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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Choire Bhreacain, cuairt-shruth ainmeil eadar Sgarba agus Diùra. Tha e faisg air Cnoc an t-Sabhail, an t-àite ann an Diùra far an do sgrìobh George Orwell an nobhail aige 1984. Ach cha mhòr nach deach Orwell a bhàthadh ann an Coire Bhreacain mus robh 1984 deiseil. Seo mar a thachair e.

            B’ e a’ bhliadhna 1947. Bha càirdean aig Orwell a’ fuireach aige. Thug Orwell cuireadh dhaibh falbh còmhla ris ann am bàta. Ach cha robh fios aige mu àm an làin. Agus cha robh seacaidean-sàbhalaidh air duine aca.

Nuair a ràinig iad an caolas, bha suaile mhòr ann. Bha am bàta a’ tulgadh gu dona. A bharrachd air Coire Bhreacain, tha cuairt-shruthan eile anns a’ chaolas. Bha einnsean outboard air a’ bhàta, ach cha robh e neartmhor gu leòr. Ghabh cuairt-shruth grèim orra.

            Bha am bàta air a chur mun cuairt, agus air a thilgeil suas is sìos. Bha eagal air a h-uile duine. Gu h-obann, leum an t-einnsean far deireadh a’ bhàta. Bha iad a-nise gun einnsean agus ann an cunnart am beatha. Thog Eanraig, mac piuthar Orwell, na ràimh.

            Dh’iomraich e, agus fhuair iad faisg air eilean beag. Leum Eanraig a-mach. Bha ròp-toisich a’ bhàta na làimh. Thug am bàta car. Bha a h-uile duine eile fo shlige a bhàta. Bha am bàta bun-os-cionn. Ach, gu fortanach, fhuair a h-uile duine a-mach.

            An dèidh uair a thìde gu leth air an eilean, chunnaic bàt’-iasgaich iad. Chaidh am bàta faisg air an eilean, agus thilg an criutha ròp gu tìr.

            Tha feadhainn dhen bheachd gun do ghiorraich an gnothach beatha Orwell. Goirid an dèidh na tubaist, ghabh e a’ chaitheamh. Bha e anns an ospadal airson greis.

I was telling you about Corryvreckan, a famous whirlpool between Scarba and Jura. It’s near Barnhill, the place in Jura where George Orwell wrote his novel 1984. But Orwell was almost drowed in Corryvreckan before 1984 was complete. Here’s how it happpened.

        The year was 1947. Orwell had relations staying with him. Orwell invited them to go with him in a boat. But he didn’t know the time of the high tide. And none of them had a lifejacket.

        When they reached the narrows, there was a big swell. In addition to Corryvreckan, there are other whirlpools in the channel. There was an outboard engine on the boat but it wasn’t powerful enough. A whirlpool took hold of them.

        The boat was thrown around and up and down. Everybody was afraid. Suddenly the engine leaped off the stern of the boat. They were now without an engine and in danger of their lives. Henry, Orwell’s nephew, picked up the oars.

        He rowed, and they got close to a small island. Henry leaped out. He had the boat’s painter in his hand. The boat turned turtle. All the others were now under the hull of the boat. The boat was upside-down. But, fortunately everybody got out.

        After an hour and a half on the island, a fishing boat saw them. The boat got close to the island, and the crew threw a rope to land.

        Some people think the affair shortened Orwell’s life. Shortly after the accident, he contracted tuberculosis. He was in [the] hospital for a spell.