Broadside concerning the capsizing of a boat, in Loch Lomond

Transcription

A Full and Particular Account of that FATAL
ACCIDENT at Tarbet on Loch Lomond, on
Friday last, 29th August, 1828, by the upsetting
of a Boat, by which Eleven Lives were Lost!!!

Tarbet is a small hamlet on the western bank of Loch Lomond
and the steamers, in making the voyage up and down the lake, u-
sually stop there for a few minutes to land and take on board pes-
sengers. Between two and three o'clock on Friday the Lady of the
Lake, on her way down the Loch, arrived opposite the place, and
a small boat, with twenty-one persons on board, including the two
boatmen, instantly put off from the shore. The lake was as smooth
as glass, and the steamer only about thirty or forty yards from the
beach; but owing to the boat being heavily laden, and her equili-
brium exceedingly delicate, the unfortunate individuals on board
were naturally apprehensive of some disaster. A person, who was
standing on the beach, described the boat as " wabbling" on from
one side to the other, till it had nearly reached the steamer, when it
made a " creen" so alarming that a number of the passengers start-
ed up and clustered to the higher side, when she instantly heeled
over, and turned keel uppermost. So suddenly were the whole of
the unfortunates engulphed, that only one or two shrieks were heard
by the crowd on the deck of the steamer. Notwithstanding the con-
sternation which prevailed on board, a boat was promptly lowered,
and, with the assistance of one or two skiffs from the shore, it res-
cued a number of the drowning people. The first boat which put
off from the shore was launched by two women. They had no
oars, but one of them used a piece of plank as a substitute, and the
other her hands. One or two men rushed chin-deep into the water, in
order to tender their aid ; but not being swimmers, they nearly per-
ished, without being able to accomplish their humane objects. Nine
individuals, some says cleven, out of the twenty, perished. Several
of those who escaped reached the shore by swimming. One stout
swimmer, at the moment the boat threw out her cargo, found three
partners in peril clinging to the skirts of his coat. A seaman be-
longing to the Leven, who happened to be on board the Lady of the
Lake, and who was instrumental in saving four lives, stated that
the boat came roughly against the steamer, which occasioned it to
dip quite to its gunwale, and thereby induced the incautious move-
ment among the passengers which led to the fatal catastrophe. The
lake deepens very abrubtly at this part, and is nearly five fathoms
water where the accident took place. It is worthy of remark, that
the unlucky boat righted very soon after proving so faithless to her
trust. Some of who were picked up by the boats before life was
extinct, were with diffculty resuscitated, though every exertion was
made that circumstances, and medical aid promptly procured, al-
lowed. The most laudable efforts were also made to recover those
in whom the spark of life was for ever extinguished. Their clothes
were instantly cut off them, and their bodies were swathed in warm
blankets and laid out in the heat of the sun, where they were rub-
bed with spirits and salt. Some of them were bled, and attempts
made to inflate their lungs with bellows These exertions were
continued while the smallest .hope of resuscitation remained.

The Reverend Mr Proudfoot, minister of Arrochar, in a letter
dated the day on which the accident happened, enumerates the fol-
lowing sufferers : -Andrew M'Farlane, wright in Tarbet, who has
left a widow and three children to lament his loss....William Brown,
boatman, (unmarried)...John Brock, a fine young boy....A widow
lady, name unknown, but whose son was along with her, but e-
scaped...A gentleman, with blue coat, gilt buttons, black collar,
black vest, and brown trowsers?money, 12s. 3d.; a brass mount-
ed penknife, brass pencil case. A letter addressed John Hill, M.D.
10, Merchant Street, Edinburgh. Red neckcloth. 3 collars, linen
shirt, marked W. M. No. 12. Watch, maker's name Archy, No.
2199, London, repaired by William Liddal, Bank Street, Edinburgh
....A gentleman, with a blue coat, striped trowsers, yellow vest,
black collar lined red, a linen shirt marked O. C. Edmonston, No. 1
?Money in his pockets, £l. 10s. Large gold ring on his finger,
silver hunting watch, steel chain, one gold seal, motto Truth, a gold
key A lady along with him, supposed to be his wife, with two
gold rings, one set with some kind of stone, the other plain. Brown
gown, with red flowers, silver thimble, marked A. C., 9d. copper in
her pocket, (both supposed from Ireland)..Gentleman with an olive
coat yellow vest, blue trowsers, silver watch, marked on the watch
paper, Rankine, watch and clock maker, Greenock, June 18, 1828,
M'Lachlan, watchmaker ; cotton shirt, marked L. L. No. 1, stript
worsted stockings, with a small cut crystal bottle contaning whisky ;
money 9s. silver, red pocket book empty, but one guinea Paisley
bank note was found near the body, supposed to have dropt from
the pocket book.                   PRICE ONE PENNY.

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