Fògradh, Fàisneachd, Filidheachd

by Duncan B. Blair

  In other houses the bailiffs had to grab the women and use the strength of their arms to put them outside. One woman threw herself on the floor, went into a swoon, and began to scream and screech and yelp like a dog for ten minutes. A second woman came and pleaded with the Sheriff to leave the roof on the house, or at least the part of it over the loom, until she could finish the tweed that she was weaving at that time. Another woman came and attempted to hit one of the bailiffs with a stick, but she missed. Then she jumped on him and pulled the hat from his head. She was so furious and strong that it was with difficulty that two bailiffs managed to pull her outside. The horrible conduct was so abominable that the Laird of Sleat’s factor had to back off and agree to allow the people to stay in their houses until the end of spring if they would consent to leave then of their own free will. Some accepted this offer and the majority rejected it. Nevertheless the cattle were expropriated and taken away to pay the rent that was owed.

  Lord MacDonald was now in deep debt, as much as 200,000 pounds sterling. Therefore the estate was put under trustees by the creditors, for they couldn’t sell it, but they took the rent and the income of the estate, leaving an annual portion to Lord MacDonald for his subsistence. These trustees do not care what happens to the tenants as long as they can collect the rent to pay the debts.

  In September 1853, the landlord’s ground officer came and ordered the crofters to leave the land, at a place called Boraraig and Suisnish. There were about 32 families in that community. The men were away from home earning money to pay the rent. Only the women and the little children were at home, but despite the screams of the women and the crying of the children the merciless work began. The furniture was dumped outside and the roofs of the houses were stripped. The old folk were thrown out regardless. The women and children yelled, tearing their hair out with anxiety, and tearing the firmament with their screeching and weeping. No mercy was shown to young or old, male or female. They were all thrown out and left to die on the bare knolls.

  Nevertheless the Factor was making excuses for this dreadful action and saying that it was a gesture of “kindness, goodwill and godliness, since the people lived too far from the church.” Isn’t it strange that this Factor was not hit by a thunderbolt from the heavens?

  (5 Samhain 1892)

  Uibhist a Tuath

  Air a’ bhliadhna 1849 dh’fhuadaich Morair Chlainn Dòmhnaill 600 no 700 pearsa à Sollas, àite ann an Uibhist mu thuath. Dh’aslaich an sluagh air son beagan dàlach gus am faigheadh iad an crodh ’s an sprèidh ’s nithean eile a chreic gun chall a bhi aca, nuair a thigeadh fèilltean an t-samhraidh mun cuairt. Ach cha d’ fhuair iad èisdeachd no freagairt d’an iarrtas. Chaidh an cur a mach as na taighibh, na dorsan a ghlasadh, agus gach nì a bha aca a sharadh, eadar chrodh agus arbhar agus mòine; agus thilgeadh an cuid àirneis a mach air an dorus air lom a’ bhlàir a muigh. Bha duine àraid an sin a bha ’na fhigheadair, aig an robh bean agus naoinear chlainne. Thilgeadh a mach àirneis an duine so, agus chaidh an èididh a ghearradh às a’ bheairt; agus ruith a’ bhean a chum an doruis leis an naoidhean aice na h-ultaich ag èigheach a mach cho àrd ’s a b’ urrainn di: “Tha mo chlann air a bhi air am murtadh.” An dèidh sin leag na maoir an taigh gu làr.

