50 WITH NATURE AND A CAMERA. 



St. Kildans, and must admit that I was staggered 

 when one of them asked me in laboured English 

 " ten shilling " as an inducement for him to put 

 back a Wren's nest where he had found it inside 

 one of his cleits in order that my brother might 

 photograph it. 



Seton records an instance of some of them going 

 on board a ship that put into the bay, and after 

 having a good look round and satisfying their 

 curiosity, expecting to be paid for so doing. A 

 similar thing happened whilst we were on the island. 

 One evening a smart little yacht put in, and the 

 impetuous Irish skipper to whom she belonged 

 was so anxious to show his hospitality that he 

 dragged some of the natives who had boarded 

 him down into his saloon by their beards and 

 placed a supply of whisky and biscuits before 

 them large enough "to fill the biggest cow in St. 

 Kilda," according to their own account. This 

 gave them a magnificent opinion of him, and they 

 sang his praises loudly when they came ashore. 

 But his popularity was short lived, for he greatly 

 upset them next day by giving them nothing, and 

 threatening to kick them all overboard when they 

 showed some reluctance to leave his boat without 

 further reward. 



It has also been said that the people expect to 

 be paid for having their photographs taken. The 

 men never objected to our photographing them, nor, 

 so far as I could gather, expected anything for 

 allowing us to do so, though had they done we 

 could not have had serious reason for complaint. 



I was anxious to obtain two pictures in order to 

 show the difference in the head-gear worn by 

 married and single women, and offered half-a- 

 crown each to anybody who would sit; but to my 



