of the Shetland Islands^ ^43 
The division of the profits that accrue from these whales, was, 
from very ancient times, regulated by strict laws, which on the 
introduction of feudality varied from those of Denmark. ‘‘ As 
soon,” says Mr Gifford, as the whales aire got ashore, the 
Dailie of the parish is advertised, who comes to the , place, and 
takes care that none of them are embezzled ; and he acquaints 
the Admiral thereof, who forthwith goes there, and holds a 
Court, where the Fiscal presents a petition, narrating the num- 
ber of whales, how and where drove ashore ; and that the Judge 
thereof may give judgment thereupon, according to law and the 
country practice. Whereupon the Admiral ordains the whales 
driven on shore to be divided into three equal parts ; one of the 
parts to belong to the Admiral, one part to the salvers, and 
one-third to the proprietor of the ground on which the whales 
are driven ashore ; and he appoints two honest men, who are 
judicially sworn, to divide them equally. The minister or vicar 
claims the tithes of the whole, and commonly gets it ; tlie Bailie 
also claims the heads for his attendance, and if the Admiral 
finds he has done his duty, the heads are decerned to him^ 
otherwise not.” In consequence, however, of frequent disputes 
that took place on this tripartite division of the whales, the Earl 
of Morton, who was invested with the droits of Admiralty, ap- 
pears to have compounded with the landed proprietors of Shet- 
land, by agreeing to accept a definite sum for his share of the 
capture; but his successors have, I believe, relinquished the 
claim altogether. 
II. Account of the Ling Fishery at the Haaf 
On the north of the parish of Northmavine, the low hilly 
ridges, formed by the sea into deep fissures or caverns, termi- 
nate in a line of ragr^ed coast, agreeably diversified by a long 
narrow peninsula of green land jutting out far into the Northern 
Ocean, which is named Feideland, an appellation of true Scan- 
dinavian origin, that is explained by Debes, in his description 
of Feroe. He observes, that where grass is found so abundant 
and juicy, that oxen feed thereon both winter and summer, such 
places are named Feidelands ; and it is very remarkable, he 
adds, that where there are any Feidelands, they invariably turn 
to the north-east and north. Every where the coast is awfully 
