A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland Circa 1695: A Voyage to St Kilda

by Martin Martin, Donald Monro (Contributor), Charles W.J. Withers (Introduction)

One of the greatest travelers in Scotland, Martin Martin was a native Gaelic speaker. This text offers his narrative of his journey around the Western Isles, and a mine of information on custom, tradition and life. Martin Martin's wrote before the Jacobite rebellions changed the way of life of the Highlander irrevocably. The volume includes the earliest account of St Kilda, first published in 1697 and Sir Donald Monro, High Dean of the Isles', account written in 1549 which presents a record of a pastoral visit to islands still coping with the aftermath of the fall of the Lords of the Isles.

Genres: Scotland, Nonfiction, History, Travel

346 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1703

About the author

Martin Martin (Gaelic: Màrtainn Màrtainn) was born at Bealach, near Duntulm, Skye. He graduated MA from the University of Edinburgh in 1681 and entered Leiden University in 1710, graduating as MD. After completing his studies in the Netherlands, he moved to London, where he was resident until his death.

Martin is best known for his works A Voyage to St. Kilda (1698) and A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland (1703). He undertook his voyage to St. Kilda in May 1697 and his tour of Lewis in 1699 under the patronage of Hans Sloane, the Secretary of the Royal Society in London. The Scottish antiquary, Sir Robert Sibbald, considered that his command of Gaelic, knowledge of the customs of Gaeldom and connections with Hebridean elites made him well qualified for the task.

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Martin Martin (Màrtainn MacGilleMhàrtainn) galt als einer der größten Reisenden in Schottland. Geboren in der Nähe von Duntulm auf Skye, stammt er von einer der Inseln, über die er in seinem Buch berichtet. Der Bericht ist nicht nur deshalb etwas besonderes, weil Martin auch die kleinen Inseln besucht hat, sondern auch, weil er die Inseln vor den Highland Clearances unternahm, wo die Highlands noch ganz anders aussahen.

Jeder Bericht über eine Insel folgt dem gleichen Muster: Martin Martin beschreibt zuerst die Größe und die Entfernung vom Festland oder von der Einsamkeit und Kargheit der Landschaft berichtet wird, gab es damals unzählige Tier- und Pflanzenarten. Über die Menschen schreibt er dagegen nur wenig und wenn, dann wirkt das Geschriebene oft von oben herab. Das ist bis zu einem gewissen Teil verständlich, weil er nicht zu den Menschen gehörte, über die er berichtete. Martin Martin gehörte zur Elite und nicht zu den Bauern, die das Land bewirtschafteten.

Von den Western Isles gibt es viele, größere und kleinere und der Autor hakt sie alle ab. Das meine ich wortwörtlich. Keine der Inseln bekommt mehr Aufmerksamkeit als eine andere und aufgrund ihrer Menge und der Ähnlichkeit der Berichte war es für mich eine sehr trockene Lektüre.

Ähnlich ging es mir auch mit dem Reisebericht nach St. Kilda von Sir Donald Monro, der 1549 geschrieben wurde. Eigentlich ein spannender Einblick in eine längst vergangene Zeit, in der St. Kilda noch bewohnt war, war es eine sehr einseitige Beschreibung, der ich nicht viel abgewinnen konnte.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are actually 3 books contained within this edition; the two titles by Martin Martin, written in the 1690s, and an earlier text, "A Description of the Occidental Islands of Scotland Anno 1549" by Donald Monro. The last is largely a topographical description, of limited interest except for its sheer antiquity.

Martin Martin was an unusual man for his time. A Gaelic speaking native of the Isle of Skye, he graduated from Edinburgh University and frequented London, in fact settling there permanently after 1708. In that sense he moved between two worlds, since at this time the Scottish Highlands and Islands were very different from the rest of Britain in language, social structure and even dress. It was really for this reason that Martin Martin set down his account, although subsequent commentators have often criticised him for missing much of what was most interesting about the Highlands. Perhaps this was because, as a native, these things seemed to him to be too everyday to mention. It's also fairly clear that he did not anticipate his book still being read over 300 years later. The 1690s, when he travelled, was a period of severe famine in Scotland (the last serious nationwide famine in the country) during which historians estimate between 5 and 15% of the population died of starvation. Martin Martin makes little reference to this, other than a few passing comments about "the recent scarcity". Evidently he assumed his readers would be well-acquainted with the situation and that it required no further explanation from him.

The Royal Society had been founded 30 odd years prior to the author's journeys, and some of its leading lights had published guidelines of what to include in this type of book. It may be as a result that the first of the two books includes a great deal about methods of farming, the availability of harbours, prospects for economic development etc. Unfortunately this all makes for a rather dry, academic account. There are some interesting nuggets within, mainly where the author discusses the customs and way of life of the islanders, but at times the book can be a bit of a struggle. Martin Martin can also be puzzlingly inconsistent in how he reacts to local folk beliefs, dismissing some as "ridiculous superstition" whilst credulously accepting others. There is a particularly dreary chapter on "second sight" that consists of a long and repetitive list of unverifiable stories. On the other hand, the book does capture a valuable picture of the Hebrides prior to the cataclysmic social changes of the late 18th century.

The second book "A Voyage to St.Kilda" is the more readable. There is more of a sense of an actual journey. The difficulty and danger of getting to St. Kilda, and the remoteness of the place, are well described, as are the local customs. Martin Martin's home area of North Skye was part of Macleod territory, as was St.Kilda, so he was well placed to make the journey there, travelling with Macleod's steward on his annual trip to collect rent (which was paid in kind). His visit coincided with one of the St.Kildans, "Roderick The Imposter", having set up a religious cult with himself at the head, which he used to exploit his neighbours. His reign was brought to an end by the steward, who carted Roderick off to one of Macleod's dungeons, but event in itself reveals much about the nature of such an isolated society.

All in all, a mixed bag.

[Chris Tyson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was on the whole a very dry read. Most of his observations are cursory and provide little to no insight into Scotland in the 17th century.