with the fair Bertha. He dreamt of his wedding night, but he awoke with a low moan just as he was conducting her to the bridal chamber. He started up, looked around amazed, and then listened. Nothing broke the heavy stillness of the night but the breathing of the sleepers and the restlessness of the horses; even the watchman had succumbed to the power of the somniferous god.

After listening for some time, Dermond resolved upon effecting his escape, but what was his disappointment to find that he had been carefully secured to one of the guards. Finding it impossible to dispose of this precautionary encumbrance without causing an alarm, he lay down again, but just as he was about to close his eyes a rustling in the bracken close at hand attracted his attention. Listening with greater care he heard the rustling repeated, and looking round he caught the flash of a weapon. He sprang to his feet, but ere he had time to awaken the sleepers he found himself within the grasp of a powerful man. As he struggled he met the eye of the assailant, and was astonished to find himself in the arms of Olave, who quickly unbound his master, but not before the sentinel was awakened. Olave, however, had been too careful in securing the jackman's sword, which he placed in Dermond's hand. A struggle ensued, but three of the soldiers fell beneath the blows of the Islesmen ; and obeying the command of Olave, as well as following his example, Dermond dashed across the stream, and both suddenly disappeared in the thicket.

(To be Continued.)

THE BATTLE OF INVERNAHAVON.

THERE was a feud of long continuance between the Mackintoshes and the Camerons. The Mackintosh claimed, under an old grant from the Crown, to be owner of the lands in Lochaber occupied by the Camerons, who denied the validity of the grant, and refused to pay any rent. This Mackintosh attempted, on various occasions, to collect by poinding or distraining. The Camerons opposed force by force; and hence resulted various bloody frays, of which the battle of Invernahavon was one. It is said to have been fought in the year 1386, on the plain of Invernahavon, where the river Truim flows into the Spey, a little above where the railway now crosses this river. The following account was derived from two senachies, the survivor of whom died upwards of forty years ago:—

The Camerons, having had their cattle seized by Mackintosh and his followers, mustered their force, and marched into Badenoch in order to make reprisals. Mackintosh having learned of their advance, hastened to give them battle, at the head of the clansmen of his own name and the Davidsons, or MacDhaidhs,* of Invernahavon. Mackintosh invited the Laird of Cluny, chief of the Macphersons, to join him with his retainers; but the latter declined, as Mackintosh claimed to be the great captain of all the Clan Chattan, while Cluny claimed that of right such a title be* From similarity of sound, these have been confounded sometimes with the Mackays, who were a different clan.

onged to himself. The Clan Chattan comprised all the tribes just mentioned, and several others who claimed a common descent from GillieCattan More, a worthy of the olden time, from whom they derived their common name. It is said, however, that the Mackintoshes were his descendants only in the female line, and that their ancestor in the direct line was a Macduff, of the family of the Earl of Fife; and this was one reason why the Camerons refused to do him service or pay him rent.

The Camerons were led by their chief, Charles MacGilonay, and their opponents by the Laird of Mackintosh. Like most clan battles the copflict was severe; but the victory was won by the Camerons; and so many of the Davidsons were slain that they have ever since, to this day, been few in number.

The defeated clans fled along the low grounds south of the Spey, and the Camerons pursued them for a few miles till they halted and rested for the night on the height of Briagach, opposite Ballychroan. Towards morning the Chief of the Camerons dreamed that he lay on the ground, and that two hogs were turning him over and over with their snouts. As he was relating this ill-omened dream to his brother, they heard a loud splashing noise; and on looking in the direction whence it came they could see the Macphersons crossing the Spey by the ford at the upper end of the islet Eilean-nan-uan.

Immediately after his defeat, Mackintosh sent his bard to Cluny, offering to acknowledge him as the chief of all the Clan Chattan, if he would at once hasten to his relief with his clan. As Cluny resided only a few miles above Invernahavon, he was able to march at once with a strong force against the Camerons, for he was glad to have his title acknowledged on these terms. He moved with such rapidity that he crossed the river with his men shortly after daybreak.

The Camerons had suffered so much in the battle of the preceding day, that they were in no condition to face a fresh enemy. They therefore fled precipitately, without losing a moment. They crossed the Spey near Noidmore, and made for their own country by the shortest and safest route through Glen Benchar, hotly pursued by the Macphersons. These, however, did not make much execution among them, as they had got a good start, because the Macphersons had to advance for some time along the low marshy ground. But the Camerons suffered a good deal from the country people, who attacked them in their flight, and slew a number of them. Among others, their chief was killed with an arrow, on the height thence termed to this day Torr Thearlaich-hill of Charles. Such of them as succeeded in reaching the mountains escaped in safety, for any further pursuit was then impracticable.

