Volume II. Guth na Bliadhna ' leabhar II.]

a mind to do so. It is significant of the hold which even the tradition of a vast body of Gaelic law had on feudal society, and of the respect which, even under that system, was paid to Gaelic opinion and' customs, that in a document which is before us as we write and which belongs to feudal times, the tef^H of the law are to be invoked to restrain those only who hunt " unlawfully," that is, for such as have no right, or have obtained no proper permission to do< so. Here, then, we obtain a glimpse again, after, the lapse of many hundreds of years, and under a totally different social and legal system, of the "unlawful hunter" of our ancient Gaelic laws!! Whilst at the same time, reading not only between but the actual lines themselves of Taylor's descrip­tive narrative, we obtain a clear view of manners] and customs, of rights and privileges, which must] have come down to the Gaelic people of Scotland from time immemorial. Truly, it has been welll said that Gaelic manners and customs die hard!

|:Long may they continue to do so, if deserving and? worthy to be had in remembrance !

We have left ourselves but little space in which [to refer to our concluding head, which is the abuse* ¹ of deer forests. It is hardly necessary to state [that we view with consternation and alarm the-recent increase in the number of these jealously guarded preserves. The modern sportsman is, un-[fortunately, in too many cases, nothing if not selfish ~ and, if the choice has to be made, he is neither [slow to express his preference for deer over men. nor ambiguous in the statement thereof. It seems to be the view of a class of sportsmen which is un­fortunately much on the increase that nothing—no [human or social interests and obligations, that is to say—must be suffered to come between themselves and the selfish prosecution of their sport. We are* very far, indeed, from thinking that all sportsmen are of this dangerous and disagreeable type; but. it is useless to attempt to disguise the fact that [sport tends more and more to become the exclusive-[privilege of a few rich men, whose first and last concern is the dimensions of " the bag " which they are able to fill. This being so, and modern sports-^Bl||ing what they are, it is hopeless to expect pat the argumentum ad hominem, however temper­ately urged and dexterously employed, will produce-jmuch effect in the quarter indicated by these re-^Eks. We shall be callously told that the time when men and deer flourished abundantly side by side, as we know they did in the days of our¹ ancestors, is long gone by ; and that since modern ' requirements insist that the presence of deer in-pur glens and forests is incompatible with that of [human beings, the latter must be discouraged, and,, if necessary, expelled, in order that the moniedt

bounder from England or America may gratify his " sporting " propensities in the manner and in the form which he demands. In these circumstances we see nothing for it but the continuance, in the meantime, of that agitation whose object is the com­pulsory limitation of these overgrown and super­abundant preserves. It is really monstrous that huge tracts of the Highlands and Isles should be denuded of their inhabitants in order to make room for deer; and we beg leave to remark that were this country governed at home instead of at Westminster a state of affairs so humiliating and depressing, so morally unsound and so economically wrong as this is would never have been suffered to endure, much less to attain to its present scanda­lous dimensions.¹ For ourselves, we have as little faith in appeals and applications to the English Parliament with a view to the curtailment of this evil as we have liking for and confid­ence in some of the arguments which those employ who would be our friends in this matter.²

1When the Crofters Commission was sitting there were 109 deer forests in Scotland, and they covered an area of 1,975,000 acres; now there are 150 deer forests, and they occupy an area that cannot be less, and that may be consider­ably more, than 3,000,000 acres. What this means in extent two simple illustrations will suffice to show. If the united •counties of Aberdeen, Kincardine, Forfar, Fife, Haddington, Edinburgh, Linlithgow and Stirling were all converted into wild and given over to red deer, they would hardly do more than suffice for the forests of the north. And if Kinross, Clack­mannan, Dumbarton, Lanark, Benfrew, Ayr, Dumfries and Wigtown were similarly restored to nature, they would still be lacking, by an area greater than that of Peebles, of the domain presently oocupied by deer. In other words, from one-seventh to one-sixth of Scotland belongs to red deer.

