"Ach trocair gu'n d' fhuair a' chailleach,
A chair sinn an diugh fo 'n talamh;
Dhomhnuill, thoir dhomh mir de 'n aran;
Fhearaibh, 's math an dram so."
Horo, etc.

Thuirt ogh' Iain oig ann an Dornaig,
"Bhuith, ho-ré, b'e so an torradh ;
Dh' fhoghnadh leam gu brath de sholas
A bhith 'g ol an dram so."
Horo, etc.

"Daoine coire, clann Mhic Lachlainn,
Gu ma tric bhios torradh aca;

O'n tha storas ac' am pailteas,
Bheir iad sgailc de 'n dram dhuinn.
Horo, etc.

Gur mor am masladh ri 'innseadh
Gu robh cuid diubh marbh nan sineadh,
Air chul nan cnoc 's anns na digean
Mar a mhill an dram iad.

Horo, etc.

Ged a leanainn air an oran,
O mhoch Diluain gu Didonaich,
Cha 'n aithrisinn trian de 'n bhoilich,
Bheir na seoid san àm ud.

Horo gur toigh leinn drama,
Horo gur toigh leinn drama,
Horo gnr toigh leinn drama,
'S lionar fear tha 'n geall air.

19th FEBRUARY, 1890.

The paper for this evening was contributed by the Rev. J. Campbell, Tiree, entitled "Na Amhuisgean-The Dwarfs or Pigmies." Mr Campbell's paper was as follows:

THE DWARFS OR PIGMIES; OR, THE THREE SOLDIERS.

In this tale there is a difference from the ordinary recitations of the practical story-teller or Sgeulaiche. The descriptions so frequently occurring in the ordinary tales or Sgeulachdan of the sailing of boats, combats, interviews, &c., which help the storyteller on with his narrative, do not occur in this tale, and the existence of the pigmies in some unknown region bordering upon, if not forming part of, the " kingdom of coldness" is of interest as indicating some of the connection between smallness of person and cold climate, and so leading to the speculations as to the first dispersion of the human race and connection of tribes that are now far removed from each other in appearance, dress, mode of life, and dialects. Taking but a passing glance at the geography of the world, or reading books of travel, one cannot but be often struck by the resemblance of names to Gaelic, not derived from resemblance of sound to sense, or any such explanation, but from the same form of word as in Gaelic being used. E.G., in the name of Kamschatka, in the extreme north, the first part is especially like Camus, a name so common in the Highlands and in Scotland at large, denoting an indentation into the land, while the termination chatka is essentially the same as the termination of the distinguishing name of Corrie, near Broadford in Skye. What the meaning of the termination may be is not apparent. The name of Corrie in Skye is Corrie-Chatachain. The form Kames is well known. In books of African travel we are told that bana is the name the blacks give to a white man; and ban or white, as applied to complexion, is universally well known. On looking at the language of the Esquimaux there can be little doubt that it ought to be classified as Gaelic or Celtic as much as any of the languages to which that name is given. It may ultimately prove of unspeakable advantage in following out the history of the dispersion of the human race if the language of people so remote as the Esquimaux should prove to be Celtic.

The existence of some of the words and names to be found among the Indians of America also create a suspicion of their having a streak of Celtic in them. The falls of Niagara seem in this way to derive their name from gaire, laughter, and its congeners, which are the regular words applied to the loud sound of water. The loud sound of the sea is commonly called gàirich nan tonn, and the Osterling or Eastern sea, when she came to take away the Cup of Good Fortune from Fionn Mac Cumhail and his

men, was said to have loud laughter in her rough mouth, gàire na garbh chraos. She is represented in Gaelic Lays as the foster mother of Manus, the Norse King, and her history is one of the most entertaining of old lays.

The reason of the soldiers leaving the town or fort in which they were placed does not appear from the tale; but it is not difficult to imagine good reason for their leaving the garrison town. In any case liberty is too precious to be long neglected, and the town or city may have been beleaguered, or short of provisions, or disease may have set in. No fault is found in the story with their leaving, or their doing so; desertion of the army in a time of difficulty is not an idea encouraged in the Highlands by tales, traditions, doctrine, proverbs, or example.

