The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-12-05
ST. KlLpA.
4 Community in Which the Most Primitive
Manners sim Prevail.

Inc metnous Dy Wnlcn the lnhaDlt-
ants of ST. Kilda were recently COM
PEELED to communicate with the main
land, sending the news of their needy
condition in little boat cut from
block of wood, has brought out many
descriptions of the island. Hirt, as the
natives call it, may be regarded as the
Ultima Thule of the Hebrdes. Though
a part of North Britain, it is only in
very clear weather, and then from
considerable height, that it can be
sighted like dim cloud in the waste
Of waters beyond. Sailors sometimes
notice it in formless outline on the
horizon But its coast bears a bad
reputation, and the cautious helmsman
gives its skerries and wave-lashed cliffs
Is wide berth as he conveniently can.
When the skipper out of his reckoning
hears through the fog boom of break
ers, and high above the roar of its
waves the discordant scream of sea
fowl, he instantly sheers from local
ity so dangerous. For, romantic though
st. Kilda may be for fair weather mar
iners, the Captain who is not DESTROYS
of having an uncomfortable interview
with Mr.. Rothery prefers to leave his
curiosity ungratifed.
Once ashore, at the only landing
place, the visitor has difficulty in real
izing the fact that he is still within the
limits of the realm. The people are
courteous, and though they possess the
usual Celtic characteristics they are
unlike the Highlanders whom he
has left in Uist or Eigg, or
Harris or Skye; and even to one
familiar with Gaelic their dialect
presents certain pathological difficulties.
The island, which is barely seven miles
in circumference, is surrounded by
beetling cliffs, attaining in some places
height of twelve hundred feet, and
the moderately level ground fit for
growing patch or two of oats or po-
tatoes, or capable of affording grazing
for a few sheep, is extremely scanty.
The huts, some nineteen in number,
are almost prehistoric in structure, the
locks being made of wood and fastened
with wooden key, though so honest
are the people that even this precaution
of civilization is unnecessary. The
population does not number more than
seventy or eighty and has been gradu-
ally decreasing since 1897, when il
amounted to one hundred and eighty.
The law is represented by 'cate-
chist," who combines in his person the
functions of minister, schoolmaster and
magistrate, and who, though an ad-
mirable person according to his lights,
rather purtanical in his ideas of what
is good for his subjects. When Mr..
Sands, lived under his jurisdiction, the
three Sgreatest men in the world,
were. in the opinion of the
st. KiIdans, Prince Bismarck, Mr..
Gladstone and DR.. Begg, though il
ought to be remarked that it was only
the ecclesiastical side of their char
acter that found favor in the
eyes of the islanders. The inhab-
itants were at one time addicted
to playing the jewsharp and to dancing,
and used to greet the coming of the
seafowls with a strange song. calling
to mind the verses with which the
Rhodian Greeks welcomed the return.
ing swallow. All such carnal pleas.
ures are now eschewed. To walk on
Sunday is sin; to speak above their
breath an offense against the canon
law; and, as the worthy minister is, OF
was, the only man in possession Of q
watch, or capable of speaking English,
no one ventures to dispute his dcta.
Formerly, the islanders used to dress
in sheepskins and wear shoes made Of
the heads and necks of Solan geese.
Nowadays they weave cloth out If the
wool of their dwarf sheep, and manu-.
facture ''rullions" or moccasins ont Of
their hides.
Fishing and fowling are almost theiK
sole occupations. Men and women
climb the cliffs like goats in search o.
the eggs of the sea fowls, on which they
subsist during the winter, and even the
dogs are trained to capture the putin:
and gannets. The women work harder
than the men, undertaking most of tbs
labor which horses perform elsewhere
but the men make all the clothes, no
only for themselves, but for the Other
sex also. Children are hard tt
rear, and the entire popula
ton lie necessarily intermarrieC
Through and through. There arr
nearly twice as many women as men
and only six surnames in the who'll
island, an adjective being usual!
added for the better definition of tn
person addressed. Thus, for example
there is Callum Beag Oittle Malcolm)
or Donnell Og young Donald). Quar-
rels are unknown, in so small com
munity everybody being MORTAL.
afraid OF offending his neighbors; an
the direction of public affairs is dis
cussed by sort of island parliament
which meets every morning il front 0
the cottages. BY and by the st. Xii
dams will become extinct. A few hav
emigrated, though on the voyage t
Australia they could only be kept i
perfect health bv an occasional meal @