SH E T L A N D P A R I SH

D E L T I N G .

R E I G. P W . G .

W A . L E R I CK : C . SANDISON

1 89 2 .

P R E F A E C .

H I S of T Sketch, which a portion has already appeared in a ' of Sketland flmes is series articles contributed to the ,

f of now published in a more permanent orm, at the request

numerous readers . My sincere thanks are due to those friends who have afforded me much assistance by placing at my disposal

s o f f D e ltin material containing a tore in ormation relating to g.

P . W . G .

L E R I C K am 1 8 2 . W , j 9

C N O T E N T S.

PA GE H APT I C ER .

D e lti ng

HA FT I I C ER .

Olnafi rth

C H A PT E R III .

D own Sk e lladale

H APT V C ER I . — We athe rsta Brae

H APT C ER V . — ' Busta T he Giflords

H C APTER V I .

' Thomas Giflord

H APT V I I C ER .

The Gifford Family

H APT V C ER III .

The D rowni ng of th e Sons of Busta

H APT X C ER I .

Barbara Pitcairn

HAPT E X C R .

' Gideon Giflord CONTENTS .

PA G E H PT R 1 Q A E x . T he Busta Case

H APT XI I C ER .

M uckle R oe to Scatsta

C H APTER XIII .

Th e Garth Mu rd e r

H APT XI V C ER .

L axobiggin to D ale

H APT XV C ER .

Scottish Oppressio ns

H APT C ER XVI .

‘ Old D e lting Fam ilie s

HAPT XV C ER II .

Eccle siastical Account ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH

R CHAPTE I .

B I ELT NG .

E W parishes in Shetland h ave got less fair treatment at f s f l in the hands o writers than the Pari h o D e t g. and but a and Hibbert Tudor devote little sp ce to it, Cowie, i a n the . his Guide, scarcely gives it ttention it deserves Had h of these writers , however, climbed the hill to the sout Moor f field, and ollowed the ridge to the north , terminating in the “ ” a of a grand pe k called the Club Mull , over eight h undred f f s eet high , they would have been more avourably impre sed

of . is with the scenic beauties the parish It is true, there little o f the st riking rock scenery pecul iar to Shetland to be seen ;

- s s a but the heath clad hill , the long winding voes reaching ever l a d h in miles inl n , t e numerous lochs glistening the sunlight, form a most pleasing picture . There are numerous hills in D e ltin s f an of a g, but it is impos ible rom y one them to get com l f f f p e te view o the whole district . The scene rom any o the - ra a t and n of hill tops is g nd . E s , west, north, not o ly is the Parish D e ltin a n g to be seen to dvantage, but the neighbouri g parishes - s L unnastin San stin to the ea t g, to the west d g and North m avine l r— si , and to the north Yell and Fe t a are all vi ble in

- a f . a t o bright, clear weather Following the hill tops, the ch r c er l s a s s the and c pe ever changes ; bright, cheery pot here and

th e - a s of there relieving dark, deep sc rred hill . Here the arm wa a voe winds its y inland until one is apt to think it is a lake, and there a small cluster of crofter houses nestle under the hill 8 A N N AL S o r A SHETLAND PAR ISH .

r f . side, su rounded by patches o cultivated land Standing on l a L axobi in a of the hi l bove gg , one sees the whole north p rt the f Scatsta Mione ss f Mione ss parish, rom Voe to , and rom to and a Mossbank, hill dale ; the brown common and the verd nt pasture land are spread out like a picture ; little streamlets hurrying over rocky beds glance in the sunlight as they speed li u nru flle d along, and lochs e here and there reflecting in their bosoms the surrounding hills . s f c On the ea t side o Sullom Voe, whi h winds its way for of t s as inland over eight miles, and is one the pre tie t well ’ a s a as the longest voe in Shetland, is G rth Voe, running inl nd f a short distance . To the north , and divided rom the latter by a of a an a s s r narrow neck l nd , Orka Voe runs in lmo t t aight for Caldback and line about two miles . On the west side is Caldback s Crookste r of c Ne s , on the east , at both which pla es of is the natural barrenness the soil relieved by cultivation, and

fi elds of corn wave and ripen in the autumn sun . Going f r Scatsta V oxte r s a ther west, one sees the and di trict, a com f parative ly level stretch of land . At the ormer place stands

c c at m d . the hur h , the latter the anse, close besi e the voe of f Divided by a narrow neck land rom Sullom Voe, Busta a s of Voe runs out to the south, a bro d expan e water, to the s of can fa n o f s we t which be seen the mily ma sion Bu ta, partly f of hidden by lo ty plane trees, an unusual sight in this part , the f s s world to the east there is a number o crofter hou e . From We th e rsta fa is a of Olnafi rth Ness a irly good view obt ined Voe, on the west side of which the cultivated land of Grobsness a s s of s st nd out in relief to the ombre hue the urrounding hill . Gonfi rth a of i Farther up the west side is Voe, at the he d wh ch a stands a sm ll school . In all these districts there are lochs

had. wof and burns , where trout fishing can be No better vie the east side of the parish can be obtained than from the top f of a r Collafi rth s o the East Hill D le . F om to Mos bank the is c a irth sne ss Swniste r coast line quite le r and distinct, and F , i ,

ss a are c s . s and Mo b nk quite lo e at hand But in this di trict, as Olnafi rth L axobi in in the and gg districts, large stretches of BELTING . 9 f a n of f ertile l nd , strew with the ruins cro ter houses, are laid w ar a a s s f r . a te o sheep Few things e s dder than to see the pl ce , o f of l nce the cheer ul habitations man , waste and deso ate , and m W s e the ho esteads heaps of ruin s. hile viewing uch scen s ’ ne a u m an o is strongly reminded th t man s inh manity to , ” m s akes countless thousand mourn . Many other visitors to D e lting have written an account of s f h e their experiences and impres ions o that paris . A writ r,

r a o a r sixty yea s g , long with a com panion , visited the dist ict, ” n f his as a d s an c o . s publi hed ac ount tour The e eccentrics,

h s s - a they styled t em elves, in pired by the Byronic high tr gedy “ of a r s of n tone th t period , desc ibed the di trict as one appalli g

