Trip to Scotland 1983: Four and half months in the Highlands and Islands

[DCampbell16B]

@Jock Scot is absolutely right, and I'm glad he has made the point that the seriousness of the crime is still true (and why I made my apologies beforehand for describing my involvement!). I was aware of this before I left for Scotland, which is why I noticed the poaching and why I made notes about it. As I wrote in a previous entry above, it was explained to me that the Lewis Islanders were quite a bit more likely to do this than other areas in Scotland. More of the land was held in common, I think giving rise to the attitude that the sea and the salmon there were also more to be held in common. The things that they did to avoid detection, both for themselves, and to warn others, were actions that I made a note of because it was so different than what I had known and expected to be the case about poaching. The net that I accidently found belonged to someone else. The fact that I found one just reinforced that.

I have not read ahead, but I know there are at least a few more comments about the taking of the salmon. When you read (whoever you are) these notes, please bear in mind Jock Scot's remarks.

And please, anyone is welcome to add to this string. Especially if it can highlight the differences, or lack of changes, between 40 years ago and now. I do hope it is being enjoyed.

[Jock Scot]

Its a great thread, please keep it going!

[MacKenzie]

I do hope it is being enjoyed.

It is. Very much so.

[DCampbell16B]

Went to Gaelic service. That was 12:00 and Eng 6:00. Rev. MacDonald preached. In the morning I was late [I was walking to church, and hadn't realized how long it would take]. Came in during the psalm [I could hear it from outside as I walked up]. Eerie Gaelic singing. Before sermon the minister sent elder to me to ask if I wanted Gaelic or English. I asked for Gaelic. Some trouble w/ number of psalms and scripture. But once I had them ok. Could only pick a few words of sermon, but worth it. Rested afternoon. Evening same. Singing in English. After morning was greeted by men of church, not ladies. No one speaks in the church. All wait until outside. After church ate then went to beach north side Island. Also burial ground. Very beautiful. Weather mild. Water was clear to sand, several feet down. Aqua in fading light. 9:30. Went to Croir. A's mother born there. Last house. Very beautiful. Not breathtaking but relaxing, easy. Tomorrow morning g setting g the net then leaving for Ness.

Order of service: psalm, scripture, psalm, sermon (40-45 minutes), psalm, announcements. Offering 1 a month at the door coming or going. Evening service 1 a month.

[My memory is quite vivid of this service. The church itself was small. The deacon sat to the right of the pulpit. There were only perhaps 10 or 15 people there, counting the minister, the deacon and myself. When it was time for the sermon the minister leaned over to the deacon and whispered in his ear. The deacon then got up and walked down to me. He leaned over and whispered to me in that slow, almost Scandinavian, Lewis accent. But in a whisper so loud everyone could hear "We see you are a stranger with us. Do you prefer English or Gaelic?" To which I replied, in English, "I prefer Gaelic." He then walked up front and whispered to the minister, in that same loud whisper, "He prefers Gaelic." I wish I had been quick enough to answer in Gaelic, as it was one of the few things I could have said. The text was "Gus am bris an La, agus teachd an sgailian" (Until the day break and the shadows flee away). I was familiar with the phase as I had seen it on several headstones. (Another common one was "Tog orm mo phiob" (Give me my pipes, or lift on me my pipes). After church the minister and two others, all older men, met me on the way out and were asking about me, which I was visiting, and so on. As I knew few names yet of the people I was staying with I could only describe relationships. That was clear enough that one man turned to the other and said "Murachadh a'phepper". And the other two just nodded "OK".]

[Iain Ruaidh]

In Skye - Free Church next door. Noon service English, 6pm Gaelic. Sitting in hostel can see Waternish Pt. across Loch Snizort. Can see Harris? No, it is North Uist. 1st sight Outer Hebrides.

Is that the white Snizort Free Church on the A850?
My wife's cousin is the minister there now.

[DCampbell16B]

Is that the white Snizort Free Church on the A850?

I really can't say for sure. I didn't note which church it was. I actually went to Google Maps to try to find out. The hostel is no longer listed there, so I couldn't use that as a point of reference. The A850 runs more toward Dunvegan. I believe the A87 runs toward Uig. It looks like there are Free Churches on both roads, and both are white.

[DCampbell16B]

https://postimg.cc/N5mr74Q7
Butt of Lewis

https://postimg.cc/pyZKgCwW
Taigh Mhurachaidh Croir, Aunt born here, Little Bernera to left, Carloway light to right


"A" drove me up this morning w/ trailer. He wasn't feeling good. A's brother in law (Cn, see below) and I filled trailer with peats. Went down to shore after lunch and watched surf. Played in sand. Mist came in. Played pipes on moor in mist. F (A's sister) came over that evening waiting for Alecein. He didn't get in until 1:00. Ate egg and bacon for high tea.

