586: Griogair MacGriogair (2)
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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Griogair MacGriogair (2)
Bha an t-Albannach, Griogair MacGriogair, air a dhol don Fhraing. Bha e air a bhith ri foill. Thug e a chreidsinn air mòran dhaoine gun robh dùthaich ann am Meadhan Ameireagaidh air an robh Poyais. Chaidh mòran air slighe fhada airson a dhol a dh’fhuireach ann. Chaill iad airgead mòr. Chaill feadhainn am beatha.
Ach bu choma le MacGriogair. Bha e anns an Fhraing, a’ cur sgeama air dòigh airson Frangaich a thàladh a Phoyais mar luchd-tuineachaidh. Chuir e companaidh Fhrangach air chois. Bha aig daoine a bha ag iarraidh a dhol a dh’fhuireach ann am Poyais ri earrannan a cheannach anns a’ chompanaidh – air cosgais ceud franc gach duine.
Bha MacGriogair dhen bheachd gun robh an t-àm aige “Bun-reachd” Phoyais atharrachadh. Ann am Breatainn bha e math gu leòr a bhith a’ cumail a-mach gur e prionnsa a bh’ ann – His Serene Highness Gregor I, Prince of Poyais, mar a bh’ aige air fhèin. Ach anns an Fhraing, chaidh Poyais na poblachd. Agus cò an ceannard-stàite a bh’ aca? Cò ach MacGriogair fhèin!
Ach cha deach cùisean cho math dha anns an Fhraing. Mhothaich oifigearan Frangach gun robh feadhainn air cead-siubhail iarraidh airson a dhol gu dùthaich air nach cuala iad aithris riamh. Chuir iad soitheach na companaidh ann an grèim ann an Le Havre.
Thuig cuid dhen luchd-tuineachaidh nach robh cùisean mar bu chòir. Dh’iarr iad air na h-ùghdarrasan an gnothach a sgrùdadh. Chaidh oifigearan aig MacGriogair a chur an grèim. Ach cha robh sgeul air MacGriogair fhèin.
Mu dheireadh thall lorgadh MacGriogair. Bha casaidean foill air an cur às a leth. Chaidh cùis-chùirte air adhart ann an ochd ceud deug is sia air fhichead (1826). Mhair a’ chùis ceithir latha. Agus fhuaireadh MacGriogair neoichiontach.
Goirid às dèidh sin, thill e a Lunnainn. Bha e air a chur an grèim agus chuir e seachad seachdain anns a’ phrìosan. Ach chaidh a shaoradh. Agus an do leig e seachad gnothach Phoyais? Cha do leig! Lean e air le bhith a’ reic sgeamaichean – ged nach robh e cho furasta a-nise. Bha e air sguir a ràdh gum b’ esan Prionnsa Phoyais, eadhon ann am Breatainn. Chùm e air leis an stòiridh a bh’ aige san Fhraing – gun robh na dùthchasaich air a thaghadh mar Cheann-suidhe ann am Poblachd Phoyais!
Ach bha farpais aige a-nise. Bha feadhainn eile air oifisean fhosgladh ann an Lunnainn, feuch fearann ann am “Poyais” a reic do dhaoine. Ghluais MacGriogair a dh’Alba ach bha a chridhe thall ann an Ameireagaidh. Ann an ochd ceud deug, trithead ’s a naoi (1839), ghluais e a Bhenesuèla. Leis gun robh e air sabaid airson neo-eisimeileachd ann am Bhenesuèla. Chaochail e an sin ann an ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a còig (1845).
’S iongantach mura rinn MacGriogair gàire bho àm gu àm nuair a mheòraich e air an fhoill a rinn e agus mar a fhuair e dheth leis. Ach saoil an robh càil air a chogais, oir rinn e cron mòr air feadhainn a bha ro dheònach a ghealltanas a chreidsinn – gun lorgadh iad dùthaich bheartach air taobh thall a’ chuain. Bha beul brèagha aige, ach ’s e an gnìomh a dhearbhas.
Faclan na Litreach: Griogair MacGriogair: Gregor MacGregor; Meadhan Ameireagaidh: Central America; bun-reachd: constitution; mhothaich: noticed; cùis-chùirte: court case; eadhon: even; farpais: competition.
Abairtean na Litreach: bha e air a bhith ri foill: he had been involved in deceit; bu choma le MacGriogair: MacGregor couldn’t have cared less; bha e math gu leòr a bhith a’ cumail a-mach gur e prionnsa a bh’ ann: it was good enough to make out he was a prince; cò an ceannard-stàite a bh’ aca?: who was their head of state?; airson Frangaich a thàladh mar luchd-tuineachaidh: to attract French people as settlers; bha aig daoine.. ri earrannan a cheannach: people.. had to buy shares; cosgais ceud franc gach duine: the cost of a hundred francs each person; gun robh feadhainn air cead-siubhail iarraidh: that some people had requested a passport; dùthaich air nach cuala iad aithris riamh: a country they’d never heard [a report] of; chuir iad soitheach na companaidh ann an grèim: they put the company’s vessel in custody; nach robh cùisean mar bu chòir: that matters weren’t as they should [have been]; lorgadh MacGriogair: MacGregor was found; bha casaidean foill air an cur às a leth: fraud charges were laid against him; fhuaireadh X neoichiontach: X was found not guilty; chaidh a shaoradh: he was freed; an do leig e seachad X?: did he lay X to one side?; gun robh na dùthchasaich air a thaghadh mar Cheann-suidhe: that the natives had chosen him as President; ghluais e a Bhenesuèla: he moved to Venezuela; ’s iongantach mura rinn X gàire: X probably smiled; nuair a mheòraich e air an fhoill a rinn e: when he contemplated the fraud he [had] committed; mar a fhuair e dheth leis: how he got away with it; an robh càil air a chogais?: was there anything on his conscience?; ro dheònach a ghealltanas a chreidsinn: too willing to believe his promise.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Thug e a chreidsinn air mòran dhaoine gun robh dùthaich ann am Meadhan Ameireagaidh air an robh Poyais: he caused many people to believe that there was a country in Central America called Poyais. There is a big difference between thoir creideas do (believe, trust) and thoir a chreidsinn air (cause somebody to believe). Creidsinn is given by the dictionaries as a masculine noun (meaning “believing, act of believing”) but in this expression it is a chreidsinn (without an apostrophe). An toir thu a chreidsinn air? (will you cause him to believe?). Thug iad a chreidsinn orm gun robh a’ ghealach air a dèanamh de chàise (they made me believe that the moon was made of cheese).
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Bha beul brèagha aige, ach ’s e an gnìomh a dhearbhas: he talked a good talk , but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 282
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