The Cellardyke Echo – 5/11/2020

1853

WRECK OF A ST MONANCE FISHING BOAT. -One of those deplorable accidents which have too often to be recorded among a seafaring community occurred on Friday last. About one o’clock afternoon, the boat Margaret, of St Monance, was returning from the fishing, when she was caught in a furious gale of wind which swept along this coast at that hour; and when endeavouring to take shelter in the harbour of Cellardyke, which she had nearly accomplished, the boat unfortunately upset, and the crew, six in number, were instantly cut into a raging sea. It so happened that the Cellardyke men had gone to sea that morning, and were providentially at hand to render assistance to the sufferers. Ropes were instantly thrown towards them from the pier—James Boyter, David Boyter, and Thomas Birrell, with ropes attached to them, rushed into the sea, and by their prompt and united exertions, five of the crew were brought on shore alive, but one fine young man, about nineteen years of age, being entangled among the fishing lines and hooks, could not extricate himself, and was so severely injured by the boat dashing him against the rocks, that he showed no sign of life after being taken out of the water. Others of the crew were bruised and greatly exhausted, but are recovering. Drs Young and Black were on the spot, rendering all the assistance their skill should suggest. Too much praise cannot be given to the Cellardyke fishermen; had it not been for their help, not a soul of the boat’s crew would have escaped.

On Friday se’nnight, the gale which arose from the east caught the little fleet of fishing boats in the midst of their occupation on the usual fishing ground between Anstruther and Crail. The mere ?? of the crews cut their lines and ? before the storm into the neighbouring harbours. One boat, manned by a crew four men and two boys still clung to their lines, but, being compelled to give way in the increasing storm, they directed their course to Cellardyke harbour. They had gained their entrance, when a tremendous surge drove then, leeward on the west rocks, and capsised the yawl. Of the two boys, the younger. John Spinks was rushed under the boat, and, when dragged above, was found be lifeless. The other, John Fyall, endeavouring, as soon as the boat touched the rock to jump ashore, missed his footing, and falling with his face on its rough and jagged edge, was taken up insensible, his head fearfully bruised and covered with blood. His father, James Fyall, was swept back with the boat into the deep water, and, being entangled with the sail, was found after some time floating upon his back apparently dead, but, by the attention of the Cellardyke fishermen, he and his son were restored to consciousness. The other three were also rescued, and, by application of restoratives, were able return the same day their families.

1854

The fishermen of Cellardyke have taken shares the East of Fife Railway to the value of £800.

SHERIFF CRIMINAL COURT. On Tuesday last, the following persons were tried before Sheriff Monteith :—

1. James Cameron, mere boy, for stealing confections from a shop window in Sinclairtown, by taking out a pane of glass which had been newly put in, and the putty around which was soft, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.

2. Agnes Tarvit, Cellardyke, for assault, aggravated previous conviction, pleaded guilty, and received sentence of four months’ imprisonment.

1857

The Auchmithie men are not so venturesome as their brethren either of Cellardyke or Buckie. The deep-sea fishing is scarcely known to them, for their large boats are all drawn up on the beach without flood-mark, and lie there exposed to all kinds of weather for about ten months in the year, and only employed during the short time of the herring fishery, where the men generally prosecute their arduous labours, during which the females at home pick up scanty livelihood by culling and retailing about town the famed marine weed known as the “dulse of Seaton.”

1859

THE ANSTER LAUNCH. BY J. B., CELLARDYKE. There are now few persons alive able to remember the unusual severity and tempestuous close of the year 1793, by which the shipping of the country suffered an unprecedented amount of damage. Its effects were felt all round the coasts of Britain, and none suffered more seriously than the fishermen of Cellardyke, who scarcely found a day when they could venture out to sea in prosecution of their hazardous employment, although at that period no one ever thought of proceeding one fourth of the distance they do now.

Still, however, their characteristic daring and intrepidity never suffered them to allow any favourable opportunity to escape without attempting to reach the fishing ground, and, at the peril of their lives, obtain a precarious subsistence from the grasp of the hostile mesa.

On one of these mornings, the boisterous wind was lulled by a sudden frost that had set in on the previous evening, and there was the prospect of more steady weather for a time; the boats accordingly proceeded to sea, and accomplished the day’s fishing more successfully than they had done for a long time back. The fishing process finished, one after another they made sail for home, and were soon all under canvass, each endeavouring to outstrip the other, by hugging to windward more closely or passing along more rapidly than his neighbour, and so gain the port and the early period of the market, and thus secure the highest rate of price for their valuable commodity; – this they did, and still do, in a manner unequalled by any other craft afloat.

