PASSAGE FEOM GHEENLAND TO EHITAIN. 371 



Subject to mists as the Shetland Islands are, the 

 navigator, in thick stormy weather, is sometimes 

 exceedingly embarrassed in approaching them. Pos- 

 sessing no satisfactory knowledge of his situation, 

 he cannot, perhaps, determine, whether he be on 

 the east side or west side, or on the meridian of 

 these islands. In the latter case, he apprehends 

 danger from the Skerries, which lie on both sides of 

 the land, at a considerable distance from the main, 

 some of which are so small, low and rocky, that, in 

 bad weather, or in the night, they constitute a very 

 fonnidable source of danger. He apprehends some 

 little risk of nmning to the westward of Orkney, if 

 he be much to the westward of Shetland, or of being 

 detained on the coast of Norway, if he prove to be 

 on the east side. The westerly winds, which are 

 here prevalent about the middle and latter end of 

 summer, though tolerably favourable for a ship 

 in a fair way, between Shetland and Norway, re- 

 tard such as happen to be on the coast of Nor- 

 way, especially if they be unable to clear the land 

 on the starboard tack. 



In approaching Shetland in foggy weather, or 

 during the night, the soundings are the only satis- 

 factory guide. If the navigator be pretty certain 

 of liis latitude, and try for soundings in the parallel 

 of 60^ or 61 degrees, he will have no bottom with 

 100 or 120 fathoms of line, at the distance of thirty' 

 miles from the west side of Shetland : but on the 



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