1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Should Know, a production of I 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark, 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: and there's Charles W. Chuck Bryant over there, and Jerry's 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: out here too. So since the gang's all here, the 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: three of us alone on a deserted aisle, stuff you 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: should know? Can I mention a couple of things here? 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: I think you should. I want to pre apologize to 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: our Scottish listeners, whom we love. We we toured in Scotland, 9 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 1: had a great time, one of our best live shows 10 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:47,599 Speaker 1: in the beautiful city of Edinburgh. Yes, wonderful. People love 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: the Scots. But we are going to butcher some of 12 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: these names. And I apologize that. Yeah, we're sorry. Uh 13 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: and what was the other thing? Oh? The other thing 14 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: was it's impossible to talk about the Flannon Aisles Lighthouse 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: mystery and research it without almost always thinking about the 16 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: movie The Lighthouse. Uh. Yeah, and actually it comes up 17 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: a lot in the research too. Yeah. I think one 18 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: reason is because it's clear that, oh, what's the guy's 19 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: name he made it? I can't think of his name. 20 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: It's not William Ker's. Well, it's definitely not Dave Aggers. 21 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: It's an Egger's right. Yeah, I'm pretty Robert, I think 22 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: Robert Kay, Robert Aggers, Okay, yes, uh, he clearly did 23 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: his research. Uh. And you know, I remember when that 24 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: movie came out. I spoke on the show that I 25 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: wrote a movie, a period movie about a lighthouse and 26 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: a murder that takes place, and then the movie The 27 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: Lighthouse came out, and I was like, so much for that. Um. 28 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: But I did a lot of research at the time, 29 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: and it was clear that Eggers did a lot of 30 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: research because it was a very accurate film. Especially when 31 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: you read and research the Flannin Isisles Lighthouse mystery, You're like, oh, yeah, 32 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: that's like from the movie, and that's like from the movie. 33 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: Apparently they mentioned it in the movie. I didn't go 34 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: back and watch it again, but I saw something really 35 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: that they make a reference to the mystery in the movie. 36 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 1: That's awesome, I thought so too. Yeah, man, I can't 37 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: wait for that Viking movie to come out. Me too. 38 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: And this made me want to see The Lighthouse again, 39 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: which I didn't think I wanted to do, but now 40 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: I do the same. Here. So, um, we are talking 41 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: about one particular lighthouse called the Flannin Isles lighthouse, and 42 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: it was located on one island in the Flanning Isles 43 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: called Island More. Uh, that's not exactly like Chuck was 44 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: saying the Scottish pronunciation scott Gaelic um, but it's close 45 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: enough and it actually means in English. I guess the 46 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: More island right, Okay, So anyway, that's where this lighthouse 47 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: is and and it's situated. It's still there today. It's 48 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: automated though it went automated in but um, it's it's 49 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: it's light is about seventy five ft atop the cliff, 50 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: which is the high point of Island More. And that 51 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: cliff is two hundred feet above sea level. And it's 52 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: a pretty good place for a lighthouse because this area 53 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: of Scotland is kind of treacherous for ships. Yes, and 54 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: it's important how high this one was. It figures into 55 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: the story. I'm not just showing off with stats here. Yeah, 56 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: it is. It is treacherous. It's a windy area. Uh, 57 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: there are big winds in Scotland, especially out there on 58 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: those islands. I think it is close and this is 59 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: kind of funny the name of it, But isn't it 60 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: nearby supposedly the windiest place. Is it the windiest place 61 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: in the UK. And what's the name of it, The 62 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: Butt of Lewis. Come on, I'm serious, but it makes 63 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: Lewis is a nearby island, um, which is inhabited in 64 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: the region, which is pretty rare, I think, um. But this, 65 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: this part of it, one end of the island is 66 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: called the Butt of Lewis Island and it's the windiest part. 67 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: The Butt of Lewis is the windiest island right, So 68 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: that the the area that these Flanning Aisles are in, 69 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: so Island more is in the Flannon Aisles. The Flannin 70 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: Aisles are part of the larger um island chain on 71 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: the northwest of Scotland called the Outer Hebrides, and UM 72 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: to the west of them, you can just keep going 73 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: and going and going and then you'll finally reach North America. Um. 74 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,039 Speaker 1: They're pretty remote, they're pretty isolated. They are indeed windy, 75 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: and like we're saying, the seeds are are kind of 76 00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: rough around there. I think that's kind of putting it mildly. 77 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: Plus the islands themselves are often very rocky and jagged, 78 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: and so it's treacherous. So of course you'd want to 79 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: put a lighthouse there. Well, yeah, the winds blow strong 80 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: from the butt of Lewis. But the the lighthouse that 81 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: was built there finally on Island more Um, wasn't installed 82 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 1: until eighteen nine UM, which is kind of late considering 83 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: that Scotland had something called the Northern Lighthouse Board that 84 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: they organized in sevent six to basically oversee and standardized 85 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: lighthouse keeping in that country. Yeah. So they were headquartered 86 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: there in Edinburgh. And here here's how it worked at 87 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: the time. And this checks out according to my research 88 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: when I was writing my movie and the movie The Lighthouse. Uh. 89 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: They were staff. You had your principal lightkeeper called the 90 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: principal Keeper, and then usually depending on you know, where 91 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: the lighthouse was, how busy it was, how big it was, 92 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: and as far as needed uh personnel for operation, you 93 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: had one or two assistants. Uh. And they were all 94 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: ranked as you know. You weren't just like oh, I'll 95 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: be the first keeper this week, like you earned that spot. 96 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: It was a promotion, uh, and then you were assigned 97 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: to these stations by the board. Just like in the movie. 98 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: You don't you don't stay there forever. You kind of 99 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: rotate and you go there for a little while, and 100 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: you may get stationed with someone you've never worked with before, 101 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: and you have to get to know that person very 102 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: intimately over the course of you know, a short period 103 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: of time. Or it's some money you have worked with 104 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: before and your old friends with maybe for old enemies, yeah, exactly, 105 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: wor old enemies. So aside from these two to three 106 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: people as principles and assistance, you had what's called the 107 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,559 Speaker 1: occasional keeper. And this is someone who actually lived nearby UH, 108 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: either an inhabited island resident or if it was uninhabited, 109 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: if it was at least close enough, they could get 110 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: there easily and they would help out UH during the day, 111 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: but they would go home at night and sleep and 112 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: stuff in their own betty by And that was the standard. 