741: An SS Ferret (2)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
An SS Ferret (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mun SS Ferret a bha uaireigin a’ frithealadh nan eilean à Port an t-Sròim, aig ceann an rathaid-iarainn faisg air a’ Phloc. Bha triùir fhoillearan fo cheannas Sheumais MhicEanraig air am Ferret a thoirt air mhàl airson turas-mara, ma b’ fhìor, don Mhuir Mheadhan-tìrich. Ach ’s e mèirle a bha fa-near dhaibh.
Dh’fhastaich iad dithis eile, cheannaich iad biadh is fìon agus sheòl iad a-mach à Glaschu. Ann an Cardiff, cheannaich iad gual agus thug iad bean MhicEanraig air bòrd. ’S ann dìreach às dèidh làimh a fhuaireadh a-mach nach robh airgead aig MacEanraig a phàigheadh airson nan rudan a cheannaich e.
Rinn iad air Gibraltar, agus sheòl iad tron chaolas. Rinn iad sin tron latha a dh’aona-ghnothach gus am faiceadh na maoir-chladaich iad. Ach, air an oidhche sin, thionndaidh iad, agus sheòl iad a-mach tron chaolas a-rithist anns an dorchadas, gun solas sam bith laiste. Bha MacEanraig an dòchas gum biodh daoine a’ smaoineachadh gun deach am Ferret fodha ann am badeigin sa Mhuir Mheadhan-tìrich, le call a h-uile duine air bòrd.
Nuair a bha iad a-muigh sa Chuan Siar, dh’inns MacEanraig do chàch gun robh e air turas dìomhair às leth feachdan-airm nan Stàitean Aonaichte, agus gun robh e a’ cur a sheann-bheatha air a chùlaibh. Thuirt e gur ann leis-san a bha an soitheach, agus gum marbhadh e duine sam bith nach rachadh le a phlana.
Dh’atharraich iad coltas an t-soithich. Bha an luidhear air atharrachadh bho bhuidhe gu dubh, bha na bàtaichean-teasairginn air an atharrachadh bho ghorm gu geal. Chaidh an taigh-cuibhle a thogail às ùr na b’ fhaisge air deireadh na luinge. Agus rud sam bith a chuireadh am Ferret ann an aithne dhaoine, bha iad air an tilgeil thar a’ chliathaich.
Chaidh ainm ùr a chur oirre – am Bantam, ainm aig long car coltach a bha mu-thràth air Clàr Lloyds. Thug MacEanraig air a’ chriutha innse do dhuine sam bith a chuireadh a’ cheist orra, gun robh iad air seòladh à Singapore.
Rinn iad air Brasail, far an tug iad luchd air bòrd de chofaidh airson a dhol a Mharseille. Ach cha deach iad a Mharseille. Dh’atharraich iad ainm an t-soithich a-rithist – gu India. Chaidh iad gu Cape Town far an do reic MacEanraig an cofaidh airson trì mìle deug not.
An uair sin, lean iad orra gu Astràilia, agus ràinig iad Melbourne anns a’ Ghiblean ochd ceud deug, ochdad ’s a h-aon (1881). Dh’inns MacEanraig do dh’ùghdarrasan Astràilia gur ann à Bermuda a thàinig e. Bha e a-nise dusan mìle mìle à Alba, agus bha e an dùil ’s an dòchas gun robh e air a’ chùis a dhèanamh.
Bha fios aig an fheadhainn leis an robh am Ferret, Companaidh Rèile na Gàidhealtachd, gun robh MacEanraig na eucoireach agus gun robh e ri foill. Ach cha robh fios aca ca’ robh an long. Cha b’ urrainn dhaibh dad a dhèanamh ach fiosrachadh a sgaoileadh, agus a bhith an dòchas gum biodh cuideigin le fradharc geur ga h-aithneachadh.
Agus ’s dòcha gun robh còir aig MacEanraig aithneachadh gur e an t-àite a bu choltaiche anns am biodh Albannach ag obair ann an Astràilia – na calaidhean. Agus, mar a chluinneas sibh an-ath-sheachdain, bha Albannach le fradharc geur a’ coimhead an ‘India’ nuair a bha i a’ seòladh a-steach gu cala ann am Melbourne.
Faclan na Litreach: dh’fhastaich: hired; thionndaidh: turned; coltas: appearance; bàtaichean-teasairginn: lifeboats; cala, calaidhean: harbour, harbours.
Abairtean na Litreach: a bha uaireigin a’ frithealadh nan eilean à Port an t-Sròim: which was at one time servicing the islands from Strome; triùir fhoillearan fo cheannas Sheumais MhicEanraig: three fraudsters under the leadership of James Henderson; ’s e mèirle a bha fa-near dhaibh: their intent was theft; thug iad bean MhicEanraig air bòrd: they took Henderson’s wife on board; ’s ann dìreach às dèidh làimh a fhuaireadh a-mach: it was just afterwards that it was found out; a phàigheadh airson nan rudan a cheannaich e: to pay for the things he [had] bought; sheòl iad tron chaolas: they sailed through the narrows; a dh’aona-ghnothach gus am faiceadh na maoir-chladaich iad: deliberately so that the coastguards would see them; gun solas sam bith laiste: without any light on; gun deach am Ferret fodha ann am badeigin sa Mhuir Mheadhan-tìrich: that the Ferret went down somewhere in the Mediterranean; le call a h-uile duine air bòrd: with the loss of everyone on board; a-muigh sa Chuan Siar: out in the Atlantic; do chàch gun robh e air turas dìomhair às leth feachdan-airm nan Stàitean Aonaichte: to the others that he was on a secret journey on behalf of the armed forces of the United States; a’ cur a sheann-bheatha air a chùlaibh: turning his back on his old life; gur ann leis-san a bha an soitheach: that he owned the vessel; gum marbhadh e duine sam bith nach rachadh le a phlana: that he would kill anybody that wouldn’t go along with his plan; rud sam bith a chuireadh am Ferret ann an aithne dhaoine: anything from the Ferret that people would recognise; thar a’ chliathaich: over the side; thug X air a’ chriutha: X forced the crew; dh’atharraich iad ainm an t-soithich a-rithist: they changed the name of the vessel again; gun robh e ri foill: that he was involved in deceipt; ca’ robh an long: where the ship was; gum biodh cuideigin le fradharc geur ga h-aithneachadh: that some sharp-eyed person would recognise her.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Chaidh an taigh-cuibhle a thogail às ùr na b’ fhaisge air deireadh na luinge: the wheelhouse was rebuilt closer to the stern of the ship. In a ship, like a car, we use toiseach for the front, or bow, and deireadh for the rear, or stern.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Bha X air am Ferret a thoirt air mhàl airson turas-mara, ma b’ fhìor: X had chartered the Ferret for a cruise, to all intents and purposes.
Download the text of this week's letter as a PDF:Thoir a-nuas Litir mar PDF:
PDF documents are especially suited for printing out. Most computers can open PDF files, but if you have problems viewing them you may need to install reader software such as Tha faidhleachan PDF gu sònraichte math airson clò-bhualadh. Tha e furasta gu leòr do chuid de choimpiutairean faidhleachan PDF fhosgladh, ach ma tha trioblaid agad ‘s dòcha gum biodh e feumail bathar-bog mar Adobe Acrobat Reader. fhaighinn.
Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 437
Podcast
BBC offers this litir as a podcast: Visit the programme page for more info and to download or subscribe. Tha am BBC a’ tabhainn seo mar podcast. Tadhail air an duilleag-phrògraim airson barrachd fiosrachaidh no airson podcast fhaighinn