the tale, and he repeated it to Colin Mor, who placed Oighrig in
a hut beside his castle, provided well for her goats, and gave her a
cow. He took Ewan to his castle, and brought him up with his own sons as
a warrior and a gentleman. Meanwhile Kenneth, after gaining the favour
of the lord of Kintail by his prowess in warfare, had found means to
escape from Eileandonain with Flora; they married, and ultimately
discovered Oighrig, who lived with them to a good old age.
As for Ewan Mac Gabhar, he grew up a strong brave man, and none could
match him in warlike exercises. Orders came from the Scottish king for
the prosecution of a great war against a realm which included the island
of Mull, and was then under the rule of the queen widow of Olamh Mor,
who had been the renowned monarch of that land. Colin Mor was joined by
the lord of Kintail in this great enterprise, and with their allies they
mustered an army of twenty thousand men. Ewan Mac Gabhar was all fire
and eagerness for the glorious war, and was entrusted with the command
of a thousand men. During the bustle of preparation a Highlander came
and proffered his services to Ewan as page. Ewan at first rejected the
offer, on the ground of the slender form and small stature of the man;
but every day the page was in waiting, and proved so handy, that Ewan at
last engaged him and entrusted him with his baggage.
The invading army succeeded in taking possession of the whole of the
large island of Mull, which they plundered and burned. They then
proceeded to the mainland in a vast fleet of vessels, and anchored in a
long arm of the sea that extended twenty miles into the country,
apparently Loch Sunart. Here they anchored, and the soldiery immediately
began to burn and plunder without opposition.
At night the chiefs and some of their followers returned to the fleet as
a safe and comfortable retreat. The main body of the army encamped at a
considerable distance, having seen no appearance of a foe. But before
daybreak the forces of the queen, who had quietly entered the loch in
the night, surrounded the fleet of the invaders, and boarding the
vessels, made prisoners of all the chiefs and of such of their followers
as were with them, except a small number who were slain in a fruitless
attempt at resistance. Colin Mor was taken, with two of his sons and
Ewan Mac Gabhar. The lord of Kintail and three of his brothers, with
sixty other gentlemen, were also made prisoners. The army on shore was
surprised at the same time, and routed with great slaughter.
The nobles and chiefs were taken before the gallant and ruthless queen,
who made a vehement speech charging them with being the slaves of a
tyrant and with having persecuted and destroyed her royal race. She
declared for vengeance, and in accordance with the savage usages of the
times, ordered that next morning at nine o'clock the whole of the
prisoners should be brought into her presence and hanged by sevens at a
time, beginning with the youngest, so that the fathers might behold the
dying throes of their sons.
The hour arrived, and the seven youngest prisoners were led forth to
make their obeisance to the queen before their execution. When the queen
saw them she began to shew signs of emotion, her colour went and came,
her lips quivered, and she shrieked out, "O God! what do I see? Stop the
execution! stop!" and then she fell down in a swoon. Her maids came to
her assistance, and now a hundred shouts rent the air, "Mac Olamh Mhor!
Mac Olamh Mhor!" (the son of Olaf the Great); and instantly all the
queen's chiefs and kinsmen were kneeling round one of the condemned
prisoners. He was a tall and goodly youth, clothed in his father's royal
robe and with his father's ancient sword of state girded by his side.
The reader will have guessed the name of the young king; he was none
other than Ewan Mac Gabhar! Soon the enthusiastic shouts of the people
seemed to rend the rocks, and Ewan was borne aloft on the shoulders of
his kinsmen and seated on his father's throne. When the queen recovered,
she began to doubt the sentiments of her own heart, and required proof
that Ewan was indeed her beloved child who had long ago, as she
believed, been foully murdered in his bed, along with her own sister, by
the conspirators who had planned the destruction of her royal seed. The
evidence was soon forthcoming. Ewan's page was none other than Flora,
who was herself the youngest sister of the queen. She had, unrecognised,
accompanied Ewan to the war, and, having charge of the mantle and the
sword, had that morning arrayed him as his father was wont to be,
certain of the effect. She explained how at the time of the conspiracy
she had given up her bed to the wife and child of one of the
conspirators who had intended to slay her and the infant Ewan, but who
in the darkness had murdered the others instead; and how she had then
escaped with her precious charge to "the cave of the king's son" at
Ardlair on Loch Maree.
