MANNINAGH JEEAGHYN MY HIAR
Tree laghyn erreish da'n 'eedoo laa ruggyree aym, ayns Mee ny Boaldyn, 1907, va
mee er my raad gys y Shiar Foddey myr nah choagerey er y lhong vree "feddan gorrym"
DIOMED. Va mee hannah er ve gys yn Egypt as gys y Cheayn Doo rish queig marrinyssyn
as va mee skee jeeaghyn er ny hEgyptee meeyllagh breinn as ny sooillyn doghanit ocsyn, as
va mee skee neesht jeeaghyn er yn anvea as boghtynid, accrys as treihys ayns Yn Roosh
- ayns Batoum Poti, Nickolaiev as Odessa, as ayns yn ynnyd s'jerree dy vaik mee,
"Ny Greeishyn Fuilltagh" raad va'n "Dunverys Mooar" er ve jeant 'syn Irree Magh Beg ayns1905.
Yn Roosh Chasherick, ny Yn Roosh Anjeeagh, cheer neuvaynrey dy jarroo! Va mee skee
neesht jeh yn accrys er y lhong Ellerman va mee er n'aagail, raad, yiarragh ad, oddagh fer glenney yn eddin echey lesh crackan yn volg echey!
Va mee jeeaghyn roym dy mooar dys my chied varrinys my-hiar er yn oyr dy row mee
er lhaih as er chlashtyn mooarane mychione y Niar. Va'n coagerey hene er ve shiaulley
my hiar rish queig bleeaney jeig. Va Bill Rowe yn ennym echey, ny Bretnagh ass Swansea
as ram Bretnish echey. Ny smoo Bretnish echey na Baarle dy jarroo! Dinsh Bill dou mooarane
mychione ny cheeraghyn shid veagh shin cur shilley er.
Va kiare Sheenee (Chinese) as feed er y lhong ain, daa as feed jeu gobbragh 'sy
chamyr-greie as yn chamyr-coirrey as jees elley v'ad coagerey as nah choagerey, ayr
as mac v'ad. Cha dod mee gynsagh monney jeh'n ghlare ocsyn, er yn oyr nagh row monney
Baarle oc agh son trustyr as taggloo awane.
Cha row yn traa goll tappee dy liooar dou eisht, lurg va shin er n'aagail Suez as
hiaull shin roin sheese y Vooir Yiarg lesh Y Shiar Foddey. Shiaght laghyn jeig
ny s'anmey rosh shin Penang. Cha duirree shin feer foddey ayns shen, un laa ny lomarcan,
as cha row caa aym dy gholl er y thalloo. Haink queig Sheenee er y lhong ain, cleree
v'ad, "keyllys ruggit" myr yiarragh shin. Va'n obbyr oc dy hiaulley er y lhong, as,
ayns ny purtyn veagh shin cur stiagh ayndoo, veagh y currym oc dy reayll tailley
er yn lught as er ny cowraghyn er ny kishtaghyn as lhied. Cha row Sheenish oc agh va daa ghlare
elley oc, Malayu as Baarle. Tra dooyrt mish dy baillin gynsaghey Malayu, dynsee ad
dou eh dy arryltagh, tra va shin er yn aarkey, eddyr e daa phurt. Haink mee dy ve
flaaoil dy liooar 'sy chengey shen bunnys cha flaaoil as va mee ayns Gaelg.
Tra rosh shin Singapore hooar shin fys voish y chaptan dy beagh shin goll gys Java,
agh hoshiaght veagh shin cur shilley er Chemulpo ayns yn Chorea. Agh lurg va shin
'sy Chorea hie shin gys Kutchi-Notsu ayns y Shapaan dy ghoaill stiagh geayl da ny
coirraghyn, as eish hie shin roin dys Sourabaya ayns yn Java.
