THE ORKNEYS TO THURSO. 37 



over, of which a sixth is enclosed, drained, and under 

 rotation, and the rest hill and bog. The whole was 

 purchased eighteen years ago at about 45s. an acre. 

 The house and steading are at Swanbinster, rather in 

 a hollow near the sea, half-way between Kirkwall 

 and Stromness, whose fish offal, ashes, &c., are thus 

 very handy for manure. There is not enough sun 

 for mangolds, but carrots grow well, and so do 

 Swedes and Aberdeenshire purple tops, and green- 

 top yellows. The large hay colls which are built 

 up round poles, and tied down with cords for a month 

 before they are put into the rick, are quite an im- 

 provement on the Cumberland " pikes ," and every- 

 thing about the place gave evidence of vigorous ma- 

 nagement, and wool at half-a-crown a pound. The 

 past only peeped out in the little grey bridge to which 

 the honeysuckle was clinging, and the plot of purple 

 heather which was kept intact to mark the victory 

 of the tile and the ploughshare. Mr. Fortescue has 

 both a Cheviot and a half-bred side of the hill, and 

 the older half of his thirty score of Cheviot ewes are 

 all put to the Leicester. Some of his tups are of 

 three parts Sanday blood, and he has also introduced 

 a Lincoln to Orkney. The herd comprises fifteen 

 Angus cows, and he intends to keep them pure, and 

 only put his " shot queys" to a shorthorn. 



The sloop was lying at the pier, waiting for a breeze 

 to start with the draft Cheviot ewes to Aberdeen ; and 

 if the packet is indisposed during the winter months, 

 she sometimes takes the mail-bags across the Pent- 