[To go back, I was invited to stay with this older couple by an acquaintance in the States. His father's brother was the husband, and A's father.

Again, I don't want to use names as some relatives are still in the area. So I'll use the following:
"A" has been by contact so far, and I've been staying in his 2nd house on Great Bernera.
An is his father, and C his mother. This is the couple I stayed with. For a time An had emigrated to the states for work. He was a retired joiner (carpenter). He could read Gaelic as well as speak it. C was from Great Bernera, with a sister and brother still there. He was from Ness.

They had four children in addition to A.
F, a daughter. She and her husband Cn lived next door, down a slight slope, and so were referred to as "Downstairs". They had three girls, Ct, Dn and J.
Jn, a son, who I did not meet.
K, married to F's husband's brother. They had twin girls, and lived in Stornoway. She a nurse, he in oil.
D, a son, still at university.

The village was North Dell, or Dial bho Thuath. That is slightly different than other dialects which would say "Dial a'tuath"]

[DCampbell16B]

Brought peats into the house. Went to bank, down to $200, cashed another $50. Should write home. Went to Stornoway, stopped at An Comunn Gaidhealach. Big deal. Better at Inverness. Went to Great Bernera. "A" away. Went to Murdo's. "A" brought back, and then took two Glaswegians and I to Little Bernera. He and An went fishing. Spent a lot of time today listening to Gaelic of Lewis. An took me to Ness. Fog horn deafening. Got pic. Mist around. Stopped at his sister's place in Europie. Lots of Gaelic on way back to N Dell from Bernera. Boinne [milk, pronounced differently here], bug [little, i.e., beag. hard g, again different pronunciation], Skoth [similar to a scow], skoagh (cloud), fearist (easy).

[I don't know if I can describe the smell of the peat burning. It is a very rich aroma. In looking back, I think I noticed it more in Harris, as the peats in Lewis were higher quality, and so burned cleaner. The nearest I could compare it to is the smell of burning leaves, which might not sound very attractive to some, but is also a very rich aroma.]

[DCampbell16B]

Wrote home and Carol [my sister was in college, so away from home]. Can't find Susan McDuffie address [she was the daughter of my thesis advisor. She had returned from a trip to Scotland just before I left.] Went over croft [An's] and to shore with An. Said he'd sell me his old house anytime [quiet humor, it was just stone walls. It had gable ends with a small fireplace in one end and all filled in with grass.] Supper then a little chanter and pipes. C went to church, An took me to see Rustaidh, not home. Then to see Mac a'Bhocsair, not home. [Rustaidh lived up around Europaidh. An couldn't remember where, so pulled over in the road to ask a guy driving in the other direction where Rustaidh lived. Conversation "Ca'meil* an taigh Rustaidh?" "Lean mise!"] Finally to see Anna a'Mhurdaigh (MacSween). 2nd cousin to An on his mother's side. She taught Gaelic and is now in charge of bilingualization of Comhaile Nan Eilean, including signs for all the Islands places [road signs]. Big headache. She also was with Foxfire in the States.** Husband from Scalpay,*** she is from North Dell. Used whistle to get J's attention. Worked pretty well. Read Grace L Hill til 2:30, 2 books.****

*Gaelic history: older form of "where is" was "cait am bheil". In Skye Gaelic or "Right Gaelic" it became "cait a'bheil". Lewis apparently went the other way, kept the "m" and dropped the "it" and "bh".

**Foxfire was, and is, a Southern Mountain folklore and history high school program leading to a collection of books. It is quite well known.

*** Anna married Iain MacSween of Scalpay. In English she was Anna MacSween after her husband. But in North Dell she was Anna a'Mhurdaigh after her grandfather (if I remember correctly). Iain was a fisherman out of Stornoway. He went out Monday, overnight on the boat, then home Tuesday. He did the same Wednesday to Thursday, and was home Friday through Sunday. Since they lived in North Dell he was known as Iain a'Mhurdaigh.

**** Sometimes I just had to go on a reading binge, and it didn't really matter what. This time I read some old books until 2:30 am.

[DCampbell16B]

Ct, Dn and J [granddaughters] all came up this morning. Had bath. Read almost all day, what a waste. Helped A and Duine Fliuch with room building. Mostly An [because he was a builder].

[The bath water was from off the moor, so stained with peat to a brown color. Duine Fliuch was a local guy. Didn't know his English name.]