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Tha baile ann an Tìr na Banrigh air a bheil ‘Gin Gin’. Tha e ann an sgìre ris an canar Wild Scotsman Country. ʼS ann an sin a chaidh Seumas Mac a’ Phearsain a ghlacadh.

Bha Mac a’ Phearsain ainmeil. Choisinn e cliù dha fhèin mar mhèirleach a bha modhail is dòigheil. Ghoideadh e stuth, ach cha bhiodh e ri fòirneart. 

Chan iad na poilis a ghlac e ach fir às an àite fhèin. Ghlac iad e oir bha an t-each aige ro sgìth airson teicheadh. A-rithist bha an t-Albannach ‘Fiadhaich’ cho modhail ri ministear.

Anns a’ chùirt ann am Brisbane chaidh cùisean gu math dha. Bha e air fhaighinn neo-chiontach air casaidean de bhith a’ leòn òstair. Ach chaidh a thoirt gu baile eile – Maryborough – far an robh e fo chasaidean mèirle. 

Chaidh fhaighinn ciontach an turas seo agus chaidh a chur don phrìosan airson fichead ʼs a còig bliadhna. ʼS e nach robh e ri fòirneart a chùm e far na croiche.

Bha e sa phrìosan ann am Brisbane greis. Chuir athair athchuinge chun an Riaghladair. Bha e a’ sireadh saorsa airson a mhic. Ach cha deach leis.

Ann an ochd ceud deug is seachdad (1870), chaidh Mac a’ Phearsain gu prìosan ùr – eilean St Helena ann am Bàgh Mhoreton. Ged a dh’fheuch e ri teicheadh aon turas, bha na h-ùghdarrasan dhen bheachd gun robh e air atharrachadh. An dèidh ochd bliadhna sa phrìosan, chaidh a shaoradh.

Airson a’ chòrr de a bheatha, bha Mac a’ Phearsain air taobh ceart an lagha. Phòs e agus bha sianar cloinne aige. Chaidh iad a dh’fhuireach gu tuath ann am Burketown. Sin far an d’ fhuair e bàs ann an ochd ceud deug, naochad ʼs a còig (1895). 

Bha a bhàs annasach. Bha Seumas aig tiodhlacadh caraid a thuit far eich. Air an rathad dhachaigh thilg an t-each aige fhèin e. Chaidh a chlaigeann a bhriseadh agus chaochail e. B’ e sin deireadh an ‘Albannaich Fhiadhaich’ à Srath Spè. Leis an fhìrinn innse, cha chreid mi gun robh e cus ro fhiadhaich.

There is a town in Queensland called ‘Gin Gin’. It’s in a region called ‘Wild Scotsman Country’. That’s where James McPherson was caught.

McPherson was famous. He won a reputation for himself as a robber who was polite and good-tempered. He would steal stuff but he was not violent.

It wasn’t the police that caught him but men from the local area. They caught him because his horse was too tired to flee. Again the ‘Wild’ Scotsman was as polite as a minister.

In the court in Brisbane, matters went well for him. He was found not guilty of charges of wounding a publican. But he was taken to another town – Maryborough – where he was facing charges of robbery.

He was found guilty this time and he was sent to prison for 25 years. It was [the fact] that he was not involved in violence that saved him from the gibbet.

He was in prison in Brisbane for a while. His father sent a petition to the Governor. He was seeking freedom for his son. But he was not successful.

In 1870, McPherson was sent to a new prison – the island of St Helena in Moreton Bay. Although he attempted to flee one time, the authorities were of the opinion that he had changed. After eight years in prison, he was released. 

For the rest of his life, McPherson was on the right side of the law. He married and had six children. They went to live up north in Burketown. That’s where he died in 1895.

His death was strange. James was at the funeral of a friend who fell from his horse. On the way home, his own horse threw him. His skull was broken and he died. That was the end for the ‘Wild Scotsman’ from Strathspey. To tell the truth, I don’t reckon he was too wild.