Part 256 (2/2)
10,679. Would you say that that is the princ.i.p.al article of diet along with the oatmeal?-I should say that fish and potatoes were the princ.i.p.al articles of diet.
10,680. Is butcher meat sometimes used by them?-I believe it is very seldom.
10,681. But with fish, potatoes, meal, bread, and biscuits, the population of the island are supplied to a sufficient extent?-Yes.
10,682. And they are more than amply supplied with tea?-I think so.
10,683. Has there been an improvement on the houses within your time?-I think there has. We tried to make the houses, when we were building new ones, better than the old ones were.
10,684. Are new houses upon the estates here generally built by the proprietor?-Always, except when sometimes a man takes a small bit of hill or scattald, and then he will make a small house for himself.
10,685. Is that often done?-Not often.
10,686. Is that the origin of many of the houses now existing?-In some parts of Shetland I think it is, but I don't think it is to a large extent in Unst.
10,687. In Unst the houses are more commonly built by the proprietors?-Yes; because there are not in Unst a great proportion of what are called offsets-places which have been taken in from the bill.
10,688. The island has been longer under cultivation?-I think so.
10,689. Then you cannot speak generally of the character of the house accommodation throughout Shetland?-I cannot.
10,690. Would you think that here it is rather better than in other places?-I think so. Unst houses are generally built 28 feet by 12, and about 7 feet high and they contain two rooms. They are built with stone and clay, harled with lime, and covered with thatch and turf.
10,691. In Unst I suppose the houses now have generally chimneys?-Yes, mostly-one in each house.
10,692. Is it in the middle?-No, it is at one end and many of them have still an open fire at the kitchen end, sometimes in the middle, and sometimes at the gable; but we have built chimneys to some of the tenants in both ends.
10,693. Where there is an open fire, what is the exit for the smoke?-It goes through holes in the thatch left there for the purpose. These holes are left for air, and to allow the smoke to go out.
10,694. Was that the ordinary character of the Shetland houses until lately?-I think so.
10,695. There were no chimneys?-No.
10,696. Are the windows generally glazed now?-Yes; but in many of the old houses they had no windows.
10,697. Do some of these houses still exist in Unst?-I don't know any now, but there may be some for anything I know.
10,698. Are there any in other parts of Shetland?-I have seen them in more remote parts of Northmaven, but that may be a year or two ago.
10,699. You cannot say whether that is a common style of house in other parts of Shetland?-I cannot.
10,700. Have you any observations to make upon the printed evidence that was given in Edinburgh?-I think not.
Baltasound, Unst, January 19, 1872, Rev. WILLIAM SMITH, examined.
10,701. You have been for some time the clergyman of this parish?-For nearly three years.
10,702. During that time you have been a good deal among the people, and you are acquainted with the system that prevails of long payments of wages, and of running accounts?-I am acquainted with that from conversations with the men.
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