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[77]

Hiort

Tobar nam Buadh NA 088003

Tha an tobar seo air leth iomraiteach an eachdraidh Hiort, oir bha cleachaidhean soilleir agus beul-aithris co-cheangailte rithe.

Sgrìobh Màrtainn, ’s e ann air a thuras mhìorbhaileach: “In this isle there are plenty of excellent fountains or springs; that near the female warrior’s house is reputed to be the best, the name of it, Toubir-nim-buey, importing no less than the well of qualities or virtues; it runneth from east to west, being sixty paces ascent above the sea: I drank of it twice, an English quart at each time; it is very clear, exceedingly cold, light, and diuretick; I was not able to hold my hands in it for above a few minutes, in regard of its coldness; the inhabitants of Harries find it effectual against windy-chollicks, gravel, head-aches; this well has a cover of stone. ” (414).

Tha T.S. Muir (1885) a’ toirt dealbh oirre: “A low square-shaped massy stone building, with a stone roof, covers the spring, which, after forming

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[78] a pool in the floor of the cell, runs down the russet slope like a thread of silver to join the stream in the valley. ” (65).

Tha MacAmhlaigh(1764) ag innse mar a bha an sluagh a’ toirt àite don tobair seo agus a’ creidsinn na cumhachd: “Some little time ago, a person long afflicted with a distemper, which had defeated the skill of all the people about him, took it in his head to go from Harris to St. Kilda, upon a sort of religious pilgrimage. His meaning was, to lay his grievance before the patron of this fountain. ” (94). Gu neònach, chan eil e ag innse an d’ fhuair an duine faochadh sam bith ri linn a thurais chun na tobrach.

Ach tha a chunntas feumail an dèidh sin: “It was once a fundamental article of faith in this isle, that the water here was a sovereign cure for a great variety of distempers, deafness particularly, and every nervous disease. Near the fountain stood an altar, on which the distressed votaries laid down their oblations. Before they could touch the sacred water, with any prospect of success, it was their constant practice to address the Genius of the place with supplication and prayer. No one approached him with empty hands. But the devotees were abundantly frugal: the offerings

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[79] presented by them were the poorest acknowledgements that could be made to a superior Being, from whom they had either hopes or fears. Shells and pebbles, rags of linen or stuffs worn out, pins, needles, or rusty nails, were generally all the tribute that was paid; and sometimes, though rarely enough, copper coins of the smallest value. Very frequently the whole expense of sacrifice was no more than some one of the little common stones that happened to be in the Pilgrim’s way. ” (95-96). Tha leac ri taobh na tobrach a bha iad a’ cleachdadh mar altair, agus ’s ann an sin a bhiodh iad a’ fàgail nan rudan sin.

Tha MacAmhlaigh a’ crìochnachadh: “The Saint, Angel, or Deity, to whom the wonder working Tobernimbuadh pertained, is now an unknown Being, his name having been long ago buried in oblivion. ” (100- 101).

Nam sheasamh, là an dèidh là, ag òl uisge soilleir Tobar nam Buadh anns a’ Ghleann Mhòr, faisg air Taigh na Ban-àrmainn, bha air m’ inntinn an liuthad neach a thàinig thuice nach do dh’ fhàg làrach às an dèidh, agus na sgrìobhaichean a thug dhuinn dealbh air beatha nan daoine sin.

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[80]

Tha MacAmhlaigh (1764) ag ràdh: “The second holy well at St. Kilda is below the village, and gushes out like a torrent from the face of a rock. At every full tide the sea overflows it, but how soon that ebbs away, nothing can be fresher or sweeter than the water. The natives call it Toberi Clerich. ” (99).

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[81]

Tobar Childa

Tha mòran air a sgrìobhadh mun tobair seo cuideachd, oir bha cuid dhen bheachd gu bheil an aon ainm oirre ris an eilean fhèin.

Sgrìobh Màrtainn: “There is a large well near the town, called St. Kilder’s Well; from which the island is supposed to derive its name; this water is not inferior to that above-mentioned (Tobar nam Buadh) ; it runneth to the south-east from the north-west” (414).

Sgrìobh MacAmhlaigh (1764): “The third sacred fountain at St. Kilda is near the heart of the village, and is of universal use in the community.The water of it is sweet, light and clear like crystal. The people give it the name of Tobar Childa Chalda. ”Canaidh cuid gu bheil am facal ‘childa’ bhon fhacal Lochlannach ‘kelda’ a’ ciallachadh ‘tobar’.

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[82]

Tobar na Cille NA 098984

Tha i seo ri taobh làrach Teampall Bhrianain agus faisg air Geodha Chille Bhrianain. A rèir beul-aithris, mur biodh gaoth fhàbharach ann do dh’iasgairean, dheigheadh iad gu Tobar na Cille ’s sheasadh gach fear casa-gobhlagain air an tobair airson tiotadh, ’s thionndaidheadh a’ ghaoth nam fàbhar.

Tobar na h-Oige

Bha ri ràdh gu bheil i seo ann an aghaidh na creige. Thug Màrtainn cunntas oirre: “There is a celebrated well issuing out of the face of a rock on the north-side of the east bay, called by the inhabitants and others, The Well of Youth, but is only accessible to the inhabitants, no stranger daring to climb the steep rock; the water of it is received as it falls, into the sea; it runs towards the south-east. ” (414).

Ged nach eil lorg air an tobair seo air an tug Màrtainn cunntas, bha beul-aithis ag innse mu thobair dhen aon ainm a nochd am bad eile dhen eilean. Bha fear a’ cromadh Chonachair le caora

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[83] cheangailte aige, ’s e sgìth. Thàinig e air fuaran nach fhac e a-riamh roimhe: dh’òl e deoch às is dh’fhairich e cho òg ri gille. Dh’fhàg e a’ chaora ann an sin, ’s ruith e sìos dhan bhaile a dh’innse mun tobair. Nuair a thill e, cha robh sgeul air caora no air tobair. Chanadh iad nam biodh e air pìos iarainn fhàgail aig an tobair, nach robh a’ chaora no an tobar air teiche. Mar a thachras gu nàdarrach, theich tobar na h-òige!

Tha tobraichean eile air an ainmeachadh ann a Hiort, ged nach eil mòran fiosrachaidh againn mun deidhinn.

B’ e aon dhiubh sin Tobar Chonasdain, agus sgrìobh Màrtainn mu a deidhinn: “There is another well half a mile of this (St. Kilder’s Well), nam’d after one Conirdan, an hundred paces above the sea, and runneth from north-west towards the south-east, having a stone cover. ” (414). Tha luaidh cuideachd air Tobar a’ Mhinisteir, ach chan eil air fhàgail ach an t-ainm.

[84] [85] [86] [87]

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