The passengers were  assisted by the Highland and Island Emigration Society, the records of the Society  lists the number of people as being 298.  Of this number, there was a party of 36 from St.Kilda who had left that island on a sailing ship owned by Mrs. Sarah MacDonald and went to Skye via Harris. They spent about a fortnight on Skye before  boarding a steamer for Glasgow, where they spent 24 hours before boarding another steamer for Liverpool. Here they spent nearly four weeks in the immigration depot there.

The Inverness Advertiser on the 2nd of August 1853 had this to say about the people from St. Kilda; "Their appearance and their gentle and uncomplicated manners attracted considerable attention when they arrived in Portree en route to join the Priscilla at Liverpool, a feeling which deepened when it was discovered that their motive to emigrate was less the hope of bettering their own condition than their removal was  necessary the well being of those left behind"

Mr. R. Balfour M.A. M.Litt  LLB in an extensive article on the  Highland & Island Emigration Society, published in the "Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness " Vol LV1 190-1992 has the following comment
"While this assertion may have been correct to a degree, the relative prosperity of their community, which had been afflicated little by either famine or congestion, suggests that the prime cause of their departure was a denominational rift leading to and following upon the establishment of a Free Church congregation on the island in 1846. The cost of their fares and outfits had been met in full by the proprietor, Sir John MacLeod, who subsequently concerned that their departure would endanger the viability of the remaining community, met them in Glasgow from which he travelled with them on the steamer to Liverpool in an unsuccessful endeavour to encourage them to return. As an inducement he offered to pay the cost of a steamer to convey them back, and to give them all they needed for two years. Sadly the islanders susceptibility to infection manifested  in a disease known to them as `cnatan na Gall'  (the strangers cold) was to prove fatal amid the fetid atmosphere aboard the Priscilla with the result that eighteen of their number -half of their party - were to perish during the voyage or in quarantine."

In the records of the HIES against all of the families from St. Kilda it has the following notation, " Mr. MacLeod the proprietor of St. Kilda has paid for the outfits and undertaken to pay the deposit".

A family from Heribusta, named McCuam,  has one of the largest notations in the records of the HIES. against it, It states:-
"Particulars of this family recorded to show that age, is not always a criterion by which the eligibility of a family, can be determined. The two lads aged 19 & 17 respectively are smaller of stature & posses much less physical power than many boys some years younger. One of the most wretched families submitted for inspection. Their appearance was truely appalling and their grief on being rejected most painful to witness. Attention was drawn to the condition of this family to Mr MacLeod of "Kingsburgh" and a small subscription raised for them by Miss McLeod. They were carefully fed for some time and greatly improved in health and appearance and were permitted to proceed on the Priscilla." There were also 4 other younger children
.
In 1995, the Scottish Genealogy Society Edinburgh, published  "The St. Kilda Heritage" an autobiography of Malcolm McQueen, although the Priscilla shipping records states that he could not write. The article contains the same information as does the one by R. Balfour but also has the following:-

" We left St. Kilda in a sailing ship belonging to Mrs. Sarah MacDonald and came to Skye. We called at Harris. We were about a fortnight in Skye and  neighbourhood. From there we went by steamer to Glasgow.

We were there some 24 hours and shipped aboard a steamer to Liverpool. We were there some three or four weeks and shipped aboard the  Priccilla bound for Port Phillip, departing 13th October, 1852.

We saw no land or vessel till we came near The Heads after 13 weeks. Three weeks after leaving, measles broke out and many died, about 80 old and young- largely owing to the ignorance of the doctor. He used to drive them on deck and they would be dead the next morning.At last the passengers rebelled and refused to allow the doctor to have his way; no-one died after that. I was the last man to take ill with it. My mother was laid up at the same time as I was. A young widow and another woman were very kind. Frank MacKenzie and Alex MacDonald were very kind to me. They did not live long after getting here.

On our arrival we were placed in quarantine. Passengers were landed at the Quarantine Station but those who were ill were kept aboard and the vessel was made a quarantine hulk. Scarlet fever was aboard when we arrived. Many who were well when landed got ill at the quarantine station and most of them died.

