SOO ISLES OF SCOTLAND, 



inhabited, the rest consisting of what are called holms and skerries; 

 the former of which are islands entirely consigned to pasturage, and 

 the latter barren rocks. 



The largest of the Orkney islands is Pomona, called also the Main- 

 land. Its length is about twenty-four miles, and its breadth in some 

 places nine, in others only two, as it is of an extremely irregular 

 figure. It contains four excellent harbours, one of which is that of 

 Kirkwall, the principal town in the island, and the capital of the 

 Orkneys. This town extends nearly a mile in length, but contains 

 only about three hundred houses. The cathedral of Kirkwall is a 

 fine Gothic building, dedicated to St. Magnus, but now converted 

 into a parish church. Its roof is supported by fourteen pillars on 

 each side ; and its steeple, in which is a good ring of bells, by four 

 large pillars. The three gates of the church are chequered with red 

 and white polished stone, embossed and elegantly flowered. The 

 whole island is divided into nine parishes. 



The other principal islands of this group are South Ronaldsha, Hoy? 

 Sanda, Westra, and North Ronaldsha. 



South Ronaldsha is one of the most fertile of the Orkneys: it is 

 about seven miles long, and from two to five broad. Hoy is about 

 ten miles in length, and four or five in breadth ; and at high tide is- 

 divided into two islands, the southern, named Waes or Walls, and 

 the northern, Hoy. In this island is a mountain called Wart-hill, the 

 height of which is estimated at 1620 feet, the summit of which, in 

 the months of May, June, and July, shines and sparkles in an extra- 

 ordinary manner when seen at a distance, though this brightness 

 disappears on a nearer approach. The peasants on this account call 

 it the enchanted carbuncle. The cause of this phenomenon has been 

 suspected to be the reflection of the rays of the sun from some water ; 

 but no such water, when sought for, has been discovered. In a dark 

 valley of Hoy is a kind of hermitage cut out of stone, called the 

 dwarfie stone, thirty-eight feet long, eighteen broad, and nine thick j 

 in which is a square hole, about two feet high, for an entrance, with a 

 stone of the same size for a door. Within this entrance is the resem- 

 blance of a bed, with a pillow cut out of the stone, large enough for 

 two men to lie on : at the other end is a couch, and in the middle a 

 hearth, with a hole cut out above for a chimney. The island of Sanda 

 is twelve miles long, from one to three broad, and of an extremely 

 irregular form. Westra is eight miles long, and two broad. North 

 Ronaldsha, the most northern of these islands, is only about three 

 miles in length and one in breadth. 



The number of inhabitants in the Orkneys is computed at 23,000. 

 They consist of the mixed descendants of Norwegian colonists and 

 Lowland Scots. The town of Kirkwall has so much trade, that in 

 1790 the exports were estimated at 26,598^. and the imports at 

 20,803<?. The exports consist of beef, pork, butter, tallow, hides,, 

 salted fish, linen yarn, coarse linen cloth, and kelp, Of which the 

 island of Sanda in particular produces great quantities ; and the im- 

 ports of coal, wood, sugar, spirits, wines, tobacco, snuff, hardware, 

 printed linens and cottons, Sec. The manufactures are linen yarn, 

 •coarse linen, and kelp. The language spoken here was formerly the 

 Norse, or Norwegian ; but this is now superseded by the English, 

 or that of the Lowland Scots. 



The SHETLAND ISLES are situate about twenty leagues to the 

 north-east of the Orkneys, between iat. 59° 45' and 61<t 10' north. 



