John Campbell - Iain Og and the Cattle Thief
Murdo Dubh (Black) now married in the
parish of Uig and had his house in Enaclete by Loch
Roag but he had not changed his ways. Now John Og More
Campbell was now tacksman of the Island of Scalpay in
Harris. And he had a numerous herd of cows on the moors
attached to his tack and one day, Campbell's herdsman
noted that one of the cows was missing. This the herd
reported to Mr. Campbell in Scalpay. So Campbell, with
twelve stout men, went out on the moor and found the
tracks of the missing beast heading in the direction
of Lewis. They followed the tracks the length of Gisla
to the westward side of Loch Roag, wherein a tenant
named Donald Bain was the sole farmer. The house of
Donald Bain was searched but Campbell found nothing
to confirm his suspicion that Donald Bain had stolen
the cow - although its tracks ended here.
Murdo Dubh MacAulay lived on the next farm, about 11
miles distant and thither Campbell and his men headed.
They entered MacAulay's house to find only his wife
present. Campbell told the wife that he must search
the house and the wife on hearing this, went and sat
in the doorway of the barn, saying: "I am pregnant and
if you attempt to trample over me in this doorway you
will murder both me and the child in my womb." She knew
well who would retaliate for this murder and she was
also determined that they would have to kill her before
she would allow them to enter the barn before her husband
came home. Mr. Campbell, seeing the woman so very intent,
withdrew from the house and went to Kneep to pass the
night; at the house of a respectable farmer, also known
as Murdo MacAulay or MacMhurchaidh Coill, in whose house
Campbell and his men.were made very welcome. Campbell
told Murdo MacAulay of the circumstances which brought
him to Lewis and how Murdo Dubh's wife had kept them
from the barn. MacAulay said that Murdo Dubh was so
very ill-natured that he was likely to come to the house'
that night to retaliate against those who had attempted
to search his house for the stolen cow - even if he
was, in fact, the very thief who had stolen the cow.