The antiquity and prehistoric origin of the story is to be inferred particularly from the spell or enchantment under which the principal soldier was placed by the Druidic pin put by the Elfin woman at the back of his head, throwing him into a profound sleep, from which he could not be awakened. These magic wonders were an important element in the Druidism which was displaced by Christianity, and the ascribing of the action to a woman may have arisen from the prominence given to witches in comparatively recent times, though for that matter women have been liable to have such, and even more marvellous actions ascribed to them since the days of the Witch of Endor.

This tale is from full notes taken of it as told by John Brown.

NA AMHUISGEAN, NO NA TRI SAIGH DEARAN.

Se tri saighdearan bh'ann dh'fhalbh as an arm no dh' fhag am baile, 's a bha da latha aig coiseachd ; am beagan bidhe bh'aca' bha iad gu ruith mach as; sin shuidh iad latha boidheach ri taobh cnoic leigeil dhiu an sgios. Cha robh iad fada sin dar chunnaic iad cu mor ruadh tighinn far an robh iad, 's thuirt iad ri cheile nach robh tigh fada uapa, 's nach biodh iad gun bhiadh no dion ùine 'sam bi na b' fhaide. Dh' eirich fear dhiu, 's a mach thug e an deigh a choin. Cha deachaidh e astar sam bith dar chunnaic e caisteal briagh shios fodha. Ghabh e roimhe 'ga ionnsuidh 's dar rainig e cha robh dorus ri fhaicinn air. Bha e dol mun cuairt air dar a chunnaic e boirionnach dreachmhor aig uinneig. Ghlaodh i ris dol dh'ionnsuidh dorus cul bh' air a chaisteal. Rinn e sin, 's chaidh e stigh. Thainig ise na chòmhail, dh' fhailtich i e, 's thug i do sheomar briagh e. Chaidh biadh chur air a bheulthaobh, 's leth do mhulchag chaise am measg a bhidhe. Bha an ra-dorcha ann, 's chaidh solus a lasadh. Dar a shuidh e aig a bhiadh, thog

ise leatha an solus 's dh' fhag i 's an dorch' e. Chuimhnich esan an so air an fheadhain a dh' fhag e na dheigh 's chur e 'n leth mhulchag chaise 's a mhaileid, 's bha e feitheamh ris na thigeadh. An ceann greis thill ise air a h-ais leis an t-solus, 's thuirt esan rithe,

"Tha mise air m' fhagail 's an dorcha feitheamh, ris na dh' fhaodas tighinn, 's ag' eisdeachd ris na chluinneas mi; bu neònach a rinn thu an solus thoirt leat."

"Cha mhor nach amaiseadh air a bheul co dhiu 'bhiodh e dorcha na soilleir," ors' ise; "ach cha'n fheud a bhi' gu'n d'ith an coigreach beag a mhulchag mhòr."

Dh'iarr i shios 's shuas i, ach cha d'uair i idiri; bha mhulchag 'sa mhaileid. 'Nuair fhuair ise mach so dh'iarr i berailt air 'sa thilgeil comhladh ris na coin mhòra. Bha esan a sin spiola' nan cnàmh cheapadh e na measg, 's cha bu luaithe 'bha iad aige na bha iad uaithe.

An latha 'r na mhaireach chunnaic an dithis eile da chompanaich, 'dh' fhag e na dheigh am fasgadh chnuic, an cù ruadh a rithist. Mach thug fear dhiu as a dheigh, 's cha robh e fad air falbh 'nuair chunnaic e caisteal briagh shios fodha, 's thug e aghaidh air. 'Nuair rainig e cha robh dorus ri fhaicinn air. Bha e dol mu'n cuairt air gus an robh a cheann gu bhi 's an tuainealaich, 'nuair chunnaic e boirionnach briagh' aig uinneag. Smeid i air dol a dh' ionnsuidh dorus cumhann bha air a chaisteal. Chaidh e stigh.

Dh' fhailtich i e, 's thug i do sheomar farsuinn e. Chaidh biadh 'chur air a bheulthaobh, 's measg a bhithe bha ceathramh muilt. 'Nuair shuidh esan a ghabhail a bhithe, thog ise leatha an solus air a cheart doigh 'rinneadh air a chompanach. Chuimhnich esan so air an fhear dh' fhag e na dheigh, 's chur e 'n ceathramh muilt 'sa mhaileid, 's dh' fhuirich e mar bha e feitheamh 'sa 'g eisdeachd. An ceann greis thill ise air ais leis an t-solus, 's dh' fharraid esan de thug dhith leithid sid do chionn a mhothaiche dheanabh 's esan fhagail 'san dorcha.

