Jan., 189 J. 
A TRIP TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 
9 
bold rock scenery on the coast, which is very picturesque 
and interesting; and the islands are remarkably cut up by 
numerous fiords, like the opposite coast of Norway on a smaller 
scale. Geologically there is a marked difference between the 
two groups of islands ; the Orkneys consist principally of 
Old Red Sandstone, but the Shetlands are almost entirely 
Silurian slate, with large exposed surfaces of granite. The 
principal island of the Shetlands, named Pomona or Main 
Land, is fifty miles in length, but cut up into a most fantastic 
outline; and at one part it is only half a mile in width, and 
a small town, Brae, stands on the narrow neck of land con¬ 
necting the two portions, having two harbours, one in the 
Atlantic on the west, and the other in the North Sea, on the 
east coast. 
The result of the prevailing high winds is an almost total 
absence of trees, and there are none at all in Shetland, 
although there are fuchsias to be seen growing freely out of 
doors throughout the year. The inhabitants are not Scotch, 
but have a Norsk element in them, and seem to consider 
themselves of a race rather superior to the Scotch. Their 
main occupations seem to be, the men fishing and farming, 
and the women spinning and knitting. We saw great quan¬ 
tities of the well-known Shetland wool work going on in the 
cottages, the wool being grown, spun, and knitted on the 
premises. Fish is, of course, one of the principal articles of 
diet, but somewhat curiously the inhabitants do not eat either 
eels or mackerel ; they do not consider these good for food, 
and throw away the mackerel when caught. It may be men¬ 
tioned that the old name Zetland is used by the inhabitants 
in preference to the more modern spelling, Shetland. 
The Orkneys and Shetlands are easy of access by coasting 
steamers, that run regularly, and are very comfortable and 
convenient, affording a very pleasant and enjoyable trip along 
the coast and amongst the islands. I sailed from Edinburgh 
with my son direct to Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, calling 
on the way at Aberdeen and Wick on the mainland, and at 
Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney. Then, after a day’s excur¬ 
sion in a sailing boat to visit some remarkable rocks, we 
crossed the island to Scalloway, and took a trip by a coasting 
steamer along the western side of the island, which has the 
finest rock scenery, calling at several places, including the 
town of Brae, that stands on the narrow neck of land dividing 
the island. We then went south by the steamer to Stromness, 
the second principal town in Orkney, from which some inter¬ 
esting excursions were taken by land and water, and finally 
left by steamer direct for Liverpool, calling at Stornoway in 
