Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-20
LIFE IN THE ISLE OF sYKE.
The Spirit of Resentment That Inequsii-
ties Have Developed Among t2e Poe

Il nave Utttl III AAlt ASlC VI t24AJ SNA~~H
said Henry George, the land-question az
itator, to a representative of the Indian
apolis Journal, "the last time being in
January of this year. spent New Years
day riding in an open machine-every-
thing on wheels is there called "a ma
chine.' was afraid to take a covered
vehicle for fear it would be blown down
some precipice by the fierce winds that
We're then prevailing. The island lies
between the lines of latitude 81 degrees
and IS degrees, northwest Of the Scottish
mainland. Theisland furnished England
many troops during the Revolutionary
war and more during the wars with Ma
poleOn."
hat is the populationW
''About $1,000 now, and the entire
island is owned by eleven men, the prin-
cipal owner being Lord Macdonald, who
is now in Australia. lie has been telling
the newspapers there that the only trou-
BILE in skye was caused by that fellow
George. The crotters, who have been fire.
quently mentioned lately in the disturb
ances on the island, are simply small
farmers. They speak Gaelic and resemble
very much the people of Western Ireland.
They are, in fact, the same people, that
part of ScOtOnd having been settled from
Ireland centuries ago. These croiters
have been driven of the best lands, which
have been given up to sheep and cattle,
and have been forced to cultivate the
poorer portions of the island, where they
cannot make a living off the land, and
exc il out by fishing and by going to the
mainland during the harvest season to
work. In these crOfters huts you md
the spinning-wheel and hand-l0om stu IN
use, while the cultivation of their bleak
acres is carried on with a primitive in
strument that was in use thousand
years ago, and which they call "A crocklt
spade.' They use seaWeed for manure,
which the women carry on their backs in
creels. The peat which they burn for
fuel is transported IN the same way.
Their cabins are miserable huts, with
dirt floors, in the centre of which usually
a peat fire is kindled, the smoke finding
its way as itcan through the thatch on the
roof, as a chimney would carry of too
much heat,
"They are, however, an intelligent and
most virtuOus people. They are deeply
religious, all Presbyterians, and the meet
ings / addressed there were invariably
opened with prayer. These cr0tters have
been absolutely at the mercy of the land
lords. As one of them said to me: We
have feared the landlords more than we
feared God Almighty; we have feared the
faetOr the landlords agent, the steward
of the estate more than the landlord, and
the ground officer more than the factor
The representative of the landlord has, in
fact, had over them The power OF life and
death. At word from him they can be
thrust forth from their homes. If one of
them managed to get possession of a gun,
"a rvnT111 eiparaIv pr1ar him tp trixf
it up. They are not allowed TO keep dogs,
and have heard of cases where, when
they got sheep or two, they were COM
PEELED to cut their Threats, lest the sheep
should stray upon grounds of the sheep
farmers. large tenants to whom land
from which the people has been driven
was left.
''But their ancient spirit is reviving,
and they no longer tremble in such abject
fear as they did. l was at place called
Uig, in Skye, on Jan. last, when a factor
came there to collect his rent. According
to previous usage the tenants would have
all waited upon him, hat in hand, to pay
their rent, but this time they were ali at the
great meeting which we held on the bluff,
and the factor went of without getting "a
penny. Some of the most enthusiastic of
my auditors on that occasion were Eng
lish marines who had been sent up there
to awe and brighten the people. / found
that these marines had also become thor
Oughly imbued with the notion that the
landlords were mere usurpeTs. and some
of them were thOrOugh-gOing republicans,
and longing to see the day when the abb
surdity Of royal family would be done
away with. These Skye crOfters have
thorough grasp of the first principles.
They believe that God made the land and
that He made it not for few men like
Lord Macdonald, but for all His children
whom He calls INTO being upon il. They
have among them many really eloquent
speakers. On my recent visit ! was ac-
2empanied by prominent Aberdeen soil
citor Mr.. ID. c. Macdonald, who is ma
tive of one OF the Hebrides or Western
Islands, and speaks Gaelic fiuently. l
would speak In English and he would
speak IN Gaelic to the crofters. The apos-
ties Of the land movement in skye are
John Mcpherson, the Glendale Martyr
as he is called, having been one Of the
men imprisoned for his advocacy Of pOpu-
lar rights, and Rev. Donald McCallum, a
minister Of the established Presbyterian
Church, man of great force Of character
and rare eloquence.
'''rhe same spirit which prevails in Skye
is everywhere showing itself throughout
the Highlands. But the Highlanders are
poor and weak, and can Of themselves ac-
complish little. IL was for this reason
that i spent most Of nv time dur
ing my recent visit in the lowlands
Of Scotland, where the political
strength lies. The crofters need en-
cOuragement and support, ard / am glad
70 see that movement has been started
by some Of their countrymen in the
United States TO furnish them material
aid. A committee has been formed in
Chicago, with Rev. Duncan McGregor at
Its head. know nothing OF their plans,
but am in full sympathy with their pur-
poses, as every man who knows the op-
pressions under which this people labor
must be. 1 hope some means will be
taken to secure for them the aid Of their
cOuntrymen on this side OF the Atlantic.' -
"You had some difficulty with the Duke
Of Argyll" suggested the reporter. Il be.
lieve he pleasantly styled you such a
prophet Of iniquity as the world had never
before SEEM
"Yes," said Mr.. George. "the Duke Of
Argyll wrote an article for the Nineteenth
Centurp M0gGziRe entitled The Prophet
OF San Francisco In which be attacked
me. ] had not intended 10 reply TO il, but
my Scotch friends would not let me 20 un
I'll had promised 20 do so. Without at
tsching so much Importance tc
anything the Duke Of Argyll said
j replied 10y an article i'm the
nineteenth Century entitled The Reduc-
ton 10 lniquity.' These articles have
been Uriutpd foWaf hpr both IA, tho ,tto,