New-York tribune., 1874-08-18
ON THE WAY TO ICELAND
A GLIMPSE BY BAYARD TAYLOR Al i''N
u SHETLAND ISLANDS.

ORR rTr FAROE ISLANDS jury - - = -
s+o,o.vacbt rocks aud swings SO I' io"E' - b.
~ e' ,;,,lc IN write, or TO know WhaI one mas
next 10 n, ,,eavor 10 make a brief chronl-
WIZ - ovneriences thus far. At hlrkWall' III
''' " took on board a pilot for the Shetiahu
y, NN''' 5 rt,rned TO the open sea 10y the ehannel
&c So rbicb we had entered The northern Ork-
- are low and mOnOtonous IN Outline ana no
toa,p,e belonging 10 them clings especially 10 the
- tr,r, their extremity the lOftier Shetlands
-, ho seen in clear weather, at distance OF 6O or
,nr,iles Half way between the two lies tair ISIe'
ror which 2oO inhabitants live IN Inlseraoie way
srppor;ing themselves by fishing and knitting, OF
weaving the wool Of their sheep. As the island mas
..oIorbor and landing is only practicable in good
weather the people are sometimes half 1amished
before supplies can reach them. 1t is now proposed
70 remove them in a body TO New-brunsWlck anu
leave the island without inhabitants.
Atmidpirht we saw the light on Sumbnrgh Head
the soutbcrn point Of the mainland OF shetland, but
= dcuse fog sjon rolled down upon the water and
ccmpclIod MS 10 creep onward at Snails pace Inc
herring fishery Is now in season, and the sea was
crowded with small craft both from the islands and
tom scotland. Morning found us shut IN 10y dull
low SKY. with no land in sight but after feehng
about for three hours the island of Mousa detached
itself from the mist and afterward we saw the
Moss of Bressav. The strait between tins latter
and the larger MAINLAND lcats 10 LII VIM NHV
capital OF the Shetiands
Here. al last were bold, lofty shores-walls OF
hasalt followed into caverns by the waves, the
hcadlauds split into pillars rising III fantastic
arches oat Of the foam Of breakers. Flocks OF
sca-lirds wheeled about them. piping their paintive
cries and the rounded green SUBMITS were speckled
with sheep The dark. towering sky was in unison
w'h these wild shores; the air was 50 penetrated
with "a fine invisible moisture tAat our waterproof
mantles slowly drpped as we sat Oh deck.
NauIand is M least sixty miles in length, and the
town q LcTwicb is situated near its center on the
eastern side Brc,say forming complete breakwater
for the hartor. The houses of gray stone climb the
steep banks in a confused but most picturesque
manner with q background Of dark bleak ana
SCARED mountains The anchor had no sooner
tIourcd than crowd of curious natives collected at
Tie little landinc-place Oar boats carried the
Tn-lsh and American flags. which were evidently
a..cua Of profit to the people, for quantity of adj
vclt,iug cards wste thrown to before we landed,
and ino-c were waiting on the pier. Truly enough
shetland 'a.. and hosiery proved 20 have attraction
fog tle most O.. ouI party, and several pounds were
spent before a.y s.ops were taken for visiting the
interior,
Itaa,Lot easy - Gud conveyance. The people
wtrt y,g. uI4u- 20 assist ms, but there seemed 10
te "a scarcity OF horses aud vehicles. finally we
discovered q " wacouettc' and pair, and MI Hay,
.Le Danish Consul. offered his dog-ccrt. The only
tI.p possible with the time at disposal was
across the Island 10 the port Of Scallowiy the
western side. ~ We 3roye out of Lerwick looked
ia vain for trees in the gardens; the only uxuiaGt
growth was cabbage. We passed a small old fort,
skirfed the sea for a short distance, and then
TUNED inland into broad valley between bare and
gloomy bill. Far and near the soil was gdshcd by
cuttings for turf which is here found in layers from
three 20 six feet in thickness. Women, young and
Old many of hem blrefooted were carrying basket
loats Of turf on their back. each load being WORTH
a. tue driver informed me, about three pence. The
women DO neaty al the work on the Islands" he
sad. The NH fish OF make voyages 10 foreign
ports lu-us lesulineg, and spend the Winter ld-y
a. home
W saw few genuine " Shel,ies' grazing on the
hills ltile rouc 3.loateI creatures win good intel
hc,ut faces. lie stations are now worth so
apiece, owing 20 an increase in the demand Tor
them: bat a good mare may s-iu be had fOI GJ.
The sheep feeding fa- and near on the short, nutr-
tions C;ass are wonderfully clean and beautiful
creatures blaci-Lealgd and wnte-bJdied, with
fo.ce- that show gloss like that Of silk.
Il vas a strange lonely landscape through which
We passed. Misty clouds hang upon the broad
crest- Of the hills sometime, sinking aud wrapping
us In moi ;rc, then rising and leaving the country
I.
several miles to tie dividing ridge OF the island.
Beyond this there was a fine view westward over
snal isles away 20 the promOntTy of Fitful Head,
which every reader of Scott's Pirate will remem-
her. Scal0wav. with the stately ruins Of a castle
ay below as and there were fields of wheat, barley
and potatoes IN the valley behind il. This was the
cd shetland capital: il does not contain more
thaa So inhabitants, while L.rwick boasts of more
than 4cCO.
On ous way 70 tie castle, several neat, pleasant
women came ont Of the cottages and offered fails
walls of the finest white wooden lace for sale The
knitting of walls shlwls, scarfs, and hosiery Of all
kinds is the chief industry Of the ShetlaDis. l am
tod that the women have prepared patterns, but
keep the delicate, elaborate designs in memory, and
wcIk them with perfect accuracy. girl and four
bows accompanied Us to the castle, the former
guide the latter out of curiosity. This is the
castle built ly Earl Patrick Stewart, in lG,O," said
the gil. Its him that treated the people So
cruelty and rs here that he took. Go up stairs
and yonli see the room where he was discovered by
the smuk o his pipe. He was beheaded at EdInboro'
il the year l0lj."
"seiyed h.m right" remarked one of our party.
Indeed it was MT enough punshment," the girl
answered with energy.
The cas:le-walls some seventy feet high. make
very picturesque ruin. The boys climbed every
where with Us and the youngest fine bri ght- faced
fellow Of ten" poor, unfortunate orphan the
~. said-ran 10 his grandmother with a few pen
mes we gave him and then returned 10 attend u.s.
1Eey all spoke much better English than the
common people of scotland The pure Morse blood
oi the Shet.anders Is apparent at the first glance;
some phrases OF their former tongue are st in gen
eIal Use. bUt in face, FORM and manner they are
wholly NOIsemen. In Lerwick you often see hair
ff -.rfF.g. lid a II