Thus Ewan Mac Gabhar was established in his kingdom. His first act of
authority was to release all his condemned associates, whose joy and
astonishment may well be conceived. He entertained them gallantly at his
castle for many days, and a friendly league was formed that long
preserved the peace and tranquillity of those realms. Ewan was greatly
assisted in his kingdom by Kenneth, who had become a renowned warrior,
and who with his beloved Flora came and resided at Ewan's castle. Ewan
married Mary, youngest daughter of Mackenzie lord of Kintail, and by his
friendship helped to increase the dominions of that great house, so that
the old prophecy about the son of the goat (already referred to) was
literally fulfilled:--
"The son of the goat shall triumphantly bear
The mountain on flame and the horns of the deer,--
From forest of Loyne to the hill of Ben Croshen,
From mountain to vale, and from ocean to ocean."
Chapter V.
THE MACRAES OF KINTAIL AND GAIRLOCH.
It is a singular fact that the first six lairds of Kintail (counting
with them Angus Mac Mhathain) had each but one lawful son, so that the
family of Mackenzie, now so numerous, increased at first but slowly.
Murdo of the Bridge, fifth laird of Kintail, being thus without kindred
of his own blood, invited one MacRae to join him in Kintail. This MacRae
was from the same original stock as the Mackenzies. His father had come
from Clunes, and settled at Brahan. MacRae, the son, accepted the
invitation of Murdo, and went with him to Kintail, where his descendants
became a numerous tribe, always owning the Mackenzies as their chiefs.
Murdo hoped for faithful service from MacRae, and it was willingly given
from generation to generation. The MacRaes were ever foremost in battle
for their lairds, and became known as "Mackenzie's shirt of mail." This
term "shirt of mail" was generally applied to the chosen bodyguard who
attended a chief in war and fought around him. Hence it would appear
that the bodyguard of the Mackenzie chiefs was composed of MacRaes.
The name MacRae was originally MacRath, signifying "the son of fortune."
If it be true that "fortune favours the brave," these valiant warriors
were rightly named, for bravery was ever their bright distinction, as
our narrative will sufficiently shew. Not only were the MacRaes devoted
to the Kintail family, but after Hector Roy Mackenzie went to Gairloch
they assisted him and his descendants in conquering their possessions.
Some of them settled in Gairloch, where their offspring are to this day.
In the following pages Iain MacIain Uidhir, Donald Mor, and Alastair
Liath, who took part in the attack on MacBeath in the island of Loch
Tollie; Donnachadh Mor na Tuaighe, or Big Duncan of the Axe, commonly
called Suarachan, and Dugal his son; Iain Liath, who accompanied John
Roy Mackenzie to Gairloch; and Donald Odhar, Iain Odhar, and Fionnla
dubh na Saighead, who all three took leading parts in ousting the
M'Leods from Gairloch,--were MacRaes from Kintail, and were all warriors
of renown.
The Rev. Farquhar MacRae (Appendix A), ordained vicar of Gairloch in
1608 and afterwards constable of Eileandonain, was of the same tribe,
but his fighting was confined to the church militant.
The effigy of the renowned Donald Odhar is one of the supporters in the
coat-of-arms of the Gairloch Mackenzies sculptured on the old barn of
Flowerdale, called the Sabhal Geal, erected by Sir Alexander Mackenzie,
Bart. of Gairloch, in 1730.
Several of these MacRaes were wonderful archers. The arrow fired at the
serving-man on the Loch Tollie island by Alastair Liath, must have
killed its victim at a distance of fully five hundred yards. Donald
Odhar and Iain Odhar, the heroes of Leac na Saighead, slew many M'Leods
with their arrows nearly four hundred yards away. Fionnladh dubh na
Saighead is said to have shot Neil M'Leod at a still greater distance.
Lest any reader should doubt the authenticity of these performances, on
account of the marvellous ranges attained, some instances of wonderful
shots made by Turks may here be mentioned. In 1794 Mahmood Effendi, the
Turkish Ambassador's secretary, in a field adjoining Bedford House, shot
an arrow with a Turkish bow four hundred and fifteen yards against the
wind, and four hundred and eighty-two yards with the wind. The secretary
said the then Sultan of Turkey had shot five hundred yards, which was
the greatest performance of the modern Turks up to that time; but he
said that pillars stood on a plain near Constantinople marking distances
anciently attained by bow-shot up to eight hundred yards. In 1798 the
Sultan of Turkey surpassed all these achievements, by shooting an arrow
nine hundred and seventy-two yards, in the presence of Sir Robert
Ainslie, British Ambassador to the Sublime Porte.