2 For instance, we like not the sound of the argument that sour lands should be repeopled in order that, like fat stook, the

Experience shows that our national concerns are systematically neglected in that clubmen's para­dise; and that the deaf adder of the Psalmist is attention and sympathy itself compared with the average English statesman's attitude towards Gaelic affairs. We can only hope, therefore, that as part and parcel of the infinitely more important and more solemn question of national self-government, this question of deer forests will not, in the mean­time, be lost sight of by the Gaels of Scotland; and that however much our friends the politicians may strive to ameliorate existing conditions, through the channel of the English Parliament, they will not lose nor be allowed to lose sight of the future —of that day when Alba will be Alba—in deed, in name and in spirit—once more.


an t-arm dearg agus an dearg amadan

Bha mi 'leughadh 's na paipearan-naigheachd air an àm mu'n Rannsachadh mhòr a bh'ann dlùth do Dhun-eideann o chionn ghoirid. Bha seachd a' chorr air 30,000 de dhaoine air an cruinneachadh, agus a' chuid mhòr dhuibh o'n Ghàidhealtachd. Bha Righ Eideard e fèin air an ceann, agus thug e suil gu geur orra 'na shean laoch mar a tha e. Fhuair mi fios o chuid gu'm b'e an Rannsachadh mor so am fear bu mhò a bh'ann o linn a' 5^mh Righ Seumas, an uair a bha Alba uile air an

inhabitants might be reared for the English military market. He must be a very unsophisticated individual, however, who pins his faith to so visionary a consummation.

cruinneachadh fo armaibh chum dol gu cogadh ris na Sasunnaich. Co dhiùbh, ciod is ciall da so ? An e ni maith no olc do Ghàidheil na h-Alba a bhith air an comh-cruinneachadh mar shaighdearan 's an dòigh so? Deich mile thar fhichead de dhaoine air an cruinneachadh fo armaibh, agus a' chuid mhòr dhuibh o'n Ghaidh­ealtachd ! Le armailt cho lionmhor, cumhachdach ri sin, bheireadh sinn buaidh air na Sasunnaich gu lèir; ach 's e so a' chuis, nam biodh toil is fàth againn an ni sin a dheanamh. An e ni maith no-olc do Ghàidheil na h-Alba an cùl a chur ris an Arm-dhearg no nach 'eil ? Tha cuid ag ràdh gu bheil: air an dara làimh, tha cuid ag radh nach 'eil. Ciod e, mata, mo bheachd-sa air an gnothach so ? Gun teagamh, is feàrr agus is freagarraiche do Ghàidheal air bith a chùl a chur ris an Arm-dhearg shuidhichte, a chionn gur e an t-Armailt Sasunnach a th'ann. Tha feum mòr aig na Sasun­naich air an àm so air saighdearan. Car son? Chum gu'n cuireadh iad cinnich is dùthchannan eile fo smachd, agus o'n nach urrainn doibh am muinntir fèin a thoirt a steach do'n Arm fèin le duais 's le tàladh is èiginn doibh sluagh eile fhaotainn, Ios gu'n lionamaid na brogan tha falamh, gun fhiù, aca a nis. Air mo chomhairle's e sin a' chùis. Ach ciod e a thachaireas do na Ghàidheil, agus e cho amaideach gu bhi'n a shaighdear dearg ? Mur 'eil e cheana 'na Shasunnach thaobh inntinn is mothachaidh is cainnt, gu dearbh bithidh e mar sin an prioba na sùla. Tha a' bhuil ann. Is e an t-arm Sasunnach a th'ann. Nach e an t-Arm Sasunnach a th'ann ? 'Se Sasunnaich a th'anns na h-oifigich. Tha a' chuid is mò de na daoine 'tha fo ughdarras doibh Sasunnach, agus tha a gach ni's gach neach a bhuineas dha Sasunnach.

Cainnt is inntinn an dà ni bu chòir a bhi nan cuisean a's dluith' agus a's priseile do chridhe nan Gàidheal—falbhadh iad sin oirnn nam bitheadh sinne 'n ar saighdearan Sasunnach. Gu dearbh, is dearg-amadan esan a tha 'treigsinn a dhachaidh is dhùthcha chum fuaim na druma Shasunnaich a leantainn. Tha Gàidheil na h-Eirinn a 'cur an cùil ris an Armailt Shasunnach aig an àm so. Foghnadh sin duinn mar eisimpleir mar an ceudna.