113 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: But for a place like Um Island more where the 114 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: flann And Isles Lighthouse was located. UM, if you were 115 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: an occasional, you were there for two weeks. That's how 116 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: hard it was to get to the island and how 117 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: hard it was to get off of the island. So 118 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 1: the purpose of the occasional was to give two weeks 119 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: rest off to one of the other two or three people. 120 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:58,559 Speaker 1: Who were permanently stay temporarily stationed there for much longer 121 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 1: than you. Right, then those cases, the keeper the occasional 122 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: does not go home and sleep right. So, Um, the 123 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: one of the things that that stuck out to meet 124 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: Chuck was that, you know, when you think about lighthouse keeping, like, yes, 125 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: the person has to live there, and it's a lot 126 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: of work and they have to attend to the light 127 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: and everything. But I think lighthouse keepers are very frequently 128 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: um portrayed as weirdos, just complete alcoholics who like can't 129 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: can't do anything else but live by themselves. That almost 130 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: like their place there because there's there's nothing else for 131 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: them to contribute to society, so they're kind of cast 132 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: off for ostra sized. That's not the case, at least 133 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: not in Scotland. That was not the case. Like if 134 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: you were a lighthousekeeper, that was a very very important job. 135 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: You took it very very seriously. Um, so much so 136 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: that there was a study that found between eighteen fifty 137 00:07:55,160 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: and nineteen hundred fifty years there were only fifteen records 138 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:04,679 Speaker 1: did instances of lighthouse keeper falling asleep at their post, 139 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: which was about as bad as it gets as a lighthousekeeper. Yeah. 140 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: I mean that's not to say they weren't drunks and 141 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: miths and thropes here and there. Maybe those are the 142 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: fifteen yes, But I did a little more further math, Chuck, 143 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: if I may be sewing indulged as to share it, 144 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: I saw that. I thought that was pretty funny. So 145 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: so get this. Let's say you have about a hundred 146 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: and fifty lighthouses in operation between eighteen fifty and nineteen hundred, 147 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: and if you calculate that number of lighthouses times the 148 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: number of nights that occurred over that fifty years in Scotland, 149 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: you have what we'll call two point seven five million 150 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: lighthouse nights. Out of those two point seven five million 151 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: lighthouse nights in Scotland over those fifty years, only fifteen 152 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: of those nights found a lighthouse keeper asleep on duty. 153 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: That's how seriously they took it. Did you account for 154 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: leap years? Oh, Chuck, I just really wanted to drive 155 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: that home. Man. I really thought that was an important point, 156 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: and it didn't get come across with fifteen instances fifty years. 157 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: Who cares, no, I mean it's a big deal, because 158 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: you know, the purpose of a lighthouse I guess we 159 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: have not really said is to light the way around 160 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: rocky shores and islands so boats don't run into them. Yeah, 161 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: unless you've been living under a rocky shore, you know 162 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: that it's a very important job. Though. I love lighthouses. 163 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: We've talked about them quite a few times on this show, 164 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: Big Big fan. Every time I am near a lighthouse, 165 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: I will do my best to climb that thing if 166 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: it's allowed. So, who who done it? In your lighthouse mystery? Uh? 167 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: Who did do it? It was a good story. Actually, well, 168 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: then maybe you should hang onto it in case somebody 169 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: comes along, because it's not like The Lighthouse is the 170 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 1: only lighthouse movie ever made. Yeah, the briefest synopsis is 171 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,439 Speaker 1: it's too sisters who are attending the lighthouse because it 172 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 1: was their family job and their parents died there. So 173 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: it's these two sort of like a like maybe a 174 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: twenty year old and a sixteen year old out there 175 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: alone in this island. And then these two men wash 176 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 1: ashore one day and a shipwreck and they tell the 177 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: awful story of their their ship going down, and it 178 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: turns out that the real story is that they were 179 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: prisoners aboard a ship being transferred and they escaped their 180 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: shackles and murdered everyone aboard, and then there was a shipwreck, 181 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: so they were bad guys who got washed ashore. It's 182 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: a bit like a reverse dead Calm sort of, and 183 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: they charmed the girls. But there is I guess I 184 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: didn't know the name was an occasional keeper. There's a 185 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: guy that lives one guy that lives on the island 186 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: that helps them out that is sort of suspicious of 187 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:49,839 Speaker 1: the guys, and it sort of plays out over the 188 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,319 Speaker 1: course of the movie where they're exposed ending in a 189 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: game of cat and mouse one night, and I remember, 190 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: actually it was okay. I mean so I did it 191 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: as a as an experiment because all I've ever written 192 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: is comedy, and I thought, hey, maybe I'll write a 193 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: serious thriller. And uh, it could be better if a 194 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: really good thriller writer got ahold of it, I think. 195 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: But where there's still like little jokes peppered as a sides, 196 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: like one of the sisters is running from the murderer 197 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: and says to herself, I left the mainland for this, 198 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: like your comedy shines through still. Oh, I don't know, 199 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: I'll have to dust that thing off. You should man, 200 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: it sounds like a good one. Thank you so um 201 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: this lighthouse back to the Flanton Isles lighthouse on Island More. Um, 202 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: Like we said that most of the Outer Hebrides are uninhabited. 203 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: I think we said that, didn't we I don't know, 204 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 1: but you just said it. Then. I think there's seventy 205 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: islands and the Outer Hebrides, and only fifteen of them 206 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: are populated, and Island More is definitely not one of them. 207 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: The only remote, it is extremely remote. Um. The only people, 208 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: the only beings that live there, Um, what you would 209 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: recognize as a genuine normal being as opposed to say, paranormal, 210 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 1: which we'll get into, are the lighthouse keepers and some sheep. 211 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 1: Even the people whose sheep those are don't live on 212 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 1: the island or even stay there overnight. They go out 213 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: a few times a year check on the sheep, and 214 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 1: then leave before nightfall. That's that's kind of how Island 215 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: More is viewed. It seemed kind of as a place 216 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: where maybe gods or ghosts or just something other worldly 217 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 1: lives on Island More, according to the locals. According to 218 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: Lower written about the locals, I've never spoken to an 219 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: Outer hebridean Yeah, and I think the other thing we 220 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: need to mention too, because I believe it comes up 221 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: later in one of the supernatural explanations for what is 222 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: to come here with this mystery is the name St. 223 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: Flannin comes from the fact that Island More was the 224 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: side of a chapel in the seventh century built by 225 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: a traveling Irish monk who eventually became St. Flannin, And 226 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: that's going to come up. Just put a in that. 227 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: It's a big time pin hang on to it. Okay? 228 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: Is that a good setup? Should we take a break? 