Much of the folklore of Corrour hovers about the rim of the Estate, and Fersit, lying on the Northern Boundary, being one of the oldest home-steads in Lochaber, is closely associated with things of the past, Fergus, the first of the Scots Irish Kings had a hunting bothy on Fersit, and left his name on places such as Meallan Fergus, Allt Fergus, Lochan Fergus.
Donald Mackinlay, the famous hunter poet, also lived at Fersit end composed his Gaelic classic "Ode to the Owl", describing what he could see from the top of the Cnoc Dearg, quite 300 years ago, yet he quotes one Donn-t’suil(Brown-eye) as having lived there generations before. The poet left instructions that he was to be wrapped in a raw deer skin, buried on the edge of the brae at St. Cairrill's Graveyard where he could see the deer coming in on his favourite hill the Cnoc Dearg. Above Fersit there is a prominent crag called Creagan an Fradharc where hunters with their hounds from Badenoch and Lochaber gathered to hunt the deer, being conveniently placed on the main pass for deer from Ardverkie to Ben Bhreac and Mamore. Rising to the west is Garb Bheinn ridge where an eagle nests, and it seems according to legendary lore, that the eagle built there in the misty ages of the past, as there is a Gaelic saying old as the hills, when speaking of anything ancient. "It is as old as the eagle of Loch Treig”. This saying is quite common in the Western Isles.
It appears that this particular eagle had cast her third beak,
denoting an age of 300 years, and the Bealtain, the first night of summer (1st May O.S.) being the coldest she ever
felt, to test whether there was any bird or beast older than herself, she
dropped down to the Dubh Lochan and met a wren of whom she asked — "Did
you ever feel a colder night than last night?" . "No" said the wren, "but there is a water ousel (Gobha uisge) down at Roy Bridge
much older than I. The
eagle flew down and found the gobha wiping its beak on an old anvil. Asking the
same question, the gobha answered — "No, but there is an owl over in Insh wood that was old before I
cracked the shell" The
eagle found the owl perched upon an alder stump, so old and weak that though a small bird dropped a twig on
her back she took no notice. The
eagle asked "Did ever you
feel a colder night than last night?" "No” croaked the owl, "but there is a black trout over in Lochan nan Ceann that came down the Lairig burn at its mother's
tail, more than half grown, when I was barely able to hoot" The eagle
arrived at the Lochan and the black trout rose. "Did ever you feel a
colder night than last night?" the eagle asked. "Yes”said the trout "one
Bealtain night it was so cold that in the morning I had to jump about to heat myself and
in one of my jumps I hit my cheek on that black stone, my eye stuck to it and
am on one eye to this day" The eagle thus found that the fish was older,
and becoming great friends she dropped down from Loch Treig quite often on a
visit to the fish.
In the River Treig there is an island built upon logs of wood called Eillan Ruigh na Slige, generally called Treaty Island, where chiefs settled their disputes. They came up on opposite sides, and if either could not swim into the island he lost his case. Near Fersit house there is a horse shoe mark on a rock supposed to be done by the horse on which the devil rode across the Gualain. A little further down the path are two dug-outs where the natives lay with spears to kill wolves on their way to the woods of Loch Treig, which within living memory were so dense that the cattle were often lost of a night.
Fersit was also the haunt
of the smuggler. On one occasion they found that the Excise were on their
track. They quickly hid their material and threw the worm into a lochan nearby.
One of the copper pipes was found a few years ago, and can still be seen. About
two miles east on Spean
side there is a stone called Clach na Saighead, Arrow Stone. Five men came down
from Badenoch to steal a maiden from Muirlaggan. Two of her brothers coming
home from the hill heard of the capture, and being fleet of foot, took the
Fersit side of the Spean
and came abreast of the
party at the above stone. One of the brothers
began sharpening the arrow points on this stone, and the dent can be seen to
this day. The other aimed at the leader who carried the maiden's red mantle
Another abductor picked up the mantle and made off, but he also fell, while a
third met the same
fate. The other two escaped, leaving the maiden and her red mantle. Near the
spot is a small lochan that holds a water bull, and was always avoided.
