THE QUEEN OF ST. KILDA. 51 



surprise no one would consent, and it was only by 

 strategy, and a positive assurance that their por- 

 traits were not being taken to make fun of them, 

 that we succeeded in obtaining what we wanted. 



Before passing judgment on these poor creatures, 

 it is only fair to them to take evidence on both 

 sides of the question of their selfishness, and then 

 throw in a little consideration for the influence 

 of their utter isolation and the folly of tourists 

 and other visitors who have done much towards 

 the destruction of that ideal state of unworldli- 

 ness which characterised them only as far back 

 as 1697, when they " contemned gold and silver 

 as below the dignity of human nature." 



A curious custom prevails of electing the most 

 beautiful spinster on the island Queen of St. Kilda. 

 She can, however, only fill this exalted functionless 

 office so long as she remains single. 



A little while back 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 married on a certain date. A crowd 

 of holiday-makers straightway chartered a steamer, 

 and departed to witness the sight with something 

 like a hundred pounds' worth of presents for the 

 bride; but they were baulked of their pleasure, 

 as the young woman's father would not allow his 

 daughter's marriage to be made the subject of 

 entertainment to a mob of vulgar Sassenachs; 

 consequently 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 who visited the island whilst I was 

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



