Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-06


other one of note is putting the stone"
1t is difficult to understand where and
how ''courtingn is accomplished. My
friend lived nearly five years in Skye, and
he asserts that in that time he never saw q
couple walking together for pleasure who
were known to be lovers. Two instances
of their matter-of-fact ways, where affairs
of the heart are concerned, came under his
personal notice. A young man proposed
for the hand of a neighbor's younger
daughter. The crofter father decided that
the elder should be first married, and the
young courtier obediently took her away.
apparently perfectly contented. Another
young crofter proposed three times during
one winter before securing a bride. In
asking the fathers consent the lover is ac-
companied by a "best man, who sees that
sufficient dowry is given with the bride
"a cow, "sheltie," or one or more sheep.
as the standing of the brides father war
rants. The lovers "best man" had been
too timid to ask for this, and until one
was procured, at the third proposal, with
the bravery to ask the bridegroom's tradi-
tional dues, the sage crofter father did not
feel like trusting his daughters fortunes
where prospective son-in-lsw showed
such improvidence regarding his own.
There is one prevailing custom among
them where labor and pleasure are very
winsomely blended, and this may provide
all necessary preliminaries to crofter ma
tings. 1t is called ''waulking the CLOTH"
that is f'fulling' the cloth. The express
sion doubtless has its derivation, as do
many other Scottish provincial words
and idioms, from the old German.
Waukmuller is old German for fuller;
and 'twaukern or "waulk- miller has the
same Specification in Scotch. 'sFulling"
or shrinking the fine home-spun woolens
is common occupation of the women
during the winter evenings. In this op-
Grafton of "waulking the cloth" a half
dozen women, usually grown lassies, sit
on each side of a long, wide deal table
The dampened cloth is held firmly be-
tween them, and each side in turn strike
the cloth sharply upon the table. They
do this with very pretty swaying mo-
ton, while the leader sings and the re-
this is in progress the young men begin
to arrive singly and in groups. Some
one has brought bagpipe, perhaps an
other a violin, although the latter is of
quite recent introduction. Shrill accom-
paniments then often inspire the lassies
at their labor and singing; but in no 9TH
er manner will the lads interfere until, the
'stint" of "waulking" for the evening be-
ing accomplished, dancing generally fol-
lows. AT marriages in Skye the whole
neighborhood follows the bridal couple in
body to the church. The bride and at
least one bridesmaid wear tremendous
white wells, if the remainder of their cos
tunes comprise the most barbaric colors,
and the wearing of these wells is repeated
at church on the Sabbath morning follow
ing the marriage. On returning to their
home after the ceremony is performed the
bridal party is greeted along the entire way
with fusilade from all manner of rusty
| firearms and by extraordinary hallooing
and cheering. ''Sweeties' are freely dis
tributed and thrown to the children at in
| tervals. After a substantial wedding
| supper" when health and toasts are en-
Enthusiastically drunk, the night is passed in
dancing, eating and drinking; and large
number of relatives and particular friends
return the following evening to prolong
| the festivities. As the gypsy is often alb
solutely ruined by his generosity during
marriage festivities, so the fsher-crofter
pair, from the same generous cause, find
| themselves entering upon the realities of
| life sadly distressed.
The departure of these people for the
east coast in June and July is marked by
| many ludicrous and pathetic scenes They
leave in groups of from dozen to fifty.
| The entire neighborhood bids them fare
Il
time, down a long line comprising their
friends who remain, and shake hands with
and kiss, or embrace every one present
with as much intensity of emotion a.
though they We're parting from them for
| ever, instead of for but, at longest, a few
weeks. Formerly the scenes at Stornoway
were anything but elevating. Steamers
would be literally packed for the nine
hours passage to Strome Ferry, where cat
tie trucks had to be pressed into service.
Departing at different dates has lessened
the crowds; but only this year at 0ban in
a crowd of two hundred men and women
there was tremendous uproar, men leap
ing out and in through carriage windows,
and women weeping and wailing under
extraordinary excitement: drink, as usual,
being the great impelling power with these
highly-strung Highlanders. Arriving at
the east-coast fishing ports, the men and
| women are housed in separate quarters,
usually rough sheds on the herring-cu
grounds or stations" Three to nine wo-
men are huddled into single apartments.
Their tin or wooden chests form their only
seats and tables. Perhaps few designs
in cut paper and some cheap nick-nacks
may relieve the bare walls. The churches,
and especially the alert and active Free
church of Scotland, are now sending wo
men evangelists among them; and the lat
ter, who remain at the fshing-ports dur
ing the entire season, are doing o noble
work among these women both in tempo
raj and spiritual matters.
The lives of the east-coast-fisher folk ar
far less hard and sunless. The familie
almost invariably follow the vocation o
their parents; the sons to the fishing, an.
the daughters doing their part ashore il
mending the nets, batting the lines an,
selling the fish, while many work in tn
herring season with the west-coast womel
among the curers' crews. Their house
, are fairly good. They contain two anI
sometimes three and four rooms. Will
their kitchens of necessity, in batting tn
, lines, are often untidy, at least one roor
| of every house is neatly furnished, and
, always bright if humble picture of tidy
/ handed housewifery. Men, women an
: children are universally intelligent. o
the Banffshire and Aberdeenshire coasts
5 deep religious feeling and character pr
vail. They are all keen politicians, LIB
: ral' in party affiliation, and are extraord
a nary disputants in theological question:
+ their choice of language, logic and illu
Q trations comparing favorably with that ,
s their ministers. Their amusements a
y not many. Concerts are a favorite; bal
n are occasionally known; the bagpipe
g giving way to the violin; many melodio,
!, are found; and strolling acrobats al
|; mountebanks are kindly received and we
: patronized. Their old drinking custom
q are dying out; tetotalism is fast incres
70 ing; and / think that sobriety and Il
# newspaper and family journal, for th'
, are great readers, are working a happil
n directed evolution among them. But |
v these crofter and fisher folk of Scotlan
/ east and west, possesses the rugged qua
d ties of integrity, honesty, loyalty, with
N undemonstrative but sincere hospitalit
b rendering them ever patient and steadfs
Is in their lowly lives, and a folk it does o.
L good to come among and know.
" EDGAR l. WAKEMAN.
g. PRIZES.
"a