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A FLIGHT TO ST. KILDA
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nearly all large black
eyes, with hair like a raven, and cheeks “like roses wat
wi' dew.” A clerical friend on board remarked that
large black eyes lacked intelligence, but a lady
whispered to me that this was because he had grey eyes
himself!
I am thankful to say
that the St. Kildians have now got a small pier made of
cement, on which visitors may step ashore with some
degree of comfort, instead of the rough boulders from
which they often slipped into the water up to the
middle. Close beside the pier are the four important
buildings of the Church and School, which enter
off each other (see Illustration), the Manse,
the Post Office, and the Store, all of
a single storey. As every one of us had letters or
Postal Cards to send away, the Post Office was first
besieged. But alas! the halfpenny stamps gave out, so
we had to affix penny ones instead; and these were all
of the old Queen Victoria sort, of which they seemed to
have laid in a good stock, which they had not yet been
able to dispose of.
Next came the
School, which was wonderfully bright and up-to-date.
I think there might be about 25 children present,
taught by a lady teacher from Inverness, who seemed to
he doing specially good work. Sewing and cooking are
being taught for the first time. A fair library of
books, too, has been introduced. I saw an essay (on
Rain, I think) written in English by one of the
scholars, which was quite respectable, and considerably
superior to the old model we used to quote at school —
“The horse is a noble animal. It has generally four
legs, one at each corner.” The Government Inspector of
Schools had come that morning with our steamer; and in
order to let him get away with us, the school had met at
half-past six o'clock, which would rather have bothered
our Southern lazy heads!
Adjoining the School is the Church,
which was also fairly up-to-date. The old forms
had been removed and pews substituted, while oil
lamps with sconces were hung round the walls. The
minister who had been sent over to dispense the
Communion was the Rev. Mr Ross, formerly of the
Cowcaddens United Free Church, Glasgow. He told me that
he had preached every day for the fortnight |