229 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: I think so? Man, all right, we'll come back with 230 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 1: more spooky lighthouse mystery stuff right after this. Alright, so 231 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: we should probably mention the steamship actor or archter Arcter. 232 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: I've seen it both ways, but that kind of kicks 233 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: off the story for us, don't you think. Yeah, well, 234 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,719 Speaker 1: we haven't mentioned the major players either yet, have we. No? No, 235 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: I guess we could go either way. We can mention 236 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,680 Speaker 1: one or the other. All right, let's mention the players 237 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: because these are the actual keepers of that lighthouse. You 238 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: had the principal keeper, James Ducatt, you had the second assistant. 239 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,239 Speaker 1: Wouldn't he be the first assistant though no, Donald mccarthur. 240 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 1: We'll get into that, okay. Thomas Marshall was the second 241 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: assistant and then Donald mccarth MacArthur was the occasional right, 242 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: here's my bit. So he was filling in for a 243 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: guy named William Ross. William Ross was the first assistant keeper, 244 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: which meant that since Donald MacArthur was filling in for him, 245 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: Donald McArthur was the first assistant keeper even though he 246 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: was an occasional keeper. Okay, that makes sense. And William 247 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: Ross was unsickly and just judging from the movie The 248 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: Lighthouse and and all this research, like you must have 249 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: had to been really sick to get taken off the island. Yes, 250 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: but I think, yes, that's what I thought too. But 251 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: doing research for this, I found that these guys had 252 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: all of them had a rotating two weeks off. So 253 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: at any given point, over a stretch of two weeks, 254 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: one of those men, James Ducott, Thomas Marshall or William 255 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: Ross would not be on the island because they rotated 256 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: two weeks shorely basically. So I yeah, I was over 257 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: the impression that if you went and tended a lighthouse, 258 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: they dropped you off left you with some food and 259 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: said see you never. But that's not the case. No, No, 260 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: I think I think they were well taken care of. 261 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: I get the impression the Northern Lighthouse Board was pretty 262 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: good at its job and really cared about these people 263 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: and looked after them. I didn't see anything to to 264 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: to deny that. Yeah, well, it's a brutal and important job, 265 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: so surely that they were taken care of, at least 266 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: to a certain degree. But the upshot of all this 267 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: is that there were three men on the island, three 268 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: dudes working that lighthouse, and aside from some sheep that 269 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: that was it. That was the only people on the island. 270 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: And this, by the way, this is December of nineteen hundred, right, Yeah, 271 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: so this thing is brand new. Yeah, A built it 272 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: in that was scheduled to take two years. It took 273 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: four years. The construction was started in and what they 274 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: built was at the time a state of the art lighthouse. 275 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 1: But it took so long. It took twice as long 276 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: as they anticipated because the cliffs and the island itself 277 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: was so treacherous. That's how long it took just to 278 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: like get materials up the cliff to build the lighthouse. Yeah, 279 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: so it's finally in operation. And then now comes to 280 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: the Actor, which is what you mentioned earlier. Not a 281 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: C T O R, but the Actor a H T 282 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 1: E R. Yeah. It was a transatlantic steamship from Philadelphia 283 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: to Leith, which is a port for Edinburgh. That's right. 284 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: So they were out there was about say, sailing around, 285 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 1: but I guess they were steaming around and they waited 286 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: out a storm for a few days and then, uh, 287 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: this part got confusing to me. So the actor was 288 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: was passing by Flannon Aisles. It by on December and 289 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: the actor noticed that the light was out, not that 290 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: they couldn't see the light because of weather or anything 291 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 1: like that. Like the light was straight up not lit 292 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 1: on the lighthouse, on Flannon Isle's lighthouse like that was. 293 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: It was a very strange thing to see and it 294 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: was very noteworthy. UM. They ran into some weather on 295 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 1: their way to Leaf and had to wait it out 296 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: for a few days. And when they finally made it 297 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: into port, I guess they passed the information along, but 298 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: the the Northern Lighthouse Board didn't catch wind of it 299 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: until the official relief supply ship UM showed up a 300 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 1: few days later and the actors observation that the light 301 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 1: was out wouldn't come into play until an investigation was 302 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: launched later on. Right, So that relief ship was the 303 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: Hesperus H S P E r U S. And that 304 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: arrived on December, which was Boxing day after Christmas. And 305 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 1: what these ships brought as they usually brought either supplies 306 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: or uh fresh dudes or both. And in this case, 307 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: I think they had supplies and a fresh lighthousekeeper. And 308 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: it was captained by uh Captain Harvey, and they were like, 309 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: all right, something's going on here. This lights out, the 310 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 1: flag's not flying. Let me toot on the horn a 311 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 1: few times. Dude, nobody comes out there. All right, well, 312 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: let me send up a flare. They send up a flare, 313 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: No one comes out. And what they're trying to do 314 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,719 Speaker 1: is say, hey, we're here, get your little, uh, your 315 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: little rail car system going. It had a little cable 316 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 1: a little cable pulled railroad system that was operated by 317 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 1: a steam engine in a shack. And so when the 318 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 1: chip pulls up, they would toot the horn and the 319 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 1: dudes would come down and they would get that steam 320 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: engine going and get that cable car ready to transfer 321 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 1: the goods onto this thing, so they could. You know, 322 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: it's like hundreds of pounds of stuff going up a 323 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: really really steep cliff side. Yeah, there's just no way 324 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: to move that stuff otherwise now you'd have to do it. 325 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 1: So nobody came out, no one gets that steam chat going, 326 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: and uh, they're like, all right, something's going on. We're 327 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 1: gonna have to to go on land and figure this out. Yeah, 328 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: And just the fact that they weren't greeted by one 329 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: or more of the guys from the lighthouse, which is 330 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: apparently custom, Like even the most grizzled misanthrope um lighthouse 331 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,239 Speaker 1: keeper just knew it was customed to come down and 332 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:26,880 Speaker 1: greet the relief ship. You're still dying to see someone else, 