New-York tribune., 1903-01-31
THE HEBRIDES.
Quaint Lore from Some Little Kno1cn
Islands.

OUTER ISLES BY A. Goodrich -Freer. With IL
lustrations by Allan Barraud. octave, PIP XIV
4sS. +. p Dutton Co.
This is an account of the condition of the
Outer Hebrides and of their simple and gentle
inhabitants, which is fairly packed with odd,
attractive matter. Englishmen. as the author
says. know less about these people. well worthy
Of their friendship and interest, than they DO
about the inha bitants of New-Zealand or Cen
tral Africa. The trip which the basis Tor
his observations began at the islands of Tyree
and Coll, and then followed northward through
Barra South Uist and Eriskay, Benoecuia ana
North list Lewis Harris and the smaller ISL
ands Considera bic examination is made OF the
economic conditions. and the work OF such
bodies as the Crofters' Commission ana the
Congested Districts Board. The people endure
even wholesale eviction TO Northern Canada
with the characteristic quiet and kindly reslg-
nation which mark all their dealings with one
another. But the record OF the native peculiari-
ties manners and beliefs will probably attract
most readers more than the problems OF land
lordism. important as they are
A nicturesoue custom in Tyree is the Ceflidh,
a gathering of neighbors about an evening fre'
exchanging stories usually Of the supernatural
Second sight and the evil eye, though scoHeo
at by the less credulous, find stout defenders
such occasions. III the company "oih
itself up TO such a state of dread that 1t hardly
dares disperse, it succeeds to its best liking.
There is saying that IF Tyree does not grow
7reesr-which it emphatically does mott
grows ministers and deep-sea captains the
Gaelic universities Of an older time, which held
an important position in the world of learning
have left a love of literature and study among
these fishers and kelp gatherers OF the early
learning at Iona read:
A hundred years before the foundation OF the
earliest English university-at OXford-nonks
sent out from this little isiet in the Hehrldes
had esta ablished the universities of PaNla aid
Paris had sent professors to Cologne ana
Louvain. had semi missionaries 10 tne Nlq!ls
Angles Nercians and East SaNons. whose chief
ritv WAS London. and instructed these In the
liberal arts and had founded some seventy
mcnasteries in various parts OF the continent
To-day Gaelic is popularity considered the nm
est tongue to swear in, TO make love IN, ana 10
shuttle out of a bargain in" 1t has some OF the
qualities Of Hebrew in its tendency to metaphor
and mysticism. In Tyree there seems TO be an
intense desire for education. prompted more by
p genuine scholarly instinct than by mere ampl-
zion for -betterrnent. The people have an
innate self-respect and hospitahl courtesy 'ndI
have been the remark of all visitors Houses
are in many cases built Of f1otsam, a fact ~hlch
,nsnired NOUS man in the island of Barra TO
rrav: IF ships must in any case perish. 90
thou O Lord guide their timber with their tack
ling and rigging TO the island Of Barra and the
Sound of Watersay." In a fishing community
II might be thought that cats would thrive But
as matter of fact, though il is an Impressive
sight TO see them troop down TO the landing
rlaces when fish are being sorted, they su11er
from the prevalent wet and cold, and spend most
of their time on the rafters Of the houses IN
the warmth rising from the perpetual peat fires
A local proverb says the cats first seven years
are spent joyously and pleasantly. but that Its
other seven years are heaVy-headeo, large
headed and sleepy. If cat scratches the srouho
II is looking for a corpse, and death VIII fol-
low If il goes into pot, fish will be caught
Of Uist MacCullcch wrote TO Sir Walter Scott
that the sea is all islands, and the land all
lakes: that which is not rock is sand. and that
which is not mud is bog, and that which is not
bog is lake. and that which is not lake is seal"
in this forsaken island and in Eriskay. where
the people positively crave work and the women
go 70 the mainland in winter to earn money
curing fish, there are many curious beliefs and
customs of mixed religions and superstitious
origin Many animals are blessed, as are the sea
and the boats in the fishing season. The cock
is a sacred bird, and keeps away the powers or
darkness. There is a highly developed notion of
the envy and spite of the evil powers which are
constantly listening to mems speech. If q man
dispraise it. This would be almost fatal The
evil eye is a common peril Milking and dairy
work Of all kinds are especially subject TO be
witchment. Some people are lucky to meet
some unlucky. Luck in fishing and hunting is
so open TO the effect of chance encounter that a
man in North Uist said he often made a miles
detour TO avoid the people living in a certain
house There are several spirits, known and
dreaded. such as the fuath. aoine and the ON.
Of the aoine there is ominous but ambiguous
pro,erb: When the aoine has got il in her
mouth The raven may well start off to the
hills And when people are inclined to post
pone things till next day, they are reminded that
-'Orn is most active in the morning..
This book suggests that the Hebrides have re
tanned their medieval flavor, showing deeply
religious feeling credulous simplicity, and
an idealism in their views of life. While not
light it is gracefully written, and readable
The illustrations are from sketches made after
photographs. and map is bound in at the back