DISCOVERY - The Lighthouse - page 40

was closed, but not locked. Once inside, he found that an inner door which led into the
kitchen was open. In the kitchen he saw that the fireplace had not been lit for some
days. Moore must have been disturbed by what he found. He went into the rooms of
eachkeeperwhichallledofffromthesmallkitchenandfoundthebedswereexactlyas
they would have been left in the early morning. He felt there and then that something
serioushadhappenedanddecidedtomakehiswaybacktotheboatatthelandingstage.
Once there he informed McCormack that the lighthouse station was deserted. Moore
andMcCormack plussomeofthemenfromtheboatwentbackuptothelighthouse for
another look to make certain there was nobody there.
The first notification of the tragedy to the wider world was a telegram 10 sent by Cap-
tain Harvey, the master of the Hesperus , to Mr Murdoch, the secretary of the NLB.
The Hesperus returned to Loch Roag, Lewis, that same evening and the message was
handed in to the telegraph office at the small village of Callanish on a headland at Loch
Roag at 7.14 p.m. on 26 December 1900 and received at 8.27 p.m. by Mr Murdoch at
his home, St Kilda, Trinity, Edinburgh. A copy of the same telegram was also sent to
the NLB's superintendent, Robert Muirhead. The telegram from Captain Harvey read:
A dreadful accident has happened at Flannans. The three keepers Ducat, Marshall and
the occasional have disappeared from the island. On our arrival there this afternoon no
signs of life was to be seen on the island.
Fired a rocket, but, as no response was made, managed to land Moore, who went up
to the station but found no keepers there. The clocks were stopped and other signs in-
dicatedthattheaccidentmusthavehappenedaboutaweekago.Poorfellowstheymust
have been blown over the cliffs or drowned trying to secure a crane or something like
that. Night coming on, we could not wait to make further investigation, but will go off
again tomorrow morning to try and learn something as to their fate. I have left Moore,
MacDonald, Buoymaster, and two seamen on the Island to keep the light burning until
you make other arrangements. Will not return to Oban until I hear from you. I have re-
peatedthiswiretoMuirhead,incaseyouarenotathome.Iwillremainatthetelegraph
office tonight, until it closes, if you wish to wire me. 11
Superintendent Robert Muirhead took control of the situation and arranged for the
smooth running of the Eilean Mor Lighthouse with as little disruption as possible to
other stations. Nevertheless, some juggling around was necessary, given the complete
loss of the staff at one station. On 8 January 1901 Muirhead made a clear and succinct
report to the Lighthouse Board Commissioners on the disaster and his handling of it: 12