A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 28, 13 April 1878, Page 2

A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

Tnr: " Argus " states that a communication from the Lome authorities on a very mysterious c«se has recently been received by the police depart incut in Victoria. According to that communication a boat left St. Kilda, one o! the Hebrides, on the west coast of .Scotland, in April. 1803, bound for Harris, another of those islands. It contained eight persons—namely, Airs. M. M'Donald (who was known ns the Queen of St. Kilda), Alexander Gillies. Donald Gillies, Huglmu Angus M'Donald, Donald M'Douald, Donald M'Kinnou, and another person; a woman whoso name is not furnished. Their object in going to Harris was to obtain provisions. Tho boat never reached Harris, aud was never found or beard of subsequently, and every one concluded that the' eight unfortunate persons whom it conveyed from St. Kilda had met with a watery grave. In Juno last however, Mi-. Lachlon M'Kiunon, father of Donald M'Kinuon, above mentioned, received a letter signed by two gentlemen, resident at Sydenburg, Delagoa Bay, in southoast Africa, stating that the said Donald had died in a fever in tho Sydenburg Hospital, and that he had requested tinwriters to send home to his father his watch and some money he had at tie. time of his death, which request they complied with. ' Of courso the recoipt of that lotter caused much commotion at, St. Kilda, and an intense anxiety to ascertain whether any moro of the persons supposed to have been drowned were in existance. Inquiries were at once made in the last plaoe of abodo of Donald M'Kinnou, and it was ascertained partly from deceased's papers, that ho arrived in Dunedin.New Zealand,! n lSCii, the year of tho fatal voyage. At Duuediii he had kept a diary, and subsequently ho had been engaged in a quartz-reeling in that colony. Amongst the papers was a letter which indicated that ho had also visited Victoria. Thai letter was dated the 10th of August, 1874, and was written by one liughan M'Donald, who was living at the time in Fitamy. It was worded in a familiar styde, as it the writer and M'Kiunon were .mi very intimate terms, and it contained allusions to some evidently mutual friends on the Plenty Rive;-. With it, was a photograph of tho writer. M'Donald, taken by Mr. Burman, of Smith-street. This photogmph shows a young man with apparently dark hair and whisker? At the request of the home authorities tin; detectives have been trying to find Hughan M'Donald, in order to ascertain whether he could give any information with regard to the deceased M'Donald. So far, however, their efforts have been unavailing. During the inquiries that have !>een made into this affair it has transpired that the said deceased was always peculiarly reticent with regard to his former life, and it has not, come to light that he ever mentioned to any oue in Africa the subject of the missingboat.