. c s r gloom In des ribing Voe, at a time we mu t remembe , f a sa I f of be ore the ro ds were made, he ys there be a heap f c a c u is the oul ul erous mount in excrescen es in nat re, it here, n m and a grou d tre bles vibrates to your tre d, as though you were walking over the graves of the dropsical de ad : and the c off a s ene rolls bluntly in dism l, hunchbacked hills, which , even ’ i m of in daylight, we ghs like a nightmare on the sto ach one s

m a na se t s s of w n . i gi tion , and the mill tone horror at work ithi a at Millbou rn w We took a bo t at night, &Voe], and sailed do n a a a k D l in wa e t . s d rk n rrow voe or la e to Bray, in g It a scene of s m a s r wordles gloo , and we p s ed th ough it in our little crazy ff s r as was an ski , all ilent and shudde ing, though it Styx, d f fo a o . ff a the g, b nks hell On doubling one blu c pe, a m a - s of a a f the ac ount in gu t wind c me like ury down br , and ’ r I - — half filled ou boat . felt a m omentary heart quake I don t — know how and then handed m y friend his flute to play away the blue devils : but instead of that bell - ringing echo o f a the r m f the Highl nd hills, sound he e was ute, and mu fled by ’ - if a m e bog moss, as it had been dropped on dead an s ar. It was w s s a sense, ithout sensation the ound arou ed an eagle in h is r f m a ey ie, and, a ter a croaking bark to his te, he plunged a his flabbin down so close overhe d , that we heard g pinions ' bufle tin r as if m an g the da kness, he s elt death, d was waiting

for s . n our carca es to float We la ded at Bray, and sat down by I O O F R ANNALS A SHETLAND PA ISH . the fire with that satisfactory shive r of secu rity which a fly would feel after escaping from the grip of a spider into th e ” - innermost corner of a nut shell . h h a r ss W et er in the mellow utumn , st olling over the mo y hills - flake d u sk under the cloud bl e y, or even in the gloomy a o f r s the s the d ys winte , itting by cosy peat fire li tening to weird tales of trows and ghosts who stalked abroad and spirits a n f a n an th t were spoke , the writer ound much to entert i d H is s o f c are a h ff admire . recollection the distri t ltoget er di er e nt from the so mb re impressions which were left on the

eccentric author just quoted from . In order to make a closer acquaintance with D e lting and i s s is s a t hi tory, it propo ed to proceed round the p rish , at is s ua a m f m beginning Voe , which it ted bout eighteen iles ro

rwc and s of s Le i k, near the outhern extremity the pari h . OL N A FI R T H . I I

CHAPTE R I I .

OL N A FI R T H .

s m a of la s a s i s N the earlie t p the is nd extant , the voe be r t F r a s u a th . a o f present n me, being pelt Ol y At the he d s l a ur of Olnafi rth s the voe, a ma l stre m, called the b n , ru n into

s f- - f f se a. a a the Clo e beside it, about h l mile rom the mouth o the f of K irkhouse c the burn, beside present cro t , the an ient f is m s c c churc h o this district indicated on the ap . Thi hur h

w a e St af fr a . as dedic t d to Ol , and om it the voe t kes its name N o saint was held in higher veneration throughout the Sc andi

a a r f who f e - fa n vi n No th than King Ola the Holy, was ost r ther f R n al i n f ar of H o o v d Brus so o . e g , one the E ls the Islands it was who enforced Christi anity on the pagan proportion of h is subjects in Norway ; and he is stated to have sent out mi ssionaries to the Orkneys and Shetland to convert the s s s inhabitants to the true faith . Numerou dedication to thi ‘ f a and and as saint are ound both in Shetl nd the Orkneys, , we a a h ve alre dy seen , down to comparatively recent times , the name Olaf or Olaw was one of the most common i n the s a f m r i sland . (It is curious to note th t the a ous Tooley St eet in

London takes its name also from St Ola. The initial letter a f h ving been dropped in common speech, rom St Olley Street, a a it became Tooley Street. ) In the parish the district is lw ys Olnafi rth s a called , but outside the di trict is more popul rly k n as was now Voe. An attempt at one time made to designate M a o f this place illburn , as the n me Newport was attempted to be substituted for Brae ; but it was never recognised even a by the people in the immediate vicinity . At what d te the f a rt a first church ell into dec y is unce ain , but there is no tr ce of it now remaining ; although it is well known that part of the croft of Kirkhouse has been used at one time as a bu rying 1 2 AN NAL S OF A S HE TLAND PARISH .

h st ground. The next churc erected here was built on the ea e of b of is b sid the voe, and at the ack this church the tom

