contain about 14,000 merks land; and it will be noticed, that, however much the ancient enclosed land be increased by additional improvements, the number of merks ought to be and are stationary. The valued rent, divided according to the merks land, would make a merk land in Zetland equal to L.2 Scots of valued rent. The parish contains 253 merks land. Lerwick is built on the commonty or scattold of Sound. The real rent of the country parish is believed to exceed L. 500. The real rent of the town is about L.3700.

Mansion-Houses.-Excluding the town of Lerwick, the only house in the parish that can be properly termed a mansion-house is that of Gremista, the occasional residence of Sir Arthur NicolThere are, however, several houses in the neighbourhood of Lerwick, the summer residences of gentlemen residing in the town, which have been built within these few years, and have greatly improved the appearance of the neighbourhood.

son.

Antiquities.-The only antiquities worth noticing are the remains of a Pictish burgh or castle, on a small island in a lake close to Lerwick. It is fast hastening to decay. There are, or at least were lately, the remains of several chapels at Gulberwick.

The population of the town of Lerwick, in 1837, was

of places immediately adjacent,

of the country part of the parish, in 1831,

3068

52

444

The number of illegitimate births within the last three years in this parish, was 5.

The real rent of the parish is L. 4200.

The only improvements that have been made within the last fifty years are in the neighbourhood of Lerwick. That town was originally built on the commonty of Sound, and was surrounded by deep moss. The increase of the inhabitants has gradually caused the cutting up and consumption of this moss for fuel, until the immediate neighbourhood has mostly come to consist of extremely bare, stony, or rather rocky ground. Within the last twenty years, a common, surrounding the town, of about 40 acres, has been enclosed and divided into 31 parks, which are now mostly cultivated and laid down to grass. They yield a rental of about L. 80, from which the minister's stipend, falling on the town, and other expenses, are in part defrayed. Several gentlemen have also, at much expense, brought under cultivation ground in the neighbourhood of the town. And the summer residences of Mr Hay,

Mr Ogilvy, Mr Greig, and Mr L. Duncan, display, on a limited scale, such as the locality admits of, considerable taste and spirit of improvement. Mr Ogilvy's residence at Sound is laid out with equal taste and convenience; and the sheltered situation of Mr. Duncan's is evinced by a small but flourishing little plantation before his house.

Manufactures.-Properly speaking, there is now hardly any manufacture carried on in the parish. The women in this, as in other parishes, are a good deal employed in knitting stockings, mitts, and other articles of hosiery. There was formerly a straw-plait manufactory; but, for several years, it has been dropped. There is an attempt at present making by Messrs Hay and Ogilvy, to establish a herring-net manufactory; and there can be no doubt of the propriety of thus securing employment on the spot in the manufacture of an article, the weaving of which is so simple, and so easily ac quired, and which is now much used in the district. The population of Zetland are generally too much averse to turn their spare time to account. They fish during the season. They necessarily apply to their small labourings and harvests; and they cut their peats at the proper seasons; but when not so engaged, many of them are apt to be idle, or at least to employ themselves in a listless manner. It is said that the want of leases accounts for this; but those who know the district are aware that there are many who have no such excuse; and that there are few who could not obtain leases, if they wished.

Quarry.-In Lerwick, there is a freestone quarry wrought; and several vessels, some of them of 200 and 300 tons burden, have been built by Messrs Hay and Ogilvy.

Fishings. The fishing most constantly followed in Zetland is that of ling, which is carried on from the middle of May to the beginning or middle of August. It is, however, only followed by a very few boats from this parish. There are a number of small sloops that pursue the cod fishing, during summer; but it is subject to great vicissitude; the fish appearing for a series of years to leave the banks, on which, for another series of years, they are again found. The herring fishing has, of late years, been carried on with considerable spirit, in the manner practised on the Scotch coast, and in larger boats than were formerly used in Zetland. In 1834, the take in Zetland exceeded 50,000 barrels ; but since then, it has gradually declined. In 1839, 174 boats, mostly belonging to this parish, delivered herrings in or near Lerwick,

but the whole take from these was only 4872 barrels, and the herring-fishing last year was a total failure. The losses sustained by both curers and fishermen were consequently very severe, and have much damped the energies, and contracted the means of both. It may be doubted if the Zetland fishermen yet understand the habits of the herring, or the best way of looking out for them; and it is matter of wonder, that greater exertions to procure some of the experienced fishermen from Scotland, to follow the herring fishing in Zetland, have not been made. Notwithstanding of the late failures, yet, as a large capital is invested in boats, nets, and materials, the fishing will, doubtless, be again attempted another year.

