Orkney Image Library

Aye, indeed a thought-provoking picture.

It is possible that the beast might have been swum to the Hoy head- a beast will swim quite happily, especialy if their head is held up.
There is a well told yarn of the farmer from the isle of Damsay in the bay of Firth who swam his cow to the mainland walked her to Kirkwall, won the supreme champion at the County show then walked her back and swam her home again- expect that would be cruelty today!

Believe me gentlemen that's how it was done in "them thar days." I have seen many pictures of boating the "Baest" in the past, one of which is picture #15139.

I mind fishing for sillocks at the Clytus steps at Kirkwall pier when I was peedie in the early 80's and two or three kye went over the side when they were moving them on the pier.
They were guided to the shore by a boat to the beach and up the slip at Robertsons.I think that must be the only swimming kye story I ken!

A cow went over the Lyness pier in the days of the M F V Hoy Head. Brian Johnstone and me ran round and got the old lyness dinghy from the boom slip, we got a hold of the rope that was on the cow and swam her back to the Hoy Head. we submerged the cattle box with lots of folk standing on it and swam the cow in. We heard at night that that beast made a good price.

I have heard that if the man on the crane could get the coo pointing in the direction of someone he 'didn't like' he would give the crane a bit of a jerk with the obvious results.