' 1 8 and of Giflords. a s 4, l the This tomb , as it be r the date ,

a s . . M . e re cte initi l T G and E . , appears to have been a the bar s er mi ne time of the drowning of the four sons. The three

' o f the Giflords are impaled with the armorial beari ngs of the — Sable am mast/es 2 and I or Mitchells, viz. , a j betwixt three , , 1 head 0 which appears to be ’ d uck . s a t s r st y The whole is urmounted by a h r head , the c e A “ ' o f Giflords and s r of the , only the three fir t lette s the motto, ” f a are c h a . s a o Sp re Nought, now de ip er ble Around the t nce

u is a r a - the old ch rch the South P rish bu i l ground , and in the f of s centre of the churchyard stands the amily tomb the Adie . r a and ra s a h its It is t im and ne tly kept, cont st r ther oddly wit a a ac o f surroundings . M rble tablets t the b k the tomb com memorate the n ames of five m embers o f that family who rest “ ” A t f f a in the haven under the hill . the ront le t h nd corner f c r a s a su r o the en losu e st nd a fine obelisk in grey gr nite, fi of wh a w mounted by the gure an angel in ite m rble, ith f a a s c pinions olded and h nd s and eyes r i ed in suppli ation .

This has been erected to the m emo ry of Mr T M . Adie and “ f s f s — s his wi e, and bear the ollowing in cription Thi monu ” c a f b r ment is ere ted s a tribute o filial affection y thei children . At the base is the single line

Until the day bre ak .

is n The old church is now deserted , and rapidly becomi g I n 1 868 ruinous . the new church was built a short distance f rom the old one . a s al P s ing on to the north , one comes to the hill c led the f o . of t s bill a a Club Mulla Close to the top hi is situ ted well,

ar and s a r where the water, cle p rkling, bubbles up th ough the

of s a s - sh heart a rock, and settle into mall cup aped hollow. In olden times the water of thi s well was regarded by the people “ f as sacred . Few o the diseases which flesh was then heir if h a f to but could be cured, only t e p tient got the benefit o OL N A FI R T H r . 3

its healing powers . It is uncertain whether it is through a lack of f r h aith among the people, or th ough t eir having acquired “ the inveterate habit of drinking from morning to night a ” s of r is trong decoction boiled tea, but ce tain it , the water now no longer possesses the vi rtue which gave it fame in former days. In this district an early attempt was made to introduce

-f f sheep arming into Shetland . Shortly a ter he came into pos

' of of Giflord f session the estate Busta, Gideon turned out rom their holdings the crofters to the south and west of Olnafi rth “ h - Voe, and laid down the w ole district as a sheep run . What is nowknown as the Old House of Voe was built for a

- fa r r m of sheep rme , Mr Welch , and a la ge nu ber sheep were r r r f r s . o tu ned loo e on the pastu e Scab, howeve , broke out, the r and a fi st time it is believed in Shetland, ne rly all the sheep w l r . f m as and died The ar then given up, the p ace elet to f s f r r ain s u a cro ter . The cro te s em ed in po session ntil bout 1 8 2 Olnafi rth s 5 , when the di tric t was again depopulated to

a - f m ke room for sheep . The second attempt at sheep arming sf s of proved much more succes ul than the fir t, and the park Olnafi rth is now probably one of the best sheep-runs in the s n s i la d . a of of At the he d the voe, clustered together in a sort hi le t - i le t a — r a a a f gg y p gg y m nner he e g ble, there ront, and so — s s r c f on s e . o tand the bu iness premi s, fish stores, wo kshops, & , the firm of Messrs T . M . Adie Sons . It was the gentleman whose name the firm still bears who called Voe into existence

f f- a- a from a commercial point o view . Hal century go Voe was . scarcely known except by the fe w people who lived at and ’ about the place to- day its fi rm s name is known eve rywhere ; is a s f of of W s it po t and telegraph o fice, a port call the e t Side

and busm e ss . of s steamer, a large centre A fleet fi hing boats is owned and employed by the firm ; they have also smacks engaged in the Faroe and coasting trade ; and all stand as a u f and s a mon ment to the inde atigable energy , skill , bu iness t ct f h i s o t e late Mr T . M . Ad e . On the ri ing ground above the N F E I 4 AN ALS O A SH TLA ND PARISH .

si s m se se —a h m a n i bu ne s pre i s is Voe Hou andso e vill , sta d ng w h s to it in an enclo ure, with smoothly trimmed lawn , sloping — f es s o . the roadway the re idence Mr W J . Adie, the pr ent f s s head o the firm . Farther along the ame road stand

u of . . m Bellevue Ho se, the residence Mr T M Adie, to who s and f s fi hing the fisheries is but o pa sing interest, he having c a turned his attention to rearing ponies, sheep, and attle, t i business which he thoroughly understands . Beyond his s i the Manse, occupied by the Rev. Mr Lorra ne . of Olnafi rth Following the windings the Burn up the valley, was f of H amri rind h e one comes to what once the cro t g , w er about a hundred and fifty years ago lived no less a person Fe w s e of than Robbie Glen . Shetlander but hav heard R as of con Robbie Glen and the otter . obbie w one those stitu tionally easy-going men who are to be m et with at all s n f times and in all clas es. He ever seemed to devote himsel to

u - was a any partic lar calling. He was good natured , and lways “ ” “ ” was making witty remarks, and ready to crack a joke s h over the most seriou business . He rarely made a cas pay “ ” “ m f a ent towards his rent ; he would odder a cow, or c rry ” f m f o a . a pock rom Busta to Laxo, in lieu a oney p yment f a s an s He was there ore not very de irable tenant on y e tate, f off f and had in act been turned one estate, be ore settling

