IN THE ORKNEYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2326, 29 September 1898, Page 50

IN THE ORKNEYS.

(Walter Titomas, M.A., in the United Presbyterian Magazine.) In the Orkneys there are no villages proper, and few clachans. Kirkwall and Stromness are the only towns. The commercial prosperity of the former was doubtless originally due to the importance of its Episcopal See, and the growth of both seaports in recent times has evidently proceeded hi the ratio of the conversion of the bog-land of the entire archipelago into productive soil and pasture. Still, a marked improvement may be noted in the circumstances and condition of the {>eople. At no distant past the rural popuation could not face the luxury of a coal fire. Many of this class can recall the day of wooden ploughs, of threshing with the flail, and fanning with the winds of heaven — the day when " neeps " were sown from a handcanister, and the gi-ain was reaped with a hook, and when the means of carriage was not the cart, but the "cubbie." Happily all this is past and done with. To study the pr'-^itive element of Orcadian life, unaffected b-Vb -V Southern influences, a strictly insular sojourn is the thing to be aimed at. Hotels are in evidence in most of the larger islands; but board and lodgings are always obtainable in a cottage or at a farm and this id preferable for the end hi view. The charges made are in striking contrast with those of which the 'Highland tou~ rist has long had bitter experience, being generally not half the latter. Abandoning himself for the nonce to the customs and maners of the natives, the Southron feels himself to be among foreigners, and the nomenclature he hears and reads confirms the impression. Though using the English language, the people show, alike by their idioms and pronunciation, that it has been thrust upon them within comparatively recent times, and, de facto, the use of Norse long survived the absorption of Orkney into Scotland. The folk have parted with, the worst features of the ancient Norseman, yet evince towards strangers not falling in with their ways a racial caste which there is no mistaking. Gentle yet hardy, kindly yet clannish, simple yet shrewd, unfamiliar with the outlying world, yet masters of their own, they pxescnt an interesting study to the ethnologist In closest contact with nature, they live on the produce of their own land and sea. Given to barter, and dealing only in the necessaries of life, they are innocent of the ways of the middleman and of that commercial trickery which renders the gain of one man naothcr's loss ; they know nothing of bad debts, are not given U> litigation or crime, and are burdened with no unemployed except the sheriff and "bobby." Their trustfulness amongst themselves beats the record. A Southron has just arrived in their midst for the first time. He is, perchance, the last of the household to retire for the night. He carefully fastens the outer door, but next morning is humorously bantered on the innovation he has unwittingly introduced. One Orcadian visiting another does not rap at the door, but enters " sans ceremonie." A postman has a long trudge with his bag, and heaves it into a passing cart, while he rests and refreshes at a friendly ingle. By and bye he comes on it lying against a dyke, after an impatient gathering of islanders has considerably reduced its weight. When this homely way of doing things shall have extended to the adjacent islands of Great Britain and Ireland, what a Utopia will the United Kingdom be! As might be expected of a community forced by circumstances to be economical, an 1 in which for centuries an exacting landlordism loft the poor farmers and crofters to provide themselves with houses and outhouses as best they could, the men have learned to execute, in a substantial, if rough and ready, fashion, a great variety of work lying outside their stated vocations. They are veritable "Jacks of all trades. "_ It is not uncommon to find a man uniting in himself the callings of crofter, fisherman, mason, and shoemaker, and another who is at once storekeeper, fish-curer, farmer, and carpenter. When a big job is on at one of the steadings in the building way, the tenant, by virtue of a social law which is none the less binding that it is unwritten, calls in half a dozen of his neighbours ,• and then, with a grand esprit de corps born of the troubles it is to oppose and end, all the difficulties of quarrying at the fore shore, carting the stones and roof flags to the site, rearing the walls (with clay for mortar), makinsj and laying on the couples and roofing in j the building — be it cottage, barn, byre, or • stable — are triumphantly overcome. And what is the pay? Rations during the pro- | gress of the work. We are naturally reminded of the root meaning of the word " society," as taken from "societas," a "partner- j ship" ; and thus to see the abstract notion ! approximately realised in concrete form, and ■■ that as a Avide, all-pervading custom, is a j charming experience. After all, on what ■ should society rest if not on the stable foundation of mutual helpfulness? " Beai ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Social caste is especially noticeable in the islanders and other rural people, and among these amounts to an unconscious enactment that the inhabitants of each island or parish shall ferna a family. No outsider need at-

tempt for any reason to put the natives ouU of their way — out of their own routine of thought and action. A sample of this is seen in ecclesiastical life. The ministers, like nearly all the professional men, have come from the Scottish mainland, and would fain see their flocks enjoying the religious privileges they have themselves been brought up to value, and yielding loyal obedience to their exhortations. But it would be hard to find an Orkney congregation encouraging its minister to discharge the plain duty of systematic pastoral visitation, or making complaints of his failure to do so ; and it is only with the utmost caution and tact that church discipline can be enforced, if the minister is to take his session along with him. Pulpit reference could hardly be made to sins of unchastity, save at the risk of congregational schism. When the late Dr Paterson, ol Kirkwell, began his great work of organising churches and mission stations all over the islands, there was a deplorable lack of gospel ordinances. Nowadays the multiplicity of churches of nearly all denominations strikes a visitor to some of the islands as ludicrous ; but if he traces the cause of this phenomenon he will probably find that the "raison d'etre" of many of these supplemented congregations is to be found in the faithful dealing of ministers with their people at a time when the latter were only in process of learning what faithful dealing meant. Religious life m Orkney is, nevertheless, in the main quiefc and undemonstrative. There is little of personal profession, and no cant. The religion of the people leaks in forms likely to escape the notice of all save those who have sojournedSlbng amongst them— kindness to such as ha^e outlived their own capability for work and can.no longer earn thcir'brsad:' careful nursing of the sick and dyinr;; hospitality to the houseless mariner -wrecked on their dangerous skerries ; substantial testimonials to public servants whose services are appreciated ; and a sobriety and self-respect that leave little to be desired. What the men are in their own sphere the women are in theirs. They can use thenhands. They are thorough-going, cotim-Men-tions, not easily tired of work, ever finding pleasure in duty. They can cook. They can "dairy." They can "laundry." The "wool taken from the sheep's back they can transfer to their own. What sort of servants Orcadian girls make, those who have employed them can testify. d