"Story and Song from Loch Ness-Side"

[73]

The following narratives dealing with old-time life, to which we now address ourselves after Laying down such foundation from history and tradition as, we hope, will give our readers an idea of the background to them, embrace in time considerably more than the nineteenth century; and while illustrative of that period, are intended to be typical of much earlier times in the traditional history of the Highlands as a whole. We shall observe no hard and fast rule as to the order of our chronicles, but simply write them with as much relation to each other as possible. We wish to specially lay under contribution Invermoriston, including Achnanconeran, Blairy, Alltsaigh, the Point, and all between and about, because our own youthful associations with Loch Ness-side were mostly with these; and in our time they furnished excellent material for sketches repre sentative of the whole of Loch Ness district, and, indeed, of much of the Highlands generally.

We begin with Achnanconeran. The name, which is a difficult one, either to pronounce or to spell, particularly from the stranger's point of view, carries us back to the time when the training of hounds for the chase was an institution in the Highlands. When Achnanconeran was first inhabited it is now probably impossible to say with any degree of certainty. One of the first historic references to it we have been able to [74] trace occurs in "Urquhart and Glenmoriston," by Mr William Mackay, in connection with a decree granted " on 7th April, 1699, at the instance of Charles Baillie, as executor of the deceased William Baillie, of Dunain, against" a number of Glenmoriston men, among whose names is that of "John Riach Mac Finlay vic Coill" [Iain Riabhach Mhic-Fhionnlaidh Mhic Dhornhuill] "in Achnaconeran." It is quite safe to conclude that there would have been people living in the township long before that date. There is tradition to the effect that the first house in it was built on "Tom-an-t-Seomair'' ("The Chamber Knoll") - of which more further on - and that it was erected by a man known as Red John ("Iain Ruadh"), after whom certain local place-names arose, such as "Poll-Moine-Iain-Ruaidh" ("Red John's Peat Moss"), "Pairc Iain Ruaidh" ("Red John's Park"). In a somewhat exhaustive enumeration of the people of Glenmoriston, attached to a bond of caution between Robertson of Inshes and Grant of Glenmoriston, in 1664, " Minor Highland Families" - Inverness Gaelic Society Transactions, Vol. XXI, there is no mention of any such a township being then in existence, but in a list of the men that sur- rendered immediately after the battle of Culloden (May, 1746), there appear the names of some six men, natives of Achnanconeran ; and in an account of the distribu tion of wheels and reels by the manufacturing station at Invermoriston, in the year 1764, there occur the names of two persons whose place of residence is given as "Achnagunerin", or Achnanconeran. Appendix to "Urqnhart and Glenmoriston."There is, however, little doubt that the township has been peopled for many centuries. Its traditions go back to the [75] Fingalian period, when those ancient heroes hunted in one day between Sgur-nan-conbhairean, at the extreme west end of Glenmoristou, and Achadh-nan-conbhairean, at the extreme north-east end of the Glen.

Like all Highland hamlets, this one has its places of interest round about. These place names are, of course, principally native; but the old people used to say that some of them were given by certain adventurers from the district who had been abroad as Crusaders, after their return home. As the immediate background to Achnanconeran stands ''Creagan-na-h-Uamhach'' ("The Rock of the Cave"), where are still pointed out the remains of a hiding place, believed to have at one time been inhabited by a mighty giant, such as we read of in ancient story. A short distance beyond this rock is a place called ''Na Sitheanan" ("The Fairy K nowes"), where the little people, in the long, long ago, used to be seen skipping and dancing, and, at other times, heard playing music on the trump - music so enchanting as was dangerous to listen to. On the right- hand side of the township, looking south-east, is a large field known by the name of "Achadh-leagain" and which, as the word indicates, enjoys the reputation of h aving been the field on which the dog trainers trained and exercised their hounds. In the neighbourhood is also "Beinn-leagain". Not very far away is "Ruidhe- na-h-Ulaidh" ("The Plain of the Treasure"), where, according to local story, was buried in the olden time a Scandinavian King and, at his head, his treasure. The tale is to the effect that at a place known as "Braighe Bhlairidh" ("Blairy Brae"), some two miles farther away to the south, was fought a battle between the Caledonians and the Norsemen, under a [76] King of the name of Eric, who was accompanied by his beautiful daughter. After a stiff engagement victory declared for the Caledonians, and the Lochlins fled. They were pursued and overtaken at a place called "Cnoc-an-Tionndainn" ("The Knoll of the Turning"), where King Eric was slain. From this the place is supposed to have come to be called "Coir' Iaraig " ("Eric's Corry"), now Coir' larairidh. King Eric's daughter is said to have afterwards been put to death; and a necklace worn by her is referred to locally as " Slabhraidh nighean Righ Lochluinn, 'S gu 'm b' e 'n dosgainn thug a bas " (" The chain of the Lochlin King's daughter, Who met so ill and cruel a fate ").