Ach ciod e mo bharail-sa thaobh an armaillte neo-shuidhichte, "armailt nam Breacan" anns a' Ghàidhlig—an t-Armailt ris an abrar's a' Bheurla the Volunteers? Theagamh, tha cùis eile ann an so. Gun teagamh is maith agus is glic do Ghàidheil na h-Alba is na h-Eirinn iad a' bhi làn-deanta ri armaibh, ma's urrainn duinn gabhail a steach do'n armailt Sasunnach agus sinn fein a' ghleidheadh 0 shalachadh. Ach neach air bith tha dol a steach •do dh'armailt nam Breacan chum cinnich eile a shàrachadh no a mhilleadh, no 'n Iompaireachd Shasunnach a chuir am farsuinneachd — is fear-brathaidh agus amadan e. Rachamaid a steach anns an arm chum gu'n deanamaid sìth (no rèite) air ar-son fèin, agus air son ar dùthcha-ne. Cuimh­nichibh air na daoine o'n d'thàinig sinn, agus air an sean fhacal, a tha ag ràdh :—

" Is maith an duine còir ; Ach's e duine còir fo armachd Ni's fheàrr na esan ".

Gun teagamh ma tha sinne lag, meath-chridheach, is aineolach air armaibh, bithidh sinn air ar cur an •dimeas le 'r naimhdean. Is e aonachd neart: ach ciod e sin duinn gun armaibh, gun neart ? Thug sin buaidh air Sasunn gu h-iomlan ach beag 's a' bhliadhna 1745. Bha Alba uile deanta ri armaibh


aig an àm ud, ach, gun chleachdadh ri annaibh, cha'n urrainn sinne a dheanamh na chaidh a dheanamh air an àm ud. Is ann mar sin a bha. Ach a nis tha Sasunn 'n a charaid duinn, ma 'a fior na tha iad fèin ag ràdh air an àm so: agus, leis a sin, tha sinn dol gu cogadh an aghaidh a naimhdean-sa, o'n nach 'eil comas no cumhachd aige a chùisean fein a chur air adhairt! Gu dearbh,, is taitneach sin! Nach iongantach am buidheachas bu chòir a bhi oirnn ? Agus car son, nach 'eil ? Nach e Gàidhealtachd na h-Alba tha na tir bhainne is mheala? Nach 'eil ar gleanntan 's ar srathan fèin luma-lan de mhuinntir, sona, is soirbheach? Nach 'eil an talamh fo ar chasaibh fèin againn fèin 's le 'r cuid cloinne ? Agus ar cuisean fein, nach iongantach a leithid sin de chaoimhneis's de bheach­dachaidh a tha iad faotainn 's a Pharlamaid ann an Lunnain ? Mo thruaighe! na Gàidheil neo-mhisneachail, dìm-buaidheach sin, air a bheil mi-thaingealachd 'thaobh Shasuinn nan tiodhlaicean I Thugadh ar saorsa mar chinneach air leth air falbh 's a bhliadhna 1707, agus o'n àm sin tha sinn 'suidhe aig casan nan Sasunnach, co dhuibh, tha iad 'n an fior-chairdean ruinn no nach 'eil. Tha gaol aca aig an àm so do na h-Iaponaich, mar an ceudna ! Tha gaol is dèidh aig na Sasunnaich daonnan, cha'n ann air son na feadhnach tha 'toirt cuideachaidh riu fein, ach air son neach air bith tha 'toirt cuideachaidh riu-san! Bha feum aca o chionn ghoirid air saighdearan chum criochan Innsean na h-aird-an-Ear a dhion o'n Russianach—o'n nach 'eil comas aca an gnothach sin a dheanamh gun chuid­eachadh leo fèin. Mar so thuit iad ann an gaol mòr air na h-Iaponaich: agus s'ann (ma' s e fior) a bha meas aca do mhuinntir chalma thuigseach nan eileanan so, agus thug na Sasunnaich orra còrdadh a dheanamh eatorra, le sùil aca fèin ri'n seilbhean fèin ann an Innsean na h-aird-an-Ear^. agus ann an aiteachan eile air feadh an t-saoghail. Nach iongantach a' mhuinntir a th'anns na Sasun­naich ! Bha " cluichean Gàidhealach " ann o chionn ghoirid, dluth do dh'Inbhirnis, agus bha Gàidheil is Iaponaich le cheile à lathair. Rinn an caraid òg; iomairt is togail ris an t-sean-charaid do Shasunn, agus bu mhòr is àrd an tlachd a bh'ann. Chùm na Sasunnaich an sùil gu geur orra. B'ann mar sin a b'abhaist doibh ! An ceann beagan bhliadh­naichean, ni na h-Iaponaich agus na Russianaich iomairt ri cheile air blàr Innsean na h-aird-an-Ear₇. agus mur 'eil mi air mo mhealladh bithidh na Sasunnaich à lathair a rìs le suil aca ri geall, agus-'gam brosnachadh gu cothrom na Feinne! B'ann mar sin a b'abhaist doibh !

