At the head of the inlet of Wick the dreary hill of Vallafiel rears its lofty head, on the opposite side of which, is a long valley, watered by several lochs, that runs parallel with the coast. The hill terminates close to the sea, at a well-sheltered fertile dell near Woodwick, rendered interesting to the mineralogist by the crystals of grenatite which are so abundantly diffused throughout its rocks.

KIRK OF BALIASTA, ISLAND OF UNST.

A walk through the valley near Woodwick leads to a large open lawn at the head of the Loch of Cliff, which seemed very populous and well cultivated. I arrived there on the Sabbath morning: the natives of the Vale were all in motion in their way to the Kirk of Baliasta. The peasant had returned home from the bleak scathold, where he had ensnared the unshod poney that was destined to convey him to the parish kirk. No currycomb was applied to the animal's mane, which, left to Nature's care, "ruffled at speed, and danc'd in every wind." The nag was graced with a modern saddle and bridle, while on his neck was hung a hair-cord, several yards in length, well bundled up; from the extremity of which dangled a wooden short pointed stake. The Shetlander then mounted his tiny courser, his suspended heels scarcely spurning the ground. But among the goodly company journeying to the kirk, females and boys graced the back of the shelty with much more effect than long-legged adults of the male sex, whose toes were often obliged to be suddenly raised, for the purpose of escaping the contact of an accidental boulder that was strewed in the way. A bevy of fair ladies next made their appearance, seated in like manner on the dwarfish steeds of the country, who swept over the plain with admirable fleetness, and "witch'd the world with noble horsemanship." The parishioners at length arrived near the kirk, when each rider in succession, whether of high or low degree, looked out for as green a site of ground as could be selected, and, after dismounting, carefully unravelled the tether which had been tied to the neck of the animal. The stake at the end of the cord was then fixed into the ground, and the steed appeared to be as satisfactorily provided for during divine service, as in any less aborigi

nal district of Britain, where it would be necessary to ride up to an inn, and to commit the care of the horse to some saucy lordling of the stables.

The kirk was remarkably crowded, since there was a sermon to be preached incidental to the administration of the Sacrament; on which occasion I had an opportunity of seeing the convulsion fits to which the religious congregations of Shetland are subject. The introduction of this malady into the country is referred to a date of nearly a century ago, and is attributed to a woman who had been subject to regular paroxysms of epilepsy, one of which occurred during divine service. Among adult females, and children of the male sex, at the tender age of six, fits then became sympathetic. The patient complained, for a considerable time, of a palpitation of the heart; fainting ensued, and a motionless state lasted for more than an hour. But, in the course of time, this malady is said to have undergone a modification such as it exhibits at the present day. The female, whom it had attacked, would suddenly fall down, toss her arms about, writhe her body into various shapes, move her head suddenly from side to side, and, with eyes fixed and staring, send forth the most dismal cries. If the fit had occurred on any occasion of public diversion, she would, as soon as it had ceased, mix with her companions, and continue her amusement as if nothing had happened. Paroxysms of this kind prevailed most during the warm months of summer; and about fifty years ago, there was scarcely a Sabbath in which they did not occur. Strong passions of the mind, induced by religious enthusiasm, were also the exciting causes of these fits; but, like all such false tokens of divine workings, they were easily counteracted, by producing in patients such opposite states of mind, as arise from a sense of shame: thus they are under the controul of any sensible preacher, who will administer to a mind diseased,-who will expose the folly of voluntarily yielding to a sympathy so easily resisted, or of inviting such attacks by affectation. An intelligent and pious minister of Shetland informed me, that being considerably annoyed on his first introduction into the country by these paroxysms, whereby the devotions of the church were much impeded, he obviated their repetition, by assuring his parishioners, that no treatment was more effectual than immersion in cold water, and as his kirk was fortunately contiguous to a fresh-water lake, he gave notice that attendants should be at hand, during divine service, to ensure the proper means of cure. The sequel need scarcely be told. The fear of being

carried out of the church, and into the water, acted like a charm ; not a single Naiad was made, and the worthy minister has, for many years, had reason to boast of one of the best regulated congregations in Shetland.

When I attended the kirk of Baliasta, a female shriek, the indication of a convulsion-fit, was heard; the minister (Mr INGRAM of Fetlar) very properly stopped his discourse, until the disturber was removed; and after advising all those who thought they might be similarly affected to leave the church, he gave out in the mean time a psalm. The congregation was thus preserved from farther interruption; for, on leaving the kirk, I saw several females writhing and tossing about their arms on the green grass, who durst not, for fear of a censure from the pulpit, exhibit themselves after this manner within the sacred walls of the kirk.

HERMANESS TO HAROLDSWICK, ISLAND OF UNST.

