ST. KILDA AND THE ST. KILDANS.

Kumara Times, Issue 496, 30 April 1878, Page 2

ST. KILDA AND THE ST. KILDANS.

Strangely enough, considering their isolated situation and their absolute dependence on the Hebrides for everything beyond the barest necessaries, the men of St. Kilda seem to be as timid boatmen as they are hardy fowler’s. It is true that they go out fishing in tolerable weather, but they rarely venture across the sea to the nearest island. The first and last attempt which they have made of late years proved singularly disastrous. A commodious new boat, which had been presented to them went down, as was believed, with all hands on her trial voyage. Nothing, at any rate, was heard of it for long, although there is a strange story that one of the missing men had sent a message to his friends and kinsfolk from his death-bed in the Transvaal Republic. But if the islanders do not take kindly to sea, they are entirely at home upon their cliffs. St. Kilda itself, with the group of uninhabited islets, and the “ stacks” or chimney-like rocks which surround it, is one of the most famous gathering-places of sea-birds in all these Northern seas. When anything happens to scare them from their nests, they absolutely darken the air. Nor does wholesale destruction year after year make any appreciable difference in their numbers. “ It is not easy to convey," writes Mr Seton, who paid a flying visit to the island, and circumnavigated its precipices in a steamer, “ anything like a correct or adequate concej)tion of the magnificent and fantastic outline presented by the rugged promontories and beetling headlands." And these are ail crowded on every available ledge with sea-fowls, some of the different species dwelling together in amity, others holding themselves apart in the retreats they have appropriated. Thus the solan geese—which breed, by the way, only in two other other places in Scotland besides, the Craig of Ailsa and the Bass Rock—are not to be found in St, Kilda itself, although they swarm in some of the adjacent islets. But even more than the solan, the Fulmar petrel-, which is exceedingly rare elsewhere, is the- most characteristic inha itant of the place, being worth as much to the St. Kildaa in way of profit as the reindr er to the Laplander or the camel to the Arab. He sells the feathers, which serve him besides for bedding ; he sells the pink .oil which flows freely from the bird's beak when the body is squeezed ; and be salts down the flesh for his, winter food—each family laying in several barrels. “ Deprive ns of the Fulmar,” wrbesau enthusiast ica lly grateful native, . “ and St. Kilda is no .more.” The boys are of course brought up to scramble about the cliffs from infancy, and they are regularly entered to the fowler’s trade about the age of thirteen or fourteen. There is a famous pointed roelc, called Stack Briorach, rising sheer out of the ocean, which is' “ the crucial test of their proficiency.” There is no using the rope there ; and it can only be scaled band over hand. Generally speaking, in ascending the precipices a couple of men are knotted together, so that when one gains firm footing on a ledge lie can lend a helping hand to his companion. This system of partnership, on the other hand, is apt to double the danger, as a slip or a stumble by one may prove fatal to b«th. Thus a good rope is about the most valuable article among the chattels of the St. ¥ Kddan3, and is transmitted from father to son, or to the eldest co-heiress of a family. Formerly the ropes used to be made of horsehair wrapped in plaits of salted cow-hide; now they are twisted for the most part of Manilla hemp. It appears that an exhibitio i by the cragsmen is one ..f the !-ensations of a visit to St. Kilda ; and Mr Seton declares that the feats he witn-sse! far eclipsed the perfor-m-nc>s_of a Bio .din or a Leotard. The ‘entertainment was gut up under the auspice-; ot the minister, and four or Hye of the most renowned fowlers in his flock prescatedi themselves on the top of a tremendous precipice duly equipped. Tbe man who was lowered had one cord seouicd round his waist, while lie held a secon 1 in his hand He went down laughing and singing by way of bravado, a ml skipping wh-rc lie found anything to skip upon. F eqnemly swaying back floor the ropes, ho stood out almost at a right angle from the. precipice, with nothing he- ' tween him and the ocean, OOfT feet below. Of course lie had snipped off slices and stockings, but, if we are to ' believe the thrilling representation in th -engraving that illustrates theexpioir, his naked feet must have had the grasp of hands. i

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