Va Bill hannah er n'insh dou ymmodee skeeallyn mychione ny troailtee crauee ayns
ny bleeantyn v'er n'gholl shaghey, mychione yn aght dy jinnagh ad cheet er y lhong
marin gys Jeddah, gyn argid, gyn bee, doghanit as raad y vaaish as tiggad "ayn" as
cha nee 'er ash' oc. Cha daink yn trass jeu er ash dys yn Java. Cha by gummey lhieusyn my
dooar ad baase ny dyn, she er yn oyr shen v'eh dy daink ad er y lhong. Tra hooar
ad baase hie ad rhymboo dy jeeragh dys Pargys! Ayns ny bleeantyn shen va ny Hollanee
feer gheyre orroo as cha row kied currit daue d'aagail yn cheer oc hene mannagh row tiggad
'ayn as er ash' oc, bee dy liooar oc cour kiare feed as tree jeig laa 'syn aasagh
as cour y turrys er ash gys yn Java myrgeddin, er y jurnah gys Jeddah hug yn cheshaght
lhuingys ain yn bee oc daue. Dinsh Bill dou, as honnick mee lesh my hooillyn hene eh
ny s'anmey, dy row lhiurid liauyr jeant jeh aanrit bane ec dagh ooilley ghooinney
jeu cour y traa voghe ad baase, as veagh ad soaillt ayn. Honnick mee earroo mooar
jeu goll harrish boayrd soaillit ayns nyn goamrey baaish, agh cha naik mee rieau jeir erbee
er ny heeley kyndagh rish ny Merriu, cha shickyr v'ad dy row ad hannah marish ny
"Houreeyn" ayns Pargys!
Cha nel cooinaghtyn aym nish dy kiart, agh er lhiam dy daink mysh keead hroailtee
crauee er y Diomed ec y traa shen marin. Ny mast'oc va 'flah' aeg, ny guilley jeh
mysh queig bleeaney jeig d'eash. Moghrey laa ny vairagh erreish dooin faagail Batavia,
beggan ny lurg yn hoghtoo oor, honnick mee guilley mysh yn eash shen cheet veih cheu
elley ny lhong, shooyl dy moal as dy staydoil. Tra hooar mee shilley jeh'n eddin
echey as jeh'n choamrey echey, va fys aym dy jeeragh dy re yn flah v'ayn. Va'n oaie
echey lhean as dhone ayns ynnyd jeh'n doo cadjin, as v'eh ny guilley roauyr as aa-smeggyl
goaill toshiaght er as va'n bolg echey roauyr neesht. "Ah, my ghuilley veg, " dooyrt
mee rhym pene, "Lurg kiare feed as tree laghyn jeig 'syn aasagh Arabagh cha bee lhied
y smeggyl as prinjeig orts!" Haink eh dys yn voayl va mee gobbragh ayn, as ayns Baarle
ghlen dooyrt eh rhym, 'Kanys ta shiu moghrey jiu?" Dinsh mee da dy row mee ayns slaynt
vie as vrie mee jeh "Kanys ta shiu hene?" Dinsh eh dou dy row eh ayns slaynt vie
neesht, as eisht dooyrt eh rhym, "T 'ou loayrt Baarle feer vie." "Va mee ynsit aynjee,
myr haghyr eh," as mish. "T'eh dy baghtal ry chlashtyn dy row uss,' dooyrt y flah
"As gyn ourys myrgeddin va ny deiney elley shid," dooyrt eh, sheeyney magh e roih
lesh jerrey ny lhong, raad va ny shiaulteyryn beaghey. "Agh tra ta mee geabbey dy loayrt roosyn,
t'ad toiggal cre ta mee gra kiart dy liooar agh cha noddym pene toiggal ny t'adsyn
gra tra t'ad freggyrt dou."
Ren eh goaill ram traa dy chur stiagh 'sy chione echey yn bun jeh'n chooish, kys,
ga dy row ooilley ny Sostynee loayrt Baarle, va caghlaaghyn ayn voish skeerey gys
skeerey 'sy ghlare oc, as ghow yn flah yindys mooar dy chlashtyn shen. Smooinee eh
dy voddagh eh troailt ooilley er feie Goal Vooar as toiggaltys echey jeh dagh ooilley nhee
veagh er ny ghra da. "Ayns my heer hene," dooyrt eh, "My ta mee loayrt ayns Malayu
rish fer erbee, freggyree eshyn er yn aght cheddin dou as toiggeeym dagh ooilley
ockle t'eh dy ghra, agh s'leayr dou nagh beagh eh myr shen ayns Sostyn," as eshyn. "Vel Hollanish
ayd?" vrie mee jeh 'sy ghlare shen. Va fys echey cre va mee er ghra, agh dreggyr
eh dou 'sy Vaarle, "Cha mie lhiam loayrt Hollanish," e veeal chionn as e choraa feayr. "Va mee laccal d'ynsaghey Baarle, as ren mee. Ren mee goaill toshiaght d'ynsaghey
ee tra va mee shiaght bleeaney d'eash, as nish ta mee queig bleeaney jeig." "Shiaght
bleeaney d'eash!" smooinnee mee."Shegin dhyt er chlashtyn mooarane ayns thie dty
ayrey roish y traa shen mychione yn aght ta ny Javaanee jeeaghyn er ny Hollandee! "C'red
t'ou jannoo tra ta'n lhong roshtyn Sostyn?" vrie eh jeem as dinsh mee da dy row shinyn
eeckit jeh yn lhong, eisht va reggyryn dy laghyn seyr ain derrey va'n lhong aarloo
d'aagail reesht, er nonney dy jinnagh shin goll thie lesh shilley er yn shenn sleih.
