Loch Ness Monster legend. 12th-century manuscript copy of the 7th-century work 'Life of St Columba' by Adamnan of Iona. The Latin text contains the earliest report of a monster associated with Loch Ness. Saint Columba and his companions were in the land of the Picts when they came the burial of a man by the River Ness. The man had been swimming in the river when he was attacked and killed by a 'water beast'. Saint Columba commands the beast to go. The beast is mentioned on line 14 and Ness is mentioned on line 19. This page is from the 12th-century 'Lives of Saints'. For a cropped image of the text mentioning the beast, see image C027/0567.