SHETLAND

SHETLAND, the name of certain islands belonging to Scotland, and lying to the northward of Orkney. There are many convincing proofs that these islands were very early inhabited by the Picts, or rather by those nations who were the original possessors of the Orkneys; and at the time of the total destruction of these nations, if any credit be due to tradition, their woods were entirely ruined (A). It is highly probable that the people in Shetland as well as in the Orkneys, flourished under their own princes dependent upon the crown of Norway; yet this seems to have been rather through what they acquired by fishing and commerce, than by the cultivation of their lands. It may also be reasonably presumed, that they grew thinner of inhabitants after they were annexed to the crown of Scotland; and it is likely that they revived again, chiefly by the very great and extensive improvements which the Dutch made in the herring-fishery upon their coasts, and the trade that the crews of their busses, then very numerous, carried on with the inhabitants, necessarily resulting from their want of provisions and other conveniences, which in those days could not be very considerable.

There are many reasons which may be assigned why these islands, though part of our dominions, have not hitherto been better known to us. They were commonly placed two degrees too far to the north in all the old maps, in order to make them agree with Ptolemy's description of Thule, which he asserted to be in the latitude of 63 degrees; which we find urged by Camden as a reason why Thule must be one of the Shetland isles, to which Speed also agrees, though from their being thus wrong placed he could not find room for them in his maps. Another, and that no light cause, was the many false, fabulous, and impertinent relations published concerning them (B), as if they were countries inhospitable and uninhabitable; and lastly, the indolence, or rather indifference, of the natives, who,

contenting themselves with those necessaries and conveniences procured by their intercourse with other nations, and conceiving themselves neglected by the mother country, have seldom troubled her with their applications.

There are few countries that have gone by more names than these islands; they were called Islandic, Hialtlandia, from hialt, the "hilt of a sword;" this might be possibly corrupted into Hetland, Hitland, or Hethland, though some tell us this signifies a "high land." They have been likewise, and are still in some maps, called Zetland and Zealand, in reference, as has been supposed, to their situation. By the Danes, and by the natives, they are styled Yealtaland; and notwithstanding the oddness of the orthography, this differs very little, if at all, from their manner of pronouncing Zetland, out of which pronunciation grew the modern names of Shetland and Shotland.

The islands of Shetland, as we commonly call them, are well situated for trade. The nearest continent to them is Norway; the port of Bergen lying 44 leagues east, whereas they lie 46 leagues north north-east from Buchaness; east north-east from Sanda, one of the Orkneys, about 16 or 18 leagues; six or seven leagues north-east from Fair Isle; 58 leagues east from the Ferroe isles; and at nearly the same distance north-east from Lewis. The southern promontory of the main land, called Swinburgh Head, lies in 50 degrees and 59 minutes of north latitude; and the northern extremity of Uist, the most remote of them all, in the latitude of 61 degrees 15 minutes. The meridian of London passes through this last island, which lies in the longitude of 2 degrees 30 minutes west from Paris, and about 5 degrees 15 minutes east from the meridian of Cape Lizard. According to the old accounts, from which there seems no just reason to vary, there are in all 46 inhabited islands of different sizes, 40 holms, and 30 skerries. It is impossible to speak with precision; but, according to the best computation we have been able to form, the Shetland isles contain near three times as much land as the Orkneys: they are considered also, in this light, equal in size to the island of Madeira; and not inferior to the provinces of Utrecht, Zealand, and all the rest of the Dutch islands taken together.

The principal of the Shetland islands is styled Main Land; which extends in length from north to south about 60 miles, and is in some places above 20 broad, in others not more than 2. It is however every where so intersected by arms of the sea, that there is not a single spot therein that is full three English miles from salt-water. The whole coast, a very few places excepted, is a high, rough, inaccessible rock; and within land, the country is mountainous, mossy, and full of morasses. Here and there, however, but more especially towards the coast, there are little parcels of land that are both smooth and fertile. Among the numerous inlets of the sea that pierce both sides of the island, some of which enter several miles, and in the language of the country are called coos, there are a great many ports, not fewer than