  Ann an taighibh eile b’èiginn do na maoir na mnathan a ghlacadh agus an cur a mach le neart nan làmh air an dorus. Thilg aon bhoireannach i fhèin air an làr, chaidh i ’na paiseanadh, agus thòisich i air sgiamhail, agus sgriachail, agus tathunnaich mar chù, rè dheich mionaidean. Thainig boireannach eile agus ghuidh i air an t-Siorram gum fàgadh e am mullach air an taigh, no air a’ chuid sin deth a bha os cionn an àite anns an robh a’ bheairt, gus an cuireadh i crìoch air an èididh a bha i a’ figheadh aig an àm sin. Thàinig boirionnach eile agus thug i ionnsaigh air fear de na maoir a bhualadh le maide, ach cha d’ amais i air; an sin leum i air agus spìon i an ad dha mullach a chinn. Bha i cho buaireasach làidir ’s gum b’ann air èiginn a thug dà mhaor a mach eatarra i air an dorus. Bha obair an uamhais a’ fas cho gràineil ‘s gum b’èiginn do’n Fhactor aig a’ Mhorair Shlèiteach lasachadh agus aontachadh ris an t-sluagh fhàgail nan taighibh gu deireadh an earraich nan gealladh iad falbh an sin le ’n toil fhèin. Ghabh cuid ris an tairgse so agus dhiult a’ mhor-chuid i. Gidheadh chaidh an sprèidh a sharadh ’s a ghlacadh air son ainfhiach a’ mhàil.

  Tha Morair Chlainn Dòmhnaill a nis ann am fiachaibh mòr, cho fada ri dà chiad mìle punnd Sasannach (£ 200,000 sterling.) Uime sin chuireadh an oighreachd fo chileadairibh le luchd an ainfhiaich, oir chan urrainn iad an oighreachd a reic, ach rinn iad grèim air a’ mhàl agus air tighinn a stigh na h-oighreachd, a’ fagail cuibhrinn àraid aig a’ Mhorair gus a bheathachadh, air gach bliadhna. Tha na cileadairean so coma ciod a dh’ èireas do’n t-sluagh ma gheibh iad am màl a chruinneachadh air son pàighidh nam fiachan.

  Ann am mìos September, 1853, thàinig maor fuinn a Mhorair agus thug e bàirlinn do na croitearaibh air son falbh às an fhearann, aig àite ris an abrar Borraraig, agus Suisinnis. Bha mu thimcheall dà theaghlach dhiag thar fhichead anns an àite sin. Bha na fireannaich air falbh bho ’n taigh ’gan cosnadh air son airgid a phàigheadh am màl. Cha robh aig an taigh ach na mnathan agus a’ chlann bheag. Ach a dh’aindeoin gaoir nam ban agus caoineadh na clainne bige, thòisich an obair an-tròcaireach; thilgeadh an àirneis a mach air an dorus, agus rùisgeadh mullach nan taighean. Bha an t-seann mhuinntir air an cur a mach a dh’ aindeoin, agus bha na mnathan ’s a’ chlann ag èigheach, a’ spìonadh am fuilt leis an iomagain, agus a’ reubadh na h-iarmailte le ’n sgreadail agus le ’n rànaich. Cha robh tròcair air a nochdadh do dh’aois no dh’òige, do fhireann no bhoireann; ach bha iad uile air an tilgeadh a mach agus air am fàgail gu bàsachadh air na cnoic loma.

  Gidheadh bha am Factor a’ gabhail leithsgeil na h-oibre oillteil so, agus ag ràdh gur h-ann bho “chaoimhneas, bho dheagh rùn, agus bho dhiadhaidheachd” a rinneadh i, “a chionn gun robh an sluagh tuilleadh is fada bho ’n Eaglais.” Nach iongantach nach deachaidh am Factor so a bhualadh le peileir-tàirneanaich bho na neòil?

  (12 November 1892)

  Kintail

  At the beginning of this century many people were removed from Kintail by MacKenzie, the Earl of Seaforth, on the advice of his acolyte, Big Duncan MacRae, the Factor in Kintail. He and his father were sheep farmers in Kintail and they got possession of the land that they took from the old tenantry and extended the sheep farm, which was already too large. The people went to Canada where many of them settled in Glengarry, Ontario, and some are quite prosperous. They have land and money and cattle, and some represent the county where they reside in the Ottawa Parliament. But, woe is me, big avaricious Duncan who chose to banish them from Kintail went into poverty and died penniless. Shortly afterward MacKenzie of Seaforth had to sell the old estate of Kintail and Lochalsh. The places from which people had been cleared were Glen Elchaig and Letterfearn. Fifty families were removed from Letterfearn.