After skirting along the east of the Loch of Cliff, which is situated in a beautiful valley of limestone between rocks of gneiss and serpentine, I crossed some low ground at the head of the water, and arrived at Burrafiord, (generally named Burra Firth), which is a wide bay, so open to the ocean as to afford no refuge for ships: it is bounded on the east and west by lofty banks of gneiss, and at the head of the inlet is a low, sandy shore, contiguous to which several cottages appeared, along with a small building intended for the curing of fish. The heavy sea and surf, which had succeeded to a few boisterous days, prevented me from visiting two large caverns which communicated with the water; the larger of these is said to be formed by a grand natural arch of considerable height, and wide enough to admit the sailing of a boat for a distance of 300 feet. The high banks of Burra Firth, and the stacks contiguous to it, are frequented by numberless flocks of birds, such as gulls and scarfs; and along with these the lyre, or Procellaria puffinus,-the Tomnorry, or Alca arctica,-and the kittiwake, or Larus Rissa. Their nests are annually visited by the nimble and adventurous rockmen, who, for the sake of plunder, land with boats at the foot of the most hideous precipices, which they easily scale, or are let down from the summit of them by means of ropes. The eggs thus

obtained are considered as a great dainty; the carcases of the young birds serve for grosser food, and the feathers form an article of commerce.

On the east of the bay is the hill of Saxavord, the occasional resort of the Skua gull, which is estimated at a height of 600 feet. The view from this eminence affords little variety; hills of serpentine, "cold, barren, bleak, and dry," lie extended to the south; and to the north there is an immense prospect of the wide and wealthy sea. On the summit of the ascent are several loose stones, which bespeak the ruins of an ancient watch-tower, the erection of which is fabulously assigned to a giant of the name of SAXE. In the old Shetland dialect, a watch-tower is said to have been expressed by the term vord, this being a word that finds a kindred signification in the English expression ward. Accordingly, the name of Saxavord indicates SAXE'S Vord, or watch-tower. There is also a deep cleft of the rock which is said to have been the residence of this tall warrior, whose name is well calculated to excite the speculative views of some ardent antiquary. For if it be admitted that Shetland was once possessed by the Saxons, who were defeated in the 4th century by THEODOSIUS, the conclusion might be, that tradition, in perpetuating the memory of the giant of Unst, has still preserved in the country the name of Saxe or Saxon. The appellation of Hermaness, by which the adjacent headland on the west of Burrafiord has long been known, is said to have been derived from the residence of a similar gigantic chief of the name of HERMAN.

East of Saxavord, are the high cliffs of Braewick, composed of micaslate, which appear remarkably prone to disintegration, and at the northeast angle of Unst, is to be seen a small cottage, which may be considered as the most northerly habitation in the British isles. To the north of Scaw, a small sea holm, there is a considerable opposition of tides, named a Roust, which arises from the same cause that I explained in treating of the Roust of Sumburgh-head, on the south of Shetland, (See page 239.) During the circuit of a great wave of tide round the British isles, lesser currents generated from it meet the west and east coast of Shetland, at successive intervals of time; and, by this means, the tides at the north and south extremities of the country are opposed to each other. The tumultuous Roust of Scaw is much frequented by the Gadus carbonarius, or Shetland Seethe, for which there is a good fishery..

In continuing my excursion, I arrived at Lambaness, a considerable headland stretching out far to the east, and presenting a favourable situation for the erection of a light-house, that would be an highly useful signal for vessels in sailing from the north. A booth or two is erected in the vicinity for the purpose of conducting from this extreme point the deep water fishery for ling. Near this place, at the distance of a few yards from the brink of a precipice, we look down upon a very deep sloping cavity of a circular form, arising from the disintegration of gneiss, which, at the bottom, communicates by a subterrannean channel with the ocean, so as to admit into it the flowing of the tide. This hole is named Saxe's Kettle, being a culinary vessel (and certainly a leaky one) that was used by the Shetland Giant. A short walk in a southerly direction leads to the open Bay of Norwick, which is bounded on its two sides by the steep cliffs of Lambaness; and by brown hills of serpentine. At the head of the inlet, where a heavy surf continually breaks, is a fishing-booth with several cottages, and well cultivated patches of land: the picturesque effect of the whole being heightened by the shattered remains of an arch belonging to St John's Kirk of Norwick.

After crossing some bleak hills of serpentine, an open bay appears in view, much exposed to the ocean, and affording not the least shelter for shipping. This inlet, named Haroldswick, is celebrated for being the place to which HAROLD HARFAGRE sailed after he had touched at Funzie in the Isle of Fetlar, and it was here that he landed, in order to wrest Shetland from the possession of Norwegian pirates, to whose vessels its numerous bays had long afforded a protection. On the brow of a hill are the remains of a sepulchral tumulus of loose stones, which bears the name of Harold's Grave, but as the death of this monarch did not occur in Shetland, it would be idle to offer any conjecture upon the origin of the appellation. The Barrow was opened some years ago, but what description of relics it contained I could not learn.

CRUCIFIELD, ISLAND OF UNST.

SOUTH of Haroldswick are bleak and barren hills of serpentine, the most conspicuous of which is Crucifield, where there are circular ranges