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A FLIGHT TO ST. KILDA
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inhabited one, and the
others are very bare and cliffy indeed. St. Kilda is
seven miles in circumference, and over 1000 feet in
height; while the pasturage on it and the other
islands maintains 600 sheep of a small breed, with a few
Highland cattle. None of these sheep are exported, but
are all, as publicans say, “consumed on the premises,”
so the people must feed fairly well. The wool of the
sheep is not clipped with shears as with us, but plucked
off with the fingers, as is the custom still in
Shetland. This custom, it is said, is good for the
wool, but cannot be pleasant, one would say, for the
sheep.
The island is always
called by the natives Hirt (pronounced Hirst),
but we call it St. Kilda, after its first Christian
missionary, who was, it is supposed, a scholar of
Columba of Iona. There are at present 70 inhabitants on
it, old and young. These find shelter, if not comfort,
in eighteen one-storey houses, roofed with zinc, coated
with pitch. (See Illustration.) There is no
level land save a little in front of the houses, which
is used for growing potatoes with a little oats and
barley. I saw no kitchen vegetables such as we are
accustomed to here, and I did not observe a single
garden flower.
When we were being landed in the boat, I was surprised
to hear what I might call a joke from one of the hands,
to break the prevailing solemnity. The lad who was
steering us was seated beside me, and as I had, through
the kindness of some Hydro friends, been entrusted with
some packages of sweets to give away, and he looked
pleasant and affable, I thought I would begin with
him; so putting on my most benignant smile, I
accosted him with the remark — “You will have a
sweetheart, I suppose?” His reply was delightful, “OF
COURSE.” “Then, will you give her this packet of sweets
with my compliments?” I had no difficulty in getting
rid of my sweets, although I confined my attentions
exclusively to the fair sex, as I had been enjoined to
do. I believe I was enjoined, also, to give them to the
best looking ones; but this I confess I did not do, as I
don't see why plain looking people should be snubbed in
this way. I am pleased to inform you, however, that the
girls of St. Kilda are in general very good-looking.
They have
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