The total number of deaths was 42, 31 on the voyage, mainly due to measles, and 11 at the quarantine station.These deaths were shown to be from scarletina (Scarlet  fever) but may have been caused by typhus. Passengers from the “Ticonderoga "were at the quarantine station, this ship had lost many passengers to typhus.
 

LIST OF EMIGRANTS ASSISTED BY THE HIGHLAND AND ISLAND EMIGRATION SOCIETY,  AND EMBARKED ON BOARD THE SHIP PRISCILLA WHICH SAILED FROM LIVERPOOL  FOR VICTORIA ON THE 13TH OCTOBER 1852. ARRIVED MELBOURNE 24th FEBRUARY 1853 AND PLACED IN QUARANTINE
 
 

Surnames - BETHUNE, BRUCE, BUCHANAN, CAMPBELL, CUMMING, FERGUSON, FINLAYSON, GILLIES, MacAULAY, MATHESON, McASKILL, McCRIMMON, McCUAN, McDONALD, McINTOSH, McKAY, McKENZIE, McKINNON,  McLEAN, McLENNAN, McLEOD, McPHEE, McPHERSON, McQUEEN, McRAE, McSWEEN, MORRISON, MURCHISON, NICHOLSON, ROSS, STEWART, THOMPSON.

BUCHANAN      John           29    Achnahannait   Lord MacDonald     237                  Mary          28   Died 20-11-52                            Donald         9    Died 19-11-52                            Mary         Inf     Died 29-11-52 P/N    £9-19-2     Eligible couple.

BETHUNE       Marion          52    Uig            Lord MacDonald    238                Anne              27                         Murdoch         24                         Christy            19                         Roderick        11                         Anne              14 BRUCE            Ann             16 P/N    £29-18-4 .  Healthy eligible family.

BUCHANAN        Alexander       38    Borniskitaig   Lord MacDonald     239                     Catherine       38                                Mary             17                                John              15                                Malcolm        11                                Kate               6                                Ann                3                                Christy         Inf     Died 11-11-52 P/N    £20-4-7    Cottage destroyed by fire last year.  Very poor family.

BETHUNE         Norman         32    Romisdale      Lord MacDonald    240                   Catherine       28                             Janet                4    Died 17-2-53                             Anne               2                             Peter             22   Uig                             Ann               25   (sister & Brother of Norman)                             Finlay            22  P/N   156 16-14-5    Very good family

CAMPBELL         Ann              46    Coillemore     Lord MacDonald     241                     Angus          18                               Alexander     14 P/N    £17-0-11    Very poor and destitute.

CUMMING          Mary            54    Carbost,       Lord MacDonald     242                     Kate             22    Bernisdale                               Archibald       29 P/N    £11-2-8    Strong healthy woman. Nurse & midwife.

FINLAYSON         Murdoch         39   Balmeanach      Lord MacDonald     243                     Catherine         36                                Malcolm          17 P/N    £12-10-3    Good family.

FERGUSON          Malcolm        31    St. Kilda     J.M.MacLeod Esq.    244                      Catherine       23    Died 9-2-53                                Mary               3    Died 6-12-52 MORRISON        Mary             57    Died 9-11-52 FERGUSON         Hector          35     Died Quarantine Station                                Mary            22  (Nee Morrison) * Mr MacLeod the proprietor of St.Kilda has paid for the outfit and has undertaken to pay the deposit. Catherine daughter of Roderick McDonald No 277

GILLIES          Ewen            27    St. Kilda     J.M.MacLeod Esq.     245                Margaret      28                           Mary              1    Died 3-12-52 * Mr. MacLeod the proprietor of St. Kilda has paid for the outfit and has undertaken to pay the deposit. Margaret daughter of  Roderick McDonald 277. Ewen as a widower returned to St. Kilda, remarried and emigrated to Canada.