H am ri rind for - a of r at g , non p yment rent. He built seve al “ ” “ hadds k otter , and would wander round the ban s s of i f s in earch his prey, spending whole days in th s a hion . Otters would sometimes come up to the mouth of Olnafi rth a of h Burn in se rch trout, and there, in a locality in whic he of t trained eye Robbie detected tracks of the otter, ” a wn . aff in he built a h dd Coming do one morning, st hand, of as was his custom, he was delighted to find the door the s hadd clo ed , and a fine otter cowering within . Taking the

of ff h - lower end his sta in his hand, Robbie, wit a well directed f s blow, stretched the otter seemingly li eles . He then took the a and him h d otter by the t il, swinging over his s oulder, he starte

a for m . u Ki kh use up the v lley ho e When he got p about r o , OL N A FI R T H . h owever, a curious thing happened . The otter, which had been s of f merely stunned by the blow, began to show sign li e, and at ’ h of once fixed his teet into a delicate part Robbie s anatomy, n which was within easy reach of him . It was in vai that ’ h e o Robbie pulled and tugged at t tter s tail ; and at last, in “ ’ r a utter despair, he ele sed his hold, saying, Slip doo me , an ' ’ m ade for I ll slip dee . The otter at once the burn , while a Robbie went home a sadder and presumably a sorer m n. Being asked by a neighbour who had seen him giving the t f for ot er his reedom , his reason doing so, Robbie replied, ’ dan ta Weel, ye see, he had a better grip me, an I wis blyde ‘ — lat be for lat a saying which has become crystallised in the islands ; and fe wnatives of the Old Rock at home or but a for le t abroad have he rd the expression , Let be be, like ” fe w f Robbie Glen and the otter. A years a terwards Robbie H am ri rind a died at g , leaving behind him a n me which is still f a s amous in Shetl nd , and a debt due to the Bu ta estate . and h Shetland may have produced greater men, men who ave f s of f per ormed more heroic deed , but none them have le t a f name more amous in the islands than Robbie Glen . Other ’ s of f di tricts, envious the lustre which Robbie s ame reflects on own m a Voe, may dare to claim him as their , and disputes y s for of ari e the distinction, as with regard to Homer old, but the only true and orthodox opinion is that Voe was the scene

f - - b -f r o the never to e o gotten adventure . ‘ 1 6 or A SH E 'I L AN D H ANNALS PARIS .

I I I CHAPTER .

W SKE L L AD A L E DO N .

OL L OWI N G f the country road north , about hal way Olnafi rth n between and Mossba k, is the croft of We ste rscord a , and entering a g te there a pathway brings the a to of s tr veller to the p the hill , and pa sing on he enters a n f Ske llad l a e . track run ing rom east to west, called Here, t r s is everywhere the eye u n , it met with bright and cheery o f ra s f f nooks, large patches g s and so t beds o moss strewn all r f about in directions, while the light clouds d i ting slowly ss acro the sky vary the light and shade on the hillsides . Far r s s f a the on , and one find him el in a huge amphithe tre, the s r s hill gently sloping down on th ee ides to a bright little burn , sa which, as it wends its way slowly down the valley, seems to y with “ The Brook

I c a e r o e r s on wa s l tt v t y y ,

I n i t e shar s and re bl s l t l p t e ,

I e o e in a s bubbl int ddy g b y , ” b b n th I ab le o e pe bble s. On a bright sunny day one can scarcely recall having seen r m f a bit of Shetland hill scene y ore beauti ul . The wind was “ ” r f - blowing a slight b eeze rom the south east outside, bu t inside the encircling hill s not a breath stirred the air ; the sky — was of the deepest blue such as is seen ofte n in Shetland fle e c sk while light y clouds floated dreamily over the y, looking as if m fan they had wooed the su mer breeze to them gently , n lest a stronger wi d should drive them away, and darker, ’ s s more heavily charged one hould take their place . Twas a asa and f s ple nt spot , indeed , one would ain have lingered be ide ” can r it but nae man tethe time nor tide .

‘ 1 8 ' ANNAL S OF A SHE I L AN D PARISH .

charmed —and he had been taken into their halls to keep th e f e . dance going, and of the wonder ul sights to be seen th re h his From t at night misfortune attended him . He lost eye sight, his crops and stock alike decreased , and he died in a his u n bject poverty, and ho se was so haunted by u earthly s ounds that no one would live in it, and it had to be pulled down .