"Cha mhor," ors' ise, "nach amaiseadh air a bheul, dorcha na soilleir, 'g am biodh' e; ach cha'n fheud a bhi' gu'n d'ith an coigreach beag ceathramh a mhuilt mhoir ?"

Dh'iarr ise sin an ceathramh mar rinn i roimhe, ach cha d'fhuair i thall na bhos e. Bha an ceathramh anns a mhaileid. 'Nuair dh'aithnich ise so air a cheart doigh, 'sa rinneadh air an fhear eile, chaidh esan 'thilgeil comhladh ris na coin mhòra, 's bha e sin le chompanach, spiola' nan cnamh a cheapadh e na' measg, 's cha robh aca ach bhi 'gan cluich mar b' fhearr dh' fheudadh iad; cha robh bheag na mhor do chuideachadh eile aca.

An ath-latha chunnaic an treasa fear, 's e taobh a chnuic feitheamh ri' chompanaich a thilleadh, an cù mòr ruadh a tighinn aig astar, 's dh' aithnich e nach robh tigh fada uaithe. Air siubhal a ghabh e as a dheigh, 's cha robh e fad 'sam bi' 'g a leantuinn 'nuair a chunnaic e caisteal briagh ann an glaic shios fodha. 'Nuair rainig e cha robh dorus ri fhaicinn, 's bha e dol timchioll air, 'nuair chunnaic e, 's an ruith cheudna 'sa rinn a chompanaich, boirionnach ceutach aig uinneig. Smeid i air dol a dh'ionnsuidh dorus iosal 'bha air a chaisteal. Rinn e so, 's 'nuair chaidh e 'stigh dh'fhailtich i e, 's thug i do sheomar mor ard e. Chaidh biadh chur air a bheulthaobh 's measg a bhithe buillionn cruineachd. 'Nuair shuidh esan dh' ionnsuidh bhithe thog ise leatha an solus, ach cha robh duine aigesan ri chuimhneachadh. 'Nuair thill ise air ais bha h-uile ni ceart, 's cha d'rinneadh sion airsan. 'Nuair thainig an oidhche chaidh e 'laidhe, ach cha d'fhuair e prip chodail. 'S a mhaduinn an là 'r 'n mhaireach thuirt e ri 'sa:

"De na daoine tha sid ri ceol 's ri aighear, nach do leig tamh no codal dhomh fad na h-oidhche ?"

Thuirt ise ris, "Tha mise mar sin 'o chionn latha 's bliadhna; s iad tha ris an obair ud na h-Amhuisgean."

"A bheil thusa so ach latha 's bliadhna ?" ors' esan.

"Cha'n 'eil," ors' ise, "'s e nighean do Righ, ann an Rioghachd na Fuarachd tha annam-sa; 's ghoid na h-Amhuisgean mi 's thug iad an so mi."

Co dhiu, an 'n ath-oidhche chaidh esan a chodal mar rinn e roimhe. Thoiseach an ceol 's an lan-aighear, Bha an seomar laimh ris lan dhiu-san mar bha e roimhe, 's cha'n fhaigheadh e lochd chodail. 'Nuair bha e sgith ag eisdeachd riu 'sa theirig fhoighidinn 's nach b'urrain e fulang na b' fhada, chaidh esan do'n aite 's an robh iad, a shealltuinn de' bha air an aire, na an robh iad brath sgur idir do'n aighear. 'Nuair chunnaic iad 's an dorus e, rinn iad uile gaire na aodann.

"De fath 'ur gaire ?" ors' esan.

"Tha gur e do cheann fhein's ball iomanachd dhuinn an nochd tuille."

Rinn esan gaire nan aodann-sa.

“De fath do ghaire fhein," ors' iadsan.

Thuirt esan, gu'm b'e sin am fear bu mhotha ceann's a bu chaola casan acasan a ghabhail dhoibh gus an caitheadh e e gu ruig na luirgnean. Thoiseach e orra, 's chur e h-uile h-aon riamh dhiu o thoiseach gu deireadh a mach gus an robh an seomar falamh. Bha e so leis fhein 's sith 's samhchair aige. An ceann greis thoisich an upraid cheudna, 's gabh e sios far an robh iad, 's rinn e