333 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: pretty much, I think, you know. Yeah, So that like 334 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: the fact that no one showed up and then no 335 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 1: one responded to their signals. They were like, something really 336 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 1: weird is going on here. And they had Joseph Moore 337 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 1: who was the relieving keeper, which makes me think that 338 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: William Ross was really really sick because he would have 339 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: been on sickly for way over two weeks by the side, 340 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,400 Speaker 1: because I believe the relief ship was um five days 341 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: late because of weather, so he must have really been 342 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: laid up, and they sent another relieving keeper, Joseph Moore 343 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: um instead, and Joseph Moore went ashore, and he was 344 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:02,680 Speaker 1: friends with these guys. He wasn't some new dude or 345 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 1: anything like that. So he was genuinely concerned and he 346 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: went up the steps to the lighthouse. There's apparently a 347 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty of them, and he just knew right 348 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: away that something was way off. There was no sign 349 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 1: of life, there was nobody around, there was the just 350 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 1: nothing was going on. It was abandoned, basically, and he 351 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: didn't have a very good feeling about it. So he 352 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 1: runs back down to the boat to say, I think 353 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: we have a problem here. Yes, so he says, I 354 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: think we have a problem. And then that's when basically 355 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: everyone on board said, all right, we gotta this is 356 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: a situation now that we all have to deal with. 357 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: I think it was the captain who went with more 358 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: to search for other stuff, and they said, in the meantime, 359 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: you other guys, you gotta get up there and start 360 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: operating this lighthouse because it's been down and we need 361 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: to get that thing cranked up again. Yes, so they 362 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 1: so the first for the first time, possibly since December 363 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 1: five teeth. The lighthouse was lit again with by these 364 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: relief guys who took over and kind of settled in 365 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:09,360 Speaker 1: and we're like, all right, this is our job now. Um. 366 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: But that follow up search, it's weird. Like we'll talk 367 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: about some of the legends and layers that were added 368 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: to it over the years, But to me, the thing 369 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: that was like so weird about the follow up search 370 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: was that everything was in place like it would be 371 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,919 Speaker 1: way more like kind of middle of the road. To me, 372 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,800 Speaker 1: this mystery if there was like signs of struggle or 373 00:21:33,359 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: you know, they were like like, I think everything was 374 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,639 Speaker 1: just kind of askew. It's way more eerie to me 375 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 1: that like everything was exactly how it should have been. 376 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: Is just the three human beings that were supposed to 377 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: be there were missing. But that's what what m. Joseph 378 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: Moore found and the others found when they searched a 379 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: lot more thoroughly. Yeah, the door to the keeper's house 380 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: was closed, the gate was closed. The in the kitchen 381 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:01,439 Speaker 1: everything was also bit and span. Everything was all cleaned 382 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: up that it was clear that someone had done some 383 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: cooking in the grate, but not anytime soon there were 384 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: ashes in there. The beds were made, uh, the clocks 385 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 1: had all stopped because no one was there to wind them, obviously, 386 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: And everything was fine except like you said that there 387 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 1: was no one around that there was a full uh 388 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 1: fountain of paraffin oil. It was all like the light 389 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 1: was ready to be burned, the lamp that for nel 390 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: lens was cleaned up and ready to go. The blinds 391 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: were drawn, their records were all filled out, you know, 392 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: all the way up until Saturday, I think the morning 393 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 1: of December, right, and so everything was great except for 394 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:44,360 Speaker 1: there were two missing sets of rain gear they're called 395 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: oil skins, their coats and their boots. Two of those 396 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 1: were missing out of the three guys, and so that's 397 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: sort of the only thing out of the ordinary at 398 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: this point. Yeah, yeah, that was basically the only trace 399 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: of the missing men. Like like, had those oil skins 400 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: still been there, you would you would have taken the 401 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: lighthouse and in the the the area as like having 402 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: been prepared for somebody else. They just hadn't shown up yet. Like, 403 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: the missing oil skins were the only trace that those 404 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 1: men were missing, that there have been men there that 405 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: were no longer there anymore. Right. Uh. And then there 406 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 1: were a couple of pieces of literature that kind of 407 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: confused things after the fact, right Yeah, that really kind 408 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: of made this, like, to a lot of people, like 409 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 1: a much bigger mystery. I think some people came along 410 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: and weren't satisfied with how mysterious it was on its own, 411 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: and so added to it and added to it over 412 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: the years through magazine articles and newspaper reports and then 413 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: later on like podcasts and stuff, and so you really 414 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: have to be careful navigating these waters. I feel excuse 415 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: the pun or the stupid metaphor um when you're researching this, 416 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: because so much of it is just regurgitated as fact 417 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: because it has been part of the story for a 418 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:00,160 Speaker 1: hundred years. That it was actually thanked to the thanks 419 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: to the efforts of a journalist named Mike Dash, who 420 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: if you are at all interested in nonfiction writing, especially 421 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: non fiction history writing, go check out Mike Dash's website. 422 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: He's probably the best in the business. But yes, he's 423 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: just amazing. Um. But he uh, he set his sights 424 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: on getting to the bottom of this, and he did 425 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: some stuff and basically finally definitively proved no. This was 426 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: added to it later on. This was added to it 427 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: later on. This is not true that kind of stuff. 428 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: So hats off to Mike Dash for demystifying a lot 429 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: of it true but also making it not as fun 430 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:43,880 Speaker 1: because it's decidedly creepier with these newspaper stories as they 431 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:47,159 Speaker 1: were written. Um. One of the newspaper stories talked about 432 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: the log book and this is completely fabricated, you know, 433 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: like Mike Dash exposed it as fabrication, but it's still 434 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,880 Speaker 1: pretty creepy. Uh. The log entries, uh in the fake 435 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: log entries were by second well not buy a second assistant, Marshall, 436 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: but this is how they wrote it, uh, and wrote 437 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 1: on December twelve, they saw severe winds the likes of 438 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: which I've never seen before in twenty years, and wrote, 439 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 1: and these are these are people that have seen some 440 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: of the worst storms you could imagine out there on 441 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: these outer islands, and pretty unshakable guys, I would think, 442 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 1: and he said he wrote in the next two days 443 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 1: that the storm continued. It was so unbearable that Ducat, 444 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: the principal keeper, uh was uh struck mute by the storm. 