Navigation. The number of vessels belonging to Lerwick is 85. The amount of their tonnage, 3132.*

V.-PAROCHIAL ECONOMY.

Ecclesiastical State. From an account now taken, the number of families belonging to the Established Church in the town is 458; in the landward district (in 1831) 80 families. And from an account now taken, the number of Dissenting or Seceding families, is 187.

About 40 families in the town may be said to attend no place of worship, being generally the most wretched, and standing most in need of Christian instruction. The usual excuse for non-attendance, is want of proper clothing, &c.

The stipend amounts to L. 150, and L. 8, 5s. 9d. is allowed for communion elements. The stipend is made up thus: From the bishopric rents of Orkney, L. 27, 15s. 6d. ; from town of Lerwick, L. 16, 13s. 4d.; from lands of landward district, L. 23, 0s. 81d.; from Exchequer under small stipend Act, L.90, 16s. 3d.; total, L. 158, 5s. 9 d.

There is neither manse nor glebe in the parish. The compensation paid by the heritors is L.50 per annum.

Education. There are four schools conducted by male and by female teachers in the parish; and one additional for boys, and one for girls of the middle class of society, are required. Perhaps, a well conducted model-school, accessible to all teachers in Zetland, and the children of the parish, would be a very great advantage. It is luckily now beginning to be perceived, that teaching is a profession requiring previous training; and, in the schools

Lerwick being the seat of the Custom-house, all vessels belonging to Zetland are registered there.

in Zetland, though conducted by estimable, zealous and rightminded men, the mere attainment of reading and writing, combined with the almost mechanical reading of the Scriptures, form the staple of the education; and but too little attention is paid to the moral and intellectual part of education. The Sunday schools, wherever established, have been productive of very great and palpable good effects.

The yearly amount of the parochial teacher's salary is L. 34, 4s. 81d; his fees amount to about L. 30 per annum.

Savings Banks.-There is one of these banks established in the parish. But the succession of bad crops and fishings has almost entirely stopped the deposits, for some time.

In 1838 the sums withdrawn amounted to L.45; in 1839 to L. 16, 8s.; and in 1840 to L. 13, 9s.

Poor and Poor's Funds.-The number of persons receiving parochial aid is 105. The average sum allotted to each is 1s. 8d. per month. The average annual amount of contributions for their relief, is L. 116. This sum is taken from the receipts for the year commencing 1st December 1839, and ending 1st December 1840, and may be deemed a fair average; the collection not having much varied, for several years. Of the above amount there was derived from church collections, L. 74, 0s. 24d.; allowed by heritors to make up deficiency, L.22; from two donations, L. 6, 5s.; mortcloth hire, L. 2, 12s. 6d. ; collection at sermons by minister of parish on St John's day, at request of masons of Morton Lodge, L. 12, 1s.; total, L. 116, 18s. 8d.

May 1841.

UNITED PARISHES OF

BRESSAY, BURRA, AND QUARFF.*

PRESBYTERY OF LERWICK, SYNOD OF SHETLAND.

THE REV. ZACH. M. HAMILTON, Minister of Bressay. THE REV. JAMES GARDNER, Minister of Quarff.

I.

TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

Situation, Boundaries, &c.-These parishes comprehend six islands, with a part of the mainland of Shetland. One parish lies on the east of the mainland, consisting of the islands of Bressay and Noss, divided from each other by Noss Sound, and from Lerwick by Bressay Sound.

Bressay is nearly six English miles in length; its breadth varying from two to three, or, at some points, rather more. Its aspect on the west is somewhat diversified by indentations of the coast, the height of its hills, the cultivated land sloping toward the sea, and by the houses, cottages, and hamlets interspersed from south to north. Tracks of hilly ground run through it in irregular directions, between which that sort of variety occurs, which is formed by the intermixture of pasture and peat moss.

Noss is two miles long, and a mile or more in breadth, having an acclivity from west to east. The greater part of it is pasture ground; but in the lower part, there is enough of cultivation to form a comparatively large and good farm.

Topographical Appearances.-The most prominent object in Bressa is the Ward or Beacon Hill near the south extremity, which rises 724 feet above the level of the sea, somewhat conically shaped; and, being covered with heath, stunted grass, and peat-moss, it has a very sombre aspect. St Andrew's or Ander Hill, on the east side of the island, is a hilly ridge, 400 feet or more in height.

Some caverns occur along the coast, one of which, on the south part, is the most remarkable, and has never been thoroughly exDrawn up by the Rev. George Marshall, minister of Flisk, formerly minister of Bressay.