8942: Six Boys Drowned at Lochs

Extract from Inverness Courier, July 1849

Six Lochs Drownings

On the afternoon of Thursday, the 19th of July, a boat belonging to the Rev Mr Finlayson, Clergyman of the Free Church at Lochs… went out on a fishing excursion. There were on board of the boat, Donald and Robert Finlayson, sons of the reverend gentleman, Donald Macaulay, son of Captain Macaulay, Stornoway, and three other young men belonging to Luerbost. On Thursday evening, the boat not arriving, some alarm was naturally excited, and on Friday morning a strict search was made, when, melancholy to relate, the boat was found, bottom up, on an island called Tava (Tavay), near the Birkin Isles, with the sheet of the lug sail made fast. This had been cut by some one on board, seemingly at the last moment, near to the earring of the sail, but too late to save the young men. On Saturday, four of the bodies were found – three of them near to the place where it is supposed the boat was upset – viz., Mr Finlayson’s son (the youngest of the two on board) and two of the other young men. The body of Mr Finlayson’s eldest son was found at the rock where the boat had struck, and it appeared when the boat was upset he had got on her bottom, as his boots were off, and he had evidently made a struggle for his life, his hands being scratched and bruised seemingly in his attempt to get up the steep rock of the island. This young man was seventeen years of age, had been at college, and distinguished himself there. Captain Macaulay’s son (who was only eleven years of age, and whose body was found on Monday and brought to Monday) was a fine spirited lad, and gave every promise of being a comfort to his parents; he was admired and loved by all who knew him. In fact this is one of the most lamentable accidents that has occurred in this island for many years.