Another story is told of a man named W C who , f was a while returning rom a wedding at the west side, appro ch b f ing the Knowe, when he was suddenly struck lind, and ound r n himself conducted along for a short distance . On egaini g s f s f a f his eye ight he ound him el se ted in a airy hall, where the trows were busy making ready for a marriage or entertainment

of s l u . some kind, and his ervices were required to supp y m sic u n He played on d ring the ight, but towards early morning by

' some breach of etiquette he unintentionally ofle nde d the trows . f n of t s r A brie co sultation was held , and two the row we e f f r l despatched rom the hall on a mission . A ter a ather engthy a a absence they returned , and intim ted to what appe red to be f for had s their chie that the fiddler could go now, they ettled for his b was a of est black cow . The fiddler gain deprived the f of . power sight, and conducted out into the upper world A ter for d was d stumbling on a consi erable time, his eyesight restore , f ot and he ound himself near to his own house . How he had g he rn there he could not tell ; but just as tu ed to go home, he a s he rd loud laughter close be ide him , and turning round he “ ” w s saw hat seemed to be five old women , dressed in blue slug “ ” s a u of . and white toy mutches, di appe ring p the side the hill When he came into the house he asked his wife if she been into r if all & in the by e, and the black cow was right She replied afli rm ative f the ; but he decided to see or himself. On going f cow h into the byre he ound the , whic had been quite well a f a short time be ore, lying dead, shot through the he rt by the f ’ airies darts . a of a Whether it is owing to the p ssing the Educ tion Act, c of f h a s is the introdu tion black aced s eep, or to climatic ch nge , W L A L DO N SKE L A D E . 1 9 an u s a d open q e tion , but cert in it is the Knowe is now deserte , s an a and fa the mu ic d the dance are no longer he rd , the iries r have betaken themselves to pastures new . A sho t distance on is f We the rsta is the county road , and to the right Brae, to the le t ‘ and We the rstane ss ; while over on the other side of the voe ’ s tands the ancient Ha of Busta. L F ' ' N R I 2 0 ANNA S O A SH E I L A D PA SH .

V CHAPTER I .

W — E T H E R ST A BR AE .

HE scene round Busta Voe is entirely difle re nt from

ln r i of s O afi th . s so a Voe recent creation, to pe k ; We the rsta a and a a h ar and , Br e, Bust h ve grown o y with age, f s bulk largely in the olden history o the e islands . When Ler was a s of a f w wick scarcely a vill ge, consi ting e huts built close to the seashore when the Sound c rofters pastured their sheep r s and w f e xe r on the hill on which Le wick now stand , ere o ten cise d in mind as to their lambs falling into the burn which ran a is a Mou nthool —at a down wh t now c lled y Street, th t remote was sc o f r a a a time Busta Voe the ene comme cial ctivity, gre t

trade being carried on there . Dutchmen were wont to arrive a s a a there nnually, and the people u ed to m ke pilgrim ges there

fr ar a s u and a s of om all p ts, tr ding booth were set p, cene liveli s of f a a ness en ued , which un ortun tely we have no uthentic f s . o at de cription At the side this voe, one time, was a resid of f fa s a r ence the amous, or rather in mou , E rl Robe t Stewart,

b - W h r e having a man sion house at e t e sta. The voe and its f surroundings now seem the retreat o peace and quietness . At ’ We th e rsta Bu rrovoe a c r f s o s s are of , , and Br e, the o ter h u e a ” superior class to the bulk of the houses in other parts of the a a and of p rish ; the l nd is decidedly superior, as good crops r ar as co n e produced anywhere in Shetland . The surrounding

. is a and a ground is not so hilly There less he ther, cert inly r s a an air of much mo e gras to be seen th n at Voe, and there is prosperity and contentment about the place which is quite “ ” a r refreshing in these latter days. Ne r B ae stands the Free a a ff f Church and M nse, erected m inly through the e orts o the

. r m . r r Rev James Bain , the fi st inister He e the Rev . Mr Roge s ac labours wi th ceptance . He is an earnest and devoted WE T H E R ST A— B RAE . 2 I

r of is preache , a zealous advocate the temperance cause, and h highly esteemed by the people . A s or t distance from this a s church there are a substanti l chool and schoolhouse, where the teacher divides his time cultivating— with equal success f o the f . the minds youth and the use ul potato . The residence of f Mr James Inkster is situated near the head o the voe . is a ffi c u o Brae a post and telegr ph o e, a reg lar port f call of the s r c West Side steamer ; and Mr Ink te , who is county ouncillor for D e ltin all North g, is highly esteemed by the people in the

district . A rather good story is told about a woman who resided in f a w had the vicinity o Brae . A l rge hale been driven asho re at r o f a fle nchi n Busta Voe, and a numbe men were eng ged g it . ar ca f r r s was c e an D kness me on be o e thei ta k ompl ted, d the f f r o . men le t the carcase the night When all was quiet, an old

o se a- woman to k a pail and went down to the shore . to steal

of . sh e a some the blubber When got to the wh le, however, she l n ts sh e stumb ed , and a large hole having bee cut in i side,

nor c sh a n s l f e . ell bodily into the whale, ould get out ag i , trugg e as sh e would . At length daylight came and the men returned

r s ar r to the work, when they we e t tled to hear groans p oceeding fr s s . n om in ide the whale A earch revealed the old woma ,

a f s r who was instantly h uled out, and there con e sed her c ime . “ of f a She was called Jonah to the end her days , rom h ving ’ spent a night in the whale s belly . i a a s m an It s recorded that, m ny ye r ago, on one occasion a “ f a and r and his wi e at Brae were she ring, had laid thei child s of c down between two sheave orn to sleep, when they were

r - h its s s r ff ho ror struck by earing hriek , and seeing it ca ried o to ' ” “ clifl k n r a high &at Roe] over the la e, by a mo st ous black f a h eagle . Several men took a boat over a ter it, scended t e

' back side of the clifl; and one was lowe red by a rope to its f l a eyrie, where he saw the young in ant ying like an ngel ’ lf- - . f a an u h sacrifice A ter resisting h hour s hard c dgelling, t e a l f h ar and e g e le t the c ild , comp atively uninjured , it was a restored to its p rents . 2 2 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

s n m In the days when sailors were pre sed i to the navy, any adventures seem to have taken place in Shetland between

