´óÏó´«Ã½

Bha an teaghlach aig Tormod MacLeòid còmhla ris ann an Alba Nuadh. Ach cha robh Tormod toilichte. Bha e mì-thoilichte ann am Pictou. Bha e a’ smaoineachadh nach robh daoine gu leòr a’ leantainn Chrìosda.

Bha e airson a dhol a dh’fhuireach ann an Ohio. Bha feadhainn a bha dìleas dha airson falbh còmhla ris. Bha iad a’ dol a dhol ann ann am bàta. Bha iad a’ dol a sheòladh sìos costa sear Ameireagaidh. Bha iad a’ dol a dhol gu Gulf Mheagsago agus suas Abhainn Mhississippi. Ach cha robh bàta aca. Thog iad bàta ann am Pictou.

’S e The Ark an t-ainm a bh’ air a’ bhàta. Dh’fhàg i Pictou le sgioba de dh’fhir as t-fhoghar ochd ceud deug ’s a naoi-deug (1819). Ach cha do ràinig i Ohio. Gu dearbh, cha do ràinig i Abhainn Mhississippi.

Sheòl iad gu tuath an toiseach. Chaidh iad seachad air ceann a tuath Eilein Cheap Bhreatainn. An uair sin bha iad anns a’ chuan mhòr. Lean iad costa Cheap Bhreatainn gu deas. Feasgar a bha seo, chunnaic iad bàgh. Stad iad ann airson iasgach. Ghlac iad èisg gu leòr. Dh’fhuirich iad an oidhche an sin.

An ath là, thug iad sùil air an àite. Bha am bàgh brèagha. Bha cnuic is coilltean ann. Bha na h-uisgeachan làn èisg. Cha mhòr gu robh duine a’ fuireach ann. Chaidh iad air tìr. Bha sin far a bheil Baile Anna an-diugh. Bha na fir toilichte leis an àite. Dh’aontaich iad fuireach ann, seach a bhith a’ dol gu Ohio.

Thagh gach duine aca pìos fearainn. Thog gach duine aca bothan. An uair sin, thill iad a Phictou airson a’ gheamhraidh. Bha iad a’ dol a thilleadh an ath bhliadhna. Nuair a thill iad a Phictou, reic iad an Ark. Thog gach duine aca bàta beag.

Dh’fhalbh seachd bàtaichean còmhla as t-Earrach. Cha robh cùisean furasta. Dh’èirich stoirm. Chaidh na bàtaichean a chur far an cùrsa. Mu dheireadh, fhuair a h-uile tè ach aonan tron chaolas eadar tìr-mòr Alba Nuaidh agus Ceap Breatainn. Fhuair iad fasgadh ann am Baile Pheadair. Tha sin ann an ceann a deas Cheap Bhreatainn.

Ach cha robh sgeul air a’ cheannard aca, Tormod. Anns an stoirm, chaidh esan air tìr ann an Eilean a’ Phrionnsa. Ach fhuair e taic bhon t-sagart anns an eilean, an t-Athair Urramach Aonghas MacEachairne. Bha Tormod gu mòr an aghaidh teagasg na h-Eaglaise Caitligich. Ach bho sin a-mach bha spèis aige do na sagairt innte. 

Faclan is abairtean: còmhla ris ann an Alba Nuadh: with him in Nova Scotia; nach robh daoine gu leòr a’ leantainn Chrìosda: that not enough people were following Christ; bha e airson a dhol a dh’fhuireach: he wanted to go and live; feadhainn a bha dìleas dha: some who were loyal to him; costa sear Ameireagaidh: the east coast of America; bha iad a’ dol a dhol gu Gulf Mheagsago agus suas Abhainn Mhississippi: they were going to go to the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi River; dh’fhàg i Pictou le sgioba de dh’fhir as t-fhoghar: she left Pictou with a crew of men in the autumn; cha do ràinig i Ohio: she didn’t reach Ohio; gu dearbh: indeed; gu tuath: northwards; seachad air ceann a tuath Eilein Cheap Bhreatainn: past the north of Cape Breton Island; chunnaic iad bàgh: they saw a bay; ghlac iad èisg gu leòr: they caught lots of fish; thug iad sùil air an àite: they examined the place; bha cnuic is coilltean ann: there were hills and forests there; cha mhòr gu robh duine a’ fuireach ann: hardly a person lived there; far a bheil Baile Anna an-diugh: where St Ann’s exists today; dh’aontaich iad fuireach ann, seach a bhith a’ dol gu Ohio: they agreed to stay there, instead of going to Ohio; thagh gach duine aca pìos fearainn: each man of them chose a piece of land; thill iad a Phictou airson a’ gheamhraidh: they returned to Pictou for the winter; dh’fhalbh seachd bàtaichean còmhla as t-Earrach: seven boats left together in the Spring; chaidh na bàtaichean a chur far an cùrsa: the boats were swept from their course; mu dheireadh, fhuair a h-uile tè ach aonan tron chaolas: eventually every one of them except one made it through the narrows; fasgadh ann am Baile Pheadair: shelter in St Peter’s; cha robh sgeul air a’ cheannard aca: there was no sign of their leader; Eilean a’ Phrionnsa: Prince Edward Island; fhuair e taic bhon t-sagart: he received assistance from the priest; An t-Athair Urramach Aonghas MacEachairne: The Rev. Father Angus McEachern; gu mòr an aghaidh teagasg na h-Eaglaise Caitligich: very much against the doctrine of the Catholic Church; bho sin a-mach bha spèis aige do na sagairt innte: henceforth he had respect for the priests in it [in her – as eaglais is feminine].