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The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803-1842) (about)
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Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article625455
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BIG SAM.
Died, Guernsey, on the 6th instant, aged 40, of water in his chest, sergeant Samuel M'Donald, of the 93rd regiment, commonly known by the name of BIG SAM. He served during the American war, with his country- men, the Sutherland Fencibles, and afterwards as fugal-man in the Royals till 1791, when he was taken into the houshold of his Royal
Highness the prince of Wales, as lodge por-
ter at Carlton-house, and remained in that
capacity till 1793 ; he was then appointed a Serjeant in the late Sutherland Fencibles, and continued to act in that corps, and the 93rd regiment, formed from it, till his death. He was six feet ten inches in height, four feet round the chest, and well proportioned. He continued active till his 35th year, when he began to decline. His strength was prodi- gious, but he was never known to exert it improperly. Several considerable offers were made to engage him as a public exhibition, all of which he refused, and always disliked being stared at. Once, and only once, he was prevailed upon to make a theatrical ap- pearance, nor was this obtained from him by less authority than that of his Royal Highness, whose servant he then was. -- This took place at the Opera House, in the Haymarket, then occupied by the Drury-lane company, where Sam appeared in the appropriate character of Hercules in Cymon and lphigenia.
He walked in front of the grand and so- lemn Procession which took place in the city of Dublin, on the death of His Grace the duke of Rutland, who died during his Lord Lieu- tenancy ; and his appearance was considered as a great addition to the solemnity of the
awful scene. On this occasion he was dressed
in a black gown, which reached down to his feet, he wore a large cap, 2 feet in height, tied behind with a bunch of crape, on the front of which were the armonial bearings of the Duke, richly painted ; in his right hand he bore a wand about 8 feet in height and his appearance, as might be readily imagined, excited reverence and admiration.
When the procession had nearly closed, a shower fell, and a nobleman exclaimed, the heavens have mourn'd all day, and at length
burst into tears!