TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 9 



that was only opened during my last visit to Shet- 

 land ; this want has been greatly complained of by 

 strangers and by the Shetlanders themselves who 

 are compelled to visit Lerwick on business, that 

 town being the grand emporium of commerce for the 

 Shetland Isles. The lodging-houses in the country 

 are very mean and uncomfortable, and on some oc- 

 casions I should have been unpleasantly situated 

 had it not been for the kindness of the gentlemen 

 farmers, or lairds as they are called, who politely 

 offered to accommodate me in their own houses; 

 I shall not be so invidious as to mention any par- 

 ticular individual, as I received from them gene- 

 rally the utmost kindness and attention. 



The population of Lerwick, I believe, amounts 

 to between sixteen and seventeen hundred, exclu- 

 sive of those living in the country part of the parish ; 

 according to Dr. Edmonston, the whole population 

 of Shetland in 1802 was 22,379. The inhabitants are 

 naturally hospitable, and their liberality and kind- 

 ness amply make up for the want of public inns. 



Many of the Shetland gentlemen are intelligent 

 and well informed ; some of them have received a 

 liberal education at the Scotch universities, and a 

 great many young men who possess the advantage 

 of money, leave Shetland for the same places, to 

 finish their education, as they find it essentially 

 b5 



