140 A VIEW OF 



better lodged than 'thofe on the continent, or the 

 Hebrides. The inhabitants of Kirkwali export 

 Ibme grain, malt, meal, beef, butter, feathers, 

 fkins of calves, otters, and feals ; herrings, kelp, 

 linen yarn, and cloth, fine worfted {lockings, and 

 coarfe woollen goods. 



By means of thefe articles, they traffic with the 

 Dutch, Danifn, and .other buffes which frequent 

 their coafls, during the fifhing feafons, when Kirk- 

 wall hath all the appearance of a continued fair. 

 The inhabitants alfo carry on a petty commerce 

 with Edinburgh, Newcaftle, London, Norway, 

 Hamburgh, Spain, and Portugal, thereby fupply- 

 ing themfelves with a variety of neceiTaries, and a 

 fmall balance in calh. 



One degree further north, are the Shetland ifles, 

 ftill lefs indebted to foil and climate. Here the 

 Ihortefl day does not exceed five hours, and the 

 winters continue till April, during which feafon the 

 winds are fo high, and the fea is fo agitated, that 

 thofe ifl ands are almoft inacceuTole for feveral 

 months/ when the natives are cut off from all inter- 

 courfe'with the world. Yet, even here, in lat. 60. 

 8, and amidil barren rocks, Hands the town of 

 Lerwic, containing upwards of 300 handfome 

 houfes, and is every year increafmg. In the neigh- 

 bourhood, there are many genteel families lodged 

 in flrong, well-built houfes, commodioufly fur- 

 "nifhed, and whofe tables are well fupplied. Thefe 

 iflands being the great theatre of the Dutch fifheries, 

 carry on a confiderable trade with thofe people, 

 and fome foreign commerce, chiefly by means qf 

 .white fifh that abound on their coafls. 



Thus the northern rocks of the Orkney and Shet- 

 land ifles, animated and inftructed by the Dutch, 

 prefume to trade with London, the Baltic, and the 

 Mediterranean ; while the more exten five and fou- 

 therly iflands of the Hebrides, and the whole weftern 

 coaft of the continent, are not matters -of a fingle 



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manu- 



