The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-28 00:00:00

roof, or nearly so, much like the houses of oriental nations.
The place where their lot has been cast is subject to violent
squalls , and furious hurricanes ; and were their houses
raised higher, the first winter storm would likely bring them
down. On this account the flat roofs seem to be necessary.
The walls are made of a rough gritty kind of stone, huddled
up apparently in haste and from eight to ten feet high,
without either lime or mortar. In the heart of the walls are
the beds, which are overlaid with flags, and large enough to
contain three persons. In the side of each bed is an open-
ing by way of door, but low and narrow. The houses are
divided into two apartments by partition walls. In the divi-
sion next the door, which is much the largest, the cattle are
kept during the winter season ; the other serves for kitchen,
hall, &c. _

It will be suspected that the inhabitants of St. Kilda are
very slovenly and inelegant. It is impossible to defend
them on this point. Their manner of preparing a sort of
manure, or compost, to them indeed of immense use, proves
great indelicacy. After having burnt a quantity of dried
turf, they spread the ashes with the nicest care over the
floor of that apartment in which*they eat and sleep. These
ashes, so exactly laid out, they cover with a rich friable sort
of earth ; over this they scatter a proportionable quantity
of peat dust ; this done, they water, tread, and beat the
whole into a hard layer : on this again they make new fires,
and carry on in the same manner till they have a sufficient
stock. By the time they are ready to sow their barley, the
floors of their houses, from these operations, are raised 4 or
5 feet high. The people of St. Kilda are not shorter-lived
than other men. Their want of those articles of luxury
which naturally tend to destroy the constitution, and their
moderate exercises, produce this result. Most of the deaths
occur in infancy. Besides the houses above described there
area great number of little cells on the island, consisting
entirely of stones, without an inch of timber. These calls
are from 12 to 18 feet in length, and about 7 feet in height.
The St. Kilda method of catching wild fowl is entertain-
ing. The men are divided into parties, consisting generally
of four persons, distinguished for agility and skill. Each
party must have at least one rope, about thirty fathoms long;
this rope is made out of a strong raw cow hide, salted for
the purpose, and cut in a circular manner into three thongs
of equal length ; these thongs being closely twisted toge-
ther, form a three-fold cord, able to sustain a great weight,
and durable enough to last for two generations; it is
sheathed with sheep-skins, dressed in nearly the same man-
ner, to prevent injuries from the sharp edges of rocks. The
possessor of a rope of this kind is a man of substance in St.
Kilda. In a father's will, it makes the first article in fa-
vour of his eldest son ; and, in default of male heirs, should
it fall to a daughter, she is reckoned to be worth the best
two cows in the islands.

By the help of these ropes, the people traverse and exa-
mine rocks prodigiously high. Linked in couples, each
having an end round his waist, they frequently go over the
most dreadful precipices : when one descends, the other
plants himself at a strong shelf, and takes so sure a footing
there, that if his fellow makes a false step and tumbles over,
he is able to save him. This method of fowling resembles
that of the Norwegians, as described by Bishop Pon-
toppidan.
To the venerable Principal Baird, we believe, this island
owes a debt of gratitude, in blessing it with a minister of
the gospel of Jesus. The Rev. Mr. M'Kenzie has been
labouring in word and doctrine amongst this people for four
years. He " left his home and his native land" to proclaim
unto them the glad tidings of great joy. Mrs. M'Kenzie
said she was as happy at St. Kilda as if at Glasgow (her
native city) ; but complained that, though she often endea-
voured to show the St. Kildans the necessity of cleanly
habits, they turned a deaf ear, and appeared to be satisfied
as they are. Ten young children; she mentioned, died last
year, which is a great number, considering the population.
Before leaving the island we were called to witness a very
interesting ceremony—the baptism of the Rev. Mr.
M‘Kenzie's child, eight months old.
Having all got on board again, we set off for Skye, Staffa,
and lona, at which places we landed, admired their several
beauties and curiosities, and then steered for Oban, which
place we reached on Tuesday at twelve o'clock, all highly
delighted with the voyage.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MARLBORO UGH-STREET.

An elderly person, between fortyand fifty years of age,
whose dress bespoke great distress, waited upon Mr.
Chambers in consequence of the parish officers of St.
George's, Hanover-square, refusing to relieve him.
The applicant attended at the office on Saturday, when
he stated that he was under the necessity of applying for
assistance in consequence of not being in a bed for a week,
and not having tasted food for two days. He had for-
merly been one of the most extensive merchants and agents
in India, and was well known to Mr. Cutlar Fergusson and
Mr. Buckingham, M.P. He said he had claims to an
enormous amount on the Court of Directors of the East
India Company ; that a memorial in support of his claim
had been presented ; and that Mr. Buckingham, at the
commencement of the ensuing Session, was going to bring
his case before Parliament.

Mr. DYER, after objecting to the applicant making use
of the names of gentlemen, gave him a trifle, with part of
which he went and obtained a lodging in Shepherd-street,
in St. George's parish.
• From further inquiries it appeared that the name of the
applicant is James Freenfield Doubleday, and that he went
out to India about twenty-eight years ago, where he be-
came acquainted with an Indigo planter, of the name of
Smith, who left him his property, on which he took the
name of his patron—that he subsequently became possessed
of indigo, cotton, and saltpetre factories—also a rum distil-
lery, and a tannery—all of which are standing in different
Presidencies. In 1820 his property was seized, for which
he brought an action, which was tried in August 1822, in
the Supreme Court, Calcutta, his advocate being Mr. C.
Fergusson ; but, although he obtained a verdict, he was
unable to get back his property. Five years ago he re-
turned to England to obtain his father's property, on which
he took his paternal name, and to a certain extent succeeded.
In consequence of his being cheated out of a considerable
sum, he became reduced to his present situation.
Mr. CHAMBERS informed the applicant, as he bad seen
Mr. Dyer in the first instance, he had better renew his ap-
plication when Mr. Dyer arrived.

LAMBETH-STREET.
THE CASZ or ATTEMPTED MURDER.—Yesterday Mil-
ler, the chief-officer of this establishment, reported to Mr.
WALKER that he had been to the residence of Martha
Clements, the female who had been, as stated in The Sun
of yesterday, so seriously stabbed by her late lover, and
found -her-still living. On conversing with her, she said
that she had-passed a comparatively•easy night, and felt no
pain whatever from the wound in the abdomen, but those
on her thigh and breast were very sore. The unfortunate
sufferer being without the slightest comforts or assistance
so necessary in her unhappy situation, and, in fact, in want
of the common necessaries of life, he, Miller, advised the
landlord who had applied to him to know what was best to
be done, from the extreme urgency of the case, to accom-
pany him to the office and apply to the Magistrates.
Mr. WALKER said the best coarse would be to apply to
the overseers of the parish where she resided.
The applicant then left the office, and in a short time af-
terwards Mr. WALKER. and a county Magistrate, who was
on the Bench at the time, proceeded to the lodgings of the
female sufferer, and, after seeing her, contributed to her
immediate pecuniary wants.