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3
The Quest
I
tried many times to find more about the shipwreck, but without the
name of the ship or a date, it was impossible to trace. When the Internet
appeared, I surfed for hours searching for a nameless, dateless shipwreck off
the coast of Anticosti. Not a trace. Then early one Sunday morning in late
January 2006, I decided to while away some time by doing a Google search for
“McPhee 1821”. The search dredged up pages. I plodded through them all until
about 1 P.M. when I was half way through the passenger lists for ships bound
for Quebec City
in that year. I debated giving up, since I was starting to get
hungry, but I decided to finish 1821 before having lunch.
The Discovery
Then, lo and behold, the following notice appeared in the passenger
lists under September 21.
Intelligence. --- The Brig³ Rob Roy has brought Capt. Scott, and part of the
crew and passengers of the Brig Earl of Dalhousie, of Greenock, from Fort
William ---
Says he lost the Brig on September 6th
instant, between the
east end and south point of Anticosti --- All saved, but 140 remain on the
Island that could not be got off.
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I sat there for the longest time, knowing but not believing. I finally accepted
that I had just discovered what I had not been able to find in 30 years. This
was the mysterious shipwreck!
The Paper Trail
The wreck of the Brig Earl of Dalhousie
was widely reported in the
Quebec press of the day --- Quebec Mercury, Quebec Gazette, Quebec Chronicle,
Montreal Gazette. After the initial report the story unfolds in stages. The
Quebec Mercury
reported the following arrival under "Port of Quebec" on
September 25, 1821.
24 Sept. Bark
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John Howard, (Captain) Smith, sailed 15th
August from
London, to Campbell & Sheppard, ballast ---
100 settlers from Anticosti,
being part of the wreck of the Brig Earl of Dalhousie, 40 remain on the
Island.
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Some of the crew arrived in Quebec City from Father Point
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on the same
day.
Sept. 24, Brig Elizabeth, (Captain) John Thompson, 19th Aug from
Liverpool, to R. Hamilton & Co. salt, brought 4 of the crew of the Earl of
Dalhousie, from Father Point.
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