Fàilte! (Welcome!)

Fàilte! (Welcome!)
This blog is the result of my ongoing research into the people, places and events that have shaped the Western Isles of Scotland and, in particular, the 'Siamese-twins' of Harris and Lewis.
My interest stems from the fact that my Grandfather was a Stornowegian and, until about four years ago, that was the sum total of my knowledge, both of him and of the land of his birth.
I cannot guarantee the accuracy of everything that I have written (not least because parts are, perhaps, pioneering) but I have done my best to check for any errors.
My family mainly lived along the shore of the Sound of Harris, from An-t-Ob and Srannda to Roghadal, but one family 'moved' to Direcleit in the Baighs...

©Copyright 2011 Peter Kerr All rights reserved

Thursday, 8 April 2010

'no person can conceive what kind of a place it is without seeing it.'

They scuttled to the shore,
At this place called 'Crab Ravine'.


Bayonets at their backs,
Driven harsh to 'Crab Ravine'


They faced towards the sea,
Pounding this 'Crab Ravine'


Crofters become fishers,
At thin-soiled 'Crab Ravine'


A Mill stood proud and tall
At this place called 'Crab Ravine'.


Built of Soap and Margarine
On the rocks at 'Crab Ravine'.


The scuttled across the shore
At this place called 'Crab Ravine'


The Mill, unused, now a fish farm,
In this place of 'Crab Ravine'


For crustaceans, not humans,
Thrive best, in 'Crab Ravine'...


'Crab Ravine' is the Old Norse name for Geocrab in the Bays of Harris.
The title is from a crofter's interview by the Napier Commission of 1883/4

Extracts from the Commission's Report can be read here: http://www.ambaile.org.uk
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2 comments:

  1. ADB9 April 2010 at 12:08

    The full Napier commission files can be downloaded from this site. Am Baile appears to be offline (Friday 9 April, midday)

    ReplyDelete
  2. direcleit9 April 2010 at 14:42

    Thanks for posting that link. Am Baile should be up again by Sat 10th April according to their facebook page.

    ReplyDelete

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