Shetland. than 20 that may be with justice styled harbours; and amongst these are six, three on each side of the island, that are remarkably good. On the west side is Sealloway Voe, which flows into the land through several islands of various sizes, by which there are two entrances that lead to the harbour, which is deep, safe, and commodious. The town of Sealloway before which it lies, was formerly the chief, indeed the only one in the island. A. D. 1600, Patrick earl of Orkney built a stately castle here, which is now in ruins; and the place in a course of years has so much declined, that there are scarce 30 houses. On the same side of the island are Ollis Voe and Valley Sound, both fine ports and very capacious. On the other side of the island, that is, on the east, the town of Lerwick, which is the present capital, is situated, which consists of upwards of 400 houses, and is every day increasing. Opposite to this town lies the island of Bressay or Brassa, and between the island and the main runs the famous Brassa, sometimes also called Broad, Sound, in which no less than 2000 sail of vessels have lain at once safe and commodiously. It is four miles in length; in some places two, in others one mile broad, in some others much narrower; but deep and well secured from winds. There is towards the north end a rock called the Unicorn (c). On the same side of the island with Bressay Sound, are Dura Voe and Balta, both good ports; and also Catford Voe, where in the summer season a whole navy may ride with great conveniency. There are few or no sands or shoals upon the coast, except one on the west side called Have de Grind, and some dangerous rocks to the north-west.

On the west side of the main land there are not fewer than 20 islands of very different sizes, besides holms and skerries: neither are either of these unprofitable, as the former afford vast quantities of fine grass for the feeding of cattle; on the coasts of the latter are caught abundance of fine fish of different sorts; and on both there are immense quantities of fowl. To the south of Sealloway lies the little island of St Ninian, corruptly called St Ringing's, in which, though but a mile long and half a mile broad, there is a large well-built church, which shows that it was once fully inhabited. Opposite to the town of Sealloway lie several islands, which, as we have before observed, break the rapidity of the flood, and form safe entrances into the harbour. The biggest of these isle is Trondra; three miles long and two broad. Burra consists of two islands, one called House, the other Kirk Island; in neither which, it is said, mice can live. To the north of these lies Papa Stour, or the Great Papa; which, though but two miles long and one broad, is esteemed the pleasantest, and, for its size, the best furnished with the necessaries of life of any of these isles. There are

befides this, Papas, and the little Papa; and to the north of these, Rou Stour, or the Great Rou, eight miles long and two broad, with a good port. Shetland.

There are also many islands on the east side of the main land; some of which it may not be improper to mention. To the south of Lerwick lies Moussa or the Queen's island, one mile in length, and about a quarter of a mile broad, and is remarkable for having upon it the most complete and entire of those little fortifications called by the natives brughs, but by the Scots commonly Pitts Houses, that are still remaining in any of these islands (d). Over-against Lerwick lies Bressay or Brassa isle, five miles from south to north, and two from west to east. This isle for its size is very mountainous, and amongst many hills there are two in it very conspicuous. One of these is on the east side, called Andrew's Hill; the other, which is the highest, at the south end, called the Wart or Beacon Hill. It is in a manner over-run with heath, though there are some considerable parcels of good pasturage and arable lands near the shore. There are also eight fresh-water lochs, abounding with fine trout and eels. It must have been very populous in former times, since there are the ruins of five small forts, and there are still two churches and a chapel. It has likewise a good port called Aiths Voe. At a small distance to the east lies another isle, called the Nosi, two miles long and three quarters of a mile broad: it has a church upon it, is equally fertile and pleasant; and has a large holm belonging to it, in which there are abundance of sea-fowls. Whalsey, that is, the isle of whales, which lies to the north of Bressay, and to the east of the main land, is about nine miles in circumference. At six leagues distance from this isle lie the Skerries, on which, in 1664, the Carmalan of Amsterdam, a very rich East India ship, was lost. To the north of Whalsey there are many small islands, most of which are inhabited; and though but insignificant at present, yet, if any change of fortune should happen to the Shetland isles, they would probably partake of it, and by being turned to useful purposes, and, in consequence of that, retaining all the posterity of their present inhabitants, come to be thought of more consequence.

