Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-28
THE HANKS OF noy.
And the Legendary Landmarks on This 0rk.
ney Island.
(All Rights Reserved.)

$3.50 ~ A~cJ "nASh IL ny IdI Tile pref
test island in the group with wild
mountain scenery and secluded valleys
We sailed In the yacht from Houton
Harbor to the usual landing place on
Hoy called Salwick Little. Although
Hoy is one of the largest islands IL
has not much population. there are not
five hundred people in the island. Sal
wick Little consists Of about half a
dozen cottages and lies at the foot of
Ward Hill, the highest point in the
Orkneys. The people Of Hoy are
known by the nickname of Hawks, +"
and are credited with being more plain
and outspoken than Highlanders gen
orally are. l was told an amusing story
by the clergyman Of Orphir concerning
this A Hoy Hawk" went to his min
lister and said, "Oh! sir but the ways
of Providence are wonderful! thoct /
had met with sair misfortune. wi1n
lost bath my COO and my wife at aimee
over the cliff, twa months sin; but /
2aed over to Graemsay, and I hae
gotten a far better COO and a far bon
nier wife," At one time Hoy is sail
to have been a great resort for eagles
but now they are rarely, IL ever seen
there.
AS most Of our party had explored
Hoy before. all, except another girl and
myself. decided to stay on board and
fish. so the men rowed us ashore ami
we started first to visit the Dwarfic
stone. We found 1t very rough walk
the road being nothing but cart
track. We might indeed have gone by
the Hoy express" and so saved our
selves the trouble OF the climb. but on
looking at the conveyance we decided
that walking would be just as quick
and probably more agreeable. Hoy
express" sounds very grand, one would
expect to see coach and four or
something similar. but the reality IS
Il ramshackle old cart drawn by a yoke
of oxen.
The Dwarfie stone has been immor-
taliZed by Sir Walter Scott in the
Pirate. 1t was here that Norma used to
come and sit. and where finally by
means Of an incarnation she sum-
moned Trolld, the elfin dwarf. who had
once made the Dwarfie stone his dwell
ling. ne
The stone lies in a lonely secluded
PIdCc btlNctil tNO UlilS. Is dDOul
thirty-two feet long and half as broad.
and was probably the residence of some
melancholy hermit. 1t has been hol-
lowed out inside into three chambers.
the one in the centre being very mar
row. was probably used as a fire. place
There is round hole in the top which
served to let in the light and to let out
the smoke. In one room there is a bed
and pillow cut out Of the stone large
enough for two people to lie upon at
full length. At the other end is a
couch fashioned in the same way.
Above the Dwarfie stone are the Craw
Hamers great cliffs Of sandstone from
which the Dwarfie stone itself is sup
posed to have fallen. Above, on the
face of Ward Hill, the enchanted car
buncle, to which Norma refers in her
musings at the Dwarfie stone was at
one time to be seen; but the people OF
Hoy now regard 1t as a myth Norma
says: often when watching by the
Dwarfie stone with mine eyes fixed on
the Ward Hill which rises above that
gloomy valley, / have distinguished
among the dark rocks that wonderful
carbuncle which CLEANS ruddy as a
furnace to them that view it from be-
meath, but has ever become invisible to
him whose daring foot has scaled the
precipices from which it darts it's splen-
dor" The enchanted carbuncle was
nothing more or less than the reflec-
ton of the sun shining on a beautiful
clear spring near the top of the Ward
Hill.
We had intended to walk round the
northern end of Hoy which is called
the Kane pronounced to rhyme with
team to the western side where is the
Old Man of Hoy, tall rock standing
in the sea; but it was getting late and
they signalled from the yacht for us to
return. We reluctantly retraced our
steps to the shore and were soon on
board the Malwyn again, and we start
ed for Houton. On the way back a
dredge was put down and among the
various creepy crawlies" as the chill
least they are called clans here, but
they are not at all like the clans we
get in Maine, they are more like seal
lops, but are very delicious to eat.
We had delightful sail home by
moonlight which we all enjoyed es-
pecially as we shall not have many
more this year for our stay here is
drawing to a close and another fort
night will find us all back in England
and Orkney will be only a pleasant
memory.
IDA MAY COUSINS.
WnYk OF tho Qanuor hOnr,o hos hoo,