In the course of time the Camerons recovered from the disastrous effects of this incursion, and again invaded the undisputed possessions of Mackintosh with a strong force. On this occasion they succeeded in carrying away all the cattle of their opponents that they could find; and they were returning home with them triumphantly through the braes of Lochaber, when their own folly caused them a sad reverse. The Camerons cherished hostile feelings towards Clan Ranald of Keppoch, whose family they deemed intruders in Lochaber. So they resolved to send him an insulting message. But there was some difficulty in finding one who would thus "beard the lion in his den." At length one known as the

tailleir oad 'Blender tailor) offered to convey the message, on condition that he should receive a double share of the prey. He was very swift of foot, and hoped by that means to get back with his head on his shoulders. So be went if an 1 delivered the message, which was that the prey of Clanramalis noser (meaning Mackintoshy was passing, let him rescue it if Le dare.

Unfortunately for the Camerons, Canranal happened to have his men assembled Dear his residence at the time. He therefore sent them, without delay, under the command of a brother, to chastise the Camerons for their insult These were attacked in a very short time by the Macdonalds with the fery valcur characteristic of their race; and as they were quite unprepared for such an onset, they were completely defeated, and the whole of the prey was carried off in triumph by their enemies. When they returned, Keppoch enquired how far they had pursued the Camerons. "Across the Lochy." was the answer. "Ye should have chased them to their doors," he replied. This, however, would have been dangerous under the circumstances, as they might have been attacked by a superior force and driven back into the river.

Although Keppoch was highly enraged at the message, yet he disdained to cut down the impudent messenger without giving him a chance for his life. So he said to him, "If thou wert Clanranald of Keppoch, and I the slender tailor, what wouldst thou do to me!" The tailor cunningly answered, “I would allow thee a certain distance ahead; if thou shouldst escape, well; and if not-thou shouldst fall." "So be it," replied Keppoch. He gave the tailor the distance in advance that he had mentioned; but he thought to get up with him speedily by pursuing on horseback. The tailor, however, got off, by running through the large peat-bog that lies north-west of Keppoch House, which soon checked Clanranald's pursuit. He reached his home all safe, but of course he had labour and risk for his pains, as there was now no prey to divide.

I am aware that this account differs in some respects from that given in Shaw's “History of the Province of Moray," but I have written it down as I received it. Shaw's account is based on tradition as well as this, which tallies better than his with some other well-known facts. TOBONTO.

PATRICK MACGREGOR.

1

Literature.

OLD CELTIC ROMANCES, Translated from the Gaelic by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D.,
T.C.D., M.R.I.A. London: C. Kegan, Paul, & Co., Paternoster Square.

WHAT will the unbelieving Saxon say to this goodly volume of tales
translated from genuine Gaelic manuscripts, some of the latter actually
eight hundred years old. It is enough to make Dr Johnson's ghost break
away from its ethereal abode, and, if it could, make mince meat of the
translator of these beautiful romances. We are charitable enough to hope

that the old man who, so steeped in prejudice, did so much to damage the fair fame of the Celt, is kept in ignorance of what is doing here below, else no heaven can secure comfort for him, while the ProfessorsBlackie, Shairp, Joyce, and other Celtic warriors like Dr Hately Waddell, are allowed to go at large. We have read the book with great pleasure. The stories are themselves most interesting, and the manner in which the translations have been rendered has made them delightful reading for those who enjoy that class of literature. There are in all eleven tales, *the Gaelic originals of which are to be found in the Libraries of Trinity College and of the Irish Academy, where fortunately there are piles of valuable Gaelic MSS., from the eleventh century down to the present time, on every conceivable subject, including annals, history, biography, theology, romance, legend, science, and endless other subjects. And these, Professor Joyce informs us, are nearly all copies from older books."

