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Anns an Lùnastal ochd ceud deug, caogad ’s a trì (1853), sheòl an Annie Jane à Liverpool. Bha i a’ dol a Quebec. Bha ceithir cheud duine air bòrd. B’ e Uilleam Mason an sgiobair.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bha an Annie Jane a’ giùlain luchd de dh’iarainn – ochd ceud tonna dheth. Bha trì cheud tonna ann cuideachd de bhathar eile. Agus bha i làn daoine.

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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Chaidh i gu tuath, seachad air ceann a tuath na h-Èireann. Chaidh i don Chuan Siar. Dh’èirich a’ ghaoth. Thòisich an long air luasgadh. Dh’fhàs an t-sìde na bu mhiosa. Bhris na crainn-mhullaich. Ach rinn an sgioba obair-càraidh air an t-soitheach. Lean iad orra air an slighe a Chanada.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bha eagal mòr air an luchd-siubhail. Dh’iarr iad air an sgiobair an soitheach a thoirt air ais a Liverpool. Dh’aontaich e. Às dèidh ochd latha aig muir, bha iad air ais ann an Liverpool.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Dhiùlt cuid dhen luchd-siubhail a dhol air an Annie Jane tuilleadh. Bha iad dhen bheachd nach e soitheach comasach a bha innte. Ach chaidh daoine eile air bòrd nan àite. Às dèidh seachdain, bha an long air ais aig muir.

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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Thachair an aon rud a-rithist. Thòisich an long air luasgadh gu dona. Bhruidhinn cuid dhen luchd-siubhail ris a’ chiad mheit. Dh’inns esan dhaibh nach ruigeadh iad Quebec. Chuir iad athchuinge chun an sgiobair. Bha iad ag iarraidh tilleadh a Liverpool. An turas seo, reub an sgiobair an athchuinge ann am pìosan. Thug e gunna-làimhe a-mach. Thuirt e gun cleachdadh e an gunna nam biodh ar-a-mach ann.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Dh’èirich gailleann. Chaidh crainn a bhriseadh. Chaidh cuid de na siùil a reubadh.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Nuair a bha an Annie Jane dà cheud mìle a-mach bho Hiort, shocraich a’ ghaoth. Rinn an Caiptean Mason an co-dhùnadh a dhol a dh’Èirinn. Ach, nuair a bha iad faisg air Beàrnaraigh, deas air Barraigh, dh’èirich a’ ghaoth a-rithist.

In August 1853, the Annie Jane sailed from Liverpool. She was going to Quebec. There were four hundred people on board. William Mason was the captain.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The Annie Jane was carrying a load of iron – eight hundred tonnes of it. There were three hundred tonnes also of other goods. And she was full of people.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý She went north, past the north of Ireland. She went into the Atlantic. The wind picked up. The ship began to roll. The weather got worse. The topmasts broke. But the crew repaired the vessel. They continued on their way to Canada.

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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The passengers were afraid. They asked the captain to take the vessel back to Liverpool. He agreed. After eight days at sea, they were back in Liverpool.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Some of the passengers refused to go on the Annie Jane anymore. They were of the opinion that she was not a seaworthy vessel. But other people went on board in their place. After a week, the ship was back at sea.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The same thing happened again. The ship began to roll badly. Some of the passengers spoke to the first mate. He told them that they wouldn’t reach Quebec. They gave the captain a petition. They were wanting to return to Liverpool. This time, the captain ripped the petiton in pieces. He took out a pistol. He said he would use the gun if there were a mutiny.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý A bad storm arose. Masts were broken. Some of the sails were ripped.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý When the Annie Jane was two hundred miles out from St Kilda, the wind abated. Captain Mason made the decision to go to Ireland. But, when they were close to Berneray, south of Barra, the wind rose again.

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