04/01/2023
It was 1830, and a group of people were hard at work on the West Coast of the island of Benbecula. They were cutting seaweed when they saw something strange in the water. It was a creature in the shape of a tiny woman, with long, dark hair and pale white skin. The bottom half of the creature was like a salmon, but without scales.
The people on the beach were very surprised and scared by the creature. Some of the men even tried to catch it, but it was too fast and kept swimming away. One of the boys picked up a rock and threw it as hard as he could. It hit the creature on the back of the head, and she cried out in pain before disappearing beneath the waves.
A few days later, the creature washed up on the beach at Culla Bay. It was a mermaid, just like they had suspected. People came from all over the island to see the mermaid, and the local sheriff, who was also the factor for the chief, came to confirm that it was real.
The sheriff called for a coffin and a shroud to be brought to the beach, and he carefully placed the mermaid's body inside. She was given a proper Christian burial in a nearby churchyard, and many people came to pay their respects.
Although there was no grave marker at the church related to the mermaid, some people believe that she was buried near the dunes instead. A survey was done on a large stone near the south end of the bay, but the results were unclear.
There have been many other stories of mermaids on the island of Benbecula, including one about a man named Colin Campbell who saw a woman with a baby in her arms near the shore. When she saw him, she disappeared.
The island of Benbecula is a place full of mystery and magic, and the tale of the mermaid is just one of the many stories that have been passed down through the years. Who knows what other wonders and mysteries may be hidden in its waters?
