The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

566 Ihe Ihghland Monthly.
SNATCHES OF SONG COLLECTED IN
BADENOCH.
EARLY
SECOND SERIES.— No. i.
in this century, among the workmen engaged
upon the construction of Telford's road, that winds
smoothly along the picturesque shores of Loch Laggan,
were two brothers from the Isle of Skye. One of the
young men, probably from the effects o( over-exertion
upon a delicate constitution, suddenly burst a blood-vessel
and died. He was buried in the ancient parish churchyard
of Laggan, upon the high ground eastward of Camus
Cillein. The people of Brae-Hadenoch— a kindly and
hospitable race—did all in their power ^o assist the grief-
stricken brother in solemnising the obsequies of the
deceased. After all was over, the survivor hurried home-
wards with his sad tale. As he took his way, he gave his
sorrow words and melody, in the form of a beautiful
threnody, of which I, unfortunately, can convey only a few
verses that have lingered in memory. This elegy was very
popular among the islanders who used to come every
autumn to the smearing ; and, from the nature of things,
it is likely that a better version of it could be obtained in
Skye than in Badenoch. It is proper to add that when
the surviving brother reached his friends, a company of
them set out for Laggan, exhumed the recently interred
body, and carried it back all the way to Skye.
Aig Ceann Loch Lagain so thall,
Dh' fhag mi 'n tasgaidh mo ghradh,
'S O !
cha
tig e gu brach an taobh so.
'S ann am Baideanach shuas,
'Measg nan Domhnullaich suairc,
Dh' fhag mi 'n cadal mo luaidh 's cha duisg e.