- a e f seamen and the press g ng. A Hull whaler had return d rom

w a in us . the h le fishing, and had brought up B ta Voe They had not been long at anchor until they observed a large man ’ ’ - r w lnafi h V o f an O rt oe . wa s boat, ully m ned, coming do n o n fu oa a a S o all was bustle and con sion on b rd, and the c pt in and f ofli ce r ofli ce r f chie , along with the second , le t the ship and went up Roe Sound, ostensibly on a shooting expedition . “ ” w f f m of own The cre , being le t to the reedo their will, decided that their would- be captors should get a warm re ’ ’ ce ion As m an-o - r s w pt . soon as the wa boat got ithin a short s a o f v a of w a di t nce the essel, e ch member the cre ppeared

- a e r w a . bov the bulwa k, armed ith a wh le lance Seeing the n e t o n receptio they were to g , the men in the b at ceased pulli g, and ultimately abandoned their intention of boarding the

r f whale . The Shetlanders got to their homes in sa ety ; and

' af s aflair was n terward , when the inquired i to , the captain and ofli ce rs a c f the s were able to prove their bsen e rom hip, and

s n a con equent i nocence in the aff ir. — O 2 BUSTA THE GI FF RDS . 3

V CHAPTER .

B —T H E USTA GIFFORDS .

SHORT walk by the broad ayre at the head of the voe i r which g ves its name to B ae, takes us past the ancient

' s - a of Giflords of tanding stone to Bust , the residence the , one s fa i in f the olde t mil es Shetland . The House o Busta and its surroundings have been described at various times by numerous s n is f writers . The ituatio very sheltered rom the north and h w a east by the neighbouring ills, hile the voe t kes a circular f of f sweep just in ront the house, orming a small bay, at the head of which is a row of steps leading to the walk from the house to the sea. The house is embowered in trees (a most

s fi nd~ in s unu ual thing to Shetland), indeed the tree here have reached a greater height than anywhere else in the islands . The house is of the usual type of the Shetland mansion of last has century, and been built more with a view to withstand the a f r ff influence o f the climate th n o architectural e ect . The

s a and s . wall are thick and pl in, the windows very mall The

a . a s princip l entr nce is through a large hall, with a massive tone c r s of stair ase, while ove the doorway may be seen the arm the Giflords of — Gules bar s er mi ne Busta three , within a border ’ or c ro er , over whi h is the crest a hart s head p p , with the “ “ —or f l motto Spare nought, as it is in ul , Spare when ye ” have nought . fi of Probably the rst mention this place is in a deed , where r the name B uste dt appears . According to Munch this is “ B rstadt — B arstadr y yj , or Busta, which in the division , in 1 88 of s of a Si urdsson f 4 , the e tate younker H ns g , ell to Herr

- Otte Mattson Romer and his brothers and sisters . William ” F w Brus e 1 is o de in ted appended his s al to a deed dated 545 . T h x of is 1 w c r e ne t mention it in 5 7 9, hen William Sin lai 2 OF 4 ANNALS A SHETLA ND PARISH .

s a a Fowde — a a s pre um bly the s me gr nted bond to Jame Hay , of Unst a a u We dde rsta vicar , on cert in l nds, incl ding y and wis a — W h r f B t y e t e sta and Bu sta. Like many o the more not f s ff are c of able amilie in Shetland , the Gi ords des endants a “ 1 6 r iff r . G art clergyman In 5 7 it is ecorded that John , eidar ” “ in a of V a x North M vin , had the third the ic rage e tending to ” “ f i 1 . 1 n r l xx I . a d o o i . C m s f ; 3s had serving St Kirk ,

and - labe rr a his O 1i . Croce Kirk, y in North M vin , stipend xx , and for payment thairof the haill thrid of his awin Vicarage of I e u e u hald r i . e idare North Mawing, xx q , and to p ane and to have thairfor ane barrell butter furth of the Bishopis bothis of ” 1 0 h a . t 1 the s id Parochine He died prior to July 5 7 7 . He is said to have become a Protestant that he might marry a lady at Aberdeen . “ The son o f the John Giffart above mentioned pu rchased of We th e rsta fr a the lands om E rl Robert Stewart , who granted

- ar a fe n charter dated 8th July 1 5 83 . E l Robert reserved for his own use two or three rooms in the m an sion-house then a is ra f belonging to the est te . There now no t ce remaining o

s - of We the rsta s a the man ion house , but it was itu ted at the

no w w h ou se f- place kno n as Up , about hal way between Burravoe

' W 60 2 r Giflord f W n athe rstane ss. 1 o odde rsta a d In , And ow ,

a s V aiss a for f of prosecuted James Ch lmer , in (W lls), the the t

r r ff s of fou barrels butte , which Gi ord had ent in payment rent “ ” L ordis of T he and duties due by him to the Norroway . family subsequently acquired property at the other side of the “ s and his ca voe, called Bu ta, descendants be me known as the ” ff of a. of Gi ords Bust At the end seventeenth century, John ff o f r of r was Gi ord Busta, p oprietor a conside able estate,

Chamberlain or factor for the Earl of Morton . He was s his ff r s a s ucceeded by son , Thomas Gi o d, to the e t te and al o a a s ffi of to the ch mberl in hip, to which duty he added the o ce ’ - r of . Of ff s Stewa t Depute the Islands Thomas Gi ord s brother , ' “ ’ Giflord who one was Dr Gilbert , raised Johnnie Mann s ” - f s . was r o r Gho t John Stewa d Clerk the county , and mar ied l w a W a n 1 . r e t e rs a J e n Nico so , who died 7 7 5 And e resided t h t .

