Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1878 > Part 2

THE SHETLAND ISLES,
Ue ZETLAND ISLES— a group of islancls, Islets, and roclis, situated in the Northern Ooenn, about flf'o'n lengaea north-enst of the
Orkneys, and forty four west of Bergen, in Norway ; lying between 50 degs. 48 mins. SO sees., and 6 J degs. 63 mius. noitli latilude, and
between 1 dog. 52 sees, and 1 deg. 57 mins. west longitude from London. There are three principal islands in the group, namely, Main-
land, Yell (on the north), and (still farther north-cast) Unst ; on the east of Yell lies Fetlar, which is the largest of the inferior islands,
the lochs of which are famous for trout, and several of the other islands abound with seal, otter, and wild fowl. The next inland in point
of size is Brissay; thn smaller ones are Whalray, Out Skerries, Samphray, Big Island, Mickle Roe, Papa Stour, House, Barray, Trondray,
besides a great number of islets, holms, and skerries. The history of Shetland is so much invoived in that of O.kncy as to render an
enlarged notice of its early history unnecessary. That the Romans visited the coasts of Shetland is highly probable, from the coins of
that people w hich have been discovered — those of Galba, Vespasian, Trajan, and iElius Caesar ; and the remains of a small Roman camp
are to be traced on the island of Fetlar. There seems to be little doubt but these islands wfire first inhabited by the Norwegians, the
^aws having been administered by " Udallers," who acted as n sort of petty princes. lu the year 875, Harold HarfagLT, or the " Fair-
haired," subdued these islands, and gave them to Count Sigurd, who was the first Earlof Orkney, from whom sprang the true Scandina-
vian dynasties of the Earls of Orkney and Shetland— the latter country being at first too insignificant to be included in the title, although it
was included in the grant. On the cession of the Zetland Isles to the Scottish crown, the laws of the former were gradually
encroached upon by the oppressive endeavours of the Scotch earls to introduce feudal subjection and seigniorage in place of the
ancient udal tenures. From 1468, when a marriage was concerted between the Scotish monarch, James III. and the Princess of Denmork
(when Orkney and Shetland were pledged to the royal husband), to the time when the two countries passed to the English crown, in the
persons of Charles I. and II., and afterwards to the Earl of Morton (who sold the estate to Sir Lawrence Dundas), uothinf^ occurs relat-
ing to the possession of Shetland distinct from that which has been already noticed in Orkney.
Soil, Peoddce, &c. — The general aspect of the country is bleak and barren ; and although there is but little to attract in the form of
landscape in what may be called the interior of tho islands— the whole of them being devtitute of wood— their coast scenery presents
views of a highly interesting character; and the summer tourist who may be content to leave behind for a while the rich luxuriance of
an EngUsh landscape and take a peep at nature in her more wild and romantic guise, will find, in the diversified appearance and pic-
turesque grandeur of the coast of Shetland, ample gratification. The want of roads has been much felt by the inhabitants of Shetland,
but government are obviating this inconvenience by constructing roads between the principal inhabited parts; and where this means of'
communication does not exist, boats are called into use on the numerous fine " voes" which penetrate far into the interior. In travelling
by land, the email ponies, or " shelties" as they are called, pursue their way across the wastes without much difficulty. The cattle of
Shetland are of a very diminutive breed. A cow is said to weigh from two to three hundred weight upon an average ; an ox from three
to four, but seldom exceeding five hundred weight. A great abundance of poultry is kept on almost every farm, and small swine are
very pumerous. The sheep are very small, but produce wool of an excellent quality, which is knit into stockings, gloves, and mits.
The fleece, which is remarkaby soft, has been wrought into stockings of a fine texture. The precarious and scanty corn harvest of
Shetland is rarely finished until the end of October or even of November. The fuel iu general use is peat, the cutting and drying of
which occupies diligent attention. The highest land in these islands is Roeness Hill, which attains an elevation of one thousand, tour
hundred and forty-seven feet. The Hill of Foula is next in altitude, being about one thousand three hundred feet above the level of the
joa. The chief support of the Zetlander is dependent on the white fishery— herring, cod, and ling abounding on these coasts; besides
which, many men and boys are employed every season in the Davis Straits whale fishery. Several persons are also engaged in angling
for the small fry of tho coal fish, or oarlits carbonarius— known in Shetland by the name of " sethe." These swarm in myriads within tha
numerous creeks and sounds of this northern archipelago. They first appear in May, scarcely more than an inch long. About August
Ihey become more abundant, measuring about eight inches in length, and in the early part of the following year they attain the ordinary
Size of the cod fish. A profitable fishery then takes place in deep tide-ways, supplying the inhabitants with a portion of food and oil
from the livers for light and other purposes.
The Shetland Isles form twelve parochial divisions, composing two presbyteries and a synod. Tho only town in this portion of tho
northern group is Lerwick ; besides it, there are only o few villages and hamlets on the shores. The islands now pay their proportion
of tho land tax, and in every other respect have become subject to British laws. They are represented in Parliament (as already noticed)
in connection with the Orkneys, to which sheriflTJom they belong. The acreage is estimated at 208,679 ; the number of inhabited houses
in 1871 was 5,667, and the population 31,608, namely, 13,103 males and 18,605 females. In 1861 the numbers amounted to 81,670.
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