The morning call., 1890-12-25

=
! + 0distance of perhaps 100 miles
} from Ktrkwall, the capital of
the former, to Lerwlck, the
capital of the latter, it is possible for the
traveller 10 encounter the ferces. ocean
tides, and the toughest waters known to any
seas. The perilous tideway is called the
Roost (Norse rest, tide-race) of Suniburgh,
and the waters sweep through it with in
credible velocity. One who has known the
toughest passage from Dover to Calais,
across the English Channel, will remember
that experience as gentle sail after tumb-
ling about in the Sumburgh Roost, and par
ucularly that portion nearest the southern
headlands Of Shetland, known as the west
shot OF Sumburgh. Your steamer in the
passage sails almost within hailiDg distance
of lone Fair Isle, standing midway be-
tween the 0rkneys and Shetland, and
Its natives invariably intercept pas sing
vessels in their curious. frail yawls,
any scrap OF knowledge of the outside
world. Fair Isle was the Fridarev OF
the Orkneyinga Saga. II and one or two of
the Orkney group still retain the name of
the Farce or Sheep Islands. No spot in all
these northern seas receives such lashings
and beatings from the Atlantic, and its 80
s"uls are never free from the shrieking of
sea-foal or the howlings of the deep. The
island has no lighthouse, and hHs been the
scene of many a terrible shipwreck. In 1858
Ell Gran Grifon, a war-ship of the great
Spanish Armada, commanded by Juan
Gomez de Medina, went 10 pieces
IN sIvARs GIo,
On its desolate shores. Eighty-six souls
persisted. Two hundred reached land many
of whom died of starvation Others were
thrown from the cliffs by the perturbed
natives, who believed that the crew of Ell
h1 epf m dact han,
Those escaping death by sea, starvation and
murder finally secured liberation and sort
of friendship which had curious results. The
Spanish sailors became, until they were res
cued from the island, dependents and slaves.
Seeking the good will of their Faroese
masters, the SpaniardS actually spun yard,
wove at hand-looms and knit for the
women. That was nearly three and half
centuries ago; but the very patterns in
stockings. gloves, capes and jerseys for
viii h the Farce Islands are to-day famous
were then taught them by the shipwrecked
cal with those now worn by the pescadores
of Barcelona and Spanish southern ports,
while it is even said that Murillo, who gave
the Louvre, in ssParlS, its matchless Ma
donna. painted similar patterns upon a
shawl in his study of the Flower Girl"
now seen in the Duwich Gallery, London.
II one can keep good sea-legS under him
the approach to Shetland is interesting and
exciting. our steamer bounds, luTches
and pounds through tremendous seas, and
strange trembling of the strongest vessel is
always felt as the unseen forces OF the tide
way contend for the mastery. Straight be-
fore you Is the southernmost Shetland sea-
nose, the grim precipice of Snmburgh Head,
crowned By noble lighthouse. the first ever
erected In Shetland, built by Robert Ste
venson,lt the great Scottish engineer, in 1920.
Around to the west, its base white for
hundred feet high with the spume of the
sea. and its highest peak as white with
drifting mists, rises upward of 1000 feet
wild Fitful Head, the legendary home of
Seotts Norma, the Reimbenner, as dark,
forbidding and fearful spot as ever human
eyes looked upon. To the east, here and
there featherly lines of smoke on the sea-
horizon tell Of the going and coming of Ger
man Ocean tramp" steamers or traders of
the Baltic fleet. Nearer. in the foreground.
like sea fowl resting upon the water while
summing their uplifted wings, the sails of
countless Dutch and Scottish berriDg-hus-
ses. Then, Great Ness, I.amohoga Head
and the Wane of Skewsbnrg are swiftly
passed. When alongside Mousa Island the
weird Pictish broch, or tower of Mousa, is
seen-gray old sentinel of the wraths of
ancient Morse hosts, GROWING the desoate
moorland landscape. In half hour more
you are passing through the noble southern
OF which forms the capacious harbor of
Lerwick There is
NO FINER ANCHORAGE
In the world. Many time, a century OF SO
ago, 1000 Dutch herring buses, with hun
dreds of other curious OIcadean, Icelandic,
Morse and Baltic craft might have been
seen within the Sound at one time. Pic
turesque headlands reach out and around
from the north and south from the western
or mainland crescent-shaped shore. while
on the east the splendid island of Bressay,
high and grand in places. forms circling
eastern sea wall to guard the Sound and
harbor from the tempests of the German
Ocean.
Bressay Sound was the Breltheyjarsund,
or Broad-island-sound of the Morse, and the
Buss Havn Of the Amsterdam fleet. 1t was
shere that King Hakon came with his won
derful fleet of 200 galleys. when on his dis
aStrous expedition, terminating in the battle
of Largs. Our own redoubtable Paul Jones
once came here to loot the capital of the
Shetlands. But he ran away again speedily.
Hundreds of Shetland women climbed
the knab, promontory near, to get a
They wore red petticoats. The hero of
the Ranger and Richard believing them to
be the red uniforms of large garrison of
King Georges soldiers. did not stop to
even "kipper" and eat herring with
the Shetlanders, but made away as fast as
his ships sails could carry him to the Sol
way Firth, where he failed in an attempt
TO despoil Scotland of her good Earl of
Selkirk, in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. The area
Of Bressay Island is perhaps 1900
acres. 1t has a population of 1000 souls.
All the acres and people are the property of
very pleasant and marriageable lady. Miss
c ameron Mouat, who lives in high state
and dudgeon, because of the moderDiZation
OF Shetland and the incoming of tourists at
ner quaint old mansion-house Of "Gardie,"
which lifts its huge chimneys and gables
exactly opposite the harbor and city Of Ler-
wick.
Facing old Lerwick from steamers
deck, or from Bressay Island opposite, you
would almost fancy your vessel had, by
some trick of navigation, entered port of
the Netherlands. Ii the level land and bikes
and weird old wind-mills of Holland could
be thrown in behind Lerwick =. for
background, the Dutch picture
would be complete. 1t is only $50
to 800 years old. but it looks vastly older,
and wriggles and twists along its crescent
posites. 1t Is the northernmost town in
Great Britain, and derives its name, as
we'll as that of its lovely bay, from the
Morse leir. clay, and rik, bay or harbor
1t has a population OF 5000 souls, doubled
every year during the herring and tourist
season; but one feels that the life and ac-
tiyity that hustle in the little place are
wholly new, or at least different from that
Of the old northern sea-kings who made the
port their haven of piracies and their retreat
1OI OlSy, ItNCt duu II YOU CUulu It.
haDililate the people,
TAKE AWAY THE EMBLEMs
OF British rule from up there about Fort
Charlotte, built by Cromwell, where the
Coast Guard are, and fill again the harbor
and Ter with Dutch herring-bpsses and
ample breeched traders, every nook, corner
and Granny would haveits Amsterdam flavor
and Rembrandt effects. Indeed the mark of
hose sturdy old fishers and traders u on
Lerwick is so universal that one comes TO
resent its present occupancy by another
race, even though its people are hospitable
as the Irish, stolid and energetic as the
English and thrifty and canny as Aberdeen
Scotch men-which Is another remarkable
composite.
Alphabetically, Lerwick is as odd town
as you will find in all Europe 1t is built on
the face of brae. and the morning sun,
when it gets around far enough north to
shine at all in this region, looks over Bres-
say Island and peers sauarely into its
rough old face. tumble upon tumble
1t struggles around 10 the southeast and
the northeast for a good mile, in all
manner of curious groups and piles; just