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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Iain Spàinnteach, Iain MacDhòmhnaill à Cnòideart. Air Latha Blàr Chùil Lodair, sheòl e fhèin is oifigearan Èireannach às an Fhraing. Bha iad a’ dèanamh air Alba. Bha iad a’ dol a thoirt taic do na Seumasaich.

            Nuair a ràinig Iain Loch a’ Bhraoin, bha an t-ar-a-mach seachad. Thill an soitheach don Fhraing. Ach chaidh Iain agus oifigear Èireannach gu tìr. Bha mìle gu leth not aca airson a’ Phrionnsa. Bha an t-airgead ann an màileid. Bha iad ann an dùthaich ʼic Coinnich. Chaidh iad gu taigh aig fear air an robh ‘Cailean Dearg’. Thug iad deoch-slàinte don Phrionnsa.

            Bha an taigh a’ lìonadh le daoine. Bha Iain a’ gabhail dragh mun airgead aige. Thug e sùil air a’ mhàileid grunn tursan. Chaidh a’ mhàileid a chur air each. Dh’fhalbh Iain ʼs a chompanach gu Ach Dà Dhòmhnaill. Fhuair iad a-mach gun robh cuideigin air briseadh a-steach don mhàileid le sgian. Bha mìle not a dhìth.

            Thill Iain agus an t-oifigear Èireannach, an Caiptean Lynch, gu taigh Chailein Deirg. Dh’iarr Iain air Cailean an t-airgead a thilleadh dha. Bha suas ri trithead duine còmhla ri Cailean Dearg, ge-tà. Bha iad armaichte. Thuirt Cailean nach robh fios aige mun airgead. Dh’fhalbh Iain agus Lynch air ais a dh’Ach Dà Dhòmhnaill.

            Chaidh iad a choinneachadh ri Camshron Loch Iall agus feadhainn a bha dìleas don Phrionnsa. Bha còig ceud not fhathast aig Iain airson a’ Phrionnsa. Thug e an t-airgead seachad. Lean e fhèin is Lynch orra a Chnòideart. Rinn Lynch a shlighe don Fhraing ann an soitheach Frangach.

            Sa gheamhradh às dèidh sin, thill Iain gu dùthaich ’ic Coinnich. Bha e airson faighinn a-mach dè thachair don mhìle not. Thachair e ri fear ann an Toirbheartan. Dh’inns am fear dha mu mar a chaidh mìle not a ghoid bho fhear MacDhòmhnaill a’ bhliadhna roimhe.

            ‘A bheil fios agad cò ris a tha thu a’ bruidhinn?’ thuirt Iain.

            ‘Fear dhen chinneadh agam fhèin,’ fhreagair am fear eile.

I was telling you about Spanish John, John McDonell from Knoydart. On the day of the Battle of Culloden, he and [some] Irish officers sailed from France. They were making for Scotland. They were going to assist the Jacobites.

        When John reached Loch Broom, the rebellion was over. The vessel returned to France. But John and an Irish officer landed. They had one thousand five hundred pounds for the Prince. The money was in a portmanteau. They were in MacKenzie country. They went to the house of a man called ‘Red Colin’. They drank the health of the Prince.

        The house was filling with people. John was concerned about the money. He examined the portmanteau several times. The portmanteau was loaded onto a horse. John and his companion went to Dundonell. They found out that somebody had broken into the portmanteau with a knife. A thousand pounds were missing.

        John and the Irish officer, Captain Lynch, went to Red Colin’s house. John asked Colin to return him the money. Red Colin had up to thirty men with him, however. They were armed. Colin said he had no knowledge of the money. John and Lynch went back to Dundonell.

        They went to meet Cameron of Locheil and some people who were loyal to the Prince. John still had £500 for the Prince. He gave over the money. He and Lynch continued to Knoydart. Lynch made his way to France in a French ship.

        In the following winter, John returned to the MacKenzie country. He wanted to find out what happened to the thousand pounds. He met a man in Torridon. The man told him about how a thousand pounds were stolen from a McDonell the previous year.

        ‘Do you know who you’re speaking to?’ said John.

        ‘One of my own clansmen,’ replied the other.