In a loop of the Spean further east is a rocky upthrust, Where a thief hid, and gave the place its name Torr na Gill Bratach, or the thief's crag. Still further east, in an angle formed by the Gulbin, there is a very old homestead called Torgulbin. Near the house is a large flat stone called Clach Gulbin, supposed to have been the home of an Irish chieftain, son of King Gulbin of Ireland, who gave the place its name. To the south is Lochan Turc, where Diarmid, one of Ossian's heroes had an encounter with a boar*.
Footnote
*This great fight is claimed for as having taken place in
various districts in the north. Diarmid was a man of great strength
and speed and personal beauty. His Uncle Fionn was
jealous of him and he knew that the vital spot on Diarmid was a dark mark on
the sole of his foot. When Diarmid
killed the great boar Fionn said
“His measure I will have from tail to snout", hoping that the
bristles would touch the dark mark, which happened. Diarmid pleaded for a drink of water as he lay dying, knowing
that the water from the loch mixed with the blood of the boar would save him,
but Fionn hesitated and Diarmid died, Afterwards Fionn found. that he had no
reason to be jealous, and bitterly regretted his actions. He buried Diarmid,
his favourite hound, and his queen, at Lochan Turc. Lochaber has thus good grounds for laying claim to this
incident*
Near this lochan when the River Gulbin is in flood it rushes through a hole in the rock, forming a natural bridge. Meall-cos-charman rises to the east the haunt of foxes. When the first of the lowland shepherds came in to the district, he with two old highland shepherds sat watching at a fox den. In the dusk of the evening the lowlander excitedly shouted "Oh! look at the fox". One of the old highlanders answered in Gaelic derisively - "Look at a fox. God help us, the country is done. English at a fox's cairn" Lowland shepherds were not made welcome at that time. At the north end of the Meall there used to be a shepherd's bothy on the march burn, but being bewitched, no shepherd could be found to stay in it owing to continual disturbance at night by sods falling on the roof. A new bothy had to be built on the south side of Beineibhinn, a beautiful hill, the highest on Corrour.
On the west side there is a cleft called An Uinneag, the window, and on the east side there is also a window called Leabaidh Chrosgach after a fierce freebooter of the house of Cluny, who used to lie in wait at this narrow pass on the shortest route from Perthshire to Lochaber to kill and rob people taking the pass. During his time the laird of Culdares, Glenlyon was anxious to marry the Fair Maid of Fersit, but her father had some objections. Yet Culdares made up his mind to pay Fersit a visit and on the way called upon his kinsman of Rannoch who strongly advised him to take the Loch Treig route and avoid the Leabaidh as the Chrosgach was known to be in the district. But Culdares was brave and fearless and a capital swordsman. He resolved to go the way he intended, and on arriving at the Leabaidh the Chrosgach sprang upon him. A fierce fight took place that lasted for hours. In the end Culdares killed the Chrosgach, and fearing the consequences fled back to Rannoch and told his tale. But his kinsman said "go back just as you are. If you were not sure about getting the fair maid of Fersit before, you are sure enough of her now" Culdares arrived at Fersit all tattered and torn. Fear na Fersaid looked coldly upon him, but on hearing his story he took Culdares by the hand and said "You have rid Lochaber of a rogue, and you are right welcome to my daughter”. Thus the fair maid of Fersit became the Lady of Culdares.
To the west
of Beneibhinn is Feith Mhaolain an open flat corrie in which a tragic
accident took place and it is haunted ever since. Two Shepherds were out for a
pot shot, and as one of
them raised the rifle to shoot at a stag, as he thought, the
other, the younger, suddenly said "Don't shoot, its a man“ and they saw the object stagger across
the knoll as if wounded or hurt. Some time after a gentleman from Badenoch came down with his
gillie, and a young deer hound to give it blood. The young shepherd went out as
stalker and in Feith Mhaolain
near where the strange
object was seen, the gillie let off the shot and the bullet went clean through
the shepherd. He was
carried to Corriecreagach where he died. After this, things
were seen and no shepherd would venture past the Feith after dark.
