very long ago; and declares that the whole collection of poems now left with the Society, consists of one hundred and ninety-four pages. All which is truth, as the deponent shall answer to God.

ARCHIBALD Fletcher.

ARCHIBALD MENZIES, J. P.

Sworn before me the nineteenth day of January eighteen hundred and one, and I farther attest, that the said Archibald Fletcher, who, although he can write his name, was not able to read the manuscript, recited orally in my presence the whole of the poem called Clann Uisneachan, or Darthula, and part of the first poem called Rann no Duan na Inghinn, which, as I understand Gaelic, I compared with the manuscript, and found to agree; and he declared, that he was able and willing to recite orally the whole of the poems particularly specified in his declaration; and I farther attest, that the above-mentioned manuscript collection of poems is marked by the declarant and me, of this date.

ARCHIBALD MENZIES, J. P.

2. ACCOUNT BY DUNCAN KENNEDY,

Of the Persons from whom he procured the Gaelic Poems purchased by the Highland Society.

Names of Persons by whom the Poems of Ossian have been repeated by way of oral tradition to Duncan Kennedy, beginning his first collection of these Poems in 1774, and ending in 1783.

1. Donald Mac Taggart, at Culgalart, near Tarbart, Kintyre.

T

2. John Morrison, Kildusglan, near Lochgilphead, Glas

srie.

3. Alexander Ferguson, Achnashelich, near Kilmichael, commonly called Alister Gasta.

4. Alexander Mac Lardy-Coranbeg, Craignish, known by the name of Alister Mac Iain.

5. Nicol Mac Intyre, Polunduich, Lorn, near Kilninver. 6. John Mac Dougall, Duninaran, Lochavich, and his brother Allan, known by the name of Alain Ban nan Oran, parish of Dalavich.

7. John McPhail, Bragleenmore, parish of Kilninver. 8. Malcolm M'Phail, parish of Kilmelford.

9. M‘Phee, from Glenforsa in Mull, residing in the island of Belnahua, near Easdale.

10. John Mac Lean, from the island of Egg, a strolling beggar, nicknamed Prionsa an Lin.

11. Donald Mac Phee, in Glenforsa, in the island of Mull. 12. Hugh Mac Callum, smith, island of Belnahua. 13. Niel [Ban] Mac Larty, a fiddler in Craignish, formerly from the island of Luing.

14. Gilbert Mac Arthur, Kilmichael, Glasrie.

15. John Mac Lean, Dusgie Ardgour, near to Fort-Wil

liam.

16. John Cameron, commonly called Iain Mac Alain, near ditto.

17. Mary Cameron, or Mari Nighan Eoghain, near High

Bridge

And many other persons that Duncan Kennedy met
with on different journeys through Morven, Sunart,
and Lochabar, whose names he does not recollect,
they being chiefly old and obscure, and from their
age, he thinks, few are at this time in life.
DUNGAN KENNEDY.

No. XVII.

DECLARATION

OF

LACHLAN MAC VUIRICH, in the Original, made at Terlum in Barra, 9th August 1800.

ANN an tigh Phadraic mhic Neacail in Torlum gairid o Chaisteal Bhuirghi ann an Sioramachd Ionbhairnis, a naoidhe la d'an chiad mhios d'an fhomhar, anns an dà fhichead bliadhna agus naoideg d'a aois, thainig Lachlan mac Neil, mhic Lachlain, mhic Nèil, mhic Dhonail, mhic Lachlain, mhic Nèil mhòir, mhic Lachlain, mhic Dhõnail, do shloinne chlann Mhuirich, ann an lathair Ruairi Mhic Neil tighearna Bhăra, thabhairt a chodaich, mar is fiosrach eisean, gur e fein ant ochda glùn dèg o Mhuireach a bha leanamhain teaghlaich mhic 'ic Ailen, ceannard chlann Raonail, mar bhardaibh, agus o an àm sin gu robh fearan Staoiligairi agus ceithir peighinean do Dhrimasdal aca mar dhuais bardachd o linn gu linn feadh choig ghlun dèag : Gu do chaill an seatha glun dèag ceithir peighinean Dhrimasdail, ach gu do ghlèidh an seachda glùn dèag