Those who fell in the battle were interred at a place since known as "Cladh Bhlairidh" ("Blairy Grave- yard"). In the vicinity is a large slab, called "Leac- nan-Saighead" ("The Slab of the Arrows"); also a place called "Bealach-a'-Chail" ("The Cabbage Pass"), where the wounds of the injured were dressed. The graves in this ancient burial ground appear to have been covered by large slabs of stone, one purpose of which custom was the protection of the dead from wolves. Long after the battle referred to, the fertile vales and slopes of Upper Blairy became tenanted by a few families, who prospered there; and most of those found a last resting place in the old graveyard. Hugh, Alexander, and Donald Chisholm, three of the men who protected Prince Charles in Glenmoriston, were sons of Paul Chisholm, a tenant in Blairy. A short distance beyond Blairy, on the Moriston river, is "Linne-nam-Fiehead " ("The Pool of the [77] Twenty"), where twenty men are said to have been drowned on one occasion, when escaping from an avenging foe. At "Ruighe-na-h-Ulaidh" are the remains of several houses in which families lived of old, and of crofts which were at one time cultivated accord ing to the fashion of the time. Beside it is "Ruighe- Mhaothaidh," between which and Livishy is the "Feithe-Shalach" ("The Filthy Bog"), where, tradi tion says, an uncanny animal caused fear and trembling to many a late wayfarer. Livishy, near by, is memor- able in local story as the place where the nurse, said to have escaped from Glencoe on the night of the atrocity, in February, 1692, is also said to have rested and found shelter for herself and the heir to the chiefship, whom she had saved. Archie Grant, the bard, refers to this as follows:

In the near vicinity are two large conical mounds - one on each side of the river - known by the names of "An Tom" and "An Dunan", in each of which, according to old story, lived at one time a hag or "Cailleach". They bore no love to each other, and they occasionally caused considerable disagreeableness to passers-by with their wrangling. To the west of [78] Achnanconeran is a large hollow called "Glaic-a'-Chomh- aich" ("The Hollow of the Prey"), the story of which indicates that the people resorted thither sometimes to escape capture by pursuers. Farther away, in a north- westerly direction, are the lovely grassy, and productive corries and plains on which the old people herded their cattle in the good old days of the "airigh" - "Coire Shamrag" ("The Shamrock Corry"), "An Coire Rainich" ("The Brackens Corry"), "An Coire Seilich" ("The Willow Corry"), "Na Luban" (a series of winding stretches of magnificent pasture, following, for a distance, the course of Alltsaigh, the large stream that divides the GlenUrquhart and Glenmoriston estates), with a thousand and one other beauty spots on every side. Here, amidst scenes of gorgeous beauty, "far away from the madding crowd", with its ceaseless round of moil and toil, during roughly the summer half of every year, lived a number of the people of the place, tending their cattle, and preparing their produce for the ensuing winter. Another place of interest in the neighbourhood of this township is "Tom-an- t-Seomair" ("The Chamber Knoll"), of which legend said that there had been at one time on the top of it a king's palace - "Seomar Righ" - a king's chamber or royal residence.