The Amor runs north and south, a fine glen that sweeps clear in all storms
where an old time headless corpse wanders about at night making a noise as if dancing on
zinc, especially on windy nights when the witch rides on the top of the storm
between Ben Alder, and Ben Bhreac.
"Coming events cast their shadows before". Before the Lodge was built, people staying at Corriecreagach could not get to sleep at night with the noise of hammering, and work among stones at the back of their house. On this spot a large quantity of the granite rubble was quarried and dressed for building purposes, while a perfect picture of a launch was seen in the bay, where subsequently the “Elsie” was anchored, and long before the railway was made, people used to hear the noise of trains up and down Loch Treig side. Strathossian, or Strathossian na Fionn (of the Fingalians) grows grass so attractive to horses that before the erection of fences any horse lost from Badenoch or Lochaber would be found at Strathossian. To the west is Stron Dearg of the eagle’s nest, and Coire-na-Cnaimh where during an earthquake or earth tremor the boulders rolled sideways instead of straight down. Mam Ban Corriecreagach is one of the seven Mams mentioned in the rhyme used in connection with the cure for glandular swellings.
Old Corrour Lodge was the highest occupied house in the kingdom, the original name being Sleibh Ossian Lodge, and this part is one of the few places that never carried a sheep stock. But about a hundred years ago or more the principal highland cattle breeders clubbed together and sent their heifers to Cruach Rannoch to get in condition during summer, thence to Corrour during Autumn to grow hair. The herd, Angus nan Ainnean, had some difficulty keeping them on the ground owing to the witch having a dislike to her own red cattle being disturbed, and he often found his heifers in the morning at Clach-an Fhuaran.
Meall-an-Leac
rises from Loch Ossian, Cleft with the deep dark chasm which is only lit in the
early morning when the sun just begins to rise on the eastern shoulder of
Beneibhinn. The first rays strike this cleft while the rest of the district is
in gloom, No doubt this was noticed by the poet when he used the words "And
the sun will rise on Meall an Leac” Around its
base winds the old drove road where a shepherd and his wife rode on horseback from Rannoch to Loch Treig. Near the
west end of Loch Ossian, they
were overtaken by a blizzard, and the wife
became so ill and benumbed that she could not keep her seat. Her husband knew
that she could not survive the time he would take getting to Loch Treig and
back with help. He knocked down his mare and disembowelling her, placed his
wife inside, and then made for Loch Treig. On his return with help he found his
wife alive and quite recovered. This incident gave the place its name An
Caipleach (The Mare).
Loch Treig
Head was a place of some importance in the past, having a drove stance, market
stance, burying ground, and hanging hillock, Neighbouring shepherds used to
gather and play cards in Loch Treig house. One night a rap was heard on the
door, and a tall, dark, handsome stranger entered. He was made welcome, and invited to take part in the game, proving
to be an expert, one of the neighbouring shepherds happened to drop a card, and
on bending down, he noticed that the stranger had iron shod hoofs instead of feet. With sundry nods and winks the shepherd
got his companions outside and taking to their heels made for home. They heard
the stranger racing along making a fearsome noise änd knocking sparks from the
stones as he disappeared towards the mouth of the Lairig.
About Stron na Gaul there is a poem in which it is called The Lowlander's Nose! through some imaginary resemblance to that organ. But there are Strons and Srons all over the Highlands, and as it would be a convenient place for strangers or lowland drovers to gather and do business at the market it seems more probable that the proper rendering would be "The Nose of the Lowlanders or Strangers" . Rising to the south is Beinn a’Bhreac, the favourite haunt of the famous witch, Cailleach na Beinn, famed in song and story, sometimes mentioned as being very tall and handsome, at others tall and ugly generally always referred to with a sense of dread. She, with the witches of Mull and Lianachan contrived to destroy the Spanish Armada. They filled a tub of water and placed therein a large number of small wooden chips. While one witch repeated the incantations, another began twirling the water round with a stick, and the more the water was disturbed the more wild the ocean became. The third witch began pushing chip after chip under the water and for every chip that went under a Spanish ship was sunk in the sea, and thus the witches saved England from invasion.
