records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第11章
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respective farms。'
The people of North Ronaldsay still spoke Norse； or； rather； mixed it
with their English。 The walls of their huts were built to a great thickness
of rounded stones from the sea…beach； the roof flagged； loaded with earth；
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and perforated by a single hole for the escape of smoke。 The grass grew
beautifully green on the flat house…top； where the family would assemble
with their dogs and cats； as on a pastoral lawn； there were no windows；
and in my grandfather's expression； ‘there was really no demonstration of
a house unless it were the diminutive door。' He once landed on
Ronaldsay with two friends。 The inhabitants crowded and pressed so
much upon the strangers that the bailiff； or resident factor of the island；
blew with his ox…horn； calling out to the natives to stand off and let the
gentlemen come forward to the laird； upon which one of the islanders； as
spokesman； called out； 〃God ha'e us； man！ thou needsna mak' sic a noise。
It's no' every day we ha'e THREE HATTED MEN on our isle。〃 ' When
the Surveyor of Taxes came （for the first time； perhaps） to Sanday； and
began in the King's name to complain of the unconscionable swarms of
dogs； and to menace the inhabitants with taxation； it chanced that my
grandfather and his friend； Dr。 Patrick Neill； were received by an old lady
in a Ronaldsay hut。 Her hut； which was similar to the model described；
stood on a Ness； or point of land jutting into the sea。 They were made
welcome in the firelit cellar； placed ‘in CASEY or straw…worked chairs；
after the Norwegian fashion； with arms； and a canopy overhead；' and given
milk in a wooden dish。 These hospitalities attended to； the old lady
turned at once to Dr。 Neill； whom she took for the Surveyor of Taxes。
‘Sir；' said she； ‘gin ye'll tell the King that I canna keep the Ness free o' the
Bangers （sheep） without twa hun's； and twa guid hun's too； he'll pass me
threa the tax on dugs。'
This familiar confidence； these traits of engaging simplicity； are
characters of a secluded people。 Mankind … and； above all； islanders …
come very swiftly to a bearing； and find very readily； upon one convention
or another； a tolerable corporate life。 The danger is to those from without；
who have not grown up from childhood in the islands； but appear suddenly
in that narrow horizon； life…sized apparitions。 For these no bond of
humanity exists； no feeling of kinship is awakened by their peril； they will
assist at a shipwreck； like the fisher…folk of Lunga； as spectators； and when
the fatal scene is over； and the beach strewn with dead bodies； they will
fence their fields with mahogany； and； after a decent grace； sup claret to
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their porridge。 It is not wickedness： it is scarce evil； it is only； in its
highest power； the sense of isolation and the wise disinterestedness of
feeble and poor races。 Think how many viking ships had sailed by these
islands in the past； how many vikings had landed； and raised turmoil； and
broken up the barrows of the dead； and carried off the wines of the living；
and blame them； if you are able； for that belief （which may be called one
of the parables of the devil's gospel） that a man rescued from the sea will
prove the bane of his deliverer。 It might be thought that my grandfather；
coming there unknown； and upon an employment so hateful to the
inhabitants； must have run the hazard of his life。 But this were to
misunderstand。 He came franked by the laird and the clergyman； he was
the King's officer； the work was ‘opened with prayer by the Rev。 Walter
Trail； minister of the parish'； God and the King had decided it； and the
people of these pious islands bowed their heads。 There landed； indeed； in
North Ronaldsay； during the last decade of the eighteenth century； a
traveller whose life seems really to have been imperilled。 A very little
man of a swarthy complexion； he came ashore； exhausted and unshaved；
from a long boat passage； and lay down to sleep in the home of the parish
schoolmaster。 But he had been seen landing。 The inhabitants had
identified him for a Pict； as； by some singular confusion of name； they
called the dark and dwarfish aboriginal people of the land。 Immediately
the obscure ferment of a race…hatred； grown into a superstition； began to
work in their bosoms； and they crowded about the house and the room…
