KILDA-ST, an isle, in the county of Inverness.
This island, also called Hirta, is the most remote of the
Western Isles: the nearest land to it is Harris, from
which it is distant sixty miles in a west-south-west direction;
and it is 140 miles from the nearest point of the
main land of Scotland. In length it is about three miles,
from east to west, and in breadth two miles, from north
to south. The whole island is fenced by one continued
perpendicular face of rock, of prodigious height, with the
exception of a part of the bay, or landing-place, lying
towards the south-east, and even there the rocks are of
considerable height. The bay is inconvenient; and the
tides and waves are so impetuous that, unless in calm
weather, it is extremely hazardous to approach. The
surface of the island rises into four high mountains,
covered with a blackish loam, except at their summits,
where is moss about three feet in depth; but the soil is
rendered fertile by the industry of the inhabitants, who
manure their fields so as to convert them into a sort of
gardens. There are several springs that form a burn
running close by the village, which is situated about a
quarter of a mile from the bay. The ordinary means of
intercourse with the island is, by the packet from Dunvegan,
in Skye, to Rodel, in Harris, and thence to the
isle of Pabbay, at the extremity of the sound of Harris,
whence a number of fishermen make the voyage in large
open boats. It is accessible, also, by steamers in summer,
and is visited occasionally by revenue cruisers.