But besides these, there are two large and considerable islands belonging to Shetland, with several small ones in their vicinity. The first of these is Yell, which anciently was written Zeal, making however, as we have before remarked, no great alteration in the pronunciation. This island, in the opinion of the learned Mr Maule, from its nearness to Norway, seems to have been the first inhabited, and to have given name to all the rest. His opinion has certainly a great degree of probability; for the natives call themselves, and are called

Shetland. called by all the northern nations, Yalls, and their language Yaltmoll. Now in the Islandic, which was the original language of Norway, jell signifies a "dark cloud;" and consequently jelland, or jellland, a "rainy country," which it may be presumed is at least as good an etymology as any that has been hitherto offered. Mr Maule likewise thinks that this was the true Thule. This island lies north-east-by-east from Mainland, and is divided from it by an arm of the sea called Yell Sound. In the old descriptions, Yell is said to be 20 miles long and 8 broad. It is very mountainous, and full of moss; but there are pretty considerable pastures, in which they feed a great many sheep; and it also affords plenty of peat. It has eight large voes or harbours, besides many smaller bays, which would not be thought despicable anchoring-places in other countries. It seems to have been populous in ancient times, since there are in it 3 churches, 20 chapels, and many brughs or Pictish forts. There are dependent upon it Hacofoea, two miles long and one broad, Samphra, and Bigga; all of them islands very fertile in grass. Besides these, to the south-west lies Fetlar, or Theodore's isle, nine or ten miles in compass, with a church, ten chapels, and many brughs; it has several creeks for small boats, but nothing that can be called a port.

The other of these two larger islands is Unst, which is also the most northern of all the Shetland isles, and at the same time the pleasantest, and not the least fertile amongst them. It lies at a small distance east from Yell, having that large island between it and the main land, being divided from the first mentioned island by an arm of the sea called Blumel Sound. Unst is eight miles long, and between three and four broad, and divided into 24 feattalds, 22 of which have each of them a proportion of sea-coast. There is great plenty of hether and peat, with some good pasture and a little of very fertile arable ground. Near the middle of this isle there is a loch three miles in extent, in which there are abundance of trout, eel, and flounders. Here are three churches, 24 chapels, and 11 brughs. There was also a castle at the southern extremity, called Bownes, now in decay. There are two excellent harbours, the one in the south called Via Bay, being covered by an island of the same name, equally commodious and capacious, having nine fathom water, and good anchoring ground. The other is on the east side, covered by the isle of Balta, and from thence called Balta Vee, very safe and spacious, with eight fathom water. There are besides these, bays and roads less considerable. The number of inhabitants in these islands, that is Unst and its dependencies, may be about 1500, and they have 70 fishing-boats. Via is a very fair island, and produces great plenty of fine and rich grass. The same may be said of Balta, which is also well stocked with rabbits. There are besides these islets four or five holms, which feed sheep and cattle; and the island of Linga, low, flat, covered with moss, but which would be a very convenient place for salt-pans, if the inhabitants were in such a condition as to be capable of carrying on a fishery entirely on their own account.

Between six and seven leagues west from the main land lies the island of Fula or Foula, commonly called by our seamen Foul Island, in opposition to that of which

we shall speak. It is about three miles long, narrow, and full of rough, steep, and bare rocks, one of which is so large, and runs up to so great a height, as to be clearly seen from the Orkneys. This, therefore, may be esteemed, with the greatest probability, the Thule of Tacitus, whatever might be the Thule of the Phoenicians and Greeks. It has scarce any pasture, and very little arable land; but that, though small in size, is however very fertile, out of the produce of which, with fowl and fish, the poor inhabitants subsist. They have nothing that can be called a port; and the only commodities they have, are stock-fish, train-oil, and feathers.

The Fair Isle lies between Orkney and Shetland, 10 or 12 leagues east-north-east from the former; seven, or, as others say, 10 leagues south-west from the latter; and about 18 or 19 leagues south-east from Foula. It is full three miles long, and scarce half a mile broad, very craggy, with three high rocks, which are clearly seen both from Orkney and Shetland. There is in this island also a small quantity of arable land, which is very fruitful and well-manured; they might have considerably more, but they are obliged to reserve this for peat and pasture. They have, for the size of the island, a great many sheep, and those are very good and very fat; but they have no kind of muir-fowl or other game, but very great plenty of sea and water-fowl, and all kinds of fish upon their coasts. They have a very pretty church, but no minister, being annexed to one of the parishes of Shetland, or served by an itinerant minister, as some late accounts assert. A layman reads the Scriptures every Sunday in the church, the inhabitants being a very religious, harmless, sober, and honest people. They have in effect no port, though they have two that are nominally so; one at the south end, which is full of rocks, where only small boats can lie, and that but indifferently; the other at the north-east end, larger and safer in the summer time, so as to serve commodiously enough for their fishery. Small and insignificant as this island may seem, there is a very remarkable piece of history belonging to it. The duke of Medina Sidonia, when commander in chief of the famous Spanish Armada in 1588, was wrecked on the east coast of this island. The ship broke to pieces, but the duke and about 200 more escaped. They lived there till both themselves and the inhabitants were very near famished; at length the duke and the poor remains of his people were carried over to the main land of Shetland by Andrew Humphry. He continued some time at Quendale, and then embarked on board the same small ship, and was safely conveyed therein to Dunkirk; for which service he rewarded Andrew Humphry with 3000 merks. This island produced to its late proprietor between 50 and 60 pound Sterling per annum; and was sold at Edinburgh, on the 20th day of June 1766, for the sum of 10,200 pounds Scots, or about 850 pounds Sterling, to James Stuart of Burgh, Esq;

