polar migration of the herring is an instance, and it is not to be supposed, that accurate and extensive observation, and cautious inference and analogy devoted to the subject, would fail in eliciting something like scientific principles, and in establishing most interesting and valuable practical results. Of all beings, the rude fisherman is the most superstitious and theoretical, and almost all, we think, we know of the subject is derived from him.

Trade.-Much intelligent commercial activity prevails. The exports consist chiefly of salt fish, oil, butter, beef, cattle, ponies, and hosiery; the imports are, it may be supposed, very miscellaneous. A good many merchant vessels of respectable size, some of which have been built in the country, belong to it, and small fishing craft are very numerous. Leith is the great depôt for

Shetland produce.

Manufactures.-Knitting of various articles of hosiery and kelp making may be said to be the only native ones. They are especially useful as giving employment to that part of the population which would otherwise want profitable occupation; and, moreover, in the case of kelp-making, a substance becomes valuable, which otherwise would be left to waste away on the strand. Kelp was never so important an object in Shetland, as in Orkney and the Hebrides; the shores are not so productive of the materials which afford it, nor is its quality so much prized; but there is, doubtless, much yet to be learned in its chemistry and manufacture. Since the duty on barilla and other substances, in competition with kelp, has been taken off, its preparation has been almost laid aside, and its want is seriously felt. It is difficult to conjecture what other motive, than a reckless adherence to the speculative dogma of Free trade, could have induced the British Legislature to inflict so severe a wound on the industry and resources of the Scottish islands, and which neither equity nor policy can honestly defend; much more oppressive and pernicious monopolies may take shelter under the mask of commercial freedom, than under the protective mantle of a prudent and patriotic government. Free trade is, after all, only relative; it has been imagined and described; but when the globe shall become one vast Utopia, then only can we expect that its beau ideal will be realised. Among the advantages which Shetland might hope to derive from Legislative favour, a reduction of the duties on timber generally, and particularly on boats from Norway, would be most valuable, and universally felt. These boats are imported in boards, and are of a class not in use in any

seamen.

other part of the kingdom; hence no temptation to smuggling would exist. Another benefit would be a drawback on the duty of a limited quantity of tobacco, tea, and sugar, for the use of the fishermen, in the same manner as it is granted to merchant The mail-steamer running all the year through would also be a signal boon, as bringing Shetland completely within the vortex of the British market, and no satisfactory reason has yet been given why this advantage, often solicited, has been withheld. The Isles of Man and of the channel enjoy many peculiar and important privileges; distant colonies are pampered; and it might not be unreasonable to expect some fostering patronage and commercial indulgence to be extended to the long neglected Shetland Islands.

March 1840.

Fetlar and

Mid and

INDEX.

Barrows or tumuli in Sandsting, 112
Bastavoe, 83

Bays or voes, various, in Fetlar, 23-in
Northmaving, 71-- in Unst, 38

Bigga, island of, 82

Blue Mull Sound, 24
Blumel Sound, 36
Botany, 74, 108

Bressay, Burra, and Quarff, united pa
rishes of, 7

Bressay, island of, 7-sound, 1, 9
Brindister voe and village, 101
Brough, ruins of Pictish castle at, 57
Buness house, 38

Burdens, land, and their origin, 63
Burghs or forts, ruins of various, 111
Burra island, 9-frith, 38

Burying places, ancient, in Bressay, 12

-in Sandsting, 110-in Unst, 40
Busta house, 57-standing stone of, 57
Cattle, breeds of, see Live-stock
Cave, artificial, at Trondavoe, 57
Caves, various, in Bressay, 7
Character and habits of population, 27,
76, 87, 116, 156

Christianity, introduction of, 155
Chromate of iron, working of, in Fetlar,
23

Chapels, ruins of ancient, in Tingwall,
59-in Unst, 40

Church, our Lady's at Weesdale, and
tradition relating to, 69

Churches, established, see Ecclesiasti-
cal Statistics

Cliff loch, 37-sound, 9
Climate, see Meteorology
Clousta voe, 101

Cod fishery, see Fisheries

SHETLAND.

Colgrave Sound, 24, 32
Conversion, compulsory, of the Earl of
Zetland, 97

Copper, attempts to work, at Fithill, 93
Cottages of Shetland, the, 138
Cottars, condition of the, 158

Crops, the principal, raised in Sandsting,
124

Crucifield, Druidical remains at, 39
Cullinsgarth, ruins of chapel at, 12
Culsterness, cave at, 57

Current, rapidity of the, in Yell Sound,
82

Dairy husbandry and management, 124
Danes, conquest of the Shetland Islands
by, 60

Delting, parish of, 56

Destitution in Fetlar and Yell, 35
Dissenters and Dissenting Chapels, 17,
22, 33, 49, 55, 58, 79, 90, 95, 135
Dorholm rock and arch, 72
Drongs rock, the, 71

Druidical or Pictish circle in Northma-
ving, 75

Dunrossness, parish of, 93
Eagleshey, island of, 71

Ecclesiastical Statistics, 5, 16, 21, 32,
49, 58, 69, 79, 90, 95, 135, 156
Education, statistics of, 5, 17, 22, 33,
49, 55, 58, 70, 80, 95, 136
Fair Island, the, 93, 95
Fairs and markets, 81, 137
Fetheland, island of, 71

Fetlar and North Yell, united parishes
of, 23

Fetlar, island of, 23

Fisheries, cod, ling, &c. 15, 21, 29, 46,
54, 58, 67, 78, 130-herring, 4, 16,
30, 46, 54, 58, 67, 94
Fisherman's fund, the, 137

of seventeen in 1832, 45-of four in
1832, 86

Fishing boats, frequent loss of, 86--loss

Foreholm, island of, 100

Fort at Culswick, ruins of, 111
Fortifications, ancient, on Kirkholm,
109

Foula, cliffs of, 145-island of, 19

Fuel, 19, 52, 81, 95, 138

Garder House, 115

M