43 WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA. 



into a safe place. When this had, however, been 

 accomplished, they had nothing to do but speculate 

 often and lavishly as to its value, and the fortune 

 it would probably make for them all when its 

 owner turned up to claim it. Alas, when the 

 factor called the following summer, it was dis- 

 covered to be only an old iron buoy that had 

 broken loose from its moorings in New York 

 harbour and drifted across the Atlantic. It now 

 lies at Dunvegan, in Skye, an object of consider- 

 able curiosity to trippers, but not beloved of any- 

 body hailing from St. Kilda. It was afterwards 

 discovered to have taken two years to cross the 

 Atlantic. 



There are a number of domestic Fowls on the 

 island, but their owners hold them in no great 

 esteem, as they say the birds eat more than they 

 are worth. When the enormous supply of sea- 

 birds and their eggs is taken into consideration, 

 I don't think this can be wondered at. 



At one time Seals used to visit St. Kilda in 

 such numbers that the steward took part of his 

 dues in those the people caught. I was assured 

 that this amphibian seldom comes near the place 

 now, a fact which affords a curious example of 

 the changing habits of animals. 



We saw one or two Sharks swimming about 

 in and around Village Bay, with their great dorsal 

 fins standing out of the water dark and ominous. 

 The natives said that their presence argued the 

 oncoming of rough weather, but it did not arrive 

 with particular boisterousness whilst we were there. 



The young women and children used to come 

 and sit in our cottage every evening for an hour 

 or two, knitting and munching sweets whilst they 

 listened to a round of funny stories, which they 



