Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
The question has been raised as to how we would have been situated had wireless
telegraphy been instituted, but, had we failed to establish communication for some
days, I should have concluded that something had gone wrong with the signalling ap-
paratus, and the last thing that would have occurred to me would have been that all the
three men had disappeared.
In conclusion I would desire to record my deep regret at such a disaster occurring
to keepers in this Service. I knew Ducat and Marshall intimately, and Macarthur, the
Occasional, well. They were selected on my recommendation, for the lighting of such
an important Station as Flannan Islands, and as it is always my endeavour to secure the
best men possible for the establishment of a Station, as the success and contentment
at a Station depends largely on the Keepers present at its installation, this of itself is
an indication that the Board has lost two of its most efficient Keepers and a competent
Occasional. I was with the Keepers for more than a month during the summer of 1899,
when everyone worked hard to secure the early lighting of the Station before winter,
and, working along with them, I appreciated the manner in which they performed their
work. I visited Flannan Islands when the relief was made as lately as the 7th Decem-
ber,andhavethemelancholyrecollectionthatIwasthelastpersontoshakehandswith
them and bid them adieu.
Robert Muirhead
Superintendent
8th January 1901
13
It can be assumed that Muirhead wrote the report whilst he was on Eilean Mor. He ar-
rived on 29 December (with replacement lightkeeper Milne and storesman Jack) and
the report is dated ten days later (8 January 1901). However, it is more likely that hav-
ing made a thorough search of the island and the station itself, Muirhead returned to 84
George Street, Edinburgh. He would have been more likely to have written-up his re-
port at 84 George Street where he had administrative support, could call any witnesses
(Edinburgh being easier than the Flannan Isles for travel) and more importantly would
have had immediate access to lawyers should he have felt their advice needed to be
sought. One other strong possibility is that when Muirhead left Eilean Mor to return to
Edinburgh, he took the logbook with him so he could consult it while he was prepar-
ing the report. The logbooks were sacrosanct records and it would seem inconceivable
thatMuirheadwouldhaveleftitthere,asitcontained therecordswritten inthemissing
men's own hand up until the day they disappeared. Rather than just leave it to continue
being used at the station, it would have formed documentary evidence for the investig-
ation and it would have been easy enough for Muirhead to arrange for a new one to be
