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DUMBARTON HERALD 29 July 1869

MELANCHOLY BOAT ACCIDENT - EIGHT PERSONS DROWNED (continued)

were recognised as being experienced boatmen. Their respected father Mr Malcolm McCrae, has acted as ferryman betwixt Cardross and Port Glasgow for about forty years, and all his sons were trained to manage smallboats; indeed some of them were well-known scullers on the Clyde and elsewhere.

The Port-Glasgow shore was reached by the party in safety early in the evening. About ten minutes past eleven they again embarked on board the smallboat to return home. The night was calm and clear, the surface of the river reflecting the moonlight like a mirror. Just before departing from Port-Glasgow another brother of the McCraes, named Malcolm, accompanied by John Ninian, Majory McIntyre, Mary McArthur, John Boyd, and Alexander and Malcolm McCrae, junior - sons of Malcolm - came down to the harbour, and both parties having expressed their astonishment and delight at finding each other under similar circumstances, they agreed that both boats should keep as close together as possible during the passage across the river, which is about three miles broad at this part. Both boats, it may be mentioned, were carefully trimmed, by the different members of the party being properly placed in each. > more [4]