34: Reverend Norman MacLeod (8)
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An t-Urramach Tormod MacLeòid (8)
As t-fhoghar ochd ceud deug, leth-cheud ’s a h-aon (1851), sheòl am Margaret. Bha i a’ fàgail Cheap Bhreatainn. Bha i a’ dèanamh air Astràilia. Air bòrd bha an t-Urramach Tormod MacLeòid agus a luchd-leantainn.
Stad iad greis ann an Cape Town ann an Afraga a Deas. Chuala iad naidheachd mu dheidhinn Astràilia. Bha òr ann. Bha na mìltean mòra a’ dol gu Melbourne, faisg air na raointean òir. Cha robh Tormod a’ dol gu Melbourne, ge-tà. Bha esan a’ dol gu Adelaide. Bha a mhac, Dòmhnall, ann an Adelaide. Bha Tormod an dòchas gu robh fearann aig Dòmhnall dhaibh.
Ràinig iad Adelaide anns a’ Ghiblean ochd ceud deug, leth-cheud ’s a dhà (1852). Ach bha droch naidheachd aca. Bha Dòmhnall ann am Melbourne. Bha e ag obair do phàipear-naidheachd. Agus bha naidheachdan gu leòr ann am Melbourne.
Chaidh Tormod is a chompanaich gu Melbourne. Bha am baile a’ fàs gu luath. Bha dà mhìle duine ùr a’ dol ann gach seachdain. Bha iad bho air feadh an t-saoghail. Nam measg bha Eòrpaich, Ameireaganaich is Sìonaich. Chaidh iad gu Melbourne an toiseach. An uair sin chaidh iad gu Ballarat is Bendigo, far an robh an t-òr.
Bha Melbourne grànda is salach. Bha Tormod is a chompanaich a’ fuireach ann an teantaichean. Cha robh airgead aca. Agus bha a h-uile rud ann am Melbourne uabhasach daor. Bha eadhon an t-uisge airson òl uabhasach daor. Reic iad am Margaret airson airgead fhaighinn.
Bha soitheach eile a’ dèanamh air Astràilia à Ceap Breatainn. B’ ise an Highland Lass. Bha na daoine innte à diofar sgìrean ann an Ceap Breatainn. Bha an fheadhainn air a’ Mhargaret uile às an aon sgìre – Baile Anna. Ràinig an Highland Lass Adelaide san Dàmhair ochd ceud deug, leth-cheud ’s a dhà (1852). Chuala na daoine air bòrd mu Mhelbourne. Agus dh’fhuirich iad ann an Adelaide.
Ann am Melbourne, bha muinntir a’ Mhargaret fhathast an dòchas fuireach còmhla mar choimhearsnachd. Ach cha robh mòran airgid aca. Chaidh feadhainn dhiubh do na raointean òir ann am Ballarat is Bendigo. Chaidh Tormod gu tric air an rathad eadar Melbourne is na raointean òir. Chaidh e airson cèilidh air na daoine ann am Ballarat is Bendigo. Ach bha na rathaidean sin cunnartach, mar a chì sinn anns an ath Litir.
Faclan is abairtean: as t-fhoghar: in the autumn; sheòl am Margaret: the Margaret sailed; a’ dèanamh air Astràilia: making for Australia; luchd-leantainn: followers; Afraga a Deas: South Africa; bha na mìltean mòra a’ dol gu Melbourne:many thousands were going to Melbourne; raointean òir: goldfields; bha Tormod an dòchas gu robh fearann aig Dòmhnall dhaibh:Norman hoped that Donald had land for them; an Giblean: April; bha e ag obair do phàipear-naidheachd:he was working for a newspaper; Tormod is a chompanaich: Norman and his companions; bha dà mhìle duine ùr a’ dol ann gach seachdain: two thousand new people were going there every week; air feadh an t-saoghail: throughout the world; Sìonaich: Chinese; an toiseach: to start with; grànda is salach: ugly and dirty; teantaichean: tents; a h-uile rud: everything; bha eadhon an t-uisge airson òl uabhasach daor: even the water for drinking was terribly expensive; reic iad am Margaret airson airgead fhaighinn: they sold the Margaret to get money; bha soitheach eile a’ dèanamh air Astràilia: another vessel was making for Australia; à diofar sgìrean: from different parishes; às an aon sgìre: from the one [same] parish; an dòchas fuireach còmhla mar choimhearsnachd: hoping to live together as a community; chaidh feadhainn dhiubh do na raointean òir: some of them went to the goldfields; airson cèilidh air na daoine: to visit the people; cunnartach, mar a chì sinn: dangerous, as we shall see.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 338
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