The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

692 The Htghlana Monthly.
Clan Rory of banners
O never from thee
May another death-message
Be wafted to me !
Rare jewel of mortals,
Though banned from my sight,
With mj/ heart I thee worship.
Thou shapeliest knight.
The Rev. A. Maclean Sinclair, in " The Gaelic Bards,"'
gives the following account of Mairi Nighean Alasdair
Ruaidh. It is slightly different from that given by Mackenzie
in his "Beauties of Gaelic Poetry." " Mary Macleod
was born at Roudal in Harris about the year 1590. She
composed a great number of excellent poems, but only a
few of them have been preserved. She was an ardent
admirer of Sir Norman Macleod of Bernera, and was con-
stantly singing his praises. Rory the Witty, who succeeded
his father, Iain Mor, as chief of the Clan Macleod in 1649,
was displeased with her for bestowing so much praise upon
his distinguished uncle, and banished her to the island of
Mull. Rory died in 1664. He was succeeded by his
brother John, Iain Breac. John, who was an exceedingly
popular chief, recalled the poetess from Mull. She is said
to have died in 1693, at the advanced age of 103."
POL CRUBACH.
Paul Macleod was a son of Alasdair Ban Og, of Lyne-
dale. He was, tall, erect, and very handsome. Stories are
still current in Skye about the love episodes between himself
and Mary Macdonald, eldest daughter of Iain Ruadh
Macdonald, of Kinsaleyre. When her friends heard of this
luve affair, they confined her; but Paul found means of
taking her away to his kinsman, Macleod of Rowdil,
Harris, in spite of the vigilance of the watch set over her.
Thereupon the Macdonald.s invaded the Macleod country,
and in the fray that took place Paul's leg was broken, and
he himself taken prisoner. He was put into an open boat,
without oars, which fortunatel)' drifted to Harris, where he