  They also attempted to remove the people of Coigeach. They put them in two separate groups, one of women and one of men. The men stood watching that the women were not being treated with contempt. The men did not move an arm or leg, but the women jumped on the sheriff’s agents, grabbed their summons papers and put them into a pile which they burned. They threw the bailiffs’ staffs into the sea. Having caught the bailiffs they took the staffs of office from twenty constables and from some of the bailiffs themselves, and they immersed them in a nearby loch. The men did not lay a finger on the bailiffs but stood watching that the women would not be treated badly. The women won the battle and got the better of the bailiffs, who ran off and returned home without delivering a summons to any one of the crofters. The outcome was that that the people were left in Coigeach where they and their forebears had been, and today they are as happy as any crofters in the Highlands of Scotland.

  About four or five hundred families were cleared from Strathconan. However, some of them got sanctuary in the Black Isle
of Ferintosh, some in Drynoch, some in Maol Buidhe, some in Kilcoy, some in Aird of Lovat, and some in Cromarty. Sadly, though, after converting rough soil, heather and moorland into arable land, they were again cleared by the landlord and the land they had developed was taken from them, without ransom or recompense for their labour. The landlord gave this land for a large rent to rich farmers who freely inherited the toil of poor people. When will there be an end to the work of oppression and extortion? How long will the grinding of the faces of the poor continue?

  (12 Samhain 1892)

  Cinntàile

  Aig toiseach a’ chiadbhliadhain so, chuireadh air falbh mòran sluaigh à Cinntàile le MacCoinnich, Iarla Shìophoirt, air comhairle a’ Ghille aige, Donnchadh Mòr MacRath, am Factor ann an Cinntàile. Bha e fhèin agus athair ’nan tuathanaich chaorach ann an Cinntàile agus ghlac iad grèim air an fhearann a thug iad bho’n t-seann tuath agus chuir iad sìneadh ris a ghabhail chaorach a bha cheana tuilleadh us farsainn. Chaidh an sluagh air falbh gu Canada far an do shuidhich mòran diubh ann an Gleann Garraidh, Ontario, agus tha cuid diubh gu math air an dòigh; tha fearann us maoin us sprèidh aca; agus cuid diubh nam buill ann am Pàrlamaid Ottawa air son na Siorramachd far am bheil an tuineachas. Ach mo thruaighe Donnchadh Mòr sanntach a thug fainear an cur air falbh agus am fuadach à Cinntàile; thàinig e gu bochdainn agus fhuair e ’m bàs gun sgillinn dhe’n t-saoghal aige; agus b’ èiginn do MhacCoinnich Shìophoirt seann oighreachd Chinntàile agus Loch Aillse a chreic an ceann beagan ùine. B’iad na h-àitean às an do chuireadh air falbh an sluagh Gleann Ealchaig agus an Leitir-fheàrna. Chuireadh air falbh leth cheud teaghlach às an Leitir-fheàrna.

  Thug iad ionnsaigh mar an ciadna air an tuath fhògradh às a’ Chòigich, eadar fhireannaich us bhoireannaich; rinn iad dà bhuidhinn, aon bhuidheann de na boireannaich agus buidheann eile de na fireannaich. Sheas na fireannaich ag amharc nach faigheadh na boireannaich tàir; agus cha do ghluais iad fhèin làmh no cas; ach leum na boireannaich air na maoir siorraimh; rug iad air na pàipearan-sumanaidh agus rinn iad dùn diubh agus chuir iad ’nan teine iad; thilg iad bataichean nam maor anns a’ mhuir agus rug iad air na maoir agus thug iad na bataichean dreuchd bho fhichead constaball agus bho na maoir fhèin; agus rinn iad an tumadh agus am bogadh ann an lochan uisge a bha dlùth air làimh. Cha do chuir na fireannaich corrag air na maoir ach bha iad ’nan seasamh air eagal gum faigheadh na mnathan droch càramh. Ach bhuannaich na mnathan anns a’ bhaiteal, choisinn iad air na maoir, a ghabh an ruaig, agus a thill dhachaidh gun aon sumanadh a liubhairt do fhear sam bith de na croiteiribh. B’e ceann thall na cluiche gun d’fhàgadh an sluagh anns a’ Chòigich far an robh iad fhèin ’s an sinnsir romhpa, agus air an latha ’n diugh tha iad cho math air an dòigh ri croiteiribh sam bith air Gàidhealtachd Alba.

