366 MINERALOGT. 



Mineralogy of ^est of it Sold for jf 70 per ton. The hills in the vici- 

 Shetland. nity afford both copper and iron pyrites in considerabl* 



quantity. Near Coningsburgh cliffs^ a vein of copper 

 pyrites was wrought a few years ago, which yielded Mr. 

 Jameson 18 per cent, of copper; but it so much, de- 

 creased in width as they descended, that it was finally 

 abandoned. The appearance of the ores, was judged, 

 by the Cornish miners, to improve as they descended 'in 

 the Sandlodge mine; and, at their lowest level, the 

 quantity of fibrous malachite, when \ visited the mine, 

 was such as to afford a most beautiful spectacle by the 

 light of our candles. They have since, however, I am 

 told, unfortunately met with such obstacles, as to induce 

 them to give up the work. Still, it appears to me, that 

 it would be worthy the attention of some mining com- 

 pany, who had capital and entcrprize to prosecute the 

 undertaking. 



Rocks of sandstone and breccia from the east coast 

 from Sandlodge to Sumburgh. The micaceous hills now 

 cross the Mainland, toward ' Fitful-Head; and from 

 Quendal Bay to Sumburgh Head, the chief mineral pro- 

 , " duction is sandstone. At Quendal Bay ^ a copper-mine 



was discovered several years ago, and was, in 1803, 

 slowly worked by a very few miners. In the tract froHa 

 Sandlodge to Quendal Bay, there are many indications 

 of metallic ores, chiefly iron. 



From Levenwick Bay, sail along the shores of the 

 Mainland to Sumburgh Head, the southern extremity of 

 these islands. It is composed of sandstone cliffs, mode- 

 rately high. Am informed, that a slate quarry has been 

 lately opened, not far from the top of this promontory — 

 Bid adieu to Shetland. 



With regard to the general distribution of the rocks 

 which compose the Mainland, the western side of it is 

 composed of micaceous schistus and granite ; and is much 

 more bold than the eastern, which consists ciiiefly of 

 sandstone, and sandstone breccia. The parish of North- 

 maven contains most granite; and, if I am not mistaken, 

 Rona's Hill, the highest ground in Shetland, stands in 

 this parish. A similar distribution of the strata is, I 

 believe, pretty generally observed in most countries, but 



t}i«f 