"Ny keayrtyn ta shin gobbragh er y lhong ain, goaill stiagh yn bee cour y nah varrinys
my-hiar," as mish. Vlake eshyn orrym rish tammylt, as eisht dooyrt eh, "Agh smooinee
mee nagh ren ny 'chiarnyn' (tuans) gobbragh chioee! "
"Cha nel ny chiarnyn gobbragh chioee? " dreggyr mish." As cre ta shoh ta mee jannoo
nish mannagh nee obbyr ee?" "Ta, she obbyr ee, as obbyr chreoi neesht." as eshyn
dy moal. "As mannagh vel ny 'tuanyn' gobbragh eisht, ass cre'n voayl t'adsyn cheet
ta jannoo yn obbyr daue? Vel ad nyn gheiney doo ass yn Africkey, ny 'cooleeyn' ass Yn Sheen,
ny, foddee, vel ad cheet ass Yn Java hene?" dooyrt mish dy chorree.
"Cha nel, Cha nel! Ta fys mie aym nagh nee shen myr t'eh," dooyrt y flah beg; Fakin
dy row lane thanvaanys ersyn kyndagh rish shen v'eh er chlashtyn as er n'akin, dooyrt
mee; "Myr ta mee hene fakin, ta bun yn 'ockle shen 'tuan' 'sy Vaarle 'lord'. Nee
shen myr t'eh eisht ny dyn 'sy ghlare ayds?" "She," as eshyn. "Nish," dooyrt mee. "Ayns
cre'n aght ta shiuish jannoo ymmyd jeh tra ta shiu loayrt rish deiney baney - nee
myr 'mister', ny 'sir' ny 'lord' eh?" "She myr 'lord' ta shin jannoo ymmyd jeh,"
as eshyn. "Ta shen dy ghra, dooinney berchagh, ny shellooder-hallooin mooar, beaghey ayns
thie stoamey as ram argid echey." Loayr y flah roishyn as dooyrt eh: "Cha nel mee
toiggal y chooish shoh dy mie edyr. Ta ram Nederlandee as deiney baney elley cheet
gys y cheer ain hene as ta shin genmys ad ooilley 'tuan', agh cha nel mee toiggal shen nish,
cha nel mee toiggal cre'n fa ta shin genmys ad 'chiarn' 'sy ghlare ain. Er dyn y
laa dy daag mee thie my ayrey ta mee er n'akin ymmodee fir vaney gobbragh dy chreoi
gollrish 'cooleenyn' er lhongyn Sostynagh as nish cha nel mee credjal dy vel ad ooilley
nyn jiarnyn edyr!"
Dinsh mee da dy row mee hene ruggit as troggit ayns ellan veg ennagh faggys da Sostyn,
raad va laue yn eaghtyr orrin ec ny Sostynee as raad ren my heshey vooinjerey smooinaghtyn
dy row ny Sostynee sorch dy gheiney ooasle erskyn dagh ooilley ashoon elley. Dinsh mee da dy row ny shenn ayraghyn aym pene goaill nearey jeh'n ghlare oc hene
as dy row ad ceau ee ersooyl coonrey ee son Baarle. "Ogh, cha nel mee toiggal shen!"
as eshyn, as chrie eh e chione orrym. "As cha nel mish toiggal edyr! ' dooyrt mish.
"Cha nel mee toiggal cre'n aght ta shiuish er ve er nyn volley 'sy cheer euish rish whilleen
bleeantyn. T'eh foast erskyn my hoiggaltys dy voddagh feallagh ve cha bolvaneagh
as ta shiuish ooilley!" dooyrt mish rish.
Va e choraa chionn as feayr reesht myr dreggyr eh mee: "Derrey yn traa daag mee
thie my ayrey, she myr shen va mee smooinaghtyn as credjal, agh tra higym er ash
voish Mecca cha bee adsyn 'sy lught-thie aym smooinaghtyn er yn aght cheddin rish
foddey-verym my 'ockle dhyts er shen!"