It was always the privilege of the MacRaes of Kintail to bear the dead
bodies of their chiefs to burial. At the funeral in 1862 of the Hon. Mrs
Stewart Mackenzie, daughter and representative of the last Lord
Seaforth, the coffin was borne by MacRaes of Kintail only. It was the
last time! At the funeral of her son Colonel Keith Stewart Mackenzie, on
25th June 1881, there was not a sufficient number of MacRaes to bear the
coffin from Brahan Castle. The few who were present claimed their
privilege, and essayed to carry the dead. Some slight disputation
occurred, but the vacant places had to be supplied from the Brahan
tenantry. The following curious statement, referring to this incident,
appeared in an Inverness newspaper soon afterwards:--"This seems to have
had a most depressing effect upon the few handsome MacRaes, who hitherto
were the most picturesque frequenters of the Inverness wool market, for
on the last occasion not a single MacRae was seen dressed in the garb of
the race. They have now nearly all been driven from the lands of their
ancestors, and they have apparently thrown aside the kilt and donned the
lowlanders' garb in disgust."
Chapter VI.
THE MACBEATHS.
Before the M'Leods got possession of Gairloch a tribe of MacBeaths were
the most powerful sept in the district. They originally came (presumably
in the thirteenth century) from Assynt, in the country of the Mackays in
Sutherlandshire, and were of Norwegian descent. There are still some
families of MacBeaths in Melvaig in Gairloch who are of the old breed.
The chiefs of the MacBeaths had at least three strongholds in Gairloch,
viz., Eilean Grudidh on Loch Maree, the island on Loch Tollie, and the
Dun or Castle of Gairloch, all to be described in our chapter on the
antiquities. Seven generations of MacBeaths occupied Eilean Grudidh,
which seems to have been the last they held of these fortalices. The
M'Leods, after a long struggle, subdued the MacBeaths, and expelled most
of them from Gairloch. Those who were driven out fled to Applecross,
where their descendants are to this day.
The earls of Ross must have had many a conflict with the MacBeaths, but
no traditions on the subject are extant, nor have any accounts been
preserved telling how the M'Leods ousted the MacBeaths. It is possible,
however, that a fight which is said to have taken place near a very
small loch or pond called Lochan nan Airm, to the right of the road as
you go from Gairloch to Poolewe, may have been an engagement in which
the MacBeaths were concerned. Lochan nan Airm, or "the tarn of the
arms," is about two hundred yards from the road, and half a mile beyond
the top of Achtercairn Brae. Those who were vanquished in this fight
threw their arms into the loch (whence its name), partly to lighten
themselves for flight, and partly to prevent the weapons from falling
into the hands of the victors. It is said that the formation of a drain,
intended to empty the loch so as to discover the arms, was once
commenced, but was stopped by the then laird of Gairloch, whose
permission had not been asked. The beginning of the drain is still
apparent; it would be interesting to complete it.
The following story relates an attempt on the part of some of the lord
of Kintail's men to slay one of the leaders of the MacBeaths, possibly
the chief of the tribe. It evidently took place in the latter part of
the career of the MacBeaths in Gairloch.
Once upon a time there lived a powerful man--Iain Mac Iain Uidhir--in
the Carr of Kintail, and when he heard such aliens (the MacBeaths)
resided in the island of Loch Tollie, he thought within himself, on New
Years' night, that it was a pity that such mischievous strangers should
be in the place, raising rents on the land which did not of right belong
to them, while some of the offspring of gentlemen of the clan Mackenzie,
although a few of them possessed lands, were without possessions.
Some little time after this, when the snow was melting off the
mountains, he lifted his arrow bladder on his back, sent word for Big
Donald, son of the son of Ranald MacRae from Inverinate, and they walked
as one together across Kilaolainn. Old Alastair Liath of Carr
accompanied them. They walked through the mountains of Loch-carron. They
came in by the mountains of Kenlochewe. They came at a late hour in
sight of Loch Tollie, and they took notice of MacBeath's castle in the
island, and of a place whence it would be easy for them to send their
arrows to the castle. There was a rowan-tree alongside the castle, which
was in their way, but when the darkening of night came they moved down
to the shore in such a way that the heroes got near the bank of the
loch, so that they might in the breaking of the sky be opposite MacBeath
when he came out.
[Illustration: ON CRAIG TOLLIE.]
When MacBeath came out in the morning, the other man said to Donald Mor,
"Try how true your hand is now, if it is not tremulous after the night;
try if you can hit the seed of the beast, the hare, so that you make a
carcase of him where he is, inasmuch as he has no right to be there."
Donald shot his arrow by chance, but it only became flattened against
one of the kind of windows in the kind of castle that was in it.
When the man from Carr saw what happened to the arrow of the man from
Inverinate, he thought that his companion's arrow was only a useless
one. The man from Carr got a glimpse of one of the servants of MacBeath,
carrying with him a stoup of water to boil a goat buck, which he had
taken from Craig Tollie the night before; but, poor fellow! it was not
he who consumed the goat buck. Old Alastair Liath of Carr threw the
arrow, and it went through the kidneys of him of the water-stoup.
