Scotland: The Autobiography by Rosemary Goring

Author:Rosemary Goring [GORING, ROSEMARY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HIS000000, HIS015000, LCO000000
ISBN: 9781468303124
Publisher: The Overlook Press
Published: 2012-04-21T00:00:00+00:00

Scavenging, May 1859

THE ARGYLLSHIRE HERALD

Smuggling, wrecking and scavenging were a way of life in certain parts of Scotland, an engrained habit dating back even before the very first taxes and duties were levied on desirable goods. Far from the comic or romantic activity they’re often portrayed as, these could be vicious and even murderous trades. The following incident on Islay shows how avidly people would fall on free gifts and how fiercely they would defend them.

The brig Mary Ann, of Greenock, now lying a wreck at Kilchoman Bay, Islay, is fast breaking up, and portions of the cargo floating ashore. Up to Saturday there had been about 200 boxes saved, containing bottled brandy, whisky, and gin, and upwards of six puncheons of whisky, brandy, and wine; but the wildest scenes of drunkenness and riot that can be imagined took place.

Hundreds of people flocked from all parts of the neighbourhood, especially the Portnahaven fishermen, who turned out to a man. Boxes were seized as soon as landed, broken up, and the contents carried away and drunk. Numbers could be seen here and there lying amongst the rocks, unable to move, while others were fighting like savages. Sergeant Kennedy and Constable Chisholm, of the County Police, were in attendance, and used every means in their power to put a stop to the work of pillage.

They succeeded in keeping some order during the day of Thursday, but when night came on the natives showed evident symptoms of their disapproval of the police being there at all, and on the latter preventing a fellow from knocking the end out of a puncheon, in order, as he said, to ‘treat all hands’, they were immediately seized upon by the mob, and a hand to hand fight ensued, which lasted half an hour, and ended in the defeat of the police, of whom there were only two against from 30 to 40 of the natives.

The police beat a retreat to Cuil Farm – about a mile from the scene of action – closely pursued by about 30 of the natives, yelling like savages. Mrs Simpson of Cuil, on seeing the state of matters, took the police into the house and secured the doors, at the same time placing arms at their disposal for their protection. The mob yelled two or three times round the house, but learning that the police had got fire-arms, they left and returned to the beach.

Next morning the scene presented was still more frightful to contemplate. In one place there lay stretched the dead body of a large and powerful man, Donald M’Phayden, a fisherman from Portnahaven, who was considered the strongest man in Islay; but the brandy proved to be still stronger. He has left a wife and family. Others apparently in a dying state were being conveyed to the nearest houses, where every means were used to save life. Mrs Simpson, who is a very kind and humane person, supplied every remedy, but there was no medical man within fifteen or sixteen miles of the place.

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