Dr. John Rae, first honorary president of this Society, was a Scottish Gael born in Orkney (where his father had settled), an Orkneyman of Orkneymen; and to his youthful training, experience in boating, and his environment in these islands, he attributed his success in Arctic exploration. And, moreover, it is well known that Orkney and Shetland supply the British Navy and mercantile marine with a deal more than their due share of personnel, and have given the British colonies a good supply of useful pioneers and settlers. Transcriber's Note The following apparent errors have been corrected: p. 3 "_circa_," changed to "_circa_" p. 12 "slaugher" changed to "slaughter" The following are inconsistently used in the text: Atholl and Athole Ingibiörg and Ingibjörg seaboard and sea-board sir and Sir slembidjákn and slembi-djákn Svein and Sveinn uppkvöð and upp-kvöð End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Orkney and Shetland Folk 872-1350, by A. W. Johnston