Mermaid at Ballinatunie, Achinhoan, Kintyre (1811)

The Mull of Kintyre. CC image by Phil Smith.

MERMAID.

In the presence of Duncan Campbell, Esq. Sheriff Substitute of the District of Kintyre, compeared Catherine Loynachan, daughter of Brendan Boynachan, herd, in Ballinatunie, aged eight one-half years, who being examined and interrogated, declares, that on the afternoon of a Sunday, about three weeks ago, she was herding cattle for her father at the sea-side, on the said farm, and had a brother with her younger than herself: that, as she was turning the cattle towards home, and being at the time very close to the sea-side, she observed some creature sliding upon its belly, off one of the rocks very near her, into the sea; that she observed this creatuer had a head covered with long hair, of a darkish colour, the shoulders and back white, with the rest of the body tapering like a fish, and, as she thought, of a darkish brown colour; that, after sliding from the rock, it disappeared under water, but immediately thereafter it came above water again, about six yards further out, and turned about, with the face of it towards the shore, where the declarant was standing, and having laid one hand, which was like a boy's,  upon another rock that was near the first rock, it came nearer the shore than it was; that, at this time the declarant saw the face of it distinctly, which had all the appearance of the face of a child, and as white, and at this time the animal was constantly rubbing or washing its breast with one hand, the fingers being close together. Declares, that, from the appearance of this animal above water, when swimming south, she thought it was a boy that had fallen out of a vessel that was passing by, and was swimming in shore for his life, upon which she went in a hurry, and told her mother what she had seen at the shore, as aforesaid; the whole of which she declares to be the truth, and that she cannot write.
D. CAMPBELL, Sheriff. Sub.

A young man, named John McIsaac, of Corphine, in Kintyre, in Scotland, made oath on examination, at Campbeltown, before the Sheriff-Substitute of Kintyre, that he saw on the afternoon of the 13th of October, on a black rock on the sea-coast, an animal, of the particulars of which he gives a long and curious detail, answering, in general, to the description commonly given of the supposed amphibious animal, called a Mermaid. He states, that the upper half of it was white, and of the shape of a human body, the other half, towards the tail, of a brindled or reddish grey colour, apparently covered with scales; but the extremity of the tail itself was of a greenish red shining colour; that the head was covered with long hair; sometimes it would put back the hair on both sides of its head, it would also spread its tail like a fan, and while so extended, the tail continued in tremulous motion, and when drawn together again, it remained motionless, and appeared to the deponent to be about 12 or 14 inches broad; that the hair was long, and light-brown; that the animal was between four and five feet long; that it had a head, hair, arms, and body, down to the middle, like a human being; that the arms were short in proportion to the body, which appeared to be about the thickness of that of a young lad, and tapering gradually to the point of the tail; that when stroking its head, as above-mentioned, the fingers were kept close together, so that he cannot say if they were webbed or not; that he saw it for near two hours, the rock on which it lay being dry; that after the sea had so far retired, as to leave the rock dry to the height of five feet above the water, it tumbled clumsily into the sea; a minute after he observed the animal above water, and then he saw every feature of its face, having all the appearance of a human being, with very hollow eyes. The cheeks were of the same colour with the rest of the face; the neck seemed short; and it was constantly stroking and washing its breast, which was half immersed in the water. He therefore cannot say whether its bosom was formed like a woman's or not. He saw no other fins or feet upon it but as described. -- It continued above water for a few minutes , and then disappeared. He was informed that some boys in a neighbouring farm saw a similar creature in the sea, close to the shore, on the same day. The Minister of Campbeltown, and the Chamberlain of Mull, attended his examination, and declare they know no reason why his veracity should be questioned.

From the Morning Post, 30th November 1811.