Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
6
Before considering the giant wave theory, one possibility considered by NLB Superin-
tendent Robert Muirhead is that the three men were possibly on the cliff edge at the top
of the West landing and all three were blown off the cliffs and down into the sea by the
strong wind. He stated in his report:
I have considered and discussed the possibility of the men being blown away by the
wind, but, as the wind was westerly, I am of opinion, notwithstanding its great force,
thatthemoreprobableexplanationisthattheyhavebeenwashedaway,as,hadthewind
caught them, it would, from its direction, have blown them up the island, and I feel cer-
tain that they would have managed to throw themselves down before they reached the
summit or brow of the island.
2
This supposition, of course, assumes that the men were only at the west landing and ig-
noring the ruling that at least one of them should have been inside the light station at
all times and, again, it also assumes that Macarthur was with Ducat and Marshall in his
shirtsleeves. Would there have been any reason for them to have gone to the west land-
ing considering there appears little point in them doing so? Would it also have been a
possibility that the three may have been on another cliff edge on Eilean Mor exposed to
the wind with the danger of being blown off and into the sea? As it was daylight, is it
possible that one of them had seen what he thought to be a boat in trouble close to the
island, and that the three of them had rushed to a cliff edge for a better look? This again
is unlikely, as there were no reported ships or smaller boats in the area, notwithstanding
the violent gale that was blowing. Even allowing forthe fact that the three men had been
cooped up in the light station itself for several days on account of the weather, it seems
againtobeahighlyunlikelyscenariothattheywouldhavegoneoutsideforabreakfrom
the monotony of being cooped up inside the tiny station, given the conditions. By the
natureoftheirjob,lighthousemenwereusedtobeingcoopedupintowerlighthousesfor
days and weeks on end. It was the very essence of the job. Barring any other possibil-
ity that the three of them had cause to go out to another location on Eilean Mor (with
