S24» VOYAGE TO SPITSBERGEN. 



The women of Shetland are, in general, ignorant 

 of making cheese ; but their butter, when manufac- 

 tured for sale, is equal to any that can be found 

 elsewhere. That made for the payment of rent is 

 of a much inferior quality. 



It was an old custom here to pay their rent one 

 half in grease butter at Lammas, and the other half 

 in money at Martinmas. This custom, however, is 

 generally relinquished, and the butter converted 

 into money. 



Their method of making butter being curious, 

 I have thought proper to describe it. They fill 

 their churn with milk, which they churn in the 

 usual way till the oleaginous part be made to sepa- 

 rate from the serum. They then throw in some 

 red-hot stones, and continue churning till the butter 

 float at the top, when it is taken out, and carefully 

 washed and salted. The butter-milk being boiled, 

 what floats on the surface is used as food, and the 

 residue is esteemed an excellent beverage ; and when 

 kept over winter, they reckon it an efficacious anti- 

 dote against the bad effects arising from the con- 

 stant use of fish. 



Their swine are of a remarkably small size, 

 short-backed, and easily fed. A pig ready for the 

 spit is often sold at two shillings. 



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