Lower Invermoriston has also some very interesting place-names. Not far from Livishy, already referred to, and about a mile north-east thereof, is "Fasadh-a'-Ghille-Bhioraich," a name which is accounted for thus: It is said that the croft and house were given in the long ago by one of the MacPhadruigs to the servant whom he employed for turning his roasfe round with a spit "bioran". He came to be called "An Gille [79] Biorain";hence the name of the croft, "Fasadh-a'-Gille-Bhiorain," changed in course of time to "Fasadh- a'-Ghille-Bhioraich". About half-way between these two places, on the other side of the Moriston river, at the foot of "Sroin-Muic" ("The Pig's Snout"), is Dal- cattaig, where Ewen MacDonald, the poet, lived;and about mid-way north-eastwards towards the Big Bridge over the Moriston Falls, is a small mound, now long covered with juniper bushes and other timber, known as "Tom-na-h-Aorainn", where, if we believe common story, has often been heard something uncanny, still referred to as "Bodach Tom-na-h-Aorainn". Principal among other Invermoriston place names are St Columba's Churchyard and Well, already dealt with in our narrative. But Invermoriston generally needs no special reference in this connection. Its history will develop, along with that of Achnanconeran, as we pro ceed with our story.

Any account of our district would be incomplete indeed without a passing reference to the life and career of the famous freebooter, Donald MacDonald, of Bohuntin, Lochaber, remembered locally as "Domhull Donn" and much of whose history is associated with the locality. Donald was of the House of Keppoch, and from his youth displayed a spirit of roaming wildness and irregularity of disposition. He was, perhaps, somewhat encouraged in his lawlessness by having hob- nobbed from time to time, as a young man, with the notorious Coll MacDonald of the Cows ("Colla nam Bo"), who about the middle of the seventeenth century, with a band of kindred spirits - among them Donald MacMillan ("Domhull Ban-Caillich") - infested Loch- Arcaig-side, and gave the district an evil reputation [80] that resounded from end to end of the Highlands. In the Fernaig MS., written 1689-1693, "Antlachd Locharcaig" is referred to as notorious. Donald is supposed to have had the misfortune to kill the son of John Macdonald, the Jacobite bard, better known as "Iain Lom" in a duel, and thus to have incurred the animosity of the great satirist of Lochaber. At any rate, from snatches of songs which have come down, it would appear that those worthies exercised their versify­ ing powers - for Donald was also a bard of no mean order - on each other. In the accounts of the duel that tradition has preserved, Donald and the bard's son are represented as having been present at a dance. Donald was reputed one of the best-looking Highlanders of his day; and a lady of his acquaintance having made some flattering remarks about the other MacDonald, jealousy caught fire in Donald's breast. A quarrel ensued, the results of which were the duel and the death of the bard's son. Another tradition is to the effect that Donald accidentally killed his father's dairymaid, when one day out duck-shooting. The girl is mentioned as his own sweetheart, and he is said to have composed a poem on this tragic circumstance, which is supposed to be commemorative of his misfortune and his grief:

'' Oh ! that I had been dead Before I went duck-shooting;
I handled my gun, and killed her, Instead of one of them!''
Fairly complete versions of the original are published in " An t-Oranaiche" and in Lieutenant Campbell's "Language, Poetry, and Music of the Highland Clans, 1862" and it need not therefore be included here.

[81] Donald was distinguished for bravery, tact, and an extraordinary capacity for tricks, and he was considered an important acquisition to the ''rieving'' brotherhood of Brae Lochaber. But he sometimes found himself in trouble from his pranks. It is told that on one evening he was in danger of severe punishment from Coll and his confederates for having made them feast upon a beast of cattle from their own favourite herd - that is, from their picked stock for the market.