445 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: And the occasional keeper MacArthur, who was supposedly a really 446 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 1: tough guy was recorded as weeping uncontrollably for days because 447 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: of how bad the storm was. Yeah, it's good stuff, 448 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: It is good stuff, but Mike Dash made mince meat 449 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: out of it, and he's kind of my hero for it. 450 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: One of the things that he basically just points out 451 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 1: is if if this were an official log book, if 452 00:25:52,960 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 1: you were a second assistant, you put that in there, 453 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: you would you would basically get fired for that kind 454 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: of thing, Like, that's not what a log book is for, 455 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 1: and you certainly wouldn't put that your superior was weeping 456 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: uncontrollably in the log book, Like that's just not what 457 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: you would put in a log book for the for 458 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: in the first case. And then secondly, he also said 459 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: that somebody being quiet um because of a storm or 460 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 1: whatever um or their mood, like it also kind of 461 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: mentions their mood a lot too, that that would have 462 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 1: no bearing on anything. And the only way that that 463 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 1: makes sense in relation to the story is after the fact, 464 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 1: which he said, obviously that means that those were written 465 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: after the fact. And then years later, after he'd first 466 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 1: investigated it, he he finally turned up a copy of 467 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: the magazine that this uh came out in in ne 468 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 1: and it was like a like a pulp magazine called 469 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: like True Confessions or something like that. So he definitely 470 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 1: he definitely deconstructed that for sure, to my great satisfaction. 471 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: I love it. Yeah, it's kind of funny though, like 472 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: the log book was basically like your diary. That's exactly right, 473 00:26:56,520 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: he said, like log books were not diaries. But he 474 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: actually specifically said that, Yeah, that's funny. The other thing 475 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: he uncovered or did he uncover the poem or was 476 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: that just I think that was a little more common knowledge. 477 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, he wrote about the poem being the poem too. Okay. 478 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: So in nine twelve there was a poem by Wilfred 479 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:19,199 Speaker 1: Wilson Gibson who wrote a poem about this mystery where, uh, 480 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 1: he says, there was an untouched meal on the table, 481 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: cold meat, pickles and potatoes. The kitchen chair was was 482 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 1: knocked over. The only sign of life was the keeper's 483 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,199 Speaker 1: canary half starving on a spurch. Like these are all 484 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 1: the things that you mentioned would have made this a 485 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 1: different story, but everything was really just fine. I don't 486 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: even think the chair was turned over, right, Uh the 487 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: I don't know. I think the guy later on Well, 488 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 1: we'll get to him. Yeah, the way that Mike Dash 489 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: treated it is um that it's possible. Okay, I don't 490 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:55,680 Speaker 1: know if Mike Dash treated it like that way. Mike 491 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 1: Dash wrote about a later guy who will talk about 492 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: who treated it as facts, So I don't. I don't. 493 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,719 Speaker 1: I think with the upshot of it is that in 494 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: doing like this research on primary resources, like what what 495 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:15,199 Speaker 1: Joseph Moore wrote, Um, what Robert Muirhead who will talk 496 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: about wrote, these people who were actually there when it 497 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 1: happened or right after it happened, Um, that nobody mentioned 498 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: anything like a turned over chair, And based on what 499 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: they did mention, it seemed like they probably would have 500 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: mentioned it turned over chair. They were so meticulous in 501 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: the details. All right, Well, let's talk about some of 502 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: the evidence that was there, because what we're really talking 503 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: about is was there I mean, the kind of obvious 504 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: thing you would think about is was there some big 505 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: storm that that watched these guys away forever? Like That's 506 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: kind of the one reasonable explanation. And so as far 507 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: as evidence goes, most of it is storm related. Uh. 508 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: For the you know, to to sort of support that 509 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: and to go against it, um, was a railway that 510 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: we talked about, and that had a crane, and the 511 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 1: crane was sort of you know, built to help unload 512 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: things off of this platform, off the cargo, uh container. 513 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: And it was about seventy feet above sea level. And 514 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:17,120 Speaker 1: it was fine. It was it even still had the 515 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: canvas wrapped around it. Uh So, if there was some 516 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: big storm and an evidence shows there probably was one, right, 517 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: but at least this crane seventy feet up wasn't damaged 518 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: and that canvas was still there, which is a little weird. 519 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: It is a little weird because even a little higher 520 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: up towards the top of the cliff. So this the 521 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: crane was at about seventy ft above sea level, right, Yeah, 522 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: a little higher up than that, at about a hundred 523 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: and ten ft above sea level. There was a box, 524 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 1: a big box that held a lot of like mooring 525 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: ropes and ropes for the crane and just some really 526 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: important stuff tackle and it had been busted open and 527 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: the contents like strewn all down the cliff face. There 528 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: was a buoy that was tied to the railing right 529 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: around the same place as that crate a hundred and 530 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 1: ten feet above sea level. It had been torn clean 531 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 1: away from the ropes that had lashed it to the railing. 532 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 1: The ropes were still there, but the buoy, just a 533 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 1: little piece of buoy was left attached to it. Uh. 534 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: And yet the crane was intact. And then even weirder, 535 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: the the iron railings around the crane um that you 536 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: would use as handrails, had just been completely twisted and 537 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: wrenched out of place. That's a heck of a storm. 538 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: It's an amazing storm. It's crazy to me that the 539 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: crane was left intacting, that the canvas was even on 540 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: it still, that was really weird. Um. There was a 541 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: two thousand pounds stone that was up on the cliff 542 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: that slid down. Uh. And then I believe the railway 543 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: tracks were even torn up from the concrete. And then 544 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: the grass at the top of the cliff, this is 545 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: two ft up at the very top, was ripped up 546 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: as far back as thirty feet from the edge. That's 547 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,520 Speaker 1: uts Like, do you know how much force a wave 548 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 1: would have to have to tear up grass in the 549 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: first place, and then that thing would have to be 550 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: over two ft tall to even reach that grass. That's 551 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 1: a bad storm. It's a monster wave. But the storm 552 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: part that's that kind of confounds things big time. Uh. 553 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 1: And I think we should take another break and we'll 554 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 1: talk about how everything is just so confounded still to 555 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 1: this day, which is why this is a mystery. Right 556 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 1: after this, all right, we've got this mystery brewing. These 557 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 1: three men are missing. It's pretty clear that there was 558 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 1: a big storm that blew through there. So, like I 559 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: said earlier, the obvious explanation was these strong windsters came 560 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: along and just blew these guys the heck off this 561 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 1: island and they were never seen again. That's not entirely 562 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 1: out of the question because of the butt of Lewis. 