fearan Staoiligairi fad naoi bliadhna dèag dhe aimsir, agus gu robh a fearan sin ar a cheangal dhoibh ann an còir fhad 's a bhiodh fear do chlann Mhuirich ann, a chumadh suas sloinne agus seanachas chlann Dònail; agus bha e mar fhiachaibh orra, nuair nach biodh mac ag a bhard, gu tugadh e fòghlam do mhac a bhrathar, no d'a oighre, chum an còir ar an fhearan a ghleidhe, agus is ann arèir a chleachdai so fhuair Nial, athair fein, iounsacha gu leugha agus scriobha eachdrai agus bàrdachd, o Dhônal mac Neil mhic Dhonail, brathair athar.

Tha cuimhne mhath aige gu robh saothair Oisein scriobht ar craicha ann an glèatanas athar o shinsearaibh ; gu robh cuid do na craicin ar an deanamh suas mar leabhraichean, agus cuid eile fuasgailt o chèile, anns an robh cuid do shaothair bhard eile, bhărachd ar saothair Oisein.

Tha cuimhne aige gu robh leabhar ag athair ris an canadh iad an leabhar dearg, do phaiper, thainig o shinnssearaibh, anns a robh mòran do shean eachdrai na fincachan Gaidhealach, agus cuid do shaothair Oisein mar bha athair

ag

innse dha. Chan eil a haon de na leabhraichean sa ar fhaotain an dip, thaobh is nuair a chaill iad a fearan, gu do chaill iad am misneach agus an dùrachd. Chan eil e cinnteach cid e thainig ris na craicin, ach gu bheil barail aige gu tug Alasdair mac Mhaighsdir Alasdair 'ic Dhonail ar falbh cuid diubh, agus Raonal a mhac cuid eile dhiubh ; agus gu faca e dha na tri dhiubh ag tàileirean ga 'n gearra sios gu criosaibh tomhais: Agus tha cuimhne mhath aige gu tug mac 'ic Ailen ar athair an leabhar dearg a thabhairt seachad do Sheumas mac Mhuirich a Bàidenach; gu robh e gairid o bhi cho tiugh re Biobal, ach gu robh e na b' fhaide agus na bu leatha, ach nach robh ŭrad thinghaid sa chodach; gu robh na craicin agus an leabhar dearg ar an scriobha anns an làimh an robh Ghaidhlic ar a scriobha o shean ann Albain agus ann Eirin, mun do ghabh daoine cleachda ar scriobha Gaidhlic anns an làimh Shaghsanaich;

gum b'aithne d'a athair ant shean làmh a leugha gu math; gu robh cuid do na craicin aige fein an dèigh bàis athar, ach thaobh is nach do ionnsaich e iad, agus nach robh adhbhar meas aig' orra, gu deachai iad ar Chall. Tha e ag ràdh nach robh haon do shinnsearaibh ar a robh Paul mar ainm, ach gu robh dithis dhiubh ris an canadh iad Cathal.

Tha e ag ràdh nach ann le haon duine scriobhadh an leabhar dearg, ach gu robh e ar a scriobha o linn gu linn le teaghlach Ghlann Mhuirich, bha ag cumail suas seanachais Chlainn Donail, agus cheannard na fineachan Gaidhealach eile.

;

An deigh so a scriobha, chaidh a leugha dha, agus dhaidich e gu robh e ceart ann an làthair Dhonail mhic Dhõnail, fear Bhaile Ra'ail; Eoghain mhic Dhõnail, fear Gheara-sheilich; Eoghain mhic Dhonail, fear Ghriminis ; Alasdair mhic Ghilleain, fear Hoster, Alasdair mhic Neacail, minister Bheinn bhaoghla; agus Ailen mhic Chuinn, minister Uist Chinn a tua, a fear a scriobh a seanachas so.

comhar

LACHLAN X MAC MHUIRICH. a làimhe.

RUAIRIE MACHD NEALL, J. P,

TRANSLATION OF THE ABOVE.

IN the house of Patrick Nicolson, at Torlum, near Castle. Burgh, in the shire of Inverness, on the ninth day of August, compeared in the fifty-ninth year of his age, Lachlan, son of Niel, son of Lachlan, son of Niel, son of Donald,