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86 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
kind of thick substance manufactured in tlieir own way, they use
by way of sauce, or ins'ead of butter, among their porridge and
flummery. In tlie adjacent ishmds they administer this oily substance
to their cattle if seized with violent colds or obstinate
coughs ; and it is the general belief that the appliacation of the
Giobain, in such cases, has a very good etiect." I have no doube
the reverend gentleman was quite correct in his surmises of to tht
beneficial effects of the Giobain on the cattle, for they seem to have
the same on even the lords of creation, as I find in an old song
by Archibald Macdonald, the Uist bard, to Dr Macleod, that lie
ascribes the enoi-mous size and weight of the worthy doctor to
his being fonder of " Giobainean nan Gugachan" than of milk or
butter. As the whole song is illustrative of the art of the fowler
amongst the I'ocks, and of the capture, not only of the solan
goose—the " Sulair Garbh "— but also of the preceding and following
birds, I may give the whole, as it is very cleverly written,
and represents the bulky doctor in a ludicrous light all through
his adventures, till at last his courage fails him when descending
a high rock and all the wild fowl fly far beyond his reach when
they get the scent of his drugs ofi him •
—
ORAN CNADAIL DO'n OLLA LEODACH.
Le Gilleaspuig Donullach, am Bard Uisteach.
Luinneag.—Thugaibh, thugaibh, bo bo bo,
An Doctair Leodach 's biodag air,
Faicill oirbh san taobh sin thall
Nach toir e'n ceann a thiota dhibh.
'Nuair a bha thu d'fhleasgach og,
Bu mhorchuiseach le claidheamh thu,
Chaidh Ailean Muillear riut a chorag,
'S leon e le bloidh spealaidh thu.
Bha thu na do bhasbair corr,
'S claidheamh mor an tarruing ort,
An saighidear 's measa th'aig Righ Deors'
Choraigheadh e Alastair.
Bhiodh sud ort air do thaobh,
Claidlieamh caol 'sa ghliosgartaich ;
Cha'n oil falcag thig o'n traigh,
Nach cuir thu barr nan itean di.
Biodag 's an deach an gath seirg
Air crios seilg an luidoalaich,
Bha .seachd oirlich oiro a mheirg,
'S gnr mairg an rachadh bruide dhi.