Anns na linntean a dh'fhalbh, b'abhaist do-Ghàidheil na h-Alba èiridh fo armachd air uairibh chum droch chomhairlichean a chur a mach o-chomhair an Righ. Is ann mar so a bha 'nuair a bha Alba 'n a rioghachd shaor, air a bonn fèin le a righibh, 's a laghanna, 's a cainnt, 's a cleach­daidhean fèin; agus bu mhòr am feum a bh'ann air son a leithid sin de ghiùlan, mar a tha ar sean eachdraidh a' nochadh gu soilleir dhuinn. Gu dearbh, tha droch luchd-comhairle ni 's leoir fo» chomhair an Righ aig an àm so — daoine fein-chuiseach, aineolach, sanntach, uaibhreach, cuil-hheartach, agus aig nach eil facal maith 'nan cinn as leth muinntir na Gaidhealtachd, no 'chainnt no-na cleachdaidhean a tha aca. Ach ciod tha sinn a 'deanamh aig a' cheart àm so gu droch luchd-comhairle a chur air falbh à lathair an Righ? Rùnaich cuid de na daoine so o chionn ghoirid na duaisean sonraichte, a tha na maighstirean­sgoile ann an Eirinn a' faighinn airson teagaisg na Gàidhlige, a thoirt air falbh. Thàinig na duaisean so gu £12,000 Shasunnaich's a bhliadhna, agus is mòr agus trom am bacadh a tha iad dol a' chur air a' Ghaidhlig leis an ordugh mi-rùnach dimeasach so. Is ann air son ni bheannaichte sin ris an canar Economy's a' Bheurla 'tha iad 'deanamh mar so: ach is cealgairean, fir-aithris-bhreug iadsan. Nam b'e economy a mhàin ris an robh an suil, bheireadh iad na duaisean so seachad gu h-iomlan. Ach ciod e 'tha iad dol a dheanamh leo ? Cha toir iad air falbh iad idir, deir iadsan, "ach cuiridh sinn iad air còcaireachd is an Fhraingeis !" Gu fior, 's i a' Ghàidhlig a mhàin a tha iad a' fuathachadh : cha'n e còcaireachd no'n Fhraingeis anns am bheil iad 'gabhail tlachd mòire !

