Daily Kennebec journal., 1874-08-20
New York Tribune Correspondence.
ON THE WAY TO ICELAND.

ON TIE WAY TO ICELAND.
SHETLAND ISLANDS.
OFF THE FARCE ISLANDS, July %. Our
little steam-yacht rocks and swings so turi-
ously that it is next to impossible to write, or
to know what one has written but | will en-
deavor to make a brief chronicle of our ex-
periences thus far. AT Kirkwall, in Orkney,
we took on board a pilot for the Shetland
isis, and returned to tho open sea by the chan
mel through which we had entered. The
northern Orkneys are low and monotonous
in outline, and no feature belonging to them
cings especially to the memory. From their
extremity the loftier Shetlands may be seen,
in clear weather, at a distance of GO or 10
miles. Half way between the two lies Fair
Isle, upon which 200 inhabitants live in a
miserable way, supporting themselves ty fish
ing and knitting, or weaving the wool Of their
sheep. AS the island has no barhor, and
landing is only practicable in good weather,
the people are sometimes half famished before
supplies can reach them 1t is now proposed
to remove them in body to New Brunswick,
and leave the island without inhabitants.
At midnight we saw the light on Sumburg
Head, the southern point of the mainland of
Shetland, but dense fog soon rolled down
upon the water and compelled us to creep on
ward at a snail's pace. The herring fishery
is now in season, and the sea was crowded
with small craft, both from the islands and
from Scotland. Morning found us shut in
by dull, low sky, with no land in sights but
after feeling about for three hours the island
of Mousa detached itself from the mist, and
soon afterwards we saw the Moss of Bressay.
The strait between this latter island and the
larger Mainland leads to Lerwick, the capital
of the Shetlands.
Here, at last, were bold, lofty shores--walls
of basat, followed into caverns by the waves,
the headlands split into pillars or rising in
fantastic arches out of the foam of breakers.
Flocks of seabirds wheeled about them, pip
ing their plaintive cries, and the rounded
green SUBMITS were speckled with sheep.
The dark, towering sky was in unison with
these wild shores the air was so penetrated
with fine, invisible moisture that our water
proof mantles slowly dripped as we sat on
deck.
Mainland is at least sixty miles in length,
and the town Of Lerwick is situated near its
center, on the eastern side, Bressay forming
a complete breakwater for the harbor. The
houses of gray stone climb the steep banks in
a confused but most picturesque manner, with
background Of dark bleak and SCARED
mountains. The anchor had no sooner
dropped than a crowd of curious natives col
lected at the little landing place. Our boats
carried the English and American flags, which
were evidently signal of profit to the people,
for quantity of advertising cards were
thrown TO us before we landed, and more
were waiting on the pier. Truly enough,
Shetland lace and hosiery proved to have at
traction for the most of our party, and several
pounos were spent oeio!e any steps were TAX
en- for visiting the interior
IL IS not easy 10 nhu conveyance Inc
people were very "iiiihg 10 ASSIST u.s. out
'"eie seeniTu ~ oe scarcity ., nurses anu
Veh,cies. fihaly we uiscoVe,eu wagon
ette ana par ana Mr. hay, the DANISH Con-
SUI, onereu MS uog-cart' l ue oniy "Trip pos
sioie WIN .he ,i'he at our uisposai was across
tue 'Sia"u ~ 'he Por' VI ooai'o"ay' ." ,ht
"'S'o,i 'iu': "' u'o'e Vu' VI l
iooAeu Ill VAIN 'oi ''ees III Tue eardehsi tne
o"y iuNu''anl sIo"'h was caooaRe' we
Passeu sonaii o'u 'o''' sh"'eu Tue sea ior
s"o' u'st""o1' ""' '"en 'ui"eu i'''a"u ii''u d
uroau Na''ey between oare anu eIoon'y hiils'
ai anu nIa' uie SUI was eaeneo ny cuuines
lor 'uI'' Wh,ch Is mere lounu IN IN, layers from
'nise 70 slA ieet az 'n.oNness "o,"en' young
anu oiu' many VI ."eui u"ieioo'eu, were car
ing o"'Ne'' 'o'N Vi ,u'' v" '"Vi' o"eA' eao"
ioau oeihe "or'h' as tile uI'er inior"eu "e'
ABOUT 'hree pehce' ne "oneh 40 nearly
All 'ie ~olN on 'ne isia"'e' he san.' me
nien n'i oi haAo 'oysseS " io'eisn po,'s
uutine 'ne summer anu spe"u '"e winter iu'y
At nome ,.c,.,..
we sd" 'ew genuine ohVites grazing
on 'he mus i',,ie iouen' co"'9u creatures
WIN eoou' inlerneeh' iaces' me summons
are now worm Aio apiece OWING 10 an IN,
crease III lhe ue"ahl ,or mems nut goou
mare may sun De hau i9r 10 he sneep'
ieedihg lar ana near on the shor', nutritious
grass are wohueflui,y cream ana neauti'ui
creatures piaek neaueo ana "hi'e- pouleu,
win heeces 'nat snow gioSs IKE 'hat OF
SIX
IL was strange ,0hely landscape through
which we passed Misty clouds hung upon
tue broaa crests OF 'he mis- sometihes SINK