  Chuireadh air falbh a Srath-Chonnain mu thimcheall ceithir no còig ceud teaghlach. Ach fhuair cuid diubh fasgadh ann an Eilean Dubh na Tòiseachd, cuid air an Droighnich, cuid aig a’ Mhaoil Bhuidhe, cuid eile aig Cùil-Challaidh, cuid ann an Aird Mhic Shimidh, agus cuid ann an Cromba. Ach mo thruaighe! An dèidh dhaibh talamh fiadhaich fraoch us mointeach a thabhairt a staigh gu bhi ’na fhearann treabhaidh, far an d’fhuair iad fasgadh, chaidh am fògradh à sin a-rithist leis an uachdaran, agus thugadh bhuapa am fearann a rèitich iad, gun èiric gun chomh-leasachadh a phàigheadh dhaibh air son an saoithreach. Thug an t-uachdaran am fearann so air màl mòr do na tuathanaich bheartach a shealbhaich saothair nan daoine bochda an asgaidh. Cuine a sguireas obair an fhòirneirt agus na foir-èiginn? Cia fhad a bhithear a’ bleith aodannan nam bochd?

  (19 November 1892)

  Mull, Ulva, Iona, Tiree, Coll

  In 1821 the Isle of Mull had a population of 10,612 but in 1871 it had only 6,441. In 1881 it had dropped to 5,624, close to half the population of sixty years earlier. The number of people has been declining each year, and if this continues there will not be many inhabitants at the end of the next sixty years.

  In the Isle of Ulva, when the person who is writing this was travelling through the island as a preacher in 1845, there was a population of 360, but by 1881 this number had decreased to 51. The rest had been driven away by the landlord Mr. Sinclair, an Edinburgh lawyer, who had bought it when it was auctioned and was now turning it into a sheep farm or farms. To do this he was clearing people away, as is done with the roots or stumps of trees when land is being prepared for cultivation in the American forest. He did not care for the people any more than one does for the old stumps of trees that are torn from the roots and gathered in piles for burning.

  In the parish of Kilfinichen the crofters were dispersed and 26 of them went across the sea to Canada. The rest of them gathered at the end of Loch Scridain where they are clustered together in great poverty and ill health because they do not have land that they can work to grow crops in order to feed their families.

  Bunessan, the Ross of Mull and Iona belong to the Duke of Argyll. Though he is a wise man, a good scholar, and a sensible and perceptive ruler, he is nevertheless a hard, strict, niggardly miser who shows no benevolence or compassion for the poor people. He banished about 243 of the native people from the Ross of Mull and Iona. Many of them died in Canada from stomach and bowel diseases when they went ashore in the new land. There used to be a population of 500 in Iona but now there are hardly 250 left.

  The Duke also owns the Isle of Tiree. In 1841 this island had 4,687 people, but the Duke got rid of half of them. Today there are only about 2,733 people on the island. The rest came across the ocean to Canada and settled in various locations.

  The Isle of Coll is near Tiree, for the channel between them is only two miles wide. In 1841there were 1,400 people living in Coll, but now there are only 643 inhabitants, less than half of the population fifty years ago. The rest left the island and were scattered throughout the world. Thus the children of the Gaels are scattered like the children of Israel who were taken away to Babylon and Assyria, for they were spread throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.

  (Detail) James Kirkwood. 1804. By permission. National Library of Scotland [NLS shelfmark: EMS.s.74].

  (19 Samhain 1892)

  Muile, Ulbha, Ì, Tiridhe, Colla

  Air a’ bhliadhna 1821 bha 10,612 sluaigh ann an Eilean Mhuile ach air a’ bhliadhna 1871 cha robh ann ach 6,441. A rìs air a’ bhliadhna 1881 thàinig iad a nuas gu 5,624; ’s e sin ach beag gu leth an t-sluaigh a bha a’ còmhnaidh san eilean bho cheann trì fichead bliadhna. Tha iad air a bhith a’ sìor dhol nas lugha a h-uile bliadhna, agus ma leanas an obair so cha bhi mòran sluaigh ann am Muile mun tèid trì fichead bliadhna eile seachad.

