9286: Loss of a Fishing Boat and Four Men, 1881
Sad Loss at Sea
Grave doubts are entertained regarding the safety of a Lewis boat, 18 feet keel, manned by four young men from Gravir, Lochs, proseculting the cod and ling fishing. They left home on Tuesday morning to fish for a few days off the Shiant Islands, in the Minch, and on Tuesday night it has been ascertained, landed on one of the Shiants inhabited by a shepherd. On Wednesday morning, when the gale came on, they left the shepherd’s house, intending to take the boat round to the north side of the Island for shelter. The shepherd saw the boat for some time with the sail up, but it disapeared around a headland. As they did not return, though they had left their provisions, he thought that they had run for home. In the evening, however, a boat from the same port arrived for the fishing, and ascertaining from the shepherd about the other boat, and knowing it had not returned, the crew searched some neighbouring lochs for the boat without success, and it is now feared that the boat was swamped during the gale, and the men drowned. The names of the unfortunate men are as follows: – Murdo Macmillan, aged 20 (Norman’s son); John Macinnes (Donald); Murdo Ferguson (Murdo); and Donald Macdonald (Kenneth’s son). All unmarried men, residing in Gravir, fishing village in Lochs.
Extract from Northern Chronicle, 11 May 1881
Details
- Record Type:
- Story, Report or Tradition
- Type Of Story Report Tradition:
- Newspaper Article
- Record Maintained by:
- CECL
Related Media
Gravir from Tomanuadain