141: The Linnet 141: An Linnet

Ann an ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a trì (1843), chaidh an soitheach an Linnet air na creagan. Bha sin faisg air Cadabol. Tha Cadabol faisg air Baile a’ Chnuic ann am Machair Rois.

’S e bàta-seòlaidh a bha innte. Chaidh i air na creagan. Ach cha robh an t-slige aice briste. Bha feadhainn ag iarraidh a toirt gu Baile an Todhair. Chuir iad an Linnet air bhog. Tharraing iad i le eathraichean. Ach bha droch shìde ann. ’S e feasgar geamhraidh a bha ann. Bha i stoirmeil.

Dh’fhalbh an Linnet leis a’ ghaoith. Bha seachdnar air bòrd. Bha i a’ fàs dorch. Cha robh acair air bòrd. Agus cha robh stiùir aca.

Beagan làithean às dèidh sin, chaidh an long-bhriseadh a lorg. Chaill an seachdnar a bha air bòrd am beatha. Bha ceathrar aca à Baile an Todhair agus bha an triùir eile à Baile a’ Chnuic. ’S e call uabhasach a bha ann.

Sgrìobh fear Artar Ros marbhrann Gàidhlig mu dheidhinn.

Tha ’n duine truagh gach uile là

a’ dol air thuras dh’ionnsaigh bhàis,

’s gun fhios an t-àm an tèid e ’n sàs –

tha uair a bhàis am falach air

Sin an dàrna rann. Seo a-nis an t-siathamh is an t-seachdamh rann:

Ach dhiùlt i falbh dhaibh uair no dhà

is iad ga feuchainn le luchd-ceàird;

ach nuair a thàinig oidhche a’ bhàis,

siud ghabh i an sàl is dh’imich i

Is ged bha àireamh mhòr air bòrd

ga tarraing suas gu Bail’ an Todhair,

dh’fhalbh i uath’ gun stiùir, gun seòl,

is cha bu deòin leath’ fuireach dhaibh

’S dòcha gum bi cuspair nas aotruime agam anns an ath Litir! Ach fàgaibh mi sibh an t-seachdain seo le rann eile bhon “Linnet Mhòr”:

Och, a Bhàis, b’ an-iochdmhor cruaidh

thu ann an siud ’m measg thonnaibh ’chuain

dar chuir thu ort do chlogaid chruaidh

is thilg gun truas do shaighead annt’.

Faclan is abairtean: chaidh an soitheach an Linnet air na creagan: the vessel, the Linnet, went on the rocks; tha Cadabol faisg air Baile a’ Chnuic ann am Machair Rois: Cadboll is near Hilton on the flat lands of Easter Ross (“the Seaboard Villages”); ’s e bàta-seòlaidh a bha innte:she was a sailing boat; cha robh an t-slige aice briste: her hull wasn’t broken; ag iarraidh a toirt gu Baile an Todhair:wanted to take her to Balintore (a neighbouring village); air bhog: afloat; tharraing iad i le eathraichean:they pulled her with boats; droch shìde: bad weather; feasgar geamhraidh: a winter’s afternoon; leis a’ ghaoith:with the wind; bha seachdnar air bòrd: there were seven people on board; acair; anchor; cha robh stiùir aca:they had no rudder; beagan làithean às dèidh sin: a few days after that; chaidh an long-bhriseadh a lorg: the wrecked ship was found; ’s e call uabhasach a bha ann: it was a terrible loss; marbhrann: elegy; tha an duine truagh gach uile là: the poor man each and every day; a’ dol air thuras dh’ionnsaigh bhàis: going on a journey towards death; gun fhios an t-àm an tèid e ’n sàs: without knowing the time he will be taken [by death]; an dàrna rann: the second verse; tha uair a bhàis am falach air: the time of his death is hidden from him; dhiùlt i falbh dhaibh uair no dhà: she refused to leave [afloat] once or twice; is iad ga feuchainn le luchd-ceàird: with them trying [to float her] with tradesmen/engineers; nuair a thàinig oidhche a’ bhàis:when the night of death came; she took to the salt water and she left; ged bha àireamh mhòr air bòrd: although there was a large number [of people] on board; ga tarraing suas gu Bail’ an Todhair: dragging her up to Balintore; dh’fhalbh i uatha gun stiùir, gun seòl:she went from them without a rudder, without a sail [uatha is a Ross-shire variant of bhuapa – it means “from them”]; cha bu deòin leatha fuireach dhaibh: she wasn’t willing to wait for them; ’s dòcha gum bi cuspair nas aotruime agam:perhaps I’ll have a lighter subject; fàgaibh mi sibh: I’ll leave you; a Bhàis, b’ an-iochdmhor cruaidh thu: Death, you are unmerciful and hard; am measg thonnaibh a’ chuain: amid the ocean waves (thonnaibh is an old dative plural of tonn); dar chuir thu ort do chlogaid chruaidh: when you put on your hard helmet (dar is a variant of nuair, meaning “when”) thilg gun truas do shaighead annta: [you] fired your arrow into them.

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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh

This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 445

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