The New York herald., 1874-08-18
The Herald's Correspondent Stops
at the Farce Islands.
OUT OF THE PATH OF COMMERCE..
The Social Life and Habits of the
Faroeans and Shetlanders.
THE WOMAN QUESTION
First Visit of Christian TX. to His
Far0ean Subjects.
ON BOARD THE STEAM YACHT ALBION,
JHORSHAYN. EarQa lslands Iulu Oa 1RtA

GAVVssA OuUJCCtSs
ON BOARD THE STEAM YACHT ALBION /
TnoRsHAYN. Farce Islands. July 20, 1874.
Our expedition has 80 far got on finely. Our
stay at the Shetlands was very short and az
t0rded very little opportunity for observation, yet
Hound opportunity to cross over from Lerwick.
tne capital to Scalloway, where stood the ruins
ef the castle Of that Earl Patrick Stewart, the
legends Of whose cruelty are so common in the
6hetlands and the Orkneys The little boy who
was my guide about the ruin pointed to the lofty
old wall, which IS seven feet thick, exclaiming,
eSee there that's the ring the wicked Earl hung
the Shetlanders TIL" And sure enough there was
She ring, and many poor creature was doubtless
strung up to It for other crime than that OF not
producing sufficiently to the revenues Of the crafty
Sir Patrick, who could pardon any other CRIME
yather than that.
RELICS OF THE NoRsEMEN.
The Shetlands interested me very much. Here
We catch the first glimpse Of orseland. and the
Islands are teemine with Morse traditions. This
was considered the very central point OF their op-
erations for many centuries, and even now the
houses are Morse, the people are Morse, and the
language has touch OF the Morse winch you do
not ind in the OrKneys nor in Scotland. In fact
the people are altogether different from the Scotch
The naxen hair OF the Northmen is everywhere
seen, and the women are more comely than further
south. They have at least not the enormous feet
and hands OF their Scotch sisters. The islands are
without trees and although there Is good deal OF
land under cultivation most OF 1t is q wild waste
On which any one at Will may rear his herds OF
sheep, and the shepherd and his sheep and his dogs
were everywhere to be met as we crossed over to
Ecalloway. Many OF the 1ocks Of sheep were Of i'm
mense size, and every such 1ock was literally
fenced rD9mhl
down among the hills and dells at will.
THE TURF BEDS.
There being no trees upon the islands there Is
nothing for the people to burn but turf, OF which
there seems to be an inexhaustlble supply. The
turf beds iimitable, not being. as in Ireland.
confined to the low lands, but extending often
times to the SUBMITS OF the hills. The first turf
beds are to be seen about o mile from Lerwicx,
and thence the way for nearly four miles, toward
Scalloway, hillside and valley were covered with
great stacks of peat, put up to dry while the road
was everywhere lined with women carrying this
peat into town. And this, to me. was most curl
Gus spectacle. You observe two industries Of the
ishnds at once-rhe women performing both, and
both ut once The Shetlands are famous, as every
body knows, for the 1neness OF the wool OF
the sheep and Shetland shawls are known
the world over. Here they are very cheap, and
are knit with marvellous skill. But what struck
me most, ana was not without its comical fea-
tures, was the sight of caravans OF women, each
with basket OF turf, holding bushel. strapped to
her back, trudging along the road into town IN
her bare feet, and every one Knitting as she went
THE CHEAPEST LABORERS-
or hundreds that l saw OF these turf carriers
there was but single man, and he was very old.
In an probability the men were fishing or idling,
these being the principal occupations OF the men
Of Shetland everywhere. l saw only three turf
carts on the hole journey. and were 1t not for
the sturdy women do not see now the 5000 peO-
pie of Lerwick would ever keep themselves warm.
A rev OF the Weather classes burn coal, but The
common fuel Is turf, and practically all OF 1t Is
brought into town on the backs Of women In
fact, IN these northern countries the women do
their full share OF outdoor work along with the
men, sometimes but more commonly, with the
boys. In the Orkneys, where the land is produc.
tive, gangs OF them go about from farm to larm
and from field to Heid usually under the charge Of
Q man, to SOW and hoe and NOW, at sixteen pence
Q dav, ana although l can but think such oc-
cupation most demoralizing yet the groups OF
women with their vari0usy coored dresses, make
even a. potato patch look picturesque. What a
beautiful exempncaton all this is OF the practical
application Of woman's rights! Every field Is open
to her here, and while at home an advocate Of
woman's rights would hardly venture to desire for
any one OF the sex the position OF field hand
here 1t is not only an unquestioned right but a
duty to dig and carry burdens for sixteen pence a
day.
MATTER OF HISTORY.
cannot here enter into any history OF the
ehetlands, further than to observe that they were
probably occupied by the Picts for several GEN.
tnrles before the Christian era. Ruins of their
huts are still to be seen. The name IS cor
ruptiOn OF hia!taland. Agric0la is SAID to have
discovered the Orkneys and he. on the same au-
fhOrity, saw the Shetlapds, and, doubtless, the
ssrhule OF Tacitus Is the Shetlands OF the present
day. Its subsequent occupation ny the Mortimer
mainly begun in the time Of Harold Aaaf ff6 yer,
King OF Norway who, by the tyranny or his rule
drove so many OF his people to seek homes else
where ana the Shetlands became their principal
rendezvous. From here it was they descended to
the coasts of Scotland, England, Ireland and
France, penetrating even into the Mediterranean.
and. not content with there pillaging and plum
dcring, they sought in the West new fields OF eu-
tcrprise They reached, finally, the Farce Islands,
and then Iceland Greenland and America. am
now upon their track, and in a few days shall see
IN Iceland the only spot where they cultivated the
arts OF peace, and where their language for the
Arst time took form and shape In O literature rich
IN the loftiest poetic images and philosophical re-
nections. In passing on my course have only
stepped, as 1t were, from place to place. or this
last stone on nv way can say but little. 1t Is
cluster OF islands interesting for the most part
only because it remains still, as does Iceland and
Greenland, in the possession Of the Northmen.
RoYAL VISITOR.
The Danish nag Is floating to-day from almost
every bousetop in Thorshavn. and the royal
standard Of Denmark noats from the mast OF q fine
steam frigate near US, for the King OF Denmark is
here on his way to initiate those ceremonies IN
Iceland, to participate in which am bound. Thus
you see we start lair aud are in good season. We
leave almost immediately but the King, with his
two ships does not sail until tomorrow. The cere
monies OF the minenniai begin on August Q, and
win be prolonged until about the 7th, winding up