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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu M.E.M. Donaldson agus an leabhar aice ‘Wanderings in the Western Highlands and Islands’. Anns an leabhar, tha dealbh-camara a thog i de dh’fhear-iùil nam beann a bha ainmeil ri a linn. B’ esan Iain MacCoinnich às an Eilean Sgitheanach. Thug e gu leòr de dhaoine don Chuiltheann à Sligeachan. Agus ’s e a thug ainm do Sgùrr MhicCoinnich, tè de bheanntan a’ Chuilthinn. 

Dh’fhalbh Donaldson a-mach air chuairt cuide ri Iain MacCoinnich grunn tursan. Am measg sin, bha latha fada doirbh à Sligeachan gu ruige Camas Fhionnairigh air cladach Loch Sgàbhaig – agus air ais a Shligeachan. Aon turas chaidh iad seachad air loch air a bheil – air na mapaichean – Loch na Crèitheach. Tha e a’ ciallachadh ‘the loch of the brushwood’. Bhithinn an dùil gur e Loch na Creithich a bhiodh air, agus sgrìobh Donaldson ‘Loch na Creubhaig’. Bu toigh leam faighinn a-mach le cinnt dè chanas muinntir an àite ris. Co-dhiù, dhearbh an t-ùghdar gun robh ‘brushwood’ gu leòr a’ fàs air bruach an ear an locha aig an àm ud.

Sgrìobh Donaldson cuideachd dà rud inntinneach a thog Iain MacCoinnich leatha nuair a bha iad a’ coiseachd an sin. B’ e a’ chiad rud gum fac’ iad dà fhaoileig a bha a’ ruagadh iolair-mhara. A rèir Donaldson, bha na h-iolairean-mara a’ neadachadh air a’ Chloich Ghlais, beinn chas làimh ri Blà-bheinn. Tha na h-ùghdarrasan ag innse dhuinn nach robh iolairean-mara beò ann an Alba tràth san fhicheadamh linn. Bha iad air an toirt a-steach a-rithist à Nirribhidh anns na seachdadan. Saoil an e iolair-bhuidhe a chunnaic i seach iolair-mhara?

Bha còmhradh car inntinneach eadar Donaldson agus Iain MacCoinnich mu dheidhinn nathraichean an latha sin. Dh’inns Iain dhi gun robh feadhainn ann, le cinnt. Nuair a thigeadh nathair faisg air caora, ge-tà, bhiodh a’ chaora a’ saltradh air a ceann agus ga marbhadh! Uill, an cuala sibh fhèin rud dhen t-seòrsa sin? Saoil an robh MacCoinnich a’ tarraing aiste?!Ìý

Anns an leabhar aice, ‘Wanderings in the Western Highlands and Islands’, tha Donaldson a’ toirt an leughadair bhon Eilean Sgitheanach gu Loch Aillse. Tha i a’ tadhal air Gleann Eilg. Os cionn a’ Ghlinne Bhig, far a bheil na dùin ainmeil, tha loch beag ann air a bheil Loch Iain Mhic Aonghais. 

Bha fios agam gun robh sgeul de dh’each-uisge co-cheangailte ris an loch, agus tha Donaldson ag innse an sgeòil dhuinn, mar a chuala i e aig bean a’ mhinisteir. Chunnaic Iain MacAonghais each brèagha ri taobh an locha. Dh’fhaighnich e de bhodach glic am biodh e ceart gu leòr nan cuireadh e an t-each gu feum. Thuirt am bodach gum bitheadh – nam beannaicheadh e e. Ach dh’fheumadh e seachnadh buileach a bhith a’ dol air muin an eich.

Mar sin, ghabh Iain grèim air an each. Rinn an t-each obair dha gu dòigheil. Ach latha a bha seo, leum Iain air a mhuin. Dh’fhalbh deagh shunnd an eich. Leum e don uisge le Iain fhathast air a mhuin. Chan fhacas sgeul tuilleadh air Iain bochd ach a-mhàin a sgamhan a chaidh a lorg air fleod anns an loch.

Faclan na Litreach: dealbh-camara: photograph; Iain MacCoinnich: John MacKenzie; às an Eilean Sgitheanach: from the Isle of Skye; Camas Fhionnairigh: Camasunary; Loch Sgàbhaig: Loch Scavaig; Nirribhidh: Norway; Loch Aillse: Lochalsh; Gleann Eilg: Glenelg; dùin: brochs; each-uisge: water-horse, kelpie.

Abairtean na Litreach: fear-iùil nam beann a bha ainmeil ri a linn: a mountain guide who was famous in his day; bu toigh leam faighinn a-mach le cinnt: I’d like to find out with certainty; dè chanas muinntir an àite ris: what the local people call it; a’ fàs air bruach an ear an locha: growing on the eastern side of the loch; aig an àm ud: at that time; b’ e a’ chiad rud gum fac’ iad dà fhaoileig: the first thing was that they saw two seagulls; a’ ruagadh iolair-mhara: chasing a sea eagle; a’ neadachadh air a’ Chloich Ghlais: nesting on Clach Glas; beinn chas làimh ri Blà-bheinn: a steep mountain next to Blaven; tràth san fhicheadamh linn: early in the 20th century; saoil an e iolair-bhuidhe a chunnaic i seach iolair-mhara?: perhaps it was a golden eagle she saw rather than a sea eagle; nuair a thigeadh nathair faisg air caora: when a snake would come near a sheep; bhiodh a’ chaora a’ saltradh air a ceann agus ga marbhadh: the sheep would stamp on its head and kill it; dh’fhaighnich e de bhodach glic: he asked an old man; am biodh e ceart gu leòr nan cuireadh e an t-each gu feum: if it would be alright if he made use of the horse; nam beannaicheadh e e: if he would bless it; dh’fheumadh e seachnadh buileach a bhith a’ dol air muin an eich: he would have to completely avoid riding the horse; dh’fhalbh deagh shunnd an eich: the horse’s good mood left him; a sgamhan a chaidh a lorg air fleod: his lungs that were found floating.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Thug e gu leòr de dhaoine don Chuiltheann à Sligeachan: he took many people to the Cuillins from Sligachan. You will sometimes hear people refer to these iconic mountains in English as ‘the Cuillin’ which is a reflection of the Gaelic name which is singular and masculine – An Cuiltheann. Bha mi air a’ Chuiltheann an-dè ‘I was in the Cuillins yesterday’. There is a tendency today to refer also to ‘beanntan a’ Chuilthinn’ (which I include in the following sentence) but this is not necessary. An Cuiltheann will do on its own!

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Saoil an robh MacCoinnich a’ tarraing aiste?: I wonder if MacKenzie was teasing her.