Tha aon ni eile ann air am feum mi iomradh a dheanamh mu'n toir mi crioch air na briathran so. Labhair luchd-sgriobhaidh is luchd-comhairle na riogachd mòran nithe as ùr 'thaobh daingneach­aidh chum muinntir is dùthcha—ni ris an abrar's a' Bheurla national efficiency: 'nis ciod e national efficiency f agus co iad 'tha labhairt mu dheidhinn aig an àm so ? Tha national efficiency a' ciallachadh daingneachaidh, sabhailteachd agus dion air Sa­sunn a mhàin : agus tha an t-Iarla Rosebery agus Ioseph Chamberlain 'nan ard-fhaidhean dheth. ^Siad sin ris an canar Missionaries of Empire's a' Bheurla, agus is mòr agus nimheil an spairn agus stri 'tha eadar an dà laoch sgaiteach so. Ach ciod .so, no iadsan, dhuinn ? Chunnaic sinn, mar chin-neach air leth " Sasunn laidir " iomadh uair, agus o chionn iomadh bliadhna, agus am bheil sinn ni's fheàrr dheth a nis 'thaobh nan uile nithe 'tha feu­mail dhuinn mar mhuinntir air leth, na bha sinn anns na linnibh a dh'fhalbh? Ciod e "Sasunn laidir " (no lag is faoin) dhuinn fein ? Nach Sasunn a mhàin a th'ann ? Gu dearbh, gu dearbh, cha'n 'e a' Ghàidhealtachd no Albainn a th'ann. Thuig ar sinnseara so gu math, agus, leis a sin, chog iad ris na Sasunnaich uair is uair, cha' n' ann air an taobh mar a tha sinn a' deanamh, air an àm so. Agus ged a chaidh an ruaig a chur orra mu dheir­eadh mu'n àm ris an abrar "Bliadhna Thearlaich" is dona a thig e dhuinn a' bhi daonnan a' strioch­dadh ri agus (ni a's miosa na sin) a' bhi' cuideachadh ar naimhdean, agus sin anns na slabhraidhean a chuir sinn orinn fein. National efficiency ciod e sin dhuinne ? 'S e bheir freagairt gu ceart do na cheist sin, ar gleanntan fàsail, neo-threabhta, gun mhuinn­tir 's ar taighean briste, lèir-sgriosta, 's ar cinneach is muinntir ar gràidh air am fuadachadh a mach do gach cearn's do gach aite de'n t-saoghail. Gu dearbh tha national efficiency cosmhuil ri deirceachd—'s e sin ri ràdh bu choir dha 'toiseachadh 'nar measg fhein, air neo tha è 'na sheorsa de dh'fhochaid's de chealgaireachd a mhàin.

Tha e 'na amadan 'na aonar—gach neach 'tha 'dol a steach do'n Armailt Shasunnach, a chionn's gur e an t-arm Sasunnach a th'ann. Tha Arm nam Breacan beagan ni's fhearr na sin, chionn's gur e seorsa de dh'armailt Gàidhealach a th'ann; ach co dhiùbh a's fearr no a's miosa e na sud, 's e so ar comhairle fèin do na h-uile fear " Cuimhnichibh na daoine o 'n d'thàinig sibh," agus cumaibh bhur n' urchuir air a h-ais ! Theagamh gu'n d'thig an latha sin fhathast anns am faod sinn a ràdh a ris Bithidh an oidhche na h-oidhche nam biodh na gillean 'nan gillean.

Fear-togail nan Spraidh.


gaelic arts and crafts

ARCHITECTURE

II. DOMESTIC

It is unnecessary in these pages to enter at all deeply into the early beginnings of domestic archi­tecture, as practised by the Gaelic race. The primitive dwellings of our Celtic forefathers were but rude structures to which the description of "houses" can scarcely be applied with any degree of propriety. They were simple habitations built 1 for the most part of wattles and rudely thatc^M and were obviously more designed for shelter tham| for "show". There is a good representation of J one of these primitive dwellings on the column of\ Antoninus at Rome. It shows us what the Gaulish! habitations were like in those far-off days; but its primitiveness is such as to discourage the expression] of more than a very temporary and languid interests in the subject of primitive Gaelic " architecture ".

It is difficult to determine even approximately the date at which Gaelic pagan civilisation first! came in contact with that of Rome. It seems probable, however, that the event of which I speaki antedated by at least a couple of centuries the-arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland—the period com-J monly ascribed to the opening up of that country] to the influences of Latin civilisation. All modern Celtic scholars seem to be pretty well agreed that the art of building in stone was at least known in] Ireland before the arrival of Christianity; and on] the hypothesis that the Christian religion was] practised in Ireland before St. Patrick touched its shores, this theory seems probable enough. Un9

fortunately, we have no accurate means of knowing ^^tjmeasure of correspondence there was between [pre-Christian or rather pre-historic Ireland and the