482 



Higlilands and Islands Commission. 



Alexander 

 Caniiichael 



1 went much among the very poorest of the people, among a people whose 

 pinched features betraj'ed their poverty, yet during nearly seventeen years in 

 Uist I was never once asked for charitJ^ Their proprietor in South Uist, the 

 late Mr John Gordon, did not exaggerate when he said — ' The Uist people are 

 all born gentlemen — every man of them.' Yet, these are the people so often 

 misrepresentL-d, and sometimes so cruelly maligned by men who do not know 

 them. 



The Uist people are excellent workers, and for the farming best adapted for 

 their country infinitely before the best farming representatives that have been 

 brought against them from the south. All these successively have had to 

 adopt the native system of farming, after proving the unsuitableness of their 

 own. 



I. 



Mar chirein nan stuagh uaine, ta mo ghaol, 

 A h-eugasg tlath, mar dhearsa speuran ard ; 

 Mar sheudan loinneireach, a da shuil chaoin; 

 Mar arradh air bharr sleibh, fo ghrein nan trath. 



II. 



O ! c^it am facas bean is aille snuagh, 

 Ca'm facas riabh air cluain, le ceumaibh seimh, 

 Do shamhuil fein, a gheug nam mile buadh, 

 Mar chlacha, a buadha, 'san or is aille .sg^imh ! 



In the following translation I have endeavoured to adhere closely to the 

 original. 



The White Crest of the Wave. 



I. 



To the white crest, of the green wave, I liken ray love, 

 Her countenance warm, like the beaming sky above ; 

 Like brilliant jewels, are her two blue sparkling eyes. 

 Like the glancing sunbeams, all radiant from the skies. 



IL 



Oh ! where has e'er been seen, a lovelier form or face ? 



On lawn, or plain, or field, of statelier mien or grace ? 



Thou branch of thousand beauties, in thy pride of beauty's joy, 



Thou gem in purest gold, yea, gold without alloy ! 