Near the
junction of the Caim and Black
Water there are the remains of a homestead where a shepherd watcher
stayed. On one occasion the shepherd and his wife went down to Rannoch for the week-end leaving their son John
to look after the place. On
Sunday morning he rose and
went out to feed the cattle. He then lit the fire, and putting on the kettle
reclined in bed till it should boil. Meantime, a hen came in all wet and bedraggled, getting up to the
fire she began preening herself, and as John looked on he saw her stretch up
and up gradually assuming the shape and form of a
tall woman. John knew he was in the presence of the dreaded witch , His
dog become furious The witch
asked him to tie up his dog, but John said he had no string.
She plucked a hair from her head and threw it towards him, He managed to tie it
round the wooden leg of his bed instead of
round the dog's neck. The dog getting fierce again, she
shouted "Pull on the hair; pull on the hair". John did so and cut the
leg clean off the bed, showing what would have happened to the dog. Eventually
another young dog came in from the byre end attacking the witch in the rear she
flew up the chimney in the form of a cock, shouting as she went. On the saddle
ridge of the Ben is a large stone called "The Witch's Chair", from
its shape, and hunters found it wise to sit on the chair and think kindly of
the witch ere proceeding. Further on is the witch's well supposed to be cleaned
out every May by the witch.
Donn-t-suil of Fersit
was lighting a fire with a flint one evening on
the Saddle. Suddenly the witch appeared at his side. "Where did you come
from?" he asked. I was on the top of Ben Chrulaiste when you struck the
first spark from your spoor". “ Were you running?” “No, only bitties”. He gave her some food and she departed. Some time
later Donn-t-suil was stalking deer near the Witch's
Well. On peeping over a knoll he saw her milking a
hind and crooning a lullaby, but the hind was restive and finally kicked the
cogan out of her hand spilling the milk. The witch got angry and shouted
"I wish Donn-t-suil’s arrow was in you". At that moment Donn-t-suil’s arrow pierced the hind. The witch was highly
pleased and told him as he had been kind to her so often she would like to do
him a favour and asked whether he would prefer the sense of sight or sense of
smell being taken from the deer. Donn-t-suil answered " You take the nose from them and I‘ll take the
eye”, meaning that he could deceive the eye but never the nose. She told him
that henceforth he could be down wind on the deer, but in the gralloch of his
last stag would be found a ball of worsted yarn. Donn-t-suil lived to a great
age and when lying weak and ill one morning, his daughter came in saying that a
stag was caught by the horns in the garden gate. Donn-t-suil was too weak to
lift his bow, but said to his daughter "You lift it and I’ll steer
it". The stag fell dead, and on his daughter gralloching it she got the
ball of worsted yarn and showed it to her father, who said "This is the
Cailleach’s prophecy, I am done". He
died that night and in the morning a red Lochan appeared near the house, and
owing to its sudden appearance the people thought it had some connection with
Donn-t-suil‘s death, and called it Lochan Donn-t-suil. But in winter its colour
is green
when it is called Lochan Uaine. Wild ducks will
fly off it quacking loudly and when the heron wades in it, it will suddenly
spring up and fly away screaming.
The late Sir John Murray was greatly interested in this Lochan having examined its waters. He found it full of life and was much surprised to find such a Lochan there as he only knew of one other and that was in Chile in South America. He had to get a small bottle of the water sent him each month of the year to determine the cause of the change of colour, but he died ere unravelling the mystery. On being told the legend of Donn-t-suil and the Lochan he smiled and said I have been round the world, and round it I have met all kinds of people, but I never met any who could account for things they knew nothing about like Highlanders .
