117476: Whale on Shensker, 1711

One Saturday in 1711 Morris Morrison and Alexander MacLeod were sailing from Berneray to their sheiling on Votersay when they came across a dead whale on Shensker, Sean Sgeir. Having tasted the blubber, they tied the whale to a rock, planning to bring a larger group to retrieve it. The two men proceeded to Votersay.

They told the people of Berneray about their discovery but, the next day being Sunday, they delayed its retrieval until after the Sabbath. In the meantime, the people of North Uist had discovered the whale, insisting it was discovered on a Friday. The North Uist factor ordered immediate action. The whale was towed to Stromay and stripped of its blubber which was sent to Baleshare.

William MacLeod, who held the tack of Berneray, protested to MacDonald of Sleat, who paid full compensation.  And a few years later, when a hogshead of wine was found on Shensker, it was duly sent by the Uist factor to the MacLeods at Duntulm.

In later years these events were to provide evidence that Shensker and the neighbouring island of Grianam belonged to Berneray.