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Account of the preparation of seals for eating and accompanying proverb, c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/44

Scope and Contents

Account of the preparation of seals for eating in Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist, including pressing blubber to extract oils. Carmichael recalls tasting the flesh of a young seal on Heisgeir [Heisker/Monach Isles] and that it was 'very agreeable.' and like venison. The accompanying proverb reads 'Bu mhath am biadh feamanaich aran seagail agus saill roin'.

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Note about seal-hunting grounds under the heading 'Roin', c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/19

Scope and Contents

Note about seal-hunting grounds under the heading 'Roin' describing how Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] seals were divided into different grounds for the crew at sea, Griminnis and Chill-a-Pheadair [Griminis/Griminish and Cille Pheadair/Kilpheder, both Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist].

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Note about seals at Griminis, North Uist, c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/46

Scope and Contents

Note about seals at Griminis, North Uist [Griminish, Uibhist a Tuath] that their cry is often mistaken for the cry of a child and that they are 'driven by storms from Hausgeir and take shelter among the rocks and reefs in the sound between Griminis and Vàllay' [Eilean Hasgeir/Haskeir Island and Bhàlaigh].

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Note about seals from Cousmal under the heading 'Roin', c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/37

Scope and Contents

Note under the heading 'Roin' about seals from Causmal [Causmal, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] under the heading 'Roin' stating that they belong to Baile rathail, Peighinne mhoir and Hougearaidh [Baile Raghnaill/Balranald, Peighinn Mhòr/Penmore and Hogha Gearraidh/Hougharry]. It gives the names of the different seals which go to the minister, the blacksmith and the people of Boreray [Boraraigh].

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Note under the heading 'Roin' about seal hunting and related customs, c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/22

Scope and Contents

Note under the heading 'Roin' on how the Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] seals were divided up between Peighinn-mhor, Griminish, Peign'nne-moire, Scolpaig and Cill-a Pheadair [Peighinn Mhòr, Griminis, Peighinn Mhoire, Cille Pheadair/Kilpheder, all Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist]. Also how there would be about 37 pints of oil in some seals and that 'Cuilein Micheil' was a seal roasted on Lath-fheill-Micheil [Latha Feille Mìcheil or Michealmas].

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Story about a seal in the form of a woman and accompanying song, c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/39

Scope and Contents Story about a seal in the form of a woman which tells how a number of seals were caught on Taisgeir [Eilean Hasgeir/Haskeir Island] and a woman in Paible [Paibeil, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] was boiling the seal's bones when another woman came in. The first woman did not recognise her but offered her a seat but she stood staring at the pot. All of a sudden she started singing a song beginning 'Smeirig s an tir s smeirig san tir is, (Far) n ichear na daoine a rioc a bhidh'. After this she...

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Story about an old seal on Haisgeir [Heisker] and accompanying vocabulary note, c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/43

Scope and Contents Story about an old seal on Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles] collected from Doul Donnullach [Donald MacDonald], tailor, aged 75 years at Cladach-Chircebost, Uist a Chinne Tuath [Cladach Chirceboist/Claddach Kirkibost, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] on 6 July 1866. Donald went hunting on Heisker every year for seven years and his father had been every year for thirty years before that. There was one seal which was seen every yearfor forty years on Staca Mhic Iain Mhaoil and was never...

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Story about Mac Uistean under the heading 'Roin', c1875

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW112/23

Scope and Contents Story about Mac Uistean under the heading 'Roin' and how when he was very old he could no longer go seal hunting on Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker/Monach Isles]. Michaelmas Day, when seals were the key part of the feast, was very stomy and no one could go to Heisker seal hunting so MacUistean was agitated because there would be no slanruith to hang above the fire. That night, however after a ball in Griminnis [Griminis/Griminish, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] it got warm and the men went hunting...

Dates: c1875

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Story about seal hunting on Heisker including a weather incantation, 1869

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW107/36

Scope and Contents

Story in which Mac Uistean was too old to go seal hunting on Haisgeir [Theisgeir/Heisker] and in the stormy weather walked around the house repeating 'Slainri gun fheum an taobh taigh Mhic Uist[ean] an nochd Slanri & noc'. Also, a band of tinkers accustomed to seal-hunting had not had success for several seasons but after a ball on St Michael's Night they left and got 80 seals that night.

Dates: 1869

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

Story about seals killed in Skye, June 1887

Item

Identifier: Coll-97/CW89/200

Scope and Contents

Story about seals killed in An t-Eilean Sgitheanach/Isle of Skye which reads 'Seal killed at Portree [Port Rìgh] blue like Hooded seal. Anoth[er] Skye man had a spliucan + he saw the seal had been Killed on an Afri[can] river.' Text has been scored through in pencil as if transcribed elsewhere.

Dates: June 1887

Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections

University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

Showing Records: 1 - 10 of 24

Account of the preparation of seals for eating and accompanying proverb, c1875

Note about seal-hunting grounds under the heading 'Roin', c1875

Note about seals at Griminis, North Uist, c1875

Note about seals from Cousmal under the heading 'Roin', c1875

Note under the heading 'Roin' about seal hunting and related customs, c1875

Story about a seal in the form of a woman and accompanying song, c1875

Story about an old seal on Haisgeir [Heisker] and accompanying vocabulary note, c1875

Story about Mac Uistean under the heading 'Roin', c1875

Story about seal hunting on Heisker including a weather incantation, 1869

Story about seals killed in Skye, June 1887

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