A PRIMITIVE COMMUNITY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2631, 14 June 1877, Page 2

A PRIMITIVE COMMUNITY.

Public interest throughout Scotland has been excised in respect of the lonely island of St. Kilda, the farthest outpost of the Hebrides, in consequence of a romantic series of events. On February 8, a life-buoy, propelled by a tiny mast and sail, came ashore on the Island of Birsay, in the Orkney group. Attached to it was a bottle containing a message, which stated that an Austrian ship had been wrecked near St. Kilda, and the captain and eight of her crew had landed there. It was added that- there wasrti scarcity of food on the island, owing to the failure of last year's crop, the inability of the usual provisionboat from Syke to; reach St. Kilda, and the increased number of mouths to feed in consequence of the wreck. The message, was signed by Mr Sands, a tourist, who had been a voluntary prisoner on the island since last June. H.M.S. Jackal, a guaboat used to protect the fisheries, was despatched to relieve the wants of the population, and she landed Mr Sands and the Austrian seamen at Greenock on 26th February. From the very interesting particulars furnished by the former to the Scotsman I select a few :—The news of the Austrian ship's misfortune was announced during the weekly prayer-meeting on Wednesday 17th January, and the whole population at once rushed to the shore, and at the risk of their lives saved, the foreign sailors, whose boat was dashed to pieces on the rocks. In order to lessen the burden of their support as much as possible, eacb man was billetted on two different families, with whom he took his meals on alternate days. At first the inhabitants shrank with horror from " the Papists," but the excellent behaviour of the Austrians soon dispelled this prejudice, and when the latter left they were much regretted. Perhaps this was partly owing to the fact that out of the 74 islanders there are 13 marriageable young women and only two marriageable young men both of whom are engaged, so that it is not surprising that one at least of the former fell deeply in love with one of the Austrians, though neither knew a wordTthe other said. The parting between the lovers is described as having been " quite of an affecting character.". Mr Sands reports that until he visited the island none of its inhabitants had ever seen an apple; they have no idea about a steamengine; even a churn is unknown, the butter they make being manufactured in a pail .being put in motion by the hands. There are no horses on the island now, but there is a superabundance of cows. The islanders had never heard of Lord Beaconsfield or the Bulgarian atrocities, but (hey took much pleasure in listening to anything about the Queen, whom they believed would send them help if she knew their need. The women weave their cloth, assisted by the men, the* latter cuttwae and making the women's dresses. Wtelic is the only language known, and education in St. Kilda never extends beyond ability to read the Scriptures iv that tongue, which nearly all can do, while a good many can also write. On Sundays there are three services, each of two hours' duration, and the church is described as "a somewhat wretched hovel," with which, nevertheless,, the,, people are quite content. It is strange to read of such an out-of-the-world community in the British Island*, only 43 miles from Harris and Uist, which can be seen from St.. Kilda on a clear day.-— Home correspondent Daily Times.