| beul | gunnel. |
| stém toisich | |
| stém deiridh | |
| stràc bheòil | the top layer of tummers. |
| fluich [sic] bhòrd | the lower layer of tummers next to the keel. |
| lann | a galvanised washer. |
| barradh | once the tummers had been riveted together with the nails, their ends were cut off and what was left of the nails was flattened against the timber. This flattening of the nail was called ‘a barradh nan tàirnean’. Had to be careful not to be too over zealous in this task and indeed if the nails were too tightly clenched against the tummers the boat could come apart on being put in water. There had to be a certain breathing space between the timber and the nail. |
| lunn | that part of the oar which you gripped with your hands. |
| am bac | that part of the oar which was between the rowlocks. |
| liath | the blade of the oar. [NOTES: note added under ‘liath’ – = liagh.] |
| ceannachraidhean | this extended from the gunnel down underneath the seats and acted both as a support for those seats and as a strengthening for the boat itself. In this diagram these wooden supports are indicated by the dotted lines: |
| tobhta bhràghad | the seat closest to the rear of the boat. |
| maide chas | a wooden block in front of the rowing seat and used as a support when rowing. |
| [saod] | “Cha robh saod agad sin a dheanamh.” You had no way of doing that. |
| ròp toisich | for tying a boat to the pier. |
| ròp acair | anchor rope. |
| luirgeadh an acair | the anchor’s stem, foot. |
| pliuchcan | the pronged (flukes) parts of an anchor which grip in the sand. [NOTES: note added above ‘pliuchcan’ – (pl.).] |
| stòc | the crown of the anchor between the two flukes. [NOTES: corrected to ‘stoc’.] |
| sgadan a’ cluich | herring would be seen jumping especially when the tide was ebbing. |
| cnap | a shoal of herring. |
| coire blianain | phosphorescence. |
| muir tiachd | jellywish [sic] [jellyfish?]. Would burn you if touched. |
| cearban | basking shark. |
| sìoll | plankton. [NOTES: corrected to ‘sìol’ and a question mark added in the margin.] |
| samh | any smell but in this case used of the distinct smell of herring. |
| bìgeil | herring would be heard squeaking in the nets or on deck having been hauled aboard. |
| fia | the ‘mh’ is not pronounced as in ‘fiamh’. Means the oil on the sea’s surface coming of the herring below. |
| sgiuchadh | applied to the skimming dive of a gannet ‘sùlaire’. “A’ sgiuchadh an uisge.” |
| geibhal | an end of a drift net. [NOTES: corrected to ‘gèibheil’.] |
| druim | the upper rope to which the floats were attached. |
| lìnn chlach | nets with stone weights attached to the bottom rope. |
| a’ tarraing | hauling. |
| ròpa trom | the rope at the bottom of the net. |
| leth chas | when repairing a net a ‘leth chas’ was one side of a square – mogull, i.e. |
| snathad lìnn | needle for mending nets. |
| gròbadh | makeshift repair of nets whilst at sea. |
| a’ cairteadh lìnn | weatherproofing nets using bark. As well as giving protection against the elements this protected the nets from the destructive effect the fish’s natural oil could have. |
| bocsa snàth | twine box. |
| clach fhaoir | sharpening stone. [NOTES: note added above ‘fhaoir’ – = fhaobhair.] |
| lìnn a’ teisgeadh | this describes the nets smouldering due to the corrosive effect of the herring’s oil. Nowadays nylon nets are not so prone to this compared to the older cotton variety. |
| deannan sgadan | a reasonable catch. |
| cnapadh nan lìnn | nets getting tangled up. |
| stroiceadh | a split in the net. [NOTES: corrected to ‘stròiceadh’.] |
| am buidhe-ròp | the buoy rope. |
| duin-iarruinn | used for the iron hauler used for pulling in nets. [Cf. a’ chailleach] |
| a’ chailleach | used for the iron hauler used for pulling in nets. [Cf. duin-iarruinn] |
| lìnn a’ dol an sàs | nets stuck fast on the seabed. |
| goilleach | gutpoke herring. [NOTES: corrected to ‘goileach’.] |
| snàthlus | a thin leaf boiled with fresh butter and wax to give it a solidified state. Used as an ointment for cuts. |
| croilleag | a wicker basket used to carry fishing nets. ‘Linn chaoile.’ |
| a’ geibeal mun cuairt | glancing around. [NOTES: ‘geibeal’ corrected to ‘geibeil’.] |
| duine gabhaidh | a greedy person. [NOTES: corrected to ‘gàbhaidh’.] |