In respect to climate, the Shetland islands have not much to boast, and yet are very far from being such miserable habitations as some have represented them. The longest day in the island of Unst is 19 hours 15 minutes, and of consequence the shortest day 4 hours and 45 minutes. The spring is very late, the summer very short; the autumn also is of no long duration, dark,

Shetland. foggy, and rainy; the winter sets in about November, and lasts till April, and sometimes till May. They have frequently in that season storms of thunder, much rain, but little frost or snow. High winds are indeed very frequent and very troublesome, yet they seldom produce any terrible effects. The aurora borealis is as common here as in any of the northern countries. In the winter season the sea swells and rages in such a manner, that for five or six months their ports are inaccessible, and of course the people during that space have no correspondence with the rest of the world (A).

The soil in the interior part of the main land, for the most part, is mountainous, moorish, and boggy, yet not to such a degree as to render the country utterly impassable; for many of the roads here, and in some of the northern isles, are as good as any other natural roads, and the people travel them frequently on all occasions. Near the coasts there are sometimes for miles together flat pleasant spots, very fertile both in pasture and corn. The mountains produce large crops of very nutritive grass in the summer; and they cut considerable quantities of hay, with which they feed their cattle in the winter. They might with a little attention bring more of their country into cultivation; but the people are so much addicted to their fishery, and feel so little necessity of having recourse to this method for subsistence, that they are content, how strange soever that may seem to us, to let four parts in five of their land remain in a state of nature.

They want not considerable quantities of marble in different islands, though they use but little; hitherto there has been no chalk found; limestone and freestone there are in the southern parts of the main land in great quantities, and also in the neighbouring islands, particularly Fetlar; and considerable quantities of slate, very good in its kind. No mines have been hitherto wrought, though there are in many places visible appearances of several kinds of metal. Some solid pieces of silver, it is said, have been turned up by the plough. In the island of Vea, a yellow metal has been met with, which being found difficult to melt, has been neglected. In some of the smaller isles there are strong appearances of iron; but, through the want of proper experiments being made, there is, in this respect at least, hitherto nothing certain. Their meadows are inclosed with dikes, and produce very good grass. The little corn they grow is chiefly barley, with some oats; and even in the northern extremity of Unst (as we have hinted before) the little land they have is remarkable for its fertility. The hills abound with medicinal herbs; and their kitchen-gardens thrive as well, and produce as good greens and roots, as any in Britain. Of late years, and since this has been attended to, some gentlemen have had even greater success than they expected in the cultivating tulips, roses, and many other flowers. It is true, that tho', as has been before observed, they have no trees, and hardly any shrubs except juniper, yet they have a tradition that their country was formerly overgrown with woods; and it seems to be a confirmation of this, that the roots

of timber-trees have been and are still dug up at a great depth; and that in some, and those too inaccessible, places, the rotten tree is still found growing wild. That this defect, viz. the want of wood at present, does not arise entirely from the soil or climate, appears from several late experiments; some gentlemen having raised ash, maple, horse-chestnuts, &c. in their gardens. Though the inhabitants are without either wood or coals, they are very well supplied with fuel, having great plenty of hether and peat. The black cattle in this country are in general of a larger sort than in Orkney, which is owing to their having more extensive pastures; a clear proof that still farther improvements might be made in respect to size. Their horses are small, but strong, stout, and well-shaped, live very hardy, and to a great age. They have likewise a breed of small swine, the flesh of which, when fat, is esteemed very delicious. They have no goats, hares, or foxes; and in general no wild or venomous creatures of any kind, except rats in some few islands. They have no moor-fowl, which is the more remarkable as there are every where immense quantities of hether; but there are many sorts of wild and water fowl, particularly the dunter-goose, clack-goose, solan-goose, swans, ducks, teal, whaps, foils, lyres, kittiwaks, maws, plovers, scarfs, &c. There is likewise the ember-goose, which is said to hatch her egg under her wing. Eagles and hawks, as also ravens, crows, mews, &c. abound here.