Cha dod y "Flah" smooinaghtyn er veg agh er y chooish shen rish ooilley'n jurnaa
ain gys Jeddah. Yn laa daag eh y baatey ain dy gholl roish gys Mecca dooyrt eh rhym:
"Lhisagh my vooinjer hene er n'akin eh tammylt liauyr er dy henney! Cha nel ny fir
vaney nyn yeeaghyn er chor erbee! T'ad nyn gheiney gollrooin hene. T'eh er ve roish ny
sooillyn oc rish bleeantyn agh cha naik ad eh!"
Va me ayns Jeddah reesht ayns Mean Fouyir 'sy vlein 1909 as va'n cheshaght-chrauee
va shin er n'ghoaill ass Yn Java goll dys y thalloo ayns baatyn beggey. Va mish hene
throng dy liooar as cha dug mee monney geill daue ec y traa shen, ny da ny deiney
Arabagh ass Jeddah hene va shooyl ayns shoh as ayns shen mygeayrt y lhong ain. Shen myr
v'eh eisht tra cheayll mee coraa taitnyssagh voish fer ennagh doo briaght jeem, "Kanys
ta shiu? '
Hrog mee my chione as honnick mee dooinney aeg, mysh yn eash aym pene, ny hassoo
kiongoyrt rhym. Ny ghooinney 'gorrym' v'eh , rooisht dy slane er lhimmey jeh eaddagh
bane runt mygeayrt ny lheshyn echey. V'eh jeh mean ardjid, troggit dy cheyl agh v'eh
baghtal dy liooar dy row eh feer lajer as thoallee. Va'n oaie echey taitnyssagh as mong
eddrym er. Lhean y mong tra dooyrt mee rish 'syn Arabish "Moghrey mie dhyt hene wooinney,
kys t'ou laa jiu?" "Lane vie gura mie ayd," dreggyr eshyn 'sy Vaarle. "Kanys t'ou er n'ynsaghey lhied y Vaarle ghlen?" vrie mee jehsyn. "Ayns schoill hushtal (mission),
ayns cheer my ghooie, faggys da'n Somali," as eshyn. "Quoi va'n sushtallagh dynsee
oo lhied y Vaarle?" dreggyr mish. "R'ou ec y schoill feer foddey?" "Rish jeih blein," as eshyn: "Neayr's yn traa va mee queig bleeaney d'eash." Dooyrt ad nagh vaik ad
rieau fer erbee ren gynsaghey y Vaarle cha tappee as mish, as cha by ghoillee eh
dou ee y ynsaghey edyr, agh s'beg yn ymmyd t'ee er ve dou derrey'n laa t'ayn jiu,"
as eshyn. "Cre'n aght haink oo dys yn cheer fuilltagh shoh?" dooyrt mish rish. "As cre t'ou
jannoo ayns shoh?"
"Haink traghtallee sleab er niart dys my valley veg cheerey er oie as cha dod shinyn
shassoo nyn oi rish foddey. Cha row agh shleiyghyn ain as va gunnaghyn ocsyn, varr
ad ram sleih 'sy valley veg cheerey ain as va ymmodee er nyn lhottey. Hug ad lhieu
shin gys slyst ny marrey as hooar ymmodee baase fo raad my ayr hene ny mast'oc, as b'egin
dooin eshyn y hreigeil rish cheu yn raad. Va shin fo raad rish tree shiaghteeyn derrey
raink shin y cheayn as eisht hie shin er baatyn as haink shin gys shoh, gys Jeddah. Chionnee delleyder mish as ta mee foast gobbragh da agh cha nel yn obbyr ro chreoi.
Ta my voir foast ayns Jeddah neesht as ta caa aym dy chur shilley urree ny cheayrtyn.
Ta my huyr ayns shoh neesht as ish shiaght bleeaney jeig d'eash nish, t'ee cummal
ayns balley beg mysh shiaght meeillaghyn cheumooie jeh Jeddah hene agh cha nel mee fakin
ee dy mennick. Ta mee maynrey dy liooar agh cha nel mee seyr, ta mee my sleab."