  Ann an Eilean Ulbha, nuair a bha am fear a ta sgrìobhadh so a’ triall air fheadh ’s a’ bhliadhna 1845, a’ searmonachadh, bha 360 sluaigh a’ fuireach ann, ach air a’ bhliadhna 1881 cha robh ri fhaotainn ach 51 pearsa. Bha a’ chuid eile air am fuadach air falbh leis an uachdaran Mr Mac a’ Chlèirich, fear-lagha de mhuinntir Dhùn Eidinn a cheannaich an t-eilean so nuair a bha e am port-reic; agus a bha nise ’ga thionndadh gu bhi ’na ghabhail no ’na ghabhalaichean chaorach. Agus air son so a dhèanamh bha e a’ fògradh an t-sluaigh air falbh, mar a bhithear a’ dèanamh air bunan no stoic nan craobhan an àm a bhi rèiteachadh fearainn air feadh na coille ann an Aimeireaga. Cha robh tuilleadh meas aige air na daoinibh na bhios agaibh air seann stoic nan craobhan a spìonar à bun agus a thionailear ’nan cruaich a chum an losgadh.

  Ann an sgìreachd Chill-Fhinnichein chuireadh air falbh na croitearan agus chaidh 26 dhiubh thairis air a’ chuan gu Canada. Thionail a’ chuid eile dhiubh gu ceann Loch-Sgridein far am bheil iad air an dòmhlachadh air a chèile ann an uireasbhaidh mhòir agus am bochdainn do bhrìgh nach eil fearann aca an sin a nì iad oibreachadh gu bàrr a thogail ann air son beathachaidh an teaghlaichean.

  Buinidh Bun-Easain agus an Ros Mhuileach agus Ì-Chaluim-Chille do Dhiùc Earra-Ghàidheil. Ged a tha an Diùc so ’na dhuine glic, ’na sgoilear mòr, agus ’na fhear-riaghlaidh tùrail, tuigs
each, gidheadh tha e ’na uachdaran cruaidh, teann, miodhair, ’na spìocaire neo-chaomh gun iochd ris an t-sluagh bhochd. Chuir e air falbh na seann dùthchasaich às an Ros Mhuileach agus à Ì-Chaluim-Chille, mu thuaiream 243 pearsa; ach fhuair mòran diubh am bàs ann an Canada le gearraich agus tinneas-cuim a ghabhail nuair a chaidh iad air tìr san dùthaich ùir. B’àbhaist 500 pearsa bhi fuireach ann an Ì-Chaluim-Chille, ach a nise is gann a gheibhear 250 sluaigh anns an eilean sin.

  Is leis an Diùc Eilean Thiridhe mar an ceudna. Air a’ bhliadhna 1841 bha 4,687 sluaigh air an eilean so, ach chuir an Diùc air falbh an dàrna leth; oir chan fhaighear a nis air an eilean ach mu thimcheall 2,733 pearsa. Thàinig a’ chuid eile dhiubh thar a’ chuain gu Canada agus sgaoil iad anns gach àite.

  Tha Eilean Cholla làimh ri Tiridhe, oir chan eil ach dà mhìle de leud anns a’ chaolas a tha eatarra. Air a’ bhliadhna 1841 bha 1,400 pearsa a’ còmhnaidh ann an Colla, ach a nise chan eil ann ach 643 de luchd-àiteachaidh eadar òg is shean, nas lugha na leth nan daoine bha ann bho cheann leth-chiad bliadhna. Dh’fhalbh a’ chuid eile dhiubh às an eilean agus sgapadh iad thall sa bhos air feadh an t-saoghail. Tha clanna nan Gàidheal mar so air an sgapadh mar a thachair do chlainn Israeil a thugadh air falbh gu Babilon agus Assyria, oir bha iad air an sgapadh tre Phontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia agus Bithuinia.