All these islands are well watered; for there are every where excellent springs, some of them mineral and medicinal. They have indeed no rivers; but many pleasant rills or rivulets, which they call burns, of different sizes; in some of the largest they have admirable trouts, some of which are of 15 and even of 20 pounds weight. They have likewise many fresh-water lakes, well stored with trout and eels, and in most of them there are also large and fine flounders; in some very excellent cod. These fresh-water lakes, if the country was better peopled, and the common people more at their ease, are certainly capable of great improvements. The sea-coasts of the main land of Shetland, in a straight line, are 55 leagues; and therefore there cannot be a country conceived more proper for establishing an extensive fishery. What the inhabitants have been hitherto able to do, their natural advantages considered, does not deserve that name, notwithstanding they export large quantities of cod, tusk, ling, and sae, inasmuch, that the bounty allowed by acts of parliament amounts from 1400 l. to 2000 l. annually. They have, besides, codlins, haddocks, whittings, turbot, skate, and a variety of other fish. In many of the inlets there are prodigious quantities of excellent oysters, lobsters, mussels, cockles, and other shell-fish. As to amphibious creatures, they have multitudes of otters and seals; add to these, that amber, ambergris, and other spoils of the ocean, are frequently found upon the coasts.

In respect to the inhabitants, they are a stout, well-made, comely people; the lower sort of a swarthy complexion. The gentry are allowed, by all who have

Shetland. conversed with them, to be most of them polite, shrewd, sensible, lively, active, and intelligent persons; and these, to the number of 100 families, have very handsome, strong, well-built houses, neatly furnished; their tables well served, polished in their manners, and exceedingly hospitable and civil to strangers. Those of an inferior rank are a hardy, robust, and laborious people, who, generally speaking, get their bread by fishing in all weathers in their yawls, which are little bigger than Gravelend wherries; live hardily, and in the summer season mostly on fish; their drink, which, in reference to the British dominions, is peculiar to the country, is called bland, and is a sort of butter-milk, long kept, and very sour. Many live to great ages, though not so long as in former times. In respect, however, to the bulk of the inhabitants, from the poorness of living, from the nature of it, and from the drinking great quantities of corn-spirits of the very worst sort, multitudes are afflicted with an inveterate scurvy; from which those in better circumstances are entirely free, and enjoy as good health as in any other country in Europe. As they have no great turn to agriculture, and are persuaded that their country is not fit for it, they do not (tho' probably they might) raise corn enough to subsist them for more than two-thirds of the year. But they are much more successful in their pasture-grounds, which are kept well inclosed, in good order, and, together with their commons, supply them plentifully with beef and mutton. They pay their rents generally in butter at Lammae, and in money at Martinmae. As to manufactures, they make a strong coarse cloth for their own use, as also linen. They make likewise of their own wool very fine stockings. They export salted and dried ling, cod, and tusk, some herrings, a considerable quantity of butter and train-oil, otter and seal skins, and no inconsiderable quantity of the fine stockings before-mentioned. Their chief trade is to Leith, London, Hamburg, Spain, and to the Straights. They import timbers, deals, and some of their best oats, from Norway; corn and flour from the Orkneys, and from North Britain; spirits and some other things from Hamburg; cloths and better sort of linen from Leith; grocery, household furniture, and other necessaries, from London. The superior-duties to the earl of Morton are generally let in farm; and are paid by the people in butter, oil, and money. The remains of the old Norwegian constitution are still visible in the division of their lands; and they have some uddalmen or freeholders amongst them. But the Scots laws, customs, manners, dress, and language, prevail; and they have a sheriff, magistrates for the administration of justice, as well as a custom-house, with a proper number of officers. In reference to their ecclesiastical concerns, they have a presbytery, 12 ministers, and an itinerant for Foula, Fair Island, and the Skerries. Each of these ministers has a stipend of between 40 and 50 pounds, besides a house and a glebe free from taxes. The number of souls in these islands may be about 20,000.