Tlir: (.'IKEX OF ST. KILT) A. 51 



surprise no one would consent, and it was only by 

 strategy, and a positive assurance that tlieir por- 

 traits were not beinu' taken to make fun of them, 

 that we succeeded in oljtaininii" what we wanted. 



Before passing- judgment on these poor creatures, 

 it is only fair to them to take evidence on both 

 sides of the questicm of their selfishness, and then 

 throw in a little consideration for the intluence 

 of their utter isolation and the folly of tourists 

 and other visitors who have done much towards 

 the destruction of that ideal state of unw(jrldli- 

 ness which characterised them onl\' as far back 

 as 1697, when they "contemned gold and silver 

 as l)elow the dignity of human nature." 



A curious custom prevails of electing the most 

 beautiful spinster on the island (^)ueen of St. Kilda. 

 She can, however, only till this exalted functionless 

 office so long as she remains single. 



A little while Ijack the inhabitants of a large 

 Northern English town by some means or other 

 got to know that the reigning Queen of Hirta 

 was to be m^arried on a certain date. A crowd 

 of holiday-nuikers straightway chartered a steamer, 

 and departed to witness the sight with something 

 like a Imndred pounds' wortli of })resents for the 

 bride; but they were Ijaulked of their pleasure, 

 as the young woman's father w(juld not allow his 

 daughters marriage to Ijc made the subject of 

 entertainment to a mob of vulgar Sassenachs ; 

 conserpiently the trippers had to return with their 

 presents unpresented and their curiosity unfeasted. 

 Such a wholesome assertion of dignity and denial 

 of selfishness cannot be too highly praised ; for 

 from what I saw of the behaviour of some ex- 

 cursionists wdio visited the island whilst I was 

 tliere, I have small doubt but that the old man's 

 e2 



