Strontian Mines Inquest

by John Dye

CHAPTER SIX
THE EVIDENCE OF DONALD MCMASTER, WHO WAS EMPLOYED TO ERECT A STOOL AND REMOVE THE MIDDLINGS WHERE DUNCAN CAMERON WAS WORKING WHEN HE DIED


He had no English and so communication with Mr Floyd was difficult because Mr Floyd had no Gaelic

Strontian 11 August 1851

Compeared Donald McMaster (Peter) residing at Scotstown in the parish of Ardnamurchan and Shire of Argyll, who says (no English):

I am 32 years of age. I am a working miner, I have been so engaged for about 12 years. I have wrought ten of these at Strontian, the other two I wrought at Lead hills & Appin mines. I knew before Alexander MacMaster, Alexander MacPhee, Duncan Cameron and Alexander Lowrie commenced work on the last job that they had taken it from Mr Floyd.

I was employed along with Archibald MacMaster and Donald Cameron in the erection of a stool to prevent the deads falling upon these men when they were at work. I was also employed to remove the old workings to give them free access to the vein.

Whilst preparing access to the vein, he saw the overhanging rock

While we were so engaged we observed a large stone in the hanger wall right over the place where Lowrie and McPhee were to commence work, which was loose at the top and at both ends. The same was about six feet high and 8 or 9 feet long, Cameron tried to take the same down and applied the Pick to it. He remarked that it was not ripe for taking down. I thought it was ripe and that it should be removed - it was dangerous.

He prepared to take steps to blast the stone, before Duncan Cameron and Alexander Lowrie even commenced to work there, but time on his shift ran out

This took place before Lowrie and his companions entered upon their work. One day just at the end of our shift, Donald Cameron told Archibald McMaster & me to get tools to put a blast in the stone and marked the spot and get it
taken down and removed, but as our shift was out we told him we could not do so then. This was also before Lowrie and his companions began to work. I told Lowrie, Cameron and McPhee before they began to work at this sol about the stone, that it was loose and that they should get it removed before they began.

So, when the working party came in, he told them that they should deal with the stone, but they said that it was not in their contract

They said they had nothing to do with the stone, that it was the Manager's duty to remove it, & that it was not in their bargain. I had no conversation with Floyd about the stone. I don't understand English very well & Floyd cannot speak in Gaelic. I cannot write.

Corroberation
                                                                                     Strontian 26th August 1851

Compeared Archibald MacMaster residing at Scotstown in the parish of Ardnamurchan and Shire of Argyll who says (no English):

I am 35 years of age. I am a working miner. I have acted as such for about 20 years. I have not been engaged in any other mines than the Strontian mines. I concur on the statement of Donald MacMaster in toto. I cannot write.