286 Proceedings of the Royal Plujsical Society. 



were wrapped in canvas wrappings, and buried side by side in 

 the primitive and beautifully situated burial-place adjoining. 



" It was feared that the poor men might have met with 

 foul play, and the matter having been brought up in Parlia- 

 ment, the Crown authorities ordered an investigation. Ac- 

 cordingly the procurator-fiscal, Stornoway, and two medical 

 men, proceeded to Eoney in the fishing cutter 'Vigilant.' 

 The bodies of the two men were exhumed, and a post-mortem 

 examination made. There was no appearance of foul play ; 

 it was ascertained that Murdoch Mackay died of acute in- 

 flammation of the right lung and left kidney, and that 

 Malcolm MacDonald died from cold, exposure, and exhaus- 

 tion. The opinion among the friends is that Malcolm Mac- 

 Donald assiduously attended his friend day and night till he 

 died, by which time he himself became so weak that he 

 could not bury the body, and being unable to remain in the 

 hut had sat down by the improvised fire and died. There 

 was a small pot on the little fireplace at the door, indicating 

 that Malcolm MacDonald meant to prepare for himself some 

 food, which, however, he was never destined to eat. The 

 medical examiners found nothing in his stomach but a few 

 grains of meal and a little brown liquid — probably tea. An 

 abundance of unconsumed food was found in the hut. On 

 this occasion the son of Malcolm MacDonald took two coffins 

 with him to Eoney, and the two friends were re-interred again 

 side by side as before. Mr John Eoss, jun., joint-fiscal, 

 Stornoway, Dr Eoderick Eoss, Barras, and Dr Finlay Mac- 

 kenzie, Stornoway, Mr Gordon, inspector of police. Captain 

 Macdonald of the ' Vigilant,' together with some of the 

 officers and several of the crew ; MacDonald, son of Malcolm 

 MacDonald, and one or two other relatives of the deceased 

 men, attended the re-interment, which all present felt to 

 have been of a most touching nature. 



" The men would seem to have spent their time in prayer 

 and meditation, and in reading the Gaelic Scriptures, in 

 which they were well versed. Neither of them could write, 

 but they kept a record of their time — of the days, weeks, 

 and the months — in a very ingenious manner. This was ac- 

 complished by means of a bar of red pine wood, evenly and 



