712: An Annie Jane (1)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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An Annie Jane (1)
Anns an Lùnastal ochd ceud deug, caogad ’s a trì (1853), sheòl an Annie Jane à Liverpool le ceithir cheud duine air bòrd. ’S e soitheach ùr trì-chrannach a bh’ innte. Chaidh a togail ann an Quebec agus bha i a’ seòladh ‘dhachaigh’ à Liverpool. B’ e Uilleam Mason an sgiobair oirre. Bha e air a bhith na sheòladair fad trithead ’s a sia bliadhna, agus bha sgioba aige de cheathrad. Cha robh dùil ach gum biodh turas-mara math aca.
Bha an Annie Jane a’ giùlain luchd de dh’iarainn – ochd ceud tonna dheth – airson rathaidean-iarainn, am measg eile, air an taobh thall. Bha trì cheud tonna ann cuideachd de bhathar eile. Agus bha i làn daoine.
Chaidh an Annie Jane gu tuath, seachad air ceann an iar-thuath na h-Èireann agus a-steach don Chuan Siar. Dh’èirich a’ ghaoth agus thòisich an long air luasgadh gu dona. Dh’fhàs an t-sìde na bu mhiosa. Bhris na crainn-mhullaich. Ach rinn an sgioba obair-càraidh oirre agus lean iad orra air an slighe a Chanada.
Bha eagal mòr air an luchd-siubhail, ge-tà. Dh’iarr iad air an sgiobair an soitheach a thoirt air ais a Liverpool. Chaidh an Caiptean Mason fo-rùm airson faicinn mar a bha gnothaichean don luchd-siubhail. Bha an suidheachadh cho dona ’s gun do dh’aontaich e tilleadh. Chaidh iad timcheall costa deas na h-Èireann. Às dèidh ochd latha aig muir, bha iad air ais ann an cala Liverpool.
Dhiùlt cuid dhen luchd-siubhail a dhol air an Annie Jane tuilleadh. Bha iad dhen bheachd nach e soitheach comasach a bh’ innte, agus bha iad a’ gearain gun robh cus dhaoine air bòrd, ’s iad gun bhiadh gu leòr. Ach ghabh daoine eile an àiteachan air bòrd. Às dèidh obair-càraidh a mhair seachdain, bha an long air ais aig muir.
Thachair an aon rud a-rithist. Anns a’ chuan mhòr, thòisich i air luasgadh gu dona. Chaidh a toiseach a mhilleadh. Bha i a’ dol gu tuath, air falbh bhon t-slighe cheart.
Bhruidhinn cuid dhen luchd-siubhail ris a’ chiad mheit gu h-os ìosal. Dh’inns esan dhaibh gun robh e dhen bheachd nach ruigeadh iad Quebec. Chuir an luchd-siubhail athchuinge chun an sgiobair, ag iarraidh air tilleadh a Liverpool. An turas seo, reub e an athchuinge ann am pìosan. Thug e gunna-làimhe a-mach agus thuirt e gun cleachdadh e e nam biodh ar-a-mach ann.
Chaidh cùisean am miosad . Dh’èirich gailleann. Chaidh crainn a bhriseadh. Chaidh cuid de na siùil a reubadh às a chèile. Às dèidh ceala-deug aig muir, bha an Annie Jane dà cheud mìle a-mach bho Hiort agus ann an droch staid.
Shocraich a’ ghaoth an uair sin, agus rinn an Caiptean Mason an co-dhùnadh gun dèanadh iad air Èirinn, agus sàbhailteachd. Ach, nuair a bha iad faisg air Beàrnaraigh, deas air Barraigh, far a bheil taigh-solais, dh’èirich a’ ghaoth às ùr.
Bha fios aig an sgiobair, nan rachadh iad air creagan àrda Bheàrnaraigh, gum faigheadh a h-uile duine bàs. Thionndaidh Mason an long. Bha e air a chur roimhe an Annie Jane a chur air tìr ann am bàgh ghainmhich – am Bàgh Siar – ann am Bhatarsaigh. Leis a’ ghaoth a-nise air an cùlaibh, bhiodh e furasta gu leòr sin a dhèanamh. Bha Mason an dòchas gum faigheadh daoine gu tìr ann am Bhatarsaigh. Ach cha bhiodh a’ chùis buileach cho soirbh sin, mar a chì sinn an-ath-sheachdain.
Faclan na Litreach: an Lùnastal: August; rathaidean-iarainn: railway tracks; reub: ripped; gunna-làimhe: pistol; Hiort: St Kilda; taigh-solais: lighthouse;
Abairtean na Litreach: ’S e soitheach ùr trì-chrannach a bh’ innte: she was a new three-masted vessel; b’ e Uilleam Mason an sgiobair oirre:William Mason was the captain (on her); bha e air a bhith na sheòladair fad trithead ’s a sia bliadhna:he had been a sailor for 36 years; air an taobh thall: on the other side; trì cheud tonna de bhathar eile:three hundred tons of other goods; a-steach don Chuan Siar: into the Atlantic; thòisich an long air luasgadh gu dona:the ship started to roll badly; bhris na crainn-mhullaich: the topmasts broke; rinn an sgioba obair-càraidh oirre:the crew repaired it; bha eagal mòr air an luchd-siubhail: the passengers were very scared; fo-rùm airson faicinn mar a bha gnothaichean:below decks to see how matters were; cho dona ’s gun do dh’aontaich e tilleadh: so bad that he agreed to return; costa deas na h-Èireann: the south coast of Ireland; nach e soitheach comasach a bh’ innte: that she was not a seaworthy vessel; cus dhaoine air bòrd, ’s iad gun bhiadh gu leòr: too many people on board, without enough food; chaidh a toiseach a mhilleadh: her bow was damaged; bhruidhinn X ris a’ chiad mheit gu h-os ìosal: X spoke secretly to the first mate; nach ruigeadh iad Quebec: that they wouldn’t reach Quebec; athchuinge chun an sgiobair: a petition to the captain; dh’èirich gailleann: a terrible storm arose; chaidh crainn a bhriseadh: masts were broken; ceala-deug aig muir: a fortnight at sea; shocraich a’ ghaoth: the wind weakened; faisg air Beàrnaraigh, deas air Barraigh: near Berneray, south of Barra; nan rachadh iad air creagan àrda Bheàrnaraigh: if they went onto the cliffs of Berneray; gum faigheadh a h-uile duine bàs: that everyone would die; air an cùlaibh: behind them; an dòchas gum faigheadh daoine gu tìr ann am Bhatarsaigh: hoping that people would get to land on Vatersay; buileach cho soirbh sin: quite as easy as that.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: a’ giùlain luchd de dh’iarainn: carrying a load of iron. Note that the word luchd for ‘load’ and luchdfor ‘people’ are different and of different origin. A ship usually carries both type of ‘luchd’. Commonly, where people (and particularly professions) are concerned, we follow luchd with a hyphen eg luchd-siubhail ‘travellers’, luchd-teagaisg ‘teachers’. But notice also the unhyphenated luchd na Beurla ‘English-speakers’ (with the genitive article)
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Chaidh cùisean am miosad: matters took a turn for the worse.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 408
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