Page 43 - Voyage of the Vandora to St. Pierre in Gaelic from MacTalla 1900, translated into English by Kay MacDonald

ISSUE : Issue 71

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1996/12/1

Voyage of the Vandora to St. Pierre in Gaelic from MacTalla, 1900, translated into English by Kay MacDonald Turus na Vandora gu St. Pierre Voyage of the Vandora to St. Pierre Mu chuairt air leth-cheud bliadhna air ais, bha na ceud daoine thainig gu ruige St. Ann's nan seann daoine, ach bha an clann air fas suas agus comasach air an cuideachadh air muir 's air tir. Bha mun 'm so moran de shoithi- chean beaga timchioll na h-acarsaid, agus leotha sin bhitheadh iad gu math trie a dol a null gu ruige St. Pierre le crodh 'us caoraich, 'us nithean eile. Cha bhitheadh iad fad' a ruith a null 'sa nail; agus mar sin, cha bhiodh iad a toirt leotha ach gle bheag do bhiadh--direach na dheanadh an gnothach. 'S minic a thug so eiginn orra ris nach robh suil aca. Bha na daoine 6g gu math calma, fearail, misneachail; ach bha moran de na seann daoine, get bha iad calm' air tir, nam fior ghealtairean air a mhuir. Bha 'san 'm so soitheach beag aig Mac Mhurchaidh 'ic Le6id, (Murchadh Mor, mar theireadh iad ris), da 'n ainm Vandora, a bheireadh leatha mu thimchioll deich cinn fhichead chruidh. Cha robh i na soitheach a bha gle sh&bhailte; air muir; oir, an uair bha i air na stoic, agus iad ga tear- radh, ghabh i teine, 'us mu 'n d' fhuair iad a cuir as bha am plane aic' air fas co tana 's nach cumadh e 'n calcas, is 'nuair bhitheadh i ann am fairge throm bhitheadh i deanadh ao-dion. Bha te lir eile ac' air na stoic, agus bha, mar sin, na Vandora air a leagail suas. An deigh na curachd bha euid de sheann daoine timchioll na h-acarsaid air son gu 'n rachadh Aonghas Mac Mhurchaidh Mhoir le crodh dhaibh do St. Pierre, 'us gu 'n ra? chadh iad fh6in maille ris. B' iad na daoine so Iain Moireastan, Ruairidh Fri- seal, Ruairidh Ros, (Mac Raonuill). agus About 50 years ago, the first settlers that came to (St. Ann's,) Victoria County were old men, but their children were grown up and able to help them on land and sea. About that time, there were many lit? tle vessels St. Pierre 1-' around the harbour and they would I often go over to St. u'l's'''i Pis''6 with vS**'''! cattle and sheep and other goods. They would not be long running back and forth, so they would just take a small amount of food with them-- just enough to do the trip. This often caused them unexpected difficulty. The young men were strong, manly and coura? geous; but many of the old men, although they were brave on land, were real cow? ards on the ocean. At that time, Murdoch MacLeod's son (Big Murdoch, as he was called) had a little vessel named "Vandora" which could carry about 30 head of cattle. It was a vessel which was not seaworthy because when it was being tarred, it caught fire, and be- Cape Breton's J Over 70 Stores & Services • Great... Service • Great... Selection • Great... Prices Mayflower Mall ... Where Winners Shop! 800 grand lake rd. sydney b1p6s9 ''''' .1 f ftf i*?fe' r0i rx%UTmm Budget 'j_~ Take a leisurely cruise around the Island in style and Br~C comfort in a vehicle from Budget Car and Truck Rental. 501 Esplanade St;Sydney,N.S. (902) 564-2610 AIIThe Difference In The World

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