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" THE OLD ROCK." 



This is the pet name which we, Shetlanders, give to 

 the land of our birth — " the melancholy Isles of furthest 

 Thule," and we proudly tell how the Old Eock seems 

 to have magnetic attractions for the scientist as well 

 as the poet and traveller. Edward Forbes spoke of it 

 as a " grand field," and another Naturalist who knew 

 the islands well says, " These remote islands are highly 

 interesting to the Naturalist ; for in the variety, and 

 frequently the rarity, of their natural productions, they 

 are not exceeded by any other district of tlie same 

 extent in Britain." 



Year by year our home was visited by Lights of the 

 scientific world, who found a never-failing source of 

 interest in the Isles, and an ever-ready sympathiser in 

 our father. Sometimes they came in parties bringing 

 their house (yacht) with them, and would spend pleasant 

 weeks and months cruising around the islands, dredging, 

 exploring, collecting, loth to leave, returning year by 

 year as if drawn by invisible powers. 



Many came alone, or in couples, and lived at Halli- 

 garth, or Buness, the welcomed guests of our father and 

 uncle: and thereafter their steadfast friends. Thus 

 did Jamieson, Hooker, Forbes, Goodsir, Gwynn Jeffries, 