What appears to have been the determining event in Donald's life was a love intimacy that sprang up between himself and the daughter of the then Laird of Grant. The Chief would not hear of his daughter having anything to do with MacDonald, though he is supposed to have known that she cherished the deepest affection for him. So as to be nearer his lady-love, Donald left Lochaber and made his abode in a cave - not a very pretentious resi- dence for the suitor to a Chief's daughter - at a place called Uchda-Reudair, some two miles to the north of Achnanconeran, and on the GlenUrquhart side of Alltsaigh. Donald stayed here for a considerable period, in the course of which he visited Miss Grant, and committed depredations on neighbouring farmers and crofters, as best suited him. He was the hero of numerous adventures and escapades during that time. On one occasion, when travelling in the direction of Inverness, he is said to have taken a cow out of a byre, which belonged to a farmer at Lochend. Finding his prey difficult to drive, he called at the owner's house for a rope, but fearing that the farmer might know the animal, Donald took the precaution to stick a snowball [82] on her forehead, making her appear whitefaced (blar). The farmer lent the rope and some assistance - to get rid of his own cow! At another time, when returning from Inverness towards his haunt, he made up his mind to relieve a certain farmer of some live stock. But, fear ing the watchdog, he wrapped his coat fast about the animal's mouth, and thus got away with his spoil. Afterwards he appeared at a dinner at Inverness, where, being recognised, it was suggested by one present that a black pudding should be placed before Donald, by way of allusion to his rieving propensities. Donald understood all, and revenged himself, in his own effec tive way, on the party who had taken the trouble to dictate the insult. The Red Craig - another name for Donald's cave - was a particularly safe retreat for our hero in his circumstances. Inside it he could defend himself against almost any number of assailants. The entire surroundings are wild, and unapproachable except at great risk and trouble. There is a succession of pre- cipitous crags sloping irregularly down towards a boisterous stream called Alltsaigh, some of the deep, black pools of which have the reputation in tradition of having once been tenanted by an animal of the "uncanny" kind. He refers to the place and vicinity himself thus:

We get an interesting glimpse of Donald's life then from the following effusion composed by him, all alone in his loneliness. It is a pathetic production, of which the following local version is fairly complete:

—and from still another composition believed to be by him:

We find that this song is also sometimes claimed as- having reference to the exploits of " Alasdair Sgoilear," a noted freebooter of Western Ross-shire. But we would refer the reader to Inverness Gaelic Society "Transactions," Vol. VII., to which testimony may be added that the verses have always been locally sung as the composition of Donald Donn.

In course of time the Laird of Grant came to know of Donald's whereabouts, and he took steps to capture him at all costs. But Donald resolved to defy the power and authority of the Chief; and so long as he remained in his den, he was comparatively safe. But this he could not do, continuing rather to extend the sphere of his labours. As was natural, he brought a great deal of ill-feeling on his own head, and Grant soon had a few sympathisers in his efforts to rid the [86] district of MacDonald. Donald then, by way of offend ing Grant as much as in his power lay, " lifted " a beautiful white bull from the fields of a neighbouring proprietor, and drove it all the way to Balmacaan, where he left the animal among the other cattle, making it thus appear that Grant had at least appro- priated the spoil. The Laird of Balmacaan felt deeply insulted at the trick played upon his honour, and swore on his oath that Donald's career must needs be cut short. From that day forward Donald's fate was sealed. A pretended message from his sweetheart brought him from his cave down to the old change- house at Alltsaigh, where he was met by a number of men apparently prepared to shower kindnesses on him. Poor Donald, craving in his inmost heart for company and fellow-feeling, drank unto intoxication; and while in this condition he was deprived of his trusty blade. An attempt was made to capture him at once;but being a man of enormous strength and agility, he made his way outside. He was pursued, however, and over taken at Rusgaich. He himself describes the incident in the following touching verses:

In "Highland Legends, etc." by "Glenmore", twelve stanzas of this composition are quoted as by Peter Roy MacGregor, a noted freebooter of [88] Strathspey;but the song has been well-known and sung for generations on Loch Ness-side as the production of Donald Donn; and, further, in the Collection of Gaelic Poetry by the brothers Stewart, published in 1804, fourteen of the verses are set down as composed by ''a gentleman of the Clan Donald treacherously captured in the North." A slightly different version of the story of MacDonald's capture is current in the district. It states that he was invited to a quiet glass with friends in the Alltsaigh change-house, on a certain Sunday evening. When well on with drink, he was asked to join his companions in a sail on Loch Ness, but care was taken that he left his sword and other arms behind him. After some time the boat was rowed, according to a pre-arranged plan, to Rusgaich, where the laird's men were lying in wait for MacDonald's landing.

