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Anns an Litir mu dheireadh, bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Loch an Iasgair faisg air an Fhionn Loch, agus mar a tha an t-ainm a’ ciallachadh ‘loch na h-iolair-uisge’. Anns an leabhar aige A Hundred Years in the Highlands, tha Osgood MacCoinnich ag innse dhuinn cuideachd mu iolair eile anns an sgìre aig an àm sin – an iolair-mhara. 

Bha eilean anns an Fhionn Loch air an robh Eilean na h-Iolaire. B’ e sin an t-ainm a bh’ air gu h-ionadail, co-dhiù, oir chan eil e air mapaichean na Suirbhidh Òrdanais. Ged a bha craobhan beaga san eilean, ʼs ann air mullach creige a bha na h-iolairean-mara a’ neadachadh. Ge-tà, cho luath ʼs a chuir Osgood is a chàirdean bàta beag anns an loch airson iasgach, cha robh an nead sàbhailte tuilleadh. Bhiodh daoine a’ falbh a ghoid nan uighean às an nead. 

Air sgàth sin, dh’fhalbh na h-iolairean-mara, agus thog iad nead ùr gu h-àrd anns na beanntan – air sgòr air Beinn Àirigh a’ Charr deas air an Fhionn Loch. Bhiodh na h-eòin, ʼs cinnteach, dhen bheachd gun robh iad sàbhailte an sin. Ach cha do thuig iad cho dealasach ʼs a bha Osgood MacCoinnich is feadhainn eile mar mhèirlich uighean. Tha e doirbh an cunntas aige a leughadh, no a thoirt seachad dhuibh, gun a bhith a’ fàs feargach, ach nì mi mo dhìcheall!

Seo agaibh m’ eadar-theangachadh air an earrainn dhen leabhar anns a bheil MacCoinnich a’ dèanamh tuairisgeul dhen ghnothach. ‘Nuair nach robh mi ach seachd no ochd bliadhna a dh’aois, bha mi mu-thràth an sàs ann an goid uighean, agus bha mi miannach air feadhainn aig an iolair-mhara, a bha riamh gann anns an sgìre seo, ged a bha na h-iolairean-buidhe pailt. Cha robh mi eòlach air ach aon àite-neadachaidh eile aig an iolair-mhara air a’ chosta seo, far an robh iad a’ neadachadh air creag os cionn na mara gu o chionn ghoirid. Cha tug mi fois gu mo mhàthair gus an robh i air turas a chur air dòigh don nead; bha e dìreach thairis air crìoch ar n-oighreachd ach, le cead bho ar nàbaidh, chaidh sinn ann air muin-eich, le sreapadair comasach agus ròpan nar cois.’

Tha an cunntas a’ leantainn, agus MacCoinnich is a chompanaich a’ ruigsinn an lic air an robh an nead. Ach cha deach an gnothach leotha. Bha na h-uighean air an goid mu-thràth. An latha roimhe, bha an cìobair air an oighreachd, air an robh an nead, air a dhol ann. Thug e na h-uighean leis airson reic, oir bha e air cluinntinn gun robh luach annta. ʼS e Jock Beatie an t-ainm a bh’ air an duine, agus bhuineadh e do cheann a deas na h-Alba. Tha Osgood ag innse dhuinn gun robh gràin aige fhèin air a’ chìobair air sàillibh na mèirle.

Ge-tà, bhuineadh Osgood do na h-uaislean, agus bha airgead aige. Thug e airgead gu Mgr Beatie agus thug an cìobair na h-uighean seachad. Chaidh MacCoinnich dhachaigh leis na h-uighean mòra, bàna, agus toileachas na chridhe. Ma tha sibh a’ coimhead airson faclan aithreachais aige mun sgrios a rinn e, bidh sibh air siubhal gun siùcar. Cha b’ fhada gus an deach an iolair-mhara à bith ann an Alba. Coltach ris an iolair-uisge, ge-tà, tha i air tilleadh a dh’Alba, agus chithear anns an sgìre sin a-rithist i.

Faclan na Litreach: iolair-uisge: osprey; sgòr: a finger of rock; iolair-mhara: sea eagle; muin-eich: horseback.

Abairtean na Litreach: chan eil e air mapaichean na Suirbhidh Òrdanais: it’s not on Ordnance Survey maps; ʼs ann air mullach creige a bha na h-iolairean-mara a’ neadachadh: it’s on top of rock that the sea eagles were nesting; cho luath ʼs a chuir X bàta beag anns an loch, cha robh an nead sàbhailte tuilleadh: as soon as X put a small boat on the loch, the nest was no longer safe; a’ falbh a ghoid nan uighean às an nead: going to steal the eggs from the nest; cha do thuig iad cho dealasach ʼs a bha X mar mhèirlich uighean: they didn’t understand how zealous X were as egg thieves; gun a bhith a’ fàs feargach: without getting angry; bha mi miannach air feadhainn aig an iolair-mhara: I greatly coveted those of the sea eagle; a bha riamh gann anns an sgìre seo: which were always rare in this district; cha tug mi fois gu mo mhàthair gus an robh i air turas a chur air dòigh don nead: I gave my mother no peace until she had arranged an expedition to the nest; thairis air crìoch ar n-oighreachd: beyond the march (boundary) of our estate; a’ ruigsinn an lic: reaching the ledge; cha deach an gnothach leotha: they didn’t succeed; bha e air cluinntinn gun robh luach annta: he had heard they were valuable; bhuineadh e do cheann a deas na h-Alba: he belonged to the south of Scotland; gun robh gràin aige fhèin air a’ chìobair air sàillibh na mèirle: that he hated the shepherd because of the robbery; airson faclan aithreachais aige mun sgrios a rinn e: for words of regret about the damage he did; bidh sibh air siubhal gun siùcar: you’ll be on a wild goose chase; chithear anns an sgìre sin a-rithist i: it can be seen in the area again.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Seo agaibh m’ eadar-theangachadh: here is my translation [for you]. Note that when a possessive pronoun like mo ‘my’ or do ‘your’ is in front of a noun that begins with a vowel, we drop the vowel from both writing and speech. But note also that, in writing, we leave a space between the apostrophe and the noun. Other examples are m’ ad ‘my hat’; d’ obair ‘your work’; m’ uchd ‘my bosom’; fo d’ achlais ‘under your armpit’.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: nì mi mo dhìcheall: I’ll do my best [I’ll make an effort].