Rob Roy wrecked at Islet 1827, with 24 drowned

Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.

Wreck of the
Brig Rob Roy
on the shoals of Islet, 1827.

Quebec Mercury #35, Tuesday, May 1, 1827.

	Brig Quebec Packet, from Aberdeen, (the first arrival from sea) came into port yesterday evening, in 28 days. Captain Neil, of the Sophia, reports that he, this morning, saw the Rob Roy on shore at l'Islet, also the Percival of Plymouth, a little above St. Thomas. He further reports that there were about twelve sail of vessels at anchor at Crane Island, unable to weigh anchor. We fear from the severity of the late easterly gale, we shall hear of some disasters.

Quebec Gazette #3744 May 3rd, 1827.

	We regret to announce that near thirty lives were lost on Monday night in the shipwreck of the Rob Roy at l'Islet, about 50 miles from this port. The persons lost are all emigrants; Captain Kenn and the crew being saved. The sea made a complete breach over the wreck. The vessel is an entire wreck. The Rob Roy, Kenn, 24 days from Belfast, drove ashore near the parish of l'Islet on the night of the 30th ultimo, and has become a total wreck. The captain and crew were saved, but we are concerned to learn that about 30 of 150 settlers were washed overboard by the heavy sea. Captain Kenn has come to town. Captain Leithday of the ship Percival, from Plymouth, came up to Quebec from Saint Thomas this morning. The Percival lost two anchors and cables off Goose Island, in the gale of 1st instant, and consequently went ashore at Saint Thomas. Her rudder is carried away, but she is not leaky, and is expected to be got off. A bark (name not known) is ashore at Basque Island.

Quebec Mercury, Saturday, May 5, 1827.

	WRECK OF THE ROB ROY.
	The steamboat Waterloo, returned yesterday forenoon, from the wreck of the Rob Roy, with 70 of her passengers; the remainder had proceeded for Quebec by land. The total number of settlers embarked in the Rob Roy at Belfast, amounted to 151, out of which 3 men, two women and 19 children perished on board at l'Islet, where the vessel stranded. The bodies were all taken on shore and buried on Thursday morning. The accounts from the brig are very distressing. One passenger, (Frank Conasty), lost his wife and three children; another, (David McGarrow), out of four children, lost three; the one saved is deaf and dumb, aged about four years. Thomas Millar, who had come out to settle with his friends at York, Upper Canada, lost two children, his sister-in- law, (Mrs. Lamb), with seven children, lost her husband and one child. The latter family had property on board worth nearly five hundred pounds, the whole of which is lost, and not a farthing insured. The vessel is a total wreck. Many of the settlers which have come up from the wreck, have been in respectable circumstances, several having embarked with considerable property. The Emigrant Society, we understand, will forward the most deserving objects to their several destinations. They met with every assistance from the Canadian inhabitants near the spot where the disaster occurred.

Quebec Mercury, Saturday, May 5, 1827.

	The Rob Roy is reported to be a total wreck at l'Islet, about 50 miles from this port. She went ashore on Monday last. Several of her passengers were washed overboard and drowned. Captain Kenn and crew saved. The Percival, from Plymouth, is still ashore at St. Thomas. Five vessels, Ythan, City of Aberdeen, Erie, Marys, and Thomas Farrell, lost anchors and cable in the river during the late easterly gale. Seventy one vessels have arrived in port, and a great many are reported to be at hand. Last year, up to the 7th May, there were only 5 arrivals from sea. The bark ashore at Basque Island, is the Harriot, from London.

Quebec Gazette, May 7th, 1827.

	Shipwreck of the Rob Roy. The following is extracted from a letter from a respectable source, dated the 2nd instant at St. Jean Port Joli, near the scene of the wreck. "I have unfortunately just been a witness of a frightful shipwreck. On the 30th ultimo, at 11 o'clock at night, a vessel from Belfast with 150 settlers, stranded on the shoals of l'Islet. The people not knowing, in the gloomy storm and darkness, where they were, and the pilot supposing that the vessel was on some uninhabited island or shoal which the tide would cover, did not land immediately. The tide rose, and the wind which blew so violently that it has thrown down many fences, trees and buildings in this neighbourhood, soon drove the huge waves over the vessel, giving it repeatedly heavy shocks. I saw them cut away in the morning both the masts, one after the other; and when this failed to relieve the vessel by lightening her, the people in confusion and dismay, hurried to the end of the bowsprit, from which they precipitated themselves into the boats which were of course unable to contain so large a number. Most of them had been exposed to the whole force of the waves, and they were benumbed with cold, and overpowered by their distressing and hopeless condition. Those who were left on board were only landed on the 1st about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Of these, some were dead and other dying. There are at this moment seventeen dead bodies in one house; men, women and children, but chiefly of the latter. These will be interred tomorrow. At another house there are seven other bodies. It is impossible to describe the heart-rendering scenes which have passed before us. If these unfortunate settlers had disembarked at low water when the vessel first went ashore, not one of them would have perished. One woman has lost her five children, and she and her husband are in a state of delirium.


Quebec Gazette, May 10th, 1827.

	Captain Dugas, arrived this morning from Gaspé, states that he saw three vessels ashore near Gaspé; two barks and one brig, name unknown. The brig ashore at Pointe Sainte Pierre was a total wreck. The Harriet, from London, in ballast, went ashore at Basque Island last Monday, she was expected to be soon got off, and is stated not to be much injured. Mr. Chapman, passenger, has arrived in town from the Harriet. The following is the cargo of the Rob Roy: 30 cases cotton, 28 cases muslin, 79 pipes red wine, 10 casks hams, 2 boxes 1664 yards linen, 14 boxes printed cottons, 35 boxes stone blue, 21 boxes & 5 bales cotton, 1 case leather, 37 boxes and about 18,000 yards linen, and 37 cases and 2 bales of the same. (Valued at £25 or £30,000).


Quebec Gazette, May 14th, 1827.

	The Harriet stranded at Basque Island, and Percival stranded at Saint Thomas, have both arrived in port, after receiving but slight damage.
	Underwriter's Sale.
	The hull of the brig Rob Roy, William Kenn late master, from Belfast as she now lies or did lay stranded on the shoals of l'Islet, about 16 leagues below Quebec, with all the standing and running rigging, masts, &c. that may be found on board. Also, 1 large chain cable, 1 small do. do., 1 hemp cable, 3 boats, 4 anchors, 3 hawsers, a few coils small rope. And, such parts of the sails, standing and running rigging, blocks and other materials that have been saved and brought up from said vessel. Immediately after which, a quantity of linens, muslins, cottons, calicoes, &c. saved from said wreck, packed and brought up in puncheons, barrels and cases. Shippers and consignees unknown.


Quebec Gazette, May 24th, 1827.

	SEANCES DE LA TRINITÉ,
	Mardi, 22 mai 1827.
	Joseph Jean, pilote, a été condamné à dix livres d'amende et aux frais, pour n'avoir pas usé de tous ses soins et diligence à conduire la barque William Ashton, le cinq mai courant, en conséquence de quoi le dit bâtiment a touché le fond plusieurs fois, entre l'Ile-aux- Coudres et la Pointe de Saint-Roch. Malcolm Smith, pilote, a été interdit pour douze mois de calendrier à compter de ce jour, pour avoir échoué le navire ou vaisseau nommé Rob Roy, le trente avril dernier, vis-à-vis l'Islet, et en avoir ainsi causé la perte totale.

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Posted:
Mar. 20th, 1999.

Updated:
February 18, 2007.