1889-90.] OSSIANIC POETRY. 225 



In the opinion of this writer the terms Gaidheal, Scot, and Peine were 

 applied to the same people ; but the history of their origin was then as 

 much a mystery as now. The opinion was that they came by sea, but 

 the country whence they came was unknown. 



Who then were the Peine ? and what is the origin of the name ? It 

 has been suggested that it may possibly have some connection with that 

 of the Pinns : for the name Oscar is common in the North and is a royal 

 name in Sweden. Or it may, say some, indicate a connection with the 

 Poeni or Phoenicians, who in early times were frequent visitors to the 

 British Isles. An old poem, published by the Ossianic Society of 

 Dublin, on the battle of Gabhra (which there is every reason to believe 

 was a real battle fought over thirteen centuries ago) speaks of " the Peine 

 of Erin, the Peine of Albin, the Peine of Britin and Lochlan," as taking 

 part in the conflict. W. P. Skene quotes this poem to prove that the 

 Peine were a widely-extended nation, spreading even over Lochlan — that 

 is, the country north and east of the Rhine, including Scandinavia. I 

 venture the suggestion that perhaps Skene misunderstood the passage, 

 and that the word was intended to be " fine," which means clan, tribe, or 

 nation. The two words are much alike in sound and spelling, and the 

 one could easily be taken for the other. The passage, therefore, may 

 mean that the " nations " of Erin, Albin, Britin, and Lochlan were repre- 

 sented at that battle. This suggests another question, namely, Did the 

 Gaidheil first speak of themselves as the ^' fine " or nation />ar excellence ? 

 If this be so when, in the course of ages, the meaning of the word was 

 lost, the term which was first the common name for any tribe may 

 have become the proper designation of the Gaelic-speaking race. The 

 people of the Highlands never call themselves Scots. They are known 

 among themselves as Gaidheil or Albanaich. The name of Scotland is 

 Albin, and the part of it north of the Porth and Clyde, Gaidhealtachd, 

 which is likely the name which the Romans attempted to pronounce, 

 getting as near it as the word Caledonia. 



As a specimen of this poetry allow me in closing this paper to quote a 

 few lines from a translation to be found in the Highland Society's Report 

 (which in this instance at least is certainly not equal to the Gaelic origi- 

 nal) in which the poet describes the terrible impetuosity of Diarmid in 

 battle, and his calmness and gentleness after victory ; the lines being also 

 intended as a contrast between his life and death : — 



" Thy strength was like the strength of streams in their foam ; thy 

 speed like the Eagle of Atha, darting on the dun, trembling fawn of the 

 desert. In battle thy path was like the rapid fall of a mountain stream, 

 when it pours its white torrent over the rock, and sends abroad the gray 