Ghow ooilley shoh yn gheay ass ny hiaullyn! Cha geayll mee rieau y lhied ayns ooilley'n seihll aym, Ga dy row fys mie aym dy row ram sleab yn ayns Yn Arabaght, Yn Chooid
smoo jeu voish Yn Africkey meanagh, agh cha ren mee rieau taggloo rish fer erbee
jeu! Jeeaghyn ersyn v'eh dy baghtal ry akin nagh row eh feer hrimshagh, er lhimmey,
foddee, dy baillish ve seyr. Honnick mee dy row tree cronyn er e vollee hoshtal as va'n cummey
j'eu gollrish tree kerrooyn-eayst, as vrie mee jeh, "Cre'n fa ta ny cronyn beggey
shen er dty vollee?" "Ta lhied y chowrey er daah ooilley sleab ayns shoh," dooyrt
eh. "Dy mennick er yn oaie, ny er y wannal, ny er y chleeau, boayl ennagh t'ad dy aashagh
ry akin. Ta fys ec dagh ooilley Arabagh er feiy ny cheerey dy re sleabyn adsyn as
ny cowraghey shoh orroo."
Va my chione lane jeh shen va mee er lhaih ayns "Bwaag Naim Thobm " as vrie mee
jeh, "Vel yn dooinney s'lesh oo dy dty chustey dy mennick ny dyn?" Doshil eh e hooillyn
dy lhean as dreggyr eh, "Cha nel edyr! She sleih ooasle ad ny hArabee, ta mee gee
ny mast'oc as ta mee my oltey jeh'n lught-thie ocsyn, ta mee foast my sleab, agh cha nel
ad rieau dy my chustey er chor erbee! Ny yei shen as ooilley, ta mee my sleab as
ta mee goaill foddeeaght ny yei seyrsnys." Hrog eh e choraa dy ard, as dooyrt eh
rhym "Ewah!" (Ta!) "Ta'n dooinney ta mee leshyn geamagh orrym as shegin dou goll roym. T'eh
gra "tar" as ta mee cheet. Ny yei, ta mee maynrey dy liooar myr ta!"
Smooinaghtyn er y sleab maynrey shid ec y traa t'ayn nish, ymmodee bleeantyn ny
lurg, er lhiams dy vel shin bunnys ooilley nyn sleabyn da red ennagh, thombaagey
ny mraane, argid ny obbyr! Quoi j'in oddys gra lesh cree foshlit as firrinagh, "Ta
mee seyr! "
Ayns Jerrey Fouyir 1911 va mee ayns Hankow 'sy Cheen, yn ard valley ta. ny lhie
er yn awin Yangtze-Kiang. She'n DIOMED v'ayn reesht as mish my ard-choagyrey aynjee.
Un astyr, lurg va'n obbyr ain jeant, hie mish as y guilley baatey (bosun ) Ted Graham
(ny ghooinney Lerphull Yernagh) as fer elley er y traie. Va'n Chogeill Anoaylltagh (The
Foreign Concession) ny lhie er y cheu yesh, lesh thieyn stoamey ayn, straaidyn lheaney
as shooylaghan braew jeeaghyn er yn awin, as Wu Tang tessen yn awin. Hooyl shin rish tammylt mygeayrt ayns shen agh cha naik shin monney va foayssagh dooin. Dy lheah
ren shin cosheeaght seose straid Sheenagh dooie as cre'n straid v'ayn! Coon jingit
dy slane lesh Sheenee, dagh ooilley 'nane jeu gymmyrkey errey trome, geamagh dy ard
dy lhiggey yn raad daue, dagh ooilley ghooinney tarroogh as jannoo red ennagh er lhimmey
j'in hene! Dy insh yn irriney, va shinyn tarroogh dy liooar freayl ass yn raad ocsyn
va laadit dy trome. Hooyl shin rish foddey as eisht, fakin nagh row cowrey erbee
ayn dy row shin cheet gys kione y traid, hyndaa shin er ash da'n lhong reesht.
Ta mee er ve shiaulley mygeayrt y theihll rish ny smoo na daeed vlein, son y chooid
smoo 'sy Niar Foddey, as ta mee er n'akin ram buill foayssagh. Agh er my hon hene,
cha nel boayl erbee 'sy theihll shoh cha aalin as taitnyssagh as Ellan Vannin Villish
Veg Veen raad va mee ruggit as troggit ayns lhing y Venrein Victoria ayns Balley Chashtal.
Ga dy daink mee gys y cheer shoh dy obbraghey ayns ny meainyn airh, ta my chree foast,
as bee eh dy bragh, er ash ayns Mannin raad ta dagh ooilley Vanninagh corrym rish dagh ooilley Vanninagh elley!
Oie Houney 1958.