OUR-NA-KELIG. 263 



unknown ; that of Our-na-Kelig, by which alone he is 

 referred to in tradition, is, I am told, descriptive of the 

 grey or light colour of his dress, and of his being a great 

 eater of cod fish, or often engaged in catching it. 



In a bloody skirmish between some Strathnaver men 

 and those of the eastern coast of Sutherland, at Drum- 

 derg, in Glen Loth, Our-na-Kelig engaged one of the 

 Strathnaver men, whose two sons also were present. He 

 always laid about him with a two-handed sword, swinging 

 it around with great fury, and letting it fall on his adver- 

 sary with irresistible violence ; giving such a stroke 

 as Ariosto describes, when he says " Gala un fendente : " 

 Anglice, "lets fall a cleaver." With this formidable 

 weapon he soon despatched the Strathnaver man, 

 whether or not he divided him from head to foot into two 

 equal parts, tradition does not say ; but it relates that the 

 sons of the slain man rushed instantly on the victor with 

 desperate rage, but only to meet the death of their father. 



The Strathnaver men were defeated; and the fame 

 previously acquired by Our-na-Kelig, as a formidable 

 swordsman, was prodigiously increased by the slaughter 

 of three powerful men in open combat. 



Soon after this onslaught, Our-na-Kelig went into the 

 Ben Ormin forest to kill himself some venison, as he was 

 wont to do, without being very particular about the laws 

 of property. 



" The good old rule 



Sufficed him ; the simple plan, 

 That they should take who have the power, 

 And they should keep who can." 



He bent the best and stiffest bow in the country 

 killed a deer when he was hungry, and would devour a 



s 4 