McPHEE           Margaret         60    Rhuandunan     MacLeod of MacLeod     246                 Christy            29                            Alexander       26 £27-0-9    Healthy old woman. Has two sons in Australia. John and Duncan arrived Victoria on "Europa"

McPHEE          Archibald       36    Rhuandunan MacLeod of MacLeod    247                 Christy           36                           Christy           13                           Mary             10                           Norman          8                           Jane               4     Died 10-12-52                           Infant born at sea,  Died 8-12-52 P/N    £15-1-8      Son of Margaret McPhee

McPHEE           Angus         34    Sligachan      MacLeod of MacLeod     248                 Effy            34                            John           13                            Mary          10                            Effy              8                            Christy         2                            Inf.               born at sea P/N £12-8-0     Son of Margaret McPhee. An excellent family. Appointed constable on board the Priscilla.

McPHEE         Donald          36    Carbost        MacLeod of MacLeod   249                 Marion          36                          Angus           13                          Marion          12                          Margaret         8                          Norman          6                          Mary              3     Died 6-1-53                          Neil               Inf P/N    £17-12-5  Very eligible man.  Appointed Constable on board the Priscilla.

McKENZIE        Duncan          25    Coillemore     Lord MacDonald     250                  Christy           24                             Mary              2                              Mary born at sea Died 8-12-52 P/N    £8-11-10       Very Poor family.

McKENZIE         Murdoch       29    Coillemore     Lord MacDonald     251                   Catherine       29                              John                8                              Mary              6                              Kenneth          4                              Ann                1    Died 3-12-52 P/N £16-5-8    Son of Murdoch no 252. Strictly within the  regulations of the Emigration Commissioners, but not a very  good family on account of the number of young children.

McKENZIE         Murdoch       63    Coillemore     Lord MacDonald    252                    Catherine       63                              John              20                              Mary             18                              Christy           40 P/N    £52-2-11     Hale old man, family well clothed

McKENZIE         Neil            60    Sconser        Lord MacDonald    253                    John            29                              Ann             25                              Frank          23                              Kate            20 P/N    £35-4-11    Sons and daughters eligible.

McKINNON        Neil             55    Coillemore     Lord MacDonald    254                     Christy         24                               Elizabeth      22                               Rachel         20                               Rory            18                               Alexander    12 P/N    £31-4-4     (Neil widower)  Very poor family.  Children very eligible.

McKINNON        Angus          47    Coillemore     Lord MacDonald    255                     Ann             44                               Christy        23                               Duncan       21                               Catherine    19                               Alexander   18                               Christy        15                               John            13                               Marion        12                               Angus            8 P/N    £36-5-0  Very poor and destitute family,  but a very suitable one for Australia.

McINTOSH         Lachlan         35    Achnahannait   Lord MacDonald     256                   Margaret       30                              Christy          28 P/N   £11-7-9           Eligible young people. _

McLEOD           Donald       33    Tormichaig     Lord MacDonald    257                   Effy            30                             Christy         7                             Mary           4                             Flora           2                             Kate           1 P/N    £14-7-0     Very poor family

McKENZIE         John           20      Sconser        Lord MacDonald     258                   Jane            19       (wife)                              Mary           23                              Murdoch     19 P/N    £22-15-6     Eligible young people

MacAULAY        Angus    55    Kildonan  Alexander McDonald of Lyndale     259                   Ann           47                               Donald     20                               Ann          24                               Flora        22                               Kate        14                               Marion     18                               Donald       1       Died 21-11-52 P/N    £39-7-10    Very poor and destitute,  but a good family for Australia.

McDONALD        Alexander       58    Sheader, Uig   Lord MacDonald     260                     Margaret        52                                Effy                27                                Donald           24                                Catherine       21                                Murdoch       18                                Mary             16                                Anne               8 P/N     £47-19-11       Very poor family, but a  very suitable one for Australia.

McDONALD         Duncan          55    Upper Lachasy  Lord MacDonald    261                       Marion          50                                 Alexander     21                                 Isabella         20                                 Angus           15                                 Peggy           14                                 Archibald      11 P/N    £47-12-11      Very poor family but a good  one for Australia.

McKENZIE         Alexander       35    Uig            Lord MacDonald     262                    Marion           22                               Donald          Inf      Died 6-11-52 P/N    £9-4-4      Eligible couple.

MATHESON         Effy                 20    Uig            Lord MacDonald     263                      Alexander       18 P/N   £7-10-10   Brother &  sister  Eligible young people.

To More Passengers of the "Priscilla" (264 - 295)

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