Donald languished in the Inverness prison for a time, and was eventually beheaded, which, it is said, he requested, rather than be hanged, just to belie the oath made by Seafield that he would see Donald hanged, by hook or by crook. The following verses are very likely to have been composed by him while lying in gaol:

Before his execution he expressed his feelings in a poem of great tenderness. There is a very realistic and despondent sentiment in the lines occurring in it, in which he says:

"To-morrow I shall be headless on a knoll, And no one there to claim kinship with me."
The old people related Donald's melancholy story with much sympathetic feeling, and rounded it off by a statement to the effect that the head, just when being struck off the body, addressed a sister thus - "Kate, lift the head."

That Miss Grant warmly reciprocated Donald Donn's affection for her is evidenced by a beautiful love song [90] composed by her to him during their acquaintance. We always heard verses of this composition in our dis trict, but we take the liberty of here inserting a very complete version of it contributed to the Inverness Gaelic Society by Rev. Mr Maclean Sinclair, Nova Scotia, and published in Vol. XXIV. of the "Transactions":

[91] 'S math thig feileadh dhuit 's an fhasan, Boineid ghorm is cota breacain ; Osan gearr is tri chuir ghartan, 'S glas-lann air do chruachainn.
Cha 'n 'eil oganach cho ainmeil Riut 's a chearna so de dh J Albuinn; ; S mairg a dhiiisgeadh suas gu feirg thu, 'N am nan arm a bhualadh.
Ged a gheibhinn-sa gu m' ordugh, Na tha dh' fhearann aig Diuc Gordan, 'S mbr gu 'm b' annsa learn na 'n storas Sin Ian choir air m' uaigheachd.

There is a striking similarity between certain verses of this song and some of another, well-known in the High­ lands, and published at page 190 of "An t-Oranaiche" under the name of "Tha mo run air a' ghille". A small memorial was raised to the memory of Donald in Bohuntin Church-yard, Lochaber, some years ago.

Two notorious thieves are said to have passed through the district at one time on an expedition, the story of which is worth recording. It appears that one of the Lochiels and the Glengarry of the time, being friendly over an evening entertainment, discussed, among other things, the capabilities of their respective thieves - Donald Kennedy, or Mac Ualrig, also and better known as "An Gadaiche Dubh" ("The Black Thief"), and Alexander MacDonald, known as "Goiridh nan Caora" ("Gorry of the Sheep"). Lochiel wagered on Kennedy, and Glengarry on Mac- Donald, and in due course the two experts were sent away together, to prove which of them was the better thief. They proceeded on their journey, passing through Fort Augustus, and visiting various parts of Glen- moriston, without finding any opportunity of putting [92] their powers to a proper test. They were determined, however, not to return without some demonstration of their slimness, and they continued on their way in the direction of GlenUrquhart. There they seem to have become discouraged, and they lay down to rest. Ken- nedy appears to have slept; but not so MacDonald. who, taking advantage of this circumstance, adroitly appropriated a pair of hose which Kennedy carried in his plaid. When Kennedy awoke he found MacDonald asleep, but he also soon was up again. After some discussion as to what course now to follow, both agreed that they had better return home, trusting to their luck on their way back. But nothing turned up, and eventually the two were again in the presence of their chiefs. When questioned as to results, Kennedy stated that he came back as he had left. "But not so I", said MacDonald, flourishing in the face of the astonished Kennedy the pair of hose which he had taken from the other's plaid.

Chapter 4