With the Celts of Ireland as with those of Scotland the recitation of stories-Tales and Legends—has always been a favourite pastime in the winter evenings; and in early times we read of the professional storytellers, who were divided into various grades such as ollamhs, sheannachies, filidhs, bards, and so on, whose duty it was to know by heart a good stock of old tales, poems, and historical pieces for recitation at the festive gatherings of their chiefs, for the entertainment of themselves and their guests. Thus long poems and pieces were carried down from generation to generation by these professionals and those who heard them, until modern contempt for such things, clerical abuse, and the printing press, have almost sounded the death-knell of both story and story-teller at the same time. By such works only as the one before us can the tales of ancient times be preserved and placed within the reach of those who come after us, and we warmly commend the translator for his present work and for his excellent manner of doing it. The latter cannot better be described than in his own words. He informs us that :-A translation may either follow the very words, or reproduce the life and spirit, of the original; but no translation can do both. If you render word for word, you lose the spirit; if you wish to give the spirit and manner, you must depart from the exact words, and frame your own phrases. I have chosen this latter course. My translation follows the original closely enough in narrative and incident; but so far as mere phraseology is concerned, I have used the English language freely, not allowing myself to be traminelled by too close an adherence to the very words of the text. The originals are, in general, simple in style; and I have done my best to render them into simple, plain, homely English. In short, I have tried to tell the stories as I conceive the old shanachies themselves would have told them, if they had used English instead of Gaelic." He suc

ceeded admirably.

After informing us that this institution of story-telling held its ground in Ireland and in Scotland to a very recent period, he says that it is questionable if it is yet extinct, and that within his own memory that sort of entertainment was quite common among the farming classes of the north of Ireland. "The family and workmen, and any neighbours that chose to drop in, would sit round the kitchen fire after the day's workor perhaps gather in a barn on a summer or autumn evening-to listen to some local sheannachie reciting one of his innumerable Gaelic tales. The

story-teller never chose his own words-he always had the story by heart, and recited the words from memory, often gliding into a sort of recitative in poetical passages, or when he came to some favourite grandiose description abounding in high-sounding alliterative adjectives. And very interesting it was to mark the rapt attention of the audience, and to hear their excited exclamations when the speaker came to relate some mighty combat, some great exploit of the hero, or some other striking incident. Three years ago, I met a man in Kilkee, who had a great number of these stories by heart, and who actually repeated for me, without the slightest hitch or hesitation, more than half-and if I had not stopped him would have given me the whole-of 'Cúirt an Mheadhon-Oidhche' ('The Midnight Court'), a poem about six times as long as Gray's Elegy.'"

It is not only "within our memory" to see taking place, in the West Highlands of Scotland, the thing here described; but we have within the last 30 years actually taken part in them in our "Highland Ceilidhs," of which we have given some accounts and specimens in the earlier volumes of the Celtic Magazine. They are, however, now fast becoming things of the past even in the Highlands of Scotland; and it would not be difficult to prove that the modern and more fashionable amusements which are taking their place is a long way short, in many respects, of being an improvement. We can, however, enjoy our ceilidhs over again in such works as the one before us; and all those who wish to possess specimens of our Celtic romances, recited on such occasions, should place themselves in possession of Professor Joyce's most interesting and amusing work.

The stories given are two of "The Three Tragic Stories of Erin," namely, "The fate of the Children of Lir," taken from a copy of about 1680-1700, but it is understood that older copies exist in some of the public libraries; and "The Fate of the Children of Turenn," mainly taken from the Book of Leccan, compiled about 1416; but there are references to the principal characters in it in Cormac's Glossary, written about the year 900; and in an old poem by Flann of Monasterboice, who died in 1056, and a copy of which is in the Book of Leinster, written about 1130. "The Overflowing of Loch Neagh," "Connla of the Golden Hair," and "The Fairy Maiden," and "The Voyage of Maildun," are taken from the Book of the Dun Cow, the oldest manuscript of Gaelic literature possessed by the Irish, and which was transcribed from an older book by Maelmuire Mac Ceilechair, who died in 1106. These are capital stories—the second illustrating fairy pranks and superstition in the Green Isle, while figuring in it we find the famous Conn of the Hundred Battles, a well-known historical character of the second century. The third"The Voyage of Maildun," "The Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees," and "The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and his Horse," we have revelled in with peculiar and intense delight-the latter being especially beautiful, and a marvel of creative fancy. "The Pursuit of Dermat and Grania can hardly be surpassed, in this class of literature, in some of its principal episodes for pathos and power; while the last three in the book-" The Chase of Slieve Cullinn,' ""The Chase of Slieve Fuad," and "Oisin in Tirnanoge," are perfect gems of their kind.

The value of the book is much enhanced by the addition at the end, as well as in the body, of learned "notes," and a list of the proper names occurring in the text, with their Gaelic and English meanings.