2 6 A N LS or N R N A A SHETLA D PA ISH .

R CHAPTE VI .

H c rar o a n T O M A S .

' T is to Thomas Giflord of Busta that we owe much of the information we possess regarding the state of Shetland in rs a f of wa the fi t h l the eighteenth century . He s a man of c a a and s mu h more than aver ge bility, wrote an Hi torical ” s of a 1 is De cription the Zetland Isl nds in 7 7 3 , which highly valued by all readers from the extensive and accurate know s s I t ledge which the writer pos es ed . did not se e the light f ’ until seventeen years a ter the author s death . Though the islands had be en in possession o f Scotland for r and f mo e than two centuries, the speech o the people had s of become imilar to that their southern neighbours , there was is but little communication with the mainland . It recorded w of u a of that the ne s the Revol tion , and the proclam tion l a and a 1 2 1 68 c w Wi li m M ry on th February 9 , rea hed Ler ick

Ma -a only in y, and that the newly rrived fisherman who brought w was ar t the ne s seized and ch ged with high treason, ill the of f s truth his in ormation was proved . In the North I les c l u r espe ial y, the people contin ed to speak No se or corrupt Da 1 00 f nish down to 7 , while Dutch was requently met with a i a i in v r ous p rts of the islands . It appeared that at that t me a s a f the isl nd were better inh bited than they had been ormerly . r r fa In Le wick there were between two and three hund ed milies, — — while thirty years befo re that date 1 6 7 o the town of Lerwick f consisted o four houses . There is little reference m ade to any particular trade or “ ” a . tr desmen in Shetland in the eighteenth century In Lerwick , “ sa s are s l - s of y one writer, there evera merchant owner ships, ” r s who ventu e pretty largely upon their own bottom . Another wr r s s of th i h ab tants r ite ay , many e n i have each their peculia c rr r onn 2 THOMAS . 7

l trades and employment, wherein more especia ly they lay out ” c f t s a . f hemselve , and are t ken up about The hie occupation o n the common people was fishing ; but during the winter seaso , “ men, women , and children were engaged making coarse s of stocking and a kind woollen cloth called shag, which they ” w s . ra e ear themselve At that time, however, a considerable t d was s l carried on with O rkney, several boat arriving annual y

r &c . s ale with co n , meal, malt , , and sometime and stockings a n s were brought over . Hence every ye r co siderable sum

' of f money go rom Zetland to Orkney, and some people have told me that most of the money they have in Orkney f a s is rom Ze tland . So great is the advant ge that i les do reap h n a for as by t eir eighbourly commerce with one nother, Zetland w ’ could not well live ithout Orkney s corn, so neither could ’ ” n m Orkney be without Ze tla d s money . Regarding the co merce with fore ign countries we have a most authentic acco unt of it by ff u Gi ord. The Hamb rg and Bremen merchants used to come ss s r and in their ve el to B ae other places, where they set up

c fi sh u and s f r booths, and re eived , b tter, oil, stocking o export

f r s. e s to the oreign ma ket They gave in exchang hemp, line , h l n S . s u ooks, tar, i en cloth , tobacco, pirits, and beer It ho ld be s w r of a ob erved , ho eve , that this matter b rter or truck was l if optiona , and any man objected to taking the goods for his

f f r r c s a as o a s. produce, the oreigner g ve c h the ti le The cas of w o s s k oc ional export o l, ponie , and kins to Or ney, Dundee, r e e s e th e b and other po ts in Scotland, s ems to hav con titut d ulk f ra o the t de with the mainland . 1 00 as s h In 7 , at the present time, fi hing was t e staple industry of the islands ; and while all the Shetland landlords fi sh cu re rs c e m were and mer hants, it s emed that Tho as Gifford was c the prin ipal merchant and curer. Tenants were all compelled to go to sea to fish , and the landlords were as c f as s . i absolute prin e We are told, these poor people do but a f murmur in the le st at their orders, they and their amilies are ” a f o ut of b nished orever their territories . There were com t h 1 00 had m h t f off an plain s t at in 7 the fishing so ew a allen , d 2 8 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

men had to go farther to sea than formerly to look for them . f f “ &c . About fi ty years be ore that date, ling, killen , , were got

r a s. in g e t numbers in the voes or loch In one week , in the of n 1 00 s a f sa month Ju e 7 , ome boats brought shore our thou nd N orthm avine s far f ling at , while other boat , not rom them , s a was for c drew about even hundred . The price p id 3d. ea h a 1 f f n r for a . d d. o 5 . o ling, g each cod , and 5 each b rrel herrings ff a a w s Gi ord compl ined th t o ing to uch a prime cost, with the of s s for fa value alt and cash, and charge curing, and the ct that

f r s f s the o eign market o ten proved precarious , the exporter a h s na seldom m de muc by the good exported , y, when the ’ s s fr har are c f a hip eights and c ges dedu ted, they o tener lose th n ” “ m ” w “ . s s r gain The fi her en, ays one riter, d ink incessantly ’ of s fo r w a Holland gin , hen they go to sea they h ve it with them ; and when they cannot go to sea on account o f bad e r e s and weath , th y go to these booth drink till they can neither a r s a fi sh s go or st nd , reckoning up, ove their cup , wh t they mu t ” catch next day to pay that drunken score & There is very little to be learned regarding farming in Shet

