A VISIT TO ST. KILDA. 163 



it is broken up into ledges and turf-covered slopes, 

 on which the Fulmars especially delight to nest. 

 The Fulmar is the national bird of St. Kilda, even 

 more important to the natives than the Gannet. 

 No gamekeeper watches his preserves more jealously 

 than the St. Kildan his Fulmar nurseries, and every 

 time I went near to the cliffs where the highly- 

 prized bird was breeding, if I chanced to have a 

 gun with me, several men or boys were sure to 

 follow and warn me off the sacred spot. Every 

 St. Kildan almost constantly wears a coil of rope 

 slung round his body, and a strong clasp-knife 

 hung with a string round his neck. Formerly the 

 ropes were made of hair, and handed down as heir- 

 looms or marriage presents from one generation to 

 another. Now ropes of hemp are almost if not 

 entirely used. The dress of the St. Kildans is 

 very similar to that of the Highland peasants 

 generally, and shoes and stockings are dispensed 

 with except on Sundays and special occasions. 

 Only Gaelic is spoken, but the minister converses 

 in English with his visitors. 



As I was anxious to obtain a few examples of 

 the Fulmar, I got Donald M'Queen, the best crags- 

 man and fowler in the island, to accompany me 

 one evening to his allotment in the cliffs for the 



