Scope and Contents Custom and story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Souming' [number and type of stock an individual croft can graze on a common grazings] describing the ages at which cows were included in the 'leibhidh' [levy], how in 1810 Lord MacDonald and MacCoinnich Bodhar of Lewis [MacKenzie of Seaforth, Eilean Leòdhais/Isle of Lewis] introduced new rules while Clanranald had no souming until 1820. MacRury states that in 1830 his grandfather had to send five...

Scope and Contents Notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael but also used by John Ewen MacRury. The front cover bears a sticker which reads 'Gaelic Notes 1894-5. (Collection of traditions, tales, etc. by Alexander Carmichael (?). Many pages cancelled, indicating publication.) [Carmichael Watson Collection]'. The flyleaf reads 'Gaelic Notes, 1894-5' and the rear flyleaf contains a jotting which reads 'Wishing Guidhe'. The beginning of the notebook contains field notes made by Carmichael in Uibhist a...

Scope and Contents Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'A Chliarsheanachain' [itinerant band/sorners]. The Cliar Sheanchain or sorners, were a band of sixteen burly men, who would eat and drink and entertain or satirise and they were notoriously difficult to control. The story tells how the the last known band of sorners stayed in Baile-nan-Cailleach [Baile nan Cailleach/Nunton] with Mac 'ic Ailein [Clanranald] as their host for a night. They stayed much longer then...