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A FLIGHT TO ST. KILDA
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proprietors of St. Kilda and of much of
the land hereabout. The Castle dates as far back as the
ninth century, although the main portion was the work of
Roderick More, who was knighted by King James VI.
Although somewhat old-fashioned externally, the rooms
are comfortable, and contain some relics of the Jacobite
rising; amongst others, a white satin vest embroidered
by Flora Macdonald for Prince Charlie. There is also an
old Hebridean Drinking-horn, and the green silk Fairy
flag described by Sir Walter Scott in his notes to the
“Lord of the Isles.” Near the Castle is the site of the
College for pipers, founded by the M’Crimmons, very
celebrated in their day. Behind the Castle are two
flat-topped hills called “Macleod's Tables.” And off
the coast are two picturesque rocks, called “Macleod's
Maidens,” rising sheer out of the sea.
In the Castle Hall there are a number of
Assegais or shields from South Africa, with skins of
various beasts of chase obtained by some of the Macleods
who had travelled there. On the seaward side the Castle
stands on a cliff, resembling Tantallon or Culzean
Castle in Ayrshire. The lady who showed us through the
house was a German, who spoke English so badly that it
was next to impossible to know what she said. But there
was one thing that struck me with pleasure. The flag
was flying from the tower to show that the family were
at home, and we hesitated to ring the bell, but were
assured that the house was always open to visitors, no
matter who were at home. Even the Chief was there, and
spoke to one or two of us, saying he would have
conducted us through the rooms himself had it not been
that he was just going off to London, and was engaged in
preparatory business. The whole was quite in keeping
with the old Highland style, where Noblesse oblige is
the ruling law.
I would rather draw a veil over the
passage from Harris to St. Kilda. It was night, and the
Atlantic was rather unruly, and many of the passengers
were very uncomfortable. But fifty miles does not last
for ever; and at two o'clock on Thursday morning we cast
anchor in St. Kilda Bay, with a clear moon shining over
us. (See Illustration.) We had to wait here till the
ferrymen came out for us — fare sixpence a head. We
were told that the steamer would leave |
