elders. Seeing we had no hats, and the veils which we were wearing in
their place were wet through, two of the younger women came forward and
offered Ellen and myself a coloured handkerchief to tie over our heads,
and, I think, tied them on. We were much touched by this kind attention
and the welcome it conveyed.

When the boat had been drawn up to its place we sang the doxology,
lingered a little, and then, conducted by the inhabitants, filed up the
steep rocky road to the top of the cliff and on to the grassy common. The
scenery was very fine, towering mountains in the background, the
settlement below with its quaint little stone, thatched houses, and the
sea with its white-crested waves. We were taken to Betty Cotton's house,
the first to be reached. She was there to give us a welcome. We had to
bend our heads as we entered the porch, but to our surprise were led into
quite a spacious room with two windows.

[Illustration: BETTY COTTON'S HOUSE (FRONT), OUR NEW HOME]

[Illustration: BETTY COTTON'S HOUSE (BACK)]

A large number followed us in. I felt a little shy, so many eyes were upon
us, and all the conversation had to emanate from us. After a time there
was a movement: the men in whose boat we had come went off to change their
wet clothes.

Betty, who was seventy-six and very active, began to prepare the table for
tea, and I must say the prospect of tea was most welcome. There were
spectators of that meal and of many ensuing ones. Later on our friends
came to see us again, and the room was packed all round. I could hear much
whispering among the women in the passages: no doubt anxious discussion