Sunday 23 March 2008

125 years ago - paragraph 6343

Continuing my trawl through the Napier Commission's report, I came across this account from an islander of Soay, just south of the Isle of Skye.

6343. There is a story about a number of people having been kidnapped, or induced to remove from Soay and other places in Minginish long ago ?—I know it well.
6344. How long ago was it ?—It is seventy years ago since my grandfather went, and it was before that.
6345. There were a lot induced to emigrate to Canada ?—They took them away in spite of themselves.
6346. And they were not taken to Canada ?—No, it was to Charlestown, where they were sold for slaves. He left them poor enough and robbed the clothes off their backs, before they came back to the same farm again.
6347. Who did that ?—Old Kenneth M'Askill.
6348. Of the farm of Rhu Dunan ?—Yes. we heard news from people who went to America. Many of them say they would rather be home in their native place yet, if they were the way they were before.

1 comment:

  1. It is hard to imagine nobody stepped in and tried to stop this.  I guess back then though people weren't so concerned with the plight of others and just accepted it.
    Lisa

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