MacBeath suspected that a kind of something was behind him which he did
not know about. He thought within himself not to wait to eat the goat
buck; that it would be as well for him to go ashore--life or death to
him--as long as he had the chance to cross. He lifted every arrangement
he had, and he made the shore of it. Those who would not follow him he
left behind him; he walked as fast as was in his joints, but fast as
MacBeath was, the arrow of the son of Big Donald fixed in him in the
thickest of his flesh. He ran with the arrow fixed, and his left hand
fixed in the arrow, hoping always that he would pull it out. He ran down
the brae to a place which is called Boora to this day; and the reason of
that name is, that when MacBeath pulled the arrow out, a buradh, or
bursting forth of blood, came after it.
When the Kintail men saw that the superior of the kind of fortress had
flown, they walked round the head of Loch Tollie sprawling, tired as
they were; and the very ferry-boat which took MacBeath ashore took the
MacRaes to the island. They used part of the goat buck which MacBeath
was to have had to his meal. They looked at the man of whom they had
made a corpse, while the cook went to the preparation for the morning
meal. Difficulty nor distress were not apparent on the Kintail men. The
fearless heroes put past the night in the castle. They feared not
MacBeath; but MacBeath was frightened enough that what he did not get he
would soon get.
Although the pursuit of the aliens from Mackay's country was in the
minds of the Kintail men, they thought they would go and see how the
lands of Gairloch lay. They went away in the morning of the next day,
after making cuaranan (untanned shoes) of the skin of the goat buck by
putting thongs through it, as they had worn out their own on the way
coming from Kintail. They came through Gairloch; they took notice of
everything as they desired. They walked step by step, as they could do,
without fear or bodily dismay. They reached Brahan; they saluted
Mackenzie. They said boldly, if he had more sons that they would find
more land for him. Mackenzie invited them in, and took their news. They
told him about the land of Gairloch, the way in which they saw MacBeath,
and the way in which they made him flee, and the time which they lived
on the flesh of the goat buck. "And Kenneth," says Donald (addressing
the chief), "I shall remember the day of the foot of the goat buck as
long as Donald is [my name] on me."
Chapter VII.
THE M'LEODS OF GAIRLOCH.
It is difficult to tell how the M'Leods came to Gairloch. It is not
impossible that their claim to it may have dated back to the times of
the Norse Vikings, from one of whom, tradition says, the M'Leods were
descended. There were two clans of M'Leod,--the Siol Torquil, and the
Siol Tormod,--perfectly distinct and independent of each other, though
said to have sprung from one common progenitor named Leod. It was a
branch of the Siol Torquil who took possession of Gairloch.
Donald, Lord of the Isles, who about 1410 laid claim to the earldom of
Ross in right of his wife (Part I., chap. i.), was the son of John
Macdonald of Islay, first lord of the Isles. John claimed the islands of
Skye and the Lews under a grant by Edward Balliol. When John made his
peace with King David in 1344 he retained the Lews. From this time the
Siol Torquil held the Lews as vassals of the house of Islay. It seems
highly probable that Gairloch, Loch Broom, Coigeach, and Assynt, being
the adjacent parts of the mainland, were at first similarly held by the
Siol Torquil, a branch of whom called the Siol Mhic Ghille Challum also
acquired the island of Raasay. In this case their original claim to
Gairloch would be derived either from the first lord of the Isles, or
his son Donald, Lord of the Isles and Earl of Ross. On no other theory
can the sway of the M'Leods in Gairloch be accounted for consistently
with the history of the times, unless indeed it was purely the result of
"vaulting ambition."
However this may have been, a branch of the Siol Mhic Ghille Challum
soon made good an independent claim to Gairloch. Oddly enough a family
feud was the commencement, as another was the ending fifty years later,
of their legal title to Gairloch. In 1430 King James I. granted "to Nele
Nelesoun, for his homage and service in the capture of his deceased
brother Thomas Nelesoun, a rebel, the lands of Gerloch and others in the
earldoms of Ross and Sutherland and sheriffdom of Innernys."
On this grant Neil, the son of Neil M'Leod, no doubt took steps to
enforce his claim to Gairloch, and to subdue the MacBeaths, most of whom
he drove from the country. He is said to have captured their three
strongholds,--Eilean Grudidh, the Loch Tollie island, and the Gairloch
Dun. It is in the time of the M'Leods that we first hear of the Tigh
Dige (ditch house), situated in a field below where Flowerdale House now
stands. It was a "black house," built of turf, roofed with divots (large
thin turfs), and surrounded by a moat or ditch.
The M'Leods also had another stronghold in Gairloch, between Port
Henderson and Opinan, the site of which is still called Uamh nam
Freiceadain, and which was the last fortress they held in Gairloch.
Eilean Ruaridh Beag,
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