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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Sheumas Mac a’ Phearsain, ‘An t-Albannach Fiadhaich’. Chaidh a thoirt air soitheach gu baile Rockhampton ann an Tìr na Banrigh – airson nochdadh ann an taigh-cùirte. Bha e fo chùram poileas òg. Bha glas-làmh air, agus iarann-coise. 

Bha Seumas gu math laghach ris a’ phoileas. Bhruidhinn e ris gu modhail agus bha am poileas dhen bheachd nach robh cunnart sam bith ann. Thug e a ghlas-làmh dheth. ʼS e mearachd mhòr a bh’ ann. Nuair a bha iad aig cidhe ann am baile ris an canar MacAoidh, air an t-slighe a Rockhampton, dh’fhuirich Mac a’ Phearsain air deic. Ged a bha iarann-coise air, chaidh e thairis air beul-mòr an t-soithich agus dh’fhalbh e don choille faisg air làimh.

An ath latha, a rèir beul-aithris, lorgadh an t-iarann-coise le eighe ri a thaobh agus teachdaireachd sgrìobhte. Bha an gille Gàidhealach gu math foghlamaichte, agus bha an teachdaireachd ann am Beurla choileanta. ‘Presented to the Queensland Government with the ‘Wild Scotsman’s’ best thanks,’ sgriobh e, ‘that gentleman having no further use for them, the articles being found to be rather cumbersome to transit ...’ ʼS e a bha ladarna!

B’ e sin a’ chiad turas a chleachd e fhèin na briathran ‘Albannach Fiadhaich’ ann an Tìr na Banrigh. An ceann ùine, ʼs e sin a bha a h-uile duine a’ gabhail air. 

Ghoid Mac a’ Phearsain dà ghunna-làimhe agus each. Thòisich e air ionnsaigh a thoirt air na puist a bha a’ dol eadar bailtean air muin-eich. Cha d’ fhuair e an t-uabhas airgid, ge-tà, oir cha bhiodh daoine a’ cur mòran airgid tron phost ach mar sheic. Ach, corra uair, gheibheadh e rudan gu math luachmhor. Aon turas, dh’ith e pìos de chèic-bhainnse a bh’ ann am parsail. Thug e pìos dhith don phost – airson a bhith modhail!

A bharrachd air mèirle a’ phuist, bhiodh Mac a’ Phearsain a’ dol gu bailtean-fearainn ann an àiteachan iomallach, agus bhiodh e a’ goid eich. Bha e furasta gu leòr dha teicheadh le each. Uaireannan, chuireadh e pìosan clò thairis air casan an eich airson gluasad gu sàmhach air an oidhche. Bha stòbh spioraid aige cuideachd. Mar sin, cha leigeadh e a leas teine a bhith aige – rud a bha furasta fhaicinn a latha ʼs a dh’oidhche.

Airson cùisean a dhèanamh doirbh do na poilis, bha an t-Albannach a’ gabhail ‘Bauer’ air fhèin. Bhiodh e a’ bruidhinn Gearmailtis – cànan a bh’ aige gu fileanta – agus a’ toirt a’ chreidsinn gur e Gearmailteach a bh’ ann. Cuideachd, chanadh e uaireannan gur e Johnny Dunn a bh’ ann – mèirleach-rathaid ainmeil à Cuimrigh Nuadh a Deas.

Ach bha daoine gu leòr eòlach air a choltas. Bhiodh sgarfa dearg timcheall amhaich agus bann dearg timcheall a mheadhain. Cha robh feusag air. Bha an-còmhnaidh ad air, a bh’ air a dèanamh de lus ris an canar an ‘cabbage tree’, le bann dearg timcheall oirre. Feumaidh gum b’ e dearg an dath a b’ fheàrr leis!

Bha na poilis ann an Tìr na Banrigh a’ fàs seachd searbh sgìth dheth. Chuir iad dà cheud gu leth not air adhart mar dhuais airson fiosrachadh a chuireadh an t-Albannach Fiadhaich fo ghlas. Agus cha robh aca ri feitheamh ro fhada, mar a chluinneas sinn anns an ath Litir.

Faclan na Litreach: Seumas Mac a’ Phearsain: James McPherson; An t-Albannach Fiadhaich: The Wild Scotsman; Tìr na Banrigh: Queensland; taigh-cùirte: courthouse; air deic: on deck; dà ghunna-làimhe: two handguns; seic: cheque; stòbh spioraid: spirit stove.

Abairtean na Litreach: fo chùram poileas òg: under the care of a young police officer; bha glas-làmh air, agus iarann-coise: he had handcuffs on, and leg-irons; gu math laghach ris a’ phoileas: very nice to the policeman; bhruidhinn e ris gu modhail: he spoke to him politely; bha am poileas dhen bheachd nach robh cunnart sam bith ann: the policeman was of the opinion that he was of no danger; chaidh e thairis air beul-mòr an t-soithich: he went over the vessel’s gunwale; lorgadh an t-iarann-coise le eighe ri a thaobh agus teachdaireachd sgrìobhte: the leg-irons were found with a file beside them and a written message; thòisich e air ionnsaigh a thoirt air na puist a bha a’ dol eadar bailtean air muin-eich: he started to attack the postmen who were going between towns on horseback; a’ bruidhinn Gearmailtis – cànan a bh’ aige gu fileanta:  speaking German – a language he spoke fluently; a’ toirt a’ chreidsinn gur e Gearmailteach a bh’ ann: pretending he was a German; mèirleach-rathaid ainmeil à Cuimrigh Nuadh a Deas: a famous bushranger from New South Wales; bhiodh sgarfa dearg timcheall amhaich agus bann dearg timcheall a mheadhain: there would be a red scarf round his neck and a red sash around his waist; bha an-còmhnaidh ad air: he always wore a hat; feumaidh gum b’ e dearg an dath a b’ fheàrr leis: red must have been his favourite colour; bha na poilis a’ fàs seachd searbh sgìth dheth: the police were getting thoroughly sick of him; chuir iad dà cheud gu leth not air adhart mar dhuais airson fiosrachadh a chuireadh X fo ghlas: they put forward a reward of £250 for information that would put X in custody; cha robh aca ri feitheamh ro fhada: they didn’t have to wait too long.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: cha leigeadh e a leas teine a bhith aige: he wouldn’t need to have a fire. Cha leig thu leas ‘you don’t need to’; cha leiginn a leas ‘I wouldn’t need to’; cha leigeadh tu leas ‘you wouldn’t need to’. An alternative expression is cha ruig thu leas, cha ruigeadh tu leas etc.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: a latha ʼs a dh’oidhche: day and night.