"And with him took none but O'Neil, / Whose heart he found as true as steel"
— Graham, Dougal (bap. 1721, d. 1779)
Place of Publication
Glasgow
Publisher
James Duncan
Date
1746
Metaphor
"And with him took none but O'Neil, / Whose heart he found as true as steel"
Metaphor in Context
The Prince, O'Neil and Sullivan,
Edward Burke and Donald the man,
Just from the foot of Corradail,
In Campbell's boat they did set sail,
And landed in the isle of Ouia,
From South Uist not far awa',
And there they stayed a few nights;
But constantly were in sad plights:
For armed boats still passing by,
They knew not where to hide or ly.
Charles, O'Neil and a sure guide,
Went thence unto Rushness to hide;
But was not there above nights two,
Till information was all thro',
Where he lodged at Rushness,
Which trusty Donald did distress:
So he, that night, with Sullivan
Set sail, to save him if they can,
And got him once more safe on board;
But wind and rain upon him pour'd:
So at Ushness point they shelter took,
And lodg'd under a clifted rock.
This storm it did the whole day blow,
And then at night they came to know
Of a party, distant, but miles two:
So to sea again they're forced to go.
And as they steer'd to Loch Boisdale,
One of the sailors a swearing fell,
He saw a boat full of Marines,
Which prov'd a rock at some distance.
Cry'd, Hardy weather, and ship about,
Then to Celie-stella that night they put.
On next day Donald spy'd afar,
Two sail of English men of war;
Yet here they stayed for some days,
And could not rest in any ways.
Hearing captain Scot on shore was come
At Kilbride, two miles off from them.
Thus now they all were forc'd to part,
Their Prince went off with heavy heart,
And with him took none but O'Neil,
Whose heart he found as true as steel.
Two shirts apiece, for baggage they took,
Tied up into a wallet or pock,
Around the Prince's neck and shoulder,
Like master and man they trudge together.
So here we leave them for a while
In lonesome caves and mountains wild.
Edward Burke and Donald the man,
Just from the foot of Corradail,
In Campbell's boat they did set sail,
And landed in the isle of Ouia,
From South Uist not far awa',
And there they stayed a few nights;
But constantly were in sad plights:
For armed boats still passing by,
They knew not where to hide or ly.
Charles, O'Neil and a sure guide,
Went thence unto Rushness to hide;
But was not there above nights two,
Till information was all thro',
Where he lodged at Rushness,
Which trusty Donald did distress:
So he, that night, with Sullivan
Set sail, to save him if they can,
And got him once more safe on board;
But wind and rain upon him pour'd:
So at Ushness point they shelter took,
And lodg'd under a clifted rock.
This storm it did the whole day blow,
And then at night they came to know
Of a party, distant, but miles two:
So to sea again they're forced to go.
And as they steer'd to Loch Boisdale,
One of the sailors a swearing fell,
He saw a boat full of Marines,
Which prov'd a rock at some distance.
Cry'd, Hardy weather, and ship about,
Then to Celie-stella that night they put.
On next day Donald spy'd afar,
Two sail of English men of war;
Yet here they stayed for some days,
And could not rest in any ways.
Hearing captain Scot on shore was come
At Kilbride, two miles off from them.
Thus now they all were forc'd to part,
Their Prince went off with heavy heart,
And with him took none but O'Neil,
Whose heart he found as true as steel.
Two shirts apiece, for baggage they took,
Tied up into a wallet or pock,
Around the Prince's neck and shoulder,
Like master and man they trudge together.
So here we leave them for a while
In lonesome caves and mountains wild.
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry)
Date of Entry
06/09/2005