door with fearful whisperings。 For some time the schoolmaster held
them at bay； and at last despatched a messenger to call my grand…father。
He came： he found the islanders beside themselves at this unwelcome
resurrection of the dead and the detested； he was shown； as adminicular of
testimony； the traveller's uncouth and thick…soled boots； he argued； and
finding argument unavailing； consented to enter the room and examine
with his own eyes the sleeping Pict。 One glance was sufficient： the man
was now a missionary； but he had been before that an Edinburgh
shopkeeper with whom my grandfather had dealt。 He came forth again
with this report； and the folk of the island； wholly relieved； dispersed to
their own houses。 They were timid as sheep and ignorant as limpets； that
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was all。 But the Lord deliver us from the tender mercies of a frightened
flock！
I will give two more instances of their superstition。 When Sir Walter
Scott visited the Stones of Stennis； my grandfather put in his pocket a
hundred…foot line； which he unfortunately lost。
‘Some years afterwards；' he writes； ‘one of my assistants on a visit to
the Stones of Stennis took shelter from a storm in a cottage close by the
lake； and seeing a box…measuring… line in the bole or sole of the cottage
window； he asked the woman where she got this well…known professional
appendage。 She said： 〃O sir； ane of the bairns fand it lang syne at the
Stanes； and when drawing it out we took fright； and thinking it had
belanged to the fairies； we threw it into the bole； and it has layen there
ever since。〃 '
This is for the one； the last shall be a sketch by the master hand of
Scott himself：
‘At the village of Stromness； on the Orkney main island； called
Pomona； lived； in 1814； an aged dame called Bessie Millie； who helped
out her subsistence by selling favourable winds to mariners。 He was a
venturous master of a vessel who left the roadstead of Stromness without
paying his offering to propitiate Bessie Millie！ Her fee was extremely
moderate； being exactly sixpence； for which she boiled her kettle and gave
the bark the advantage of her prayers； for she disclaimed all unlawful acts。
The wind thus petitioned for was sure； she said； to arrive； though
occasionally the mariners had to wait some time for it。 The woman's
dwelling and appearance were not unbecoming her pretensions。 Her
house； which was on the brow of the steep hill on which Stromness is
founded； was only accessible by a series of dirty and precipitous lanes； and
for exposure might have been the abode of Eolus himself； in whose
commodities the inhabitant dealt。 She herself was； as she told us； nearly
one hundred years old； withered and dried up like a mummy。 A clay…
coloured kerchief； folded round her neck； corresponded in colour to her
corpse…like complexion。 Two light blue eyes that gleamed with a lustre
like that of insanity； an utterance of astonishing rapidity； a nose and chin
that almost met together； and a ghastly expression of cunning； gave her the
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effect of Hecate。 Such was Bessie Millie； to whom the mariners paid a
sort of tribute with a feeling between jest and earnest。'
II
From about the beginning of the century up to 1807 Robert
Stevenson was in partnership with Thomas Smith。 In the last… named
year the partnership was dissolved； Thomas Smith returning to his
business； and my grandfather becoming sole engineer to the Board of
Northern Lights。
I must try； by excerpts from his diary and correspondence； to convey
to the reader some idea of the ardency and thoroughness with which he
threw himself into the largest and least of his multifarious engagements in
this service。 But first I must say a word or two upon the life of
lightkeepers； and the temptations to which they are more particularly
exposed。 The lightkeeper occupies a position apart among men。 In sea…
towers the complement has always been three since the deplorable
business in the Eddystone； when one keeper died； and the survivor；
signalling in vain for relief； was compelled to live for days with the dead
body。 These usually pass their time by the pleasant human expedient of
quarrelling； and sometimes； I am assured； not one of the three is on
speaking terms with any other。 On shore stations； which on the Scottish
coast are sometimes hardly less isolated； the usual number is two； a
principal and an assistant。 The principal is dissatisf
