The morning call., 1890-12-14
CRoFTERs LOVE THEIR HOMES
Where the Highland and Inland Fish
ermen Live-The Style of Cab
ins-The Universal Teapot and
Bannock-Pan Stand Guard by the
Fire-The Furniture Is an Odd
tumble of Ancient Oak.
Special to THE SUNDAY CALI.

- dustry now annually providing
Tor the worlds food supply over 1,lO0 600
barrels OF cured heIlings, some account Of
the everyday life of the 60, o0O or 20, 900 peo-
pie who practically devote their lives to this
one vocation will be of interest TO American
readers. Fiye-siXthS of all the herripgs
taken are landed within the seventeen
fishing districts Of the east coast Three
tourihS Of these are taken off the Aber-
deem, Banff, Elgin, Ross, Sutherland, Cath
ness, Orkney and Shetland shores, and of
the fishermen and "curers' crews" requisite
Tor labor in this imperial domain of the
herring, fully two-thirds come here every
summer season from the fisher-crofter ham
lets OF the Scottish west coast. from all the
contiguous coastwiSe islands north of the
Null OF Cantyre, from Syke, from Harris
and Lewis, from North and South Uist, and
from all the little ocean-girdled specks
fringing the outer Hebrides.
After these men and women return to their
western homes in September, the crops of
their little croftS are to be gathered. These
comprise cats, bit of sickly grass for the
hay of The 'beasties" in winter, potatoes
and the universal Scotch kali" or cabbage
Then the women take their knitting and
hand-l0oms, and if there be winter herring
fishing in the sea lochs near their homes
this is prosecuted by the men in small open
boats OF Is 20 % feet keel, at much bodily
rlsk and under t0rtuous seventies of wind
and weather. In these boats all the fire they
can have for cooking and warmth is carried
and
KEPT IN HUGE IRON POTS,
And in sleeping they tumble down any
where IN their Sea-cothing and oil-skinS
and cover themselves with rags or sails. If
likely to remain for q time on the lochs they
with brackep." coarse fern also used in
thatchlng their homes. If there be no fish,
ing the natives have little or nothing
TO do from the harvest" until March
and April, when the cutting Of seaweed
for manure begins, and later, when
done. Among these primitive people the
rights" of women to at least labor were
long since beyond gainsaying. l have seen
the husband lift a half-barrel 90 pounds)
upon his wife's back and calmly walk home
beside her. In peat-cutting time, when
the days work Is done the husband will
throw the crooken wooden spade over
his shoulder. and the wife, gathering her
skirts into an ample sack, will carry some
times for miles to the croft weight of peat
for immediate use under which Highland
sheltie would stagger. And my friend,
David NJ. Rosie, Fishery Board officer to
whom l am indebted for much exact infor-
nation, tells me of an incident OF sea-weed
cutting where crofter's wife, with rope
tied about her waist, was lowered over a
crag to gather sea-weed among the slippery.
spume-covered rocks, while her philosophic
husband, safely ensconced in sunny cleft
above. was quietly enjoying his pipe
But neither the Highland nor island crofter
must be judged by our standards. No
human beings love their wives and homes
more loyalty than they. All lowly classes
following the sea or the lives of fishermen
regard the mans labor done when his vessel
is anchored in port or his fshing-bus is
beached at the fishing hamlet shore, so that
the fishing crofter and his spouse are con-
tentedly additionally correct in their ad-
justment of labor and duty.
The home of the western Highland and
Island fisher-crofter is much inferior to that
of the east-coast fisherman or even of The
northern Highland crofter. Nearly all their
cabins are built on a line with the slope of
a brae or hillside, the rear roof-slope
forming an obtuse angle. The walls are
never more than six feet high, oftener
but FIVE; but they are very frequently
four feet thick. They are built of round
or rubble stone. Some of the walls are
double, with layer OF earth between for
additional warmth. The roof-beams rest
On the middle of the walls, and are laid at
the same angle on three sides, with a
lesser angle on the hillside incline. Some
are neatly matched with straw; but many
are covered with bracken or heather
You can never effect an entrance to one of
these structures through the single door
without pushing aside a COW, sheep. OF
capacious doorway or occupying a part of
the hut itself, meagerly
PARTITToNED OFF FOR A BYRE.
On entering you are nearly suffocated with
smoke. The place is dark. There are two
or three small windows. Often there are
none, small apertures, closed at night,
admitting such light and air as can pene-
traIe. The fire is seldom allowed to 90
out. and when not blazing brightly in
use, smokes and smudges from a slight
depression in the center of the floor, pre-
cisely as in Sioux Indians teepe. Some
of these fre-places, if they may be so
called. are built in little stone troughs,
and fiat slabs of stone surround them.
Immediately above the fire, in the center
of the roof, is an aperture in which is set
half-barrel, or other device to answer
the place OF stOye-pipe or chimney.
about the cabin, find its chief exit here.
The roof is black as night from smoke de-
posts, and here and there on the poles
glislening, oily substance, from the moist
ure in the thatch and the action of the
peat smoke. is forming into tiny globules
ready for dropping. and whatever they fall
upon is indelbly stained. An iron chain
hanging from the roof supports the huge
round iron pot In which the potatoes, the
porrldge, and the kail-brose are cooked;
while the universal teapot and hammock
pan or griddle stand endless guard beside
the fire. One room usually comprise, the
interior; although a bedroom with its
roof slanting down to the very ground,
will occasionally be found. The furni-
iture is an odd tumble of ancient. oak
and later-day things in varnish; cloudy
DELPHI and radiant china; 0lden iron and
pewter and cheap timed utinsels; Gaelic
wooden "methers" and Brumagen things
which shine. There are square hunks for
beds in which whole family can rep0Se;
genuine antiques here and there such as
m offap hQ fannd n fha lnuUlv hompa 0f
Brittany; trundle-beds which are hidden
beneath larger ones by day, and do ser
vice anywhere by night; and here and there
the seafaring instinct has caused the rigging
OF ilammocks from rotten nets. or more in
genious ones still from lines and barrel
slaves. Creels and tubs are many and
various. Chests black and huge are ranged
along the walls. And there are chairs CEN
structed from driftwood or tree-limbs and
seats of Square-hewn stone.
TIE food of these people in general use
is :" loaf bread" from Glasgow, which
is, unfortunately, supplantiDg the more
healthfU oat-cake and pOrridge. potatoes,
fish and tea. The few oats they raise are
not made into meal. These are reserved
for the cattle, and there are few instances
where they are not compelled to purchase
city manufactured cat meal for food
and seed-oats for each years seeding. The
dress OF the men and women is almost ex-
clusiyely OF homespun material, the Harris
tntCuo ocluS ldiious lol neu
and durability. The odor of their garments
from impregnation with
PEAT SMOKE,
Is at first very disagreeable to strangers.
lBOth men and women are fond OF c0lOred
materials, especially in handkerchiefs, neck
ties and scarfs, and. on occasion, some won
derful combinations result l have seen
blue gown, a red tartan shawl and a huge
white bonnet displayed by most modest
and retiring young woman. But intercom-
muDication with Glasgow. which is the Lon
don of these folk. is gradually modifying
these peculiarities of dress. Their outdoor
amusenents are meager This is most no.
ticeable at the schools where the children
far less enthusiasm and skill than with the
fsher-children Of the east coast. "Shinty,"
or as they call 1t in Skye. ''clubs," is the
prevailing youths game. and the only other
one of note is quitting the stone"
1t is difficult to understand where and
bow Counting" is accomplished. My friend