m
206 CRANIA BEITANNICA. [CHAP. VI I .
With respect to the people of Flintshire, who have been considered to be partly descended
from colonies of Otadeni and Stratholyde Britons * ; they are assuredly a race of mediiua size,
hut having an xmusual amount of dark and blact hair among them. In this feature they
probably equal, if not exceed, any other population of the islands. As the representatives of two
distinct tribes, they may be looked upon as a well-amalgamated mixture of ancient British blood.
The invasions of and raids into Wales and Anglesey, and the more peaceful transference of
other peoples, by which new blood has been more or less introduced into the population of the
Principality, may be reckoned by scores. Still the physical features and mental character of the
Welshmen are impressed with such freshness and tenacity, at the present day, as to excite a
doubt whether they have ever undergone any material change.
In the western division of the CUMBBIAN KINGDOM of the Britons, where recent immigration
and mixture are considerable, we are enabled to speak of some of the oldest families. In the
district of KYIB, which lies to the east of the town of Ayr, among 11 men whose ancestors are
known to have been settled there from 160 to 400 years, the majority of them for 300 years, the
average stature is 5 ft. 9f in. And the average weight is 187 lbs., or, omitting 3 obese persons,
170 lbs. The form of the skuU is oblong, the forehead is generally broad and somewhat
retreating; nose of good size, mostly projecting and straight; mouth not large; the malar
bones flat and broad; the zygomata prominent; face ovoid; hair and eyebrows brown of some
shade, generally dark ; eyes prevailingly blue, in one instance black ; and the skin fair. In the
district of CUNNINGHAM, which lies to the west and north-west, in a similar number of 13 men,
selected for the residence of their families, which is known to range from 150 to 500 years,
the average height is 5 ft. OJ in., and average weight 168 lbs. With the same form of skull
and other features, 2 have a swarthy skin, 7 aquiline noses, and no less than 9 black hair, sometimes
with grey, sometimes with blue, the majority with black eyes f. It is highly probable that
there is more Saxon blood in Kyle, a more open and accessible district, than in Cunningham,
which would be confirmed if dark hair should be found to prevail decidedly in Carrick also.
We can scarcely hope to clear up the obscure problems of the etlmology of the Western
Islands, where so many races have been confused—the aborigines, the invading Sooti from
Hibernia, the mingled blood of the Northmen, and modern Scottish and Highland immigrants
—but must be contented to relate what we have learned.
The OTJTEB, HEBRIDES, called " Inis Pada," or the Long Island, consist of a chain of isles that
stretches more than 100 miles parallel to, but at a distance from, the western coast of Scotland.
The most northern of these islets is by far the largest, and nominally consists of two—Lewis the
much lai-ger north portion, and Harris the south portion. The inhabitants of the Hebrides, as
a rule, seldom intermarry with strangers. We must not omit allusion to the physical distinctions
of the isles, which have some influence on the habits of the people, although quite inoperative
upon race; indeed the latter is the great source and modifier of these habits themselves. Lewis
and Harris are rugged hilly countries, where beasts of burden even can render little service. Puel,
and, alas ! manure likewise, must be borne by the human animal, and to the women chiefly are
these duties delegated. They are accustomed to cUmb steep hills. Hence their robust forms
and disproportioned legs. The two Uists are well cultivated, the north being the best grain
country. The coasts of Lewis and Barra are inhabited by flsherfolk.
The most northerly district of LEWIS is called Ness, and is claimed by Worsaae as con-
* Chalmers, " Caledonia," vol. i. p. 335, antea, p. 186. Mr. Price notices the dark exje of this district. (Essay, p. 40.)
t These careful observations were made by William Alexander, M.D., of Dundonald.
CHAP. VI I . ] ETHNOLOGICAL RELATIONS OE THE PRESENT POPULATION. 207
taining " a preeminently Norwegian population ; " hence we shall pass it over ia tliis place. In
the district of BABVAS on the west of Lewis, where marriages of kinship are common, there
occurs a peculiar type of people, constituting perhaps 25 per cent, of the whole, from whom a
man might be selected who would remind the observer of a Greenlander or Esquimaux. They
are inferior in intelligence to the rest of the population of Lewis, and distinguished for craftiness
and dissimulation. They are described as of the average stature of 6 ft. 6 in., of dark reddishbrown
complexion, bulky, with short necks and legs, large bellies—^a peculiarity strongly marked
among the women, who seldom wear stays, have pendulous breasts, and thick legs. Their
ordinary burden is about 70 lbs., carried from 14 to 20 miles a day. The faces of the inhabitants
of Barvas are broad, the noses short, about one in three straight in outline, their cheekbones
high, their chins narrow, foreheads low and receding, the hair most commonly brown,
in many cases fair, and the eyes greyish. Among 121 persons, 63 had blue or grey eyes, 5 light
hazel, 45 hazel, and 8 dark hazel, or brown. Of these 121, 5 had red hair, 12 fair, 51 light
brown, 35 darker brown, and 18 very dark brown, or what is commonly called black. A prevailing
form of the skuU, perhaps in one-half of the population, is elongated behind. This wellauthenticated
form is probably an index to Norse mixture. The portion of the population not
referred to in the preceding description resembles that of HIG and LOCHS to the south. These
are a little taller, averaging 5 ft. 7 in., well-proportioned and more slender, with long faces,
florid complexions, straight noses, rather prominent malar bones, narrow pointed chins;
squarish foreheads, not particularly low; brown and fair hair, very rarely red; light and grey
eyes, very seldom dark. Among 194 persons in Hig, 118 had blue or grey eyes, 12 light hazel,
41 hazel, and 23 dark hazel, or brown. Of these, 8 had red hair, 47 fair, 61 light brown, 55
darker brown, 21 very dark brown, and 2 black. Of 12 persons, probably Macaulays, residing
in the district of Uig, whose average height was 5 ft. 7 in., 7 were of fair complexion, 4 of
dark; 7 also had blue eyes, 4 grey; 10 had straight noses, 2 were turned up ; 1 bad red hair,
3 brown, and 7 fair. Of other 27 persons bearing the name of Macaulay in Hig, residing
between Loch Resort and Loch Roag, 23 had blue eyes, 4 hazel; 10 had fair hair, 12 brown,
and 5 dark. The population of the district of ET in the parish of Stornoway on the east coast
answers to the same description as that of Hig, but is rather better-looking. Among 50, 23 had
blue or grey eyes, 1 light hazel, 24 hazel, and 2 dark hazel; 1 had red hair, 8 fair, 15 light
brown, 24 darker brown, and 2 very dark brown.
Captain Thomas's impression was that the large full eyes and pointed chin, with perhaps
smaller hands, of the people of HABEIS were their most peculiar characteristics, and that the
genuine Highlanders are scarcely represented in the Long Island. The short broad figures,
short faces, and turned up noses of one Irish type were in small proportion; still there was a
sprinkling of good specimens of them, which Capt. Thomas estimated at about 10 per cent. He
also, quite independently of us, saw, as we did in Ireland and in Cornwall, the handsome Celtic
people, of at least middle size, with figures of medium proportions, neither broad nor slight,
narrower faces with finer features, having brown eyes and dark hair. He describes them as
being grave, with slower passions, abstemious in food, not particularly strong, yet capable of
long-continued exertion, stiU decidedly averse to labour. A third and the most numerous class
observed by him was the Norse type, to which we shall return hereafter. Speaking of the
island of Harris, he says, " An observer wordd at first suppose the swarthy people to be in a
decided majority, from the greater impression made by a dark person; but as soon as the
individuals are counted, the fair, or rather medium tint is found to preponderate. I am inclined
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