Archibald Menzies
Archibald Menzies was from near
Aberfeldy in Perthshire. He was
born in 1754. He spoke Gaelic.
Archibald’s father was a
gardener. He was working in
Castle Menzies. Archibald was
also interested in gardening. He
got work in Edinburgh in the
Royal Botanic Gardens. He did a
botany course. After that he did a
medical course. He got work in the
Royal Navy. He was in the West
Indies. Then he went to North
America. He started to collect
plants.
After a while, he got a
position on board a ship. The ship
was going around Cape Horn to
the Pacific Ocean. Archibald came
home with a big collection of
plants and seeds. He went on
another big voyage. That was with
George Vancouver.
On that journey Archibald
went on land in Australia, Tahiti,
Hawaii and the west coast of
North America. He collected many
plants. Some of them are common
in our gardens in Britain. Many
plants are named after him. Here
are examples: Arbutus menziesii,
Chimaphila menziesii, Nemophila
menziesii, Penstemon menziesii,
Tolmiea menziesii and Nothofagus menziesii. And the genus
Menziesia.
But I’d like to name one tree
specifically. Menzies’ name is not
on this tree. But it appears that it
was him that brought this famous
tree to Britain. Scientists know it
as Araucaria araucana.
When he was on the voyage
with Vancouver, Archibald was at
a banquet in Chile. On the dinner
table, there was a plate. On the
plate there were brown nuts.
Archibald had never seen those
nuts. He put a few in his pocket.
He took them to Britain. And the
tree is now growing in gardens
throughout Britain. Araucaria
araucana. You’ll be more familiar
with it as the monkey puzzle tree.
Gilleasbaig Mèinnearach
Bha Gilleasbaig Mèinnearach –
Archibald Menzies – à sgìre Obar
Pheallaidh ann an Siorrachd Pheairt.
Rugadh e ann an seachd ceud deug,
caogad ’s a ceithir (1754). Bha Gàidhlig aige.
Bha athair Ghilleasbaig na
ghàirnealair. Bha e ag obair ann an
Caisteal nam Mèinnearach. Bha ùidh
aig Gilleasbaig ann an gàirnealaireachd
cuideachd. Fhuair e obair ann an Dùn
Èideann anns an Lios Luibheach
Rìoghail. Rinn e cùrsa lus-eòlais. An
dèidh sin, rinn e cùrsa dotaireachd.
Fhuair e obair anns a’ Chabhlach
Rìoghail. Bha e anns na h-Innseachan
an Iar. An uair sin chaidh e a
dh’Ameireagaidh a Tuath. Thòisich e
air lusan a chruinneachadh.
An ceann greis, fhuair e
dreuchd air bòrd long. Bha an long a’
dol timcheall Cape Horn gu ruige an
Cuan Sèimh. Thàinig Gilleasbaig
dhachaigh le cruinneachadh mòr de
lusan is sìl. Chaidh e air turas-mara
mòr eile. Bha sin le Seòras Vancouver.
Air an turas sin chaidh
Gilleasbaig air tìr ann an Astràilia,
Tahiti, Hawaii agus taobh an iar
Ameireagaidh a Tuath. Chruinnich e
mòran lusan. Tha cuid dhiubh cumanta
anns na gàrraidhean againn ann am
Breatainn. Dh’fhàs Gilleasbaig ainmeil. Tha mòran lusan air an ainmeachadh às a dhèidh. Seo eisimpleirean:
Arbutus menziesii, Chimaphila menziesii, Nemophila menziesii, Penstemon menziesii, Tolmiea
agus Nothofagus menziesii. Agus an
genus Menziesia.
Ach bu mhath leam aon
chraobh ainmeachadh gu
Chan eil ainm a’ Mhèinnearaich air a’
chraoibh seo. Ach tha a h-uile coltas
ann gur e a thug a’ chraobh ainmeil seo
a Bhreatainn. Tha luchd-saidheans
eòlach air mar Araucaria araucana.
Nuair a bha air an turas le
Vancouver, bha Gilleasbaig aig cuirm.
ann an Chile. Air bòrd na dìnnearach,
bha truinnsear. Air an truinnsear bha
cnothan ruadha. Chan fhaca Gilleasbaig riamh roimhe na cnothan sin.
Chuir e feadhainn na phòcaid. Thug e a
Bhreatainn iad. Agus tha a’ chraobh a-nise a’ fàs ann an gàrraidhean air feadh
Bhreatainn. Araucaria araucana. Bidh
sibhse nas eòlaiche oirre mar monkey
puzzle tree.