On reaching near the Firth of Forth, a short distance eastward of the Isle of May, something was seen from the boat in advance floating in the water, about the size of a human body. On coming up to it, the sails were taken in, in order to examine and pick it up, when it was discovered to be a cask of Holland gin, floating with inviting buoyancy, as if courting their cordial embrace. A piece of rope. with a bight at the end, was girt round the middle, evidently for the purpose of attaching a number of diem together, and sinking or dragging them under water, as circumstances might require which left no doubt that it was part of the cargo of some smuggler in difficulties. On looking about them, a number more were observed and taken on board, all served with rope in like manner. Meanwhile, the other boats being but a short distance behind, came up abreast, a little apart from one another, and every one met with the same novel obstruction to their homeward progress, and that all of them might be seen, with sails down, busily engaged hauling on board casks of the much prized beverage-although some were less successful than others, having only a few kegs, while others were known to have obtained forty or fifty —all swimming in a line from north to south, drawn by the cross tide or current that runs at the opening of the Firth.

Before all the casks, spread at considerable distances on the surface of the water could be reached and taken on board, the sun had sunk behind a dense cloud resting upon the southern hills, giving place to a gloomy, unsettled evening, while the wind in angry gusts had veered round in the direction of the cloud-clad locality, giving sure indications that an upbreak of the protracted frost was about to take place, accompanied as usual by a fierce tempest, the only alleviation to which was that the moon was nearly full, and, penetrating through the blackness of the thickening clouds, prevented the absolute darkness that otherwise would have ensued.

Nothing impeded by the threatening state of the weather, or the increasing dangers of the shore becoming more inaccessible every moment from the agitation of the sea, every boat took on board as many kegs as they could procure, and made direct for home, with all the expedition of which they were capable. A more ample demonstration of the endless diversity of human character and disposition could not well be found than was exhibited that night by the fishermen of Cellardyke, suddenly put in possession of an unlimited quantity of intoxicating drink of the rarest quality, which they knew must be delivered up to the custom house authorities when they landed, under pains and penalties, or be otherwise concealed from their knowledge. Some of the crews, viewing with considerable anxiety the dangers to be encountered from the impending storm, wisely resisted every temptation to a larger indulgence than just one single glass each. Others, equally cautious in theory, formed very different conclusions as to the point of gaiety, and consequently se to the limit of indulgence, and thus unawares emerged from the influence of prudential forethought Into the arms of ‘ Dutch courage,’ in all stages of complacency, while candour most gladly admits, that by a kind of providential restraint there was always some individuals sufficiently collected to guide the frail vessel to the port of safety.

It was wonderful the ingenuity displayed in baulking the avaricious custom-house officials. Almost universally the bread kites were emptied out, and filled with it, and placed on the top of their fishing lines in the usual manner. Bladders and pallets were also filled, and stowed away with seeming carelessness. The arms and legs of their oilskin clothing, everything or anything that would contain the precious fluid without the least leakage, was in requisition, and the empty casks thrown away to avoid detection.

The result was that a few boats reached the shore as if nothing unusual had happened, and the crews, complaining of the ‘ dirty .night,’ quietly conveyed their prizes home, and had them concealed in the secret repositories which the houses of that period Invariably contained, without molestation or suspicion ; but these were immediately followed by others ringing with boisterous merriment, ill according with the anxiety of the friends on shore; more reckless still, dashed through the now ringing surge with ail sells set, and did not slacken a rope until it was done for them in the middle of the harbour, amidst consternation and dismay of all who witnessed them.

As might have been expected the cause of this unwonted confusion and uproar spread like wildfire through the entire the preventive boatmen who hastened to the spot. Captain Hodge at their head seizing in the King’s name every cask that they could discover.  About twelve individuals thus employed succeeded In laying hold of a considerable number, but much also was adroitly drawn up under the obscurity of the east pier by means of ropes extended to beach or the boat ; kegs were attached to them, and drawn up unobserved by the harpies, or in their line basket, and carried away in triumph.  One crew, with more inventive fertility than the rest, landed their kegs at the Mill Burn, and their wives brought it home in washing-tubs covered with chaff, unsuspected by the custom-house officers, who opened a way for them to pass through.

So general was the successful appropriation, that, for many a day to come none need have been disappointed in expecting a tot of the best unadulterated Hollands, to warm his breast when on a visit to the good town of Cellardyke; nor need be hesitate to conclude, that the bait kimmin, standing at the side of almost every door full of bait, was nothing else than an old Holland cask cut in two, and degraded from its former elevation to the ordinary duties of common life.

Amidst the increasing revelry and confusion throughout the town of Cellardyke, none seemed to observe, or at least all seemed to disregard the fact, that one of the boats had never made her appearance -an occurrence that in other circumstances would have produced a general gloom. The missing boat was owned and conducted by Andrew Reid, an individual in whose character were blended an unwonted degree of decision, energy, and daring, combined with a large amount of benevolence, disguised, however, by an assumed uncouth taciturn manner, that permitted him to follow his own designs without annoyance or question, or of devising excuses and explanations for certain irregularities in his ordinary conduct. Though a native of the place he was comparative stranger, having since early boyhood pasted the most of his life on the broad ocean, and mingled in all the phases of nautical life. Returning home, ostensibly to take the salt out of his blood, in seemingly easy circumstances, he quietly gathered round him and a few associates, hardy and daring like himself, with whom he prosecuted the fishing in such a fitful and superficial manner, that, but for the stormy night, no one would heeded his absence.