563 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,200 Speaker 1: That's right. Strong winds flow from the butt of Lewis. 564 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: As everyone knows. Um, and I'm twelve years old. Robert Muirhead, 565 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: he was a superintendent of lighthouses and he investigated this disappearance. 566 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,959 Speaker 1: He knew all these guys, uh, some really really well, 567 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:34,120 Speaker 1: but I think the occasional keeper he knew the least. 568 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 1: But he still knew pretty well. Um. He's the one 569 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: that did this investigation personally, uh, and went out there 570 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: wrote up this report. And I think he was the 571 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: last person he was out there, you know, because it 572 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 1: was a new lighthouse, I guess sort of finishing up. 573 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:50,960 Speaker 1: And I don't know if he christian it or whatever, 574 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: but he was one of the last, in fact, maybe 575 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: the last person to even see them alive. Right. He 576 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: says in his report that he's probably the last person 577 00:32:57,640 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: to shake hands with these men and see them alive 578 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 1: when he shoved off on December seven, when the last 579 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 1: relief ship, the previous release ship had come along, alright, 580 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: So his in his official report, he said, I don't 581 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,239 Speaker 1: think it was a strong wind that literally blew them 582 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: off the island. It was blowing westerly that day, and 583 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: that means it would have blown them back inland towards 584 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: the island. And there's no way that these guys would 585 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: have blown completely across the whole face of the island 586 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 1: off the other side, because they know what to do. 587 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 1: They know to drop and get flat and hold on, 588 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: and they probably would not have been blown all the 589 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: way off if it was westerly. They need to stop 590 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: drop and do not roll. You don't roll, please, don't roll. 591 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 1: Not in that case. Grab something heavy, yeah, anything, a sheep, whatever, 592 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: anything that will keep you from being blown off. But 593 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: that's just nuts. It shows you how windy it is 594 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 1: up there. That that was a possibility that mir Head 595 00:33:56,920 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 1: considered and was plausible enough that he had to at 596 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: least put it in the report as a possibility. That's right. 597 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,240 Speaker 1: The one that he focused on that most people who 598 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:14,440 Speaker 1: UM think in level headed ways kind of agree with 599 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: two is that Um, instead, a wave probably came along 600 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: and knocked these men off. Yeah, I mean this one. 601 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:26,959 Speaker 1: I'm an amateur when it comes to like figuring out 602 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: island Scottish Island mysteries and weather. This one makes a 603 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 1: lot of sense to me. Yeah, totally agree. So being 604 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 1: blown away by when sounds kind of nuts unless you 605 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:38,760 Speaker 1: think about it, and in which case it's not super nuts. 606 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:42,760 Speaker 1: In this instance, at least, there were more, UM slightly 607 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:47,760 Speaker 1: nuttier explanations. And like the thing is, you can't fully 608 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:52,239 Speaker 1: discount any one of these because the men's bodies were 609 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,680 Speaker 1: never found, so there was never any conclusive proof of 610 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: what happened, even still to this day. UM and some 611 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:04,280 Speaker 1: of the likelier, less likely scenarios seemed to always focus 612 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:08,840 Speaker 1: on Donald MacArthur UM, who was supposedly a bit of 613 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: a hothead, quick to fist kind of dude. UM, not 614 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,399 Speaker 1: necessarily the kind of occasional keeper you'd want to have 615 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:20,120 Speaker 1: on rotation for two weeks with you. But that's that's 616 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 1: what a lot of these secondary theories kind of presupposed. 617 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 1: He would have been the Willem Dafoe, right, I guess? So, yeah, 618 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 1: I kind of imagine him as such. He had a 619 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,319 Speaker 1: got the story from this, didn't he? I don't know. 620 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:37,799 Speaker 1: I'm curious. I don't know. I'd have to watch it 621 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: again now that I know that. I hadn't even heard 622 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 1: of this story when I saw the lighthouse, so I, um, 623 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: I need to watch it again and see see what 624 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 1: I think. I'm gonna do some research on that. I 625 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:48,759 Speaker 1: doubt if he like based it on this, but I 626 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:51,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't be surprised if it triggered the idea or something. 627 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:55,799 Speaker 1: All right, So he, uh, MacArthur was, like he said, 628 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:59,439 Speaker 1: a tough guy, a hothead, and he of course there's 629 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: gonna expect relation that he started a fight and they 630 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:04,279 Speaker 1: all got in a big fight and they all fell 631 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: off the cliff together, or maybe he murdered these two 632 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,000 Speaker 1: guys and then knew what his come upance would be 633 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: and flung himself off the cliffs himself and sort of 634 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: a murder suicide situation. Yeah, again, it's plausible, like some 635 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: people can go nuts, like especially an extreme isolation kind 636 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:24,799 Speaker 1: of thing, but there's just no evidence whatsoever of any 637 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: sort of fight. It's possible to fight started entirely outside, 638 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:32,319 Speaker 1: but it just doesn't satisfy all of the evidence, right, 639 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 1: I don't think so. Like the the guy who's um 640 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: weather proof coats, We're still there was Donald MacArthur. So 641 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: why would he start a fight outside? And whether that 642 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 1: was bad enough that his his comrades would put on 643 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 1: their weather gear, right, or maybe when it comes to 644 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: fight and you don't want that raincoat on, I guess 645 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,440 Speaker 1: maybe you found it restrictive. That's entirely possible too, But 646 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: that's again as far as like the secondary kind of 647 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:03,040 Speaker 1: paran theories go, those make a lot more sense. The 648 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:07,880 Speaker 1: other ones sister much more squarely in the realm of paranormal. Yeah, 649 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:13,400 Speaker 1: you could say that the outer Hebrides are home of 650 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,480 Speaker 1: the Kelpie, and the Kelpie is a water spirit, a 651 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:21,839 Speaker 1: shape shifting water spirit that drowns human victims. But there 652 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 1: are two problems with this one that is not real 653 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:28,759 Speaker 1: and too even if it was real, let's just do 654 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 1: a thought experiment. Everyone knows that the Kelpies are not 655 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:35,359 Speaker 1: seaside dwellers. They are inland at the locks. They're not 656 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 1: known to frequent the the seaside. They don't like that saltwater. No, 657 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,640 Speaker 1: so the Kelpies probably did not kill these men and 658 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: cart them away. Uh, there's more supernatural they're right. Yeah. 659 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 1: The the island being named after St. Flannon and that 660 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 1: ruined chapel being there, and the idea that the um 661 00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:58,560 Speaker 1: the locals just kind of view that island is a 662 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: weird place. There was this one author, a supernatural like 663 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 1: Fortian type author um who came along and said, all right, 664 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: I've got it. Everybody ready for this. So the the 665 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 1: the locals think that this place is kind of inhabited 666 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:17,960 Speaker 1: by spirits. I'm guessing that the Pagans who used to 667 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:21,880 Speaker 1: live here sacrificed people on this island, and that the 668 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:25,000 Speaker 1: gods came to be used to a certain type of sacrifice, 669 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 1: and that with the Northern Lighthouse Board installed these three 670 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 1: men in a tower on island more and the gods 671 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 1: mistook it as a sacrifice, so they took their sacrifice, 672 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:39,759 Speaker 1: and that's what happened to the three men. It's I 673 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,040 Speaker 1: think skipped over the best part of this whole thing, though. 