Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
noted on the slate. The logbook entries for 12 and 13 December would already have
beeninthelogbooknottheslate, andthePLK,JamesDucat,wouldhavebeenrespons-
iblefortransferringtheinformationfromtheslateintotheofficiallogbook,notThomas
Marshall, an ALK. Whilst the hierarchy and duties of ALKs and PLKs may have eased
slightly in later years in the twentieth century, in 1900 they would have been far more
rigidly formal and strictly adhered to.
quite clearly states:
From the monthly return it is recorded they are missing since 15th. Up till 13th is
marked in the topic and 14th is marked on (the) slate along with part of 15th. On 14th
the prevailing state of the weather was: westerly 0h by 1 hrs. On 15th the hour of ex-
tinguishing (the light) wasnoted onslate along with barometer andthermometer inside
and outside lantern taken at (9am) as usual and direction of wind.
19
The conclusion reached by Muirhead for his report was that the three men had perished
on the west landing.
There are two possible main conclusions which an independent observer can make
about these 'dramatic' log book entries not being mentioned by Moore and Muirhead.
The first is that they were made by Thomas Marshall and that they were seen by both
Moore and Muirhead, but they decided that no good would be served in any way by
making the information public, or Muirhead as superintendent made this decision him-
self and instructed Moore to keep the information to himself. This is an extremely un-
likely scenario. Muirhead would have been well aware at an early stage that the au-
thorities would have been involved in the investigation of three strange deaths with the
possibility of a Court Inquiry and he would have been putting his own position at con-
siderable risk by withholding evidence in any way. The NLB superintendents had repu-
tations as formidable and principled men and whatever had happened on Eilean Mor
on 15 December 1900 would have had no direct bearing on the reputation of Muirhead
himself. Equally, whilst it could be argued that Muirhead may have removed the log-
book to somehow spare the reputation of the NLB in case it showed anything that may
havecasttheCommissionersinabadlight(nopunintended),thisis,again,improbable.
After seeing the damage caused by the giant wave or waves, Muirhead appears to have
made his mind up that that is how the men disappeared.
The strange supposed entries by Marshall concerning the behaviour of the other two,
the storm and the three of them praying with the storm finishing, ended at 1 p.m. on 15
December with the words 'God is over all', implying that all three of them were alive
once the dreadful storm had finished.