He had gone out to sea with another object in view than the others, and when he observed the casks so numerously floating in all directions, it awakened feelings of disappointment and anxiety, not at all shared in by the rest of his fellow -townsmen, for he knew that it was the consequence of some sad disaster to an enterprise in which he was deeply interested, and which it was impossible for him and his crew to retrieve.

Regrets were fruitless; nothing was left them but to follow the example set before them by the other boats, and this they did with an energy that soon filled their little craft. While doing so, they fell in with a cask larger dimensions than the other, so singularly balanced as to be swimming with the one end out of water, while upon nearer inspection they observed that other two smaller casks were made fast to it, floating in the usual manner, as if intended to keep the large one steady in the water. The upper end of the largest cask was perforated with holes in such a manner as to admit air within, yet so underlined with a waterproof coating as to prevent the precious contents from being injured by the sea that might break over the novel barque. With much curiosity and care they drew this mysterious combination of shipping on board, but what was their astonishment and annoyance at finding a child a few months old wrapped closely up in an oilskin covering, nestling amidst piles of flannel and luxurious warm clothing, in sound repose, with a card lying on its infant breast, on which was plainly written ‘ I was a stranger and ye took me in.’

A consultation was held upon the proprietorship and keeping of the helpless foundling, and it was agreed to commit him to the care of the skipper, Andrew Reid, the rest of the crew maintaining a strict silence regarding him, in the hope that before long a better claim to him would be produced by those who had placed him in such a critical situation, a trust which he was most anxious to obtain. Before all these arrangements could be made, and the boat put in a trim condition to meet the violent storm that was now raging around them, dark night had set in, and their efforts were turned to effect a safe landing away from the observation of the inquisitive multitude. At the shore of Cellardyke it was evident from the employment of their fellow-townsmen before nightfall, that all attention would be concentrated upon the feuds and revelry that would by this time be going on there, and therefore it was resolved at once to make direct for the Dreel, a small arm of the sea on the west side of Anstruther harbour, which at that period penetrated a considerable way into the interior of the country in a slanting direction, terminating a short way southward of Kellie Law, though at the present day, from the recedence of the ocean and the unsparing progress of cultivation, it has dwindled into a comparatively insignificant stream.

The shore was reached in surety, and the formidable breakers at the entrance were passed as no other vessel could, and as even she could not have done with a crew less acquainted or less alert to meet the intricacies of the passage, and they crept up past the castle of Dreel, the ancient feudal mansion of Sir W. Anstruther, with a flood tide, until they were lost amidst a labyrinth of overhanging forest and copeswood, which a practised eye only could penetrate.

There they deposited their cargo in a cave well known to them in a deep gloomy ravine, the accredited haunt of ghosts and spectres ; a little below Carvenom, and, according to arrangement, Reid left the crew to quietly take the boat round to the harbour of Anstruther, while he, with the child under his pea jacket, and the contents of the accompanying casks slung over his shoulders, proceeded round by Balhouffie and Pitkeirie, then south through the Skeich marsh and Barony Loch to Cellardyke, and deposited his foundling child (a boy) in his mother’s bosom, before the revelry and turmoil occasioned by the night’s capture had altogether subsided.

Those accompanying packages were the subject of much speculation and curiosity on the part of Mrs Reid, who proposed to have them examined to obtain necessary clothing for the child, which she doubted not would be found there, and perhaps some means to discover his station or parentage, but Andrew would not suffer them to be touched. He had made up his mind to this on his way home. The case was one of extremity, and he would not pry into what he was not intended to know. He would adopt the child as his own in the meantime and would resist all attempts at inquiry, least that should lead to publicity and inconvenience. The clothing, if any, would not correspond to his station, and if the child should grow to manhood without being sought after, those parcels, whatever they contained, might serve him in good stead for his own identification. The question was set at rest upon these grounds, and his mother’s acquiescence reluctantly obtained.

Accordingly, the ocean child was next day introduced to the neighbourhood as the orphan son of a near relative of Reid’s mother, named Strang, notwithstanding which ill-natured gossip found material for conjecture and uncharitable remark for many a day regarding the parentage and origin of young Andrew Strang, whom no person was known to bring or even to inquire after, and slander sometimes went the length to insinuate that Andrew Reid had more claim to him than be seemed willing to admit, but all attempts at the solution of this interesting problem were met by him either with dignified contempt or withering rebuke. ( the newspaper will continue the story)