674 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 1: It was an ancient race of tiny people. Well so 675 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: I can't tell if that guy made that part up 676 00:38:49,239 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: or if that is actually a local belief, but yeah, 677 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:55,279 Speaker 1: that was part of it too. How small were they? 678 00:38:55,560 --> 00:39:00,320 Speaker 1: Supposedly they found small bones that seemingly belonged to humans, 679 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,439 Speaker 1: and so there was a race of tiny people who 680 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:05,960 Speaker 1: supposedly lived there before. But are we talking like, are 681 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 1: they the size of a of a sea rat or 682 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:11,640 Speaker 1: a like two or three feet tall person? And my 683 00:39:11,719 --> 00:39:15,720 Speaker 1: Scottish I don't know, all right, I was just curious 684 00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:20,160 Speaker 1: a sea rat. It was tiny. That's a very tiny, 685 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:25,440 Speaker 1: tiny person pagan. But I think that's really interesting, the 686 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:29,520 Speaker 1: idea that the gods mistook the lighthouse keepers as a 687 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:32,239 Speaker 1: human sacrifice, that's what happened to him. I love that one. 688 00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:34,800 Speaker 1: It's like a big wicker man or something. Yes, exactly. 689 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:38,160 Speaker 1: I think that's exactly the point that God was making. Alright, 690 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 1: So those those are obviously all bunk um. What probably 691 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 1: really happened is as follows, And I think this is 692 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:50,600 Speaker 1: a pretty plausible. I think this is pretty plausible. Was 693 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 1: but even still, it's still astounding. If you step back 694 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:56,400 Speaker 1: and look at it. Yeah, and well, and there's no 695 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:58,239 Speaker 1: way to prove it. So it's it's kind of like 696 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:01,280 Speaker 1: these mysteries where you just don't know, you know. So 697 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:05,880 Speaker 1: here's what could have happened. Is that, uh, there was 698 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:12,080 Speaker 1: bad weather reported, but it wasn't maybe that bad on um. 699 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:18,319 Speaker 1: But let's say that that box uh is is looser, Well, 700 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:20,760 Speaker 1: I gonna get loose. Let's say that box needs tending 701 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:23,600 Speaker 1: to this holding all this stuff. It's an important box, 702 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:26,120 Speaker 1: don't forget. It's an important box. And I think Marshall 703 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:30,320 Speaker 1: had previously been fined what would be about twenty pounds 704 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:33,080 Speaker 1: today for having lost some equipment, so he may have 705 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:34,719 Speaker 1: been like really quick to like, hey, we got to 706 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:38,640 Speaker 1: secure that box. And so maybe Ducott and Marshall went 707 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:43,200 Speaker 1: out there two like they left their quarters while uh, 708 00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:46,239 Speaker 1: the other dude, the occasional keeper MacArthur, is up there 709 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 1: in the lighthouse still and they're securing this box down 710 00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:54,480 Speaker 1: and then maybe this freak uh wave comes through, or 711 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:57,560 Speaker 1: maybe they just get in trouble and then MacArthur needs 712 00:40:57,600 --> 00:41:01,200 Speaker 1: to really leave quickly, which would explain why they did 713 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,160 Speaker 1: have their rain gear on and MacArthur didn't because MacArthur 714 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:05,960 Speaker 1: had to leave really quickly to go down there and 715 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:10,720 Speaker 1: help these guys. Yes, so like that, that definitely checks 716 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,560 Speaker 1: all the boxes. That after that MacArthur was swept away 717 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:18,160 Speaker 1: as well. But the thing is is, like that, that 718 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:23,680 Speaker 1: supposes something really amazing, Chuck, that there was a freak 719 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:28,120 Speaker 1: wave that the men just did not expect that carried 720 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 1: at least one of them away. The second one who 721 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,279 Speaker 1: survived that wave ran back to get help from MacArthur 722 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,200 Speaker 1: to help get the first guy who went in, and 723 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:42,360 Speaker 1: a second freak wave washed those two away, just cleaning 724 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:46,359 Speaker 1: the island of its human inhabitants. And two swift waves 725 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 1: over the course of a minute or two. Because the 726 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 1: idea is that the storm wasn't bad enough to just 727 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:54,319 Speaker 1: sweep them all away. Yeah, and the act had to 728 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:57,600 Speaker 1: be a rogue wave, right, and the steamer the actor 729 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:01,799 Speaker 1: noted that there you because the actor passed by just 730 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:04,759 Speaker 1: a few hours, a couple of hours probably after this 731 00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:09,200 Speaker 1: event happened, and they noted that it was calm but stormy, 732 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:11,360 Speaker 1: which is the opposite of what you would think. You 733 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:13,719 Speaker 1: would think it was not stormy which would draw the 734 00:42:13,719 --> 00:42:16,640 Speaker 1: men out to to make them, I mean stormy enough 735 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:18,520 Speaker 1: that they needed to secure the box, but not so 736 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:21,719 Speaker 1: stormy that they they felt like it couldn't go out. 737 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:25,319 Speaker 1: But calm really kind of makes it. The idea of 738 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:29,359 Speaker 1: two freak waves really freaky, because that would mean that 739 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:31,840 Speaker 1: those waves just came out of nowhere and swallowed the 740 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:34,279 Speaker 1: men up. But in the whole, I mean, we did 741 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:36,520 Speaker 1: an episode on rogue waves, and the idea is that 742 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:39,560 Speaker 1: that it's a wave or was there a set of 743 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 1: rogue waves? I think, if I remember correctly, it was 744 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:46,200 Speaker 1: a wave. But that's what I think. Maybe maybe there 745 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:48,719 Speaker 1: was more I don't know, but yes, that that that's 746 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:51,879 Speaker 1: how this That's the only way that could happen is 747 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:55,680 Speaker 1: because MacArthur wasn't wearing his rain gear, which suggests that 748 00:42:55,719 --> 00:42:59,359 Speaker 1: he ran out in a hurry into bad weather, which 749 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,120 Speaker 1: means that one of them would have had to have 750 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:03,400 Speaker 1: come and gotten him. He wouldn't have been there with 751 00:43:03,440 --> 00:43:05,560 Speaker 1: the other two. So it could not have just been 752 00:43:05,600 --> 00:43:07,359 Speaker 1: one freak wave. It would have had to have been 753 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:11,520 Speaker 1: two successive freak waves that cleared all three well, and 754 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:15,279 Speaker 1: this does um lends some credence to the idea that 755 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:19,520 Speaker 1: this thing was big enough to damage the turf, you know, 756 00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:22,920 Speaker 1: two feet above sea level and destroy that box and 757 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 1: washed that two thousand pounds stone down the cliff too, right, Yeah, 758 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 1: And there was also there's a there's a chance that 759 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 1: all that stuff that that just was evidence of a 760 00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:36,320 Speaker 1: terrible storm actually came after the men had been washed 761 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,880 Speaker 1: away from the island several days later, when there was 762 