Pentland Road - 2

I bought this book on Amazon (last copy in stock in the UK), as it has some bearing on local history here. It is about the sinking of SS Norge in 1904, in which 635 passengers and crew drowned. This Scandinavian liner was crossing from Copenhagen, Christiania (now Oslo) and Christiansand to New York in late June 1904 when she hit rocks at Rockall. This is a tiny islet, rising 70 feet out of the Atlantic some 250 miles west of Scotland. The Norge had insufficient spaces on board lifeboats for all the about 780 on board (in fact only 250), meaning a certain death for most. One lifeboat was wrecked as it was launched, others could only carry a few dozen. The ship, which carried emigrants from Russia and Scandinavia, went down 20 minutes after it struck rocks. Five lifeboats managed to get away. Survivors from four were picked up by other ships within about a week. A fifth boat was never recovered, and may have drifted into the Arctic - we shall never know. Survivors were landed ...

Calum Zachary [ Calum Sgaire ] lived in the middle of the 19th century at Bosta (see image above), in the island of Great Bernera, off the west coast of Lewis. He fell in love with Margaret MacLeod from Breaclete, but her family wanted her to marry an older but wealthier man. The couple decided to elope, but missed each other in the night. Disappointed and convinced the other had reneged, Calum sailed for Quebec the next day on an emigrant ship from Tolsta Chaolais, never to return. Margaret married the older man, but even tried to drown herself whilst the rest of the village were still celebrating the wedding. She died within a year of a broken heart. If you click on the link above, you'll hear a recording by Gaelic folkgroup Gleusda, during a performance during the Royal National Mod in October 2005. The lyrics can be found below. Sèist : Chorus (after each verse) : Air fail a ra u Air fail a ra u Fail eile 's a ra u ...