C 298 ] 
were obferved to appear in the iflands of Orkney or 
Zetland, as fuch had happened about that time in 
other parts of Scotland. From Orkney I was informed, 
that nothing particular had happened ; only, that a- 
bout the time mentioned the tides were obferved to be 
much higher than ordinary. I received from Zetland 
a letter, dated 28th May 1756. from Mr. William 
Brown, Mailer of the grammar-fehool at Scalloway 
in [that country, a fenfible and obferving man 
wherein he writes verbatim as follows. “ BleiTcd be 
il God, notwithstanding the great devailations, that 
“ have been made in other parts of the world by 
“ earthquakes, we have been intirely free from any 
“ difader of that nature : nor has any thing extra- 
“ ordinary happened in this country iince you left 
“ it j only on Monday the 2cth Odober lad, be- 
“ twixt the hours of three and four in the afternoon, 
‘ c the Iky being very hazy, as it ul'es to be before a 
<c dorm of thunder and lightning, there fell a black 
u dud over all the country, tho’ in greater quantities 
“ in fome places than in others. It was very much 
<c like lampblack ; but duelled drongly of fulphur. 
“ People in the Helds had their faces, hands, and 
<c linen, blackened by it. It was followed by rain. 
‘ c Some people adign the caufe of it to fome ex- 
“ traordinary eruption of Flecla. But I diall trou- 
tc ble you no more about it, as no doubt fome of 
<c your friends have written to you of it fome time 
u ago. : ’ 
In June 1756. I returned to Zetland j and, upon 
further inquiry, found what Mr. Brown had written 
me was atteded by Mr. Mitchell, parfon of the 
parifh of Tengwall, and by feveral Gentlemen oi 
credit and reputation, who had feen and obferved 
tlie 
