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"One of the said John Campbell's
servants having his cheek swelled, and there being no
physician near, he asked his master's advice: he knew
nothing proper for him, but however bid him apply a
plaister of warm barley dough to the place affected.
This assuaged the swelling, and drew out of the flesh
a little worm about half an inch in length, and about
the bigness of a goose-quill, having a pointed head,
and many little feet on each side: this worm they call
fillan, and it hath been found in the head and neck
of several persons that I have seen in the Isle of Skye."
There are frequent references to the Campbell tacksmen
in the Boundary Dispute Papers of 1804-1847, as their
farm extended to the boundary or march with Lewis. There
are endless accounts of cattle from either side straying
across the border and tales of shielings being pulled
down because they were reckoned to be on the wrong side
of the line. Two witnesses give evidence that, in their
fathers' time, John Og Campbell had cut off the ear
of a cow, who had strayed across the march burn. In
retaliation, Aulay MacAulay, owner of the cow, cut off
the tail of a cow belonging to John Campbell when it
had crossed to the north side.
The papers also give a useful genealogical information:
there are a number of witnesses who refer to Iain Og
being married to Mary, daughter of John MacLennan, tacksman
of Kirkibost in Bernera and son of Rory Clerach.
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