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:42,839 Speaker 1: a really bad storm. Okay, that makes sense. I didn't 763 00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:44,600 Speaker 1: think about that, didn't that weird? Did think that that 764 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:48,680 Speaker 1: damage had happened after the after the fact, right? It? 765 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:52,120 Speaker 1: Sure that makes sense because it's almost certain that they 766 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:55,480 Speaker 1: that this event happened on December fifteenth. The last info 767 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:58,680 Speaker 1: they had on the log slate was nine am December fifte, 768 00:43:58,880 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 1: like we said, so couldn't have happened earlier than that, 769 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 1: and it would have happened before dark on December fift 770 00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:10,400 Speaker 1: which would have happened about four pm, because otherwise they 771 00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:14,320 Speaker 1: would have lit the light that night and the steamer 772 00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:16,960 Speaker 1: actor would have seen the light in the lighthouse as 773 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:21,920 Speaker 1: it passed by on December That's right. I think all 774 00:44:21,960 --> 00:44:25,840 Speaker 1: this gets really interesting in the nineteen fifties, when a 775 00:44:25,960 --> 00:44:30,680 Speaker 1: lighthouseman named Robert Aldibert, who worked there, served as principal 776 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:34,479 Speaker 1: keeper between fifty three and fifty seven. He lived there 777 00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:36,520 Speaker 1: obviously had a little time on his hands, and was 778 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:39,480 Speaker 1: really enthralled by this mystery. And it was like, I'm 779 00:44:39,480 --> 00:44:41,279 Speaker 1: gonna do some research and I'm gonna take a lot 780 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:43,160 Speaker 1: of pictures and do keep a lot of records in 781 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:47,000 Speaker 1: my diary. And uh he said that, you know, I've 782 00:44:47,120 --> 00:44:52,080 Speaker 1: I was in the lighthouse itself and got and so 783 00:44:52,160 --> 00:44:55,880 Speaker 1: that's how many feet above sea level they at, ye, 784 00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:58,080 Speaker 1: like two hundred close to three dred feet up and 785 00:44:58,120 --> 00:45:01,120 Speaker 1: got sa spray from some waves. So he's like, it's 786 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:04,440 Speaker 1: very possible that a big wave could come through and 787 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:06,879 Speaker 1: reach these heights. Yeah, he did test where he took 788 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:09,239 Speaker 1: coils of rope and put them on the top of 789 00:45:09,239 --> 00:45:11,440 Speaker 1: the cliff and they get washed away by some of 790 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:15,080 Speaker 1: those horrible waves. So he basically said it was almost 791 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:18,200 Speaker 1: certainly a wave that got these guys. That's not the 792 00:45:18,239 --> 00:45:21,120 Speaker 1: craziest part. The craziest part is it was two waves, 793 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:23,799 Speaker 1: almost like the sea was waiting for all three of 794 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:26,919 Speaker 1: them and took them all. It's pretty weird. I wonder 795 00:45:26,920 --> 00:45:29,040 Speaker 1: if he got fined for losing those ropes. I don't know, 796 00:45:29,160 --> 00:45:31,920 Speaker 1: maybe so if the if, the if, it's the Northern 797 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:36,000 Speaker 1: White House Board. I know he definitely did well and 798 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:38,440 Speaker 1: he what was his final ex because he's the one 799 00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:42,640 Speaker 1: that we mentioned earlier that said that, uh that the 800 00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:44,400 Speaker 1: one of the chairs was turned over in the kitchen, 801 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:47,439 Speaker 1: right Like he kind of bought into that. Yeah, false narrative. Yeah, 802 00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:49,359 Speaker 1: but I wonder because this is a good you know, 803 00:45:49,560 --> 00:45:52,000 Speaker 1: forty years after that poem had been written, maybe it 804 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:54,160 Speaker 1: was so woven into the story by then he just 805 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:57,839 Speaker 1: presumed that it was true or not. So how that 806 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:02,480 Speaker 1: comes in is he's basically like, all right, or dinner happens, um, 807 00:46:02,600 --> 00:46:05,400 Speaker 1: like there's bad weather going on. These two guys go 808 00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:08,960 Speaker 1: out there, uh in our in our see this doesn't 809 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:10,239 Speaker 1: make sense to me, and I'll tell you why in 810 00:46:10,280 --> 00:46:12,360 Speaker 1: a second. But these two guys go out there to 811 00:46:12,440 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 1: secure this box or whatever, uh cookies back in there, 812 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:18,239 Speaker 1: washing up and cleaning up, and that's where everything is 813 00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:21,239 Speaker 1: nice and tidy, and then all of a sudden they 814 00:46:21,239 --> 00:46:23,279 Speaker 1: need help, and so he turns the chair over because 815 00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:25,840 Speaker 1: he just like runs out of there real quick. But 816 00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:28,239 Speaker 1: wouldn't that be wouldn't someone have to be in the 817 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:32,480 Speaker 1: light too, isn't that four guys? No, that's why they 818 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:36,080 Speaker 1: think that this happened in the afternoon of the because 819 00:46:36,120 --> 00:46:39,800 Speaker 1: they never went to light the light. They hadn't remember 820 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:41,759 Speaker 1: the light was all set up and ready to be 821 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:46,120 Speaker 1: it was daytime, yes, it was before. It was before sunset, 822 00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:48,799 Speaker 1: which would have been before four pm. All right, that's 823 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:50,440 Speaker 1: the one part I didn't get. I get it now, 824 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:53,279 Speaker 1: flight House shine at night. I never got that part 825 00:46:53,320 --> 00:46:56,440 Speaker 1: when I wrote my movie, everything takes place during the day, right, 826 00:46:57,520 --> 00:47:03,279 Speaker 1: I left the mainland for this. You got anything else? 827 00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:05,600 Speaker 1: Good stuff? No? I like a good mystery. You're good 828 00:47:05,640 --> 00:47:07,759 Speaker 1: at finding these, man. I love this one, so thank 829 00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:09,560 Speaker 1: you very much. Um. Yes, well, if you want to 830 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:12,120 Speaker 1: know more about the Flann and Niles mystery, go read 831 00:47:12,160 --> 00:47:14,799 Speaker 1: Mike Dashes work on it. It's really interesting stuff. It's 832 00:47:14,800 --> 00:47:19,920 Speaker 1: pretty comprehensive too. Uh. And since I said it's pretty comprehensive, everybody, 833 00:47:20,200 --> 00:47:24,839 Speaker 1: that means it's time for a listener mail. I thought 834 00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:26,600 Speaker 1: this is really interesting. This is a follow up to 835 00:47:26,640 --> 00:47:30,160 Speaker 1: the Dingoes episode about Dingo is not really barking much. 836 00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:33,839 Speaker 1: Hey guys. In response to the statement that dingoes don't bark, 837 00:47:33,880 --> 00:47:36,160 Speaker 1: you left out a very fun fact and perhaps the 838 00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:40,719 Speaker 1: topic for another show. While domesticated dogs bark throughout their lifetimes. 839 00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:46,040 Speaker 1: Wild adult dogs do not routinely bark. One popular theory 840 00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:49,920 Speaker 1: is that domesticated dogs were bred for tamenus, which, as 841 00:47:49,920 --> 00:47:53,320 Speaker 1: a result, selected for dogs that never reached full maturity. 842 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:57,200 Speaker 1: The upshot of this is that our domesticated dogs are 843 00:47:57,239 --> 00:48:00,239 Speaker 1: trapped in a state of suspended adolescence. There more or 844 00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:03,440 Speaker 1: less trapped in puppyhood, an age where all dogs wild 845 00:48:03,480 --> 00:48:06,600 Speaker 1: and domestic, bark, play, lick, and most important of all, 846 00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:09,280 Speaker 1: don't kill, which is an important trait for the family 847 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:14,600 Speaker 1: pet uh And sent an article from Tampa Bay dot 848 00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:21,080 Speaker 1: com Why Dogs, Why do dogs Bark? From I Love 849 00:48:21,160 --> 00:48:26,160 Speaker 1: the show? That is from Peter Vonnier v O n 850 00:48:26,239 --> 00:48:29,680 Speaker 1: I e er Bonnier. Yeah, either one of those will work, 851 00:48:29,719 --> 00:48:32,239 Speaker 1: depending on whether you're in France or not. Uh And. 852 00:48:32,280 --> 00:48:36,759 Speaker 1: Peter is a PhD in owl oncology research, also with 853 00:48:36,840 --> 00:48:40,400 Speaker 1: an interest in dog barking. Sounds like Peter just is 854 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:42,879 Speaker 1: interested in stuff, which is our favorite kind of listening. Yes, 855 00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:44,719 Speaker 1: there is a diet in the world. Stuff you should 856 00:48:44,760 --> 00:48:46,320 Speaker 1: know a listener. Thanks a lot, Peter, that was a 857 00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:50,600 Speaker 1: very interesting email and we appreciate it. Belated congratulations on 858 00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:53,600 Speaker 1: your PhD. If you want to get in touch with 859 00:48:53,680 --> 00:48:56,279 Speaker 1: us like Peter did. You can send us an email, right, Chuck, 860 00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:00,400 Speaker 1: You surely can. Then you might get a response even up, 861 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:03,279 Speaker 1: or you might end up on listener mail. Who knows, Yeah, 862 00:49:03,320 --> 00:49:05,480 Speaker 1: I try to answer these Why don't you roll the 863 00:49:05,520 --> 00:49:09,240 Speaker 1: dice and find out by sending your email to stuff 864 00:49:09,320 --> 00:49:15,239 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeart radio dot com. Stuff you Should Know 865 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:18,279 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts my 866 00:49:18,320 --> 00:49:21,759 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 867 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:23,520 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.