Go No Further...

"Go no further..."

This encounter was recorded in the Life of Saint Columba which was written by Adomnan of Iona one of the Saint's relatives and follower. On August 22, 564; St. Columba while converting the "heathen" pagans of Scotland wondered upon a group of villagers burying a man down by the River Ness. The villagers claimed that the man had been attacked and drowned by a behemoth in the waters. Hearing this the holy Saint instructed one of his followers to swim across the river to retrieve a boat. Without question or reservation the man began his trek across. Midway the monster surfaced and began to pursue the pious man. St. Columba immediately approached the river and stretching out his hand made the sign of the cross. He commanded, "Go no further, nor touch the man, go back with all speed!" The villagers described the monster come to a stop and retreat as if pulled back by ropes into the waters depths. The follower retrieved the boat and safely made his way back to the shoreline. The pagans dropped to their knees and were converted right there on the spot after witnessing the miracle preformed.

I thought I would touch on this writing as it is the first recorded of a sighting near the waters of Loch Ness and a fantastical story. The River Ness feeds the Loch via the Moray Firth a bay that opens out to the North Sea. I won't comment on the virility of this story as many mythical stories were written in a bid to convert the Pagans of Northern Europe to Christianity. I find it interesting however that a consistent history of a monster has existed in the Loch's folklore. Does this bias the sightings all the way in the 1900's? Witnesses could have grown up on the same legends and stories like the one mentioned above. Or does this legend lend more credence to the existence of Nessie?

Only God knows.

-T