Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-02

Sketch Of These Picturesque Though
Unfrequented Islands.
A Romance Of the Old Days When Pirates
Were Heroes.
Orphir. July 16 1907

10 the ordinary TOURIST the OrkneyS
seem too far away to be worth the
trouble of visit, and SO they rarely
come father north than John o. Greats
In reality the journey is not so long or
tiresome as il appears, and there are
several routes to choose between. Peo-
pie who are fond OF the sea can sail
from Liverpool all up the west coast If
Scotland and through the Hebrides
calling at Oban and Stomoway. The
trip by sea takes about three days as
the steamers generally anchor at night.
Those who perfer travelling by land can
go to Thurso, and then cross the pent-
land Firth by the little mail steamer.
st. Olaf which plies six days a week
between Kirkwall, Stromness and the
Scottish mainland: but the most con-
venient way is to sail from either Leith
or Aberdeen to Stromness which takes
only II hours.
We chose the latter way and left
Aberdeen one evening at 5 O'Clock. The
steamer was due to start at S. but could
not get the freight loaded in time. Ii
consisted principally Of empty barrels
for the herring fishing.
At I O'Clock next morning we were In
Stromness. My first glimpse OF the
town was certainly not inviting There
was a fine rain falling which seemed to
penetrate right through one, and the
streets were very dirty. However, after
breakfast the rain stopped and we pro-
cured a carriage. or machine" rs
every Of conveyance is called here
Some of our party drove with the lug
gage while the others, including my
self. rode our bicycles. We found the
roads frightfully muddy. and the wind
was very strong against us so that
cycling was anything but easy or en-
joyable, and it ended in our walking
most of the way.
Orphir is small. struggling village
between Kirkwall and Stromness
There is one shop. known as THE
stores" a school, and two churches. ~
one the established church Of Scotland
and the other is called the Free church
The only difference between them is
that the ministers of the former are
paid by the state. while those of tn !.
latter are paid by contributions from
the congregation. Their doctrine rs
exactly the same, and yet they are at
daggers drawn. The Free church min
inter viii not call on us because we are
living in the Manse which belongs to
the other minister There are only two
decent houses in the ueighborhood, thu.
Alanse. and another called Swanlister
House. belonging to well-to-da
farmer The cottages in which the
fishermen and small farmers live ara
one-story stone buildings which con-
sist of one two. er, at most three
rooms. The kitchen is frequently sit
ting room and bed room as well, thu
he'd being sort OF cupboard built
against the wall Most of our shopping
is done through the pos.man, who
comes from kirkwall every morning.
He gives the orders and the things ar.
sent out by carrier, There is q post
office here, but if you want a postal
order you have generally TO wait a long
time while the postmistress hunts for
them. The people are very simple,
kind and most hospitable but very in
dependent. They VIII entertain you.
and give you the best they have. but
not one penny viii they take in pay
ment. All you can do Is TO send them
a present of fish or game for which
they are very grateful We got wet
through one day cycling and stopped NJ
Il cottage where we had some tea AMI
dried ourselves a little. There was no
one at home but an old man who asked
US to make the tea ourselves as his
'lassie was up in the heather mnding
the coos" The room was very tiny
with the usual bed-cupboard in one
corner, but was SpotlesSly clean, and
the scenes and butter we had were
delicious. There was a peat fire burn
ing in the large open fireplace. and al
together it was very cosy and com
Portable to us wet mortals.
We find our BICYCLES q great con-
venienee here. because all the ponies
are SO slow and lazy that one can al
most walk faster. SO we use the BIZ
cycles altogether, We cycled to strom
miles,and not a bad road though rather
hilly The road from Orphir joins the
main road between Stromness and
Kirkwall at the Bridge of Waith across
the Loeb of Stenness famed for its
trout fishing
Stromness is most picturesque town
situated on the slopes of the hills which
form the western boundary of the hay.
1t consists of one narrow, winding
street about a mile in length. The sea
comes right up to the houses on one
side and nearly all have little stone
piers. so that the fishermen have only
to step from their boats into their
houses. AT one time Stromness did a
considerable trade as it was the great
rendezvous of the ships belonging 10
the Hudson's Bay Company, and also
OF the Davis Strait whalers.
The view from the hills above Strom-
ness Is superb. Away to the west is
the broad Atlantic, while opposite
across the sound are the cliffs and Hills
of Hoy The low. green island OF
Graemsey lying just in front Of Hoy
forms pleasant contrast to the dark
hills and cliffs above. ON very clear
day the cliffs Of Caithnesa on the main
iand OF Scotland can be seen. but the
iishermen say it's a sign of rain when
the air is so clear.
Stromness was the birthplace Of Cow
whom Walter Scott has introduced into
his novel The Pirate" under the name
OF Cleveland. Cow went to sea ana
nothing is known of him until he re-
turned to Stromness in command Of an
oh; h.