a s . a rass ac land t thi time The only rable and g ground, cording

' Giflord was s as and s a to , mostly nigh the e hore, produced m ll s s i oats and bere . In the best ea ons they never had sufli c e nt to serve the country for r a year ; and in bad seasons not so

ix much as would serve them four or s months. Potatoes were “ so r as not much g own then now, as the people will not be at “ the pain s to plant them but there is plenty of cabbage ”

c s a . s mu h u ed by the inh bitants The rents were, previou to

1 a r and wadm ail c s s 7 3 3 , p id in butte , but in that year it on i ted f s of butter and m oney . A cro ter would pay so many pound b fi h was a c so u s . s ots, m ch utter and oil The butter pay ble at

a the fi sh and s a a . Lamm s, and oil other commoditie at H llowm s c a a la im roveable Gifford de l red th t the nd was not very p , but that the landlords generally prevented any chance o f improve “ for is c ac a of if ment, it the ommon pr tice with m ny them ,

se e a r his s they the ten nt th iving, and by indu try becoming c a his s b a ri her th n neighbour, he mu t e w rne d to remove, M I FF R D 2 THO AS G O . 9

ss r r r sad f ss unle he will pay more ent yea ly . A ve y con e ion for who r r s f one to make was a large p op ietor him el , and who a was well ble to judge of the subject. f and f A ter the Revolution , the overturn which ollowed r sc a f r of s was r the eupon, the Epi op lian o m wor hip disca ded in and s w r Shetland, the twelve parishe e e each provided with a

f r-i - f r a . n o Presbyterian clergym n The athe law Skinne , the “ a r f ll h or m s o T u oc u . utho g , the Rev John Hunter (who e memory is perpe tuated by the stained -glass windowin the east a of s was sc a g ble St Magnu Church , Lerwick) , the only Epi op lian s s his f mini ter. He vi ited scattered flock rom the Fair Isle to

a of s c and c a arr a the isl nd Yell , bapti ing hildren elebr ting m i ges . h ad is s a a l r of all He , it aid, consider b e numbe adherents in “ r f f f the a r a s o n . nk li e, rom l nded gent y down to Bli d Willie was a a a Mr Hunter not lw ys p id in money, but chiefly in kind . “ ” We find that an item in his salary is a contribu tion in the ” f i e c i n 1 f . 00 o s . s orm trong water, , Dut h g In 7 Brand vi ited Shetland as a Commissioner from the General Assembly to u a of and a of enq ire into the st te religion mor ls the people, and

c f his m fu of all a the a count o trip is bri l interest to re ders . of Although many the ministers were, no doubt, good men , an f r s f a a d looked well a ter thei flock , the ollowing p ss ge may be quoted from a writer who resided in the Islands about 1 7 3 0 are a c There twelve Est blished lergymen, and one itinerant of has s o amongst them , each whom two or three di c ntiguous places of worship to attend some of them are obliged to cross s of f c d if several league sea to eed their s attere flocks, but it happens to turn out bad weather about the time they are — or a an a n setting out f they h ve ppoi ted time, and only once a — m fa year they stay at ho e, preach to their mily and neigh

s and s an f s bour , let the di t t flock eed themselve in the best manner they can till that time next year ; for after the time

and -fi ve a ass limited is elapsed, three hundred sixty d ys p es if fa f over their heads, the weather was ever so ir, be ore they make the least preparation to visit that part of their vineyard ' status e s a The moral in Sh tland , however, seem to h ve been 3 0 AN NAL S OF A SH E T LAND PA R tSH .

ve r l w as in N ove mbe 1 2 we fi nd hom as ff of y o , r 7 5 T Gi ord Busta holding a circu it cou rt at Bu rravoe for the re formation ” of m ann rs the s s whic abou n in e l are lass e , and in d Z t and c i ’ fi e d as se rv n s u nfai hfu ess ne e nce and obe a t t ln , glig , dis dience

to he as e rs e h wi a h - ea n urs n wea t ir m t , tog t er th S bbat br ki g, c i g, s r in i noran e rre n s a in a u e r forn cat o g, g c , i ligio , te ling, ly g, d lt y, i i n, l ” m e nv ov u nes ru n nness &c . a no ans a ice, y, c eto s s, d ke , , by me i ns n fi an ca a o ue of vice is sa isfa or to not a ig i c t t l g s. It t ct y e th t ff f m w om th e fo e is o e d also a s Gi ord, ro h r going qu t , s y the common people also in their manners and way of living are no ” f s f way in erior to those of that kind in the north part o Britain . T he gr eatest drawback which She tland seems to have s ff T he s w u ere d from was the want of schools. landlord ere oblige d either to send their children to Edinburgh to be fa i e a s . duc ted , or bring a tutor to their mil e There were sca for o e rcely any schools the common pe ple, who wer con

' 1 Giflord se i a . 2 quently ve ry gnor nt In November 7 4 , Mr held a meeting with the heritors at Le rwick for the purpose of a n a ch a s and a est blishi g p ro ial schools in e ch pari h, it was greed a f to est blish such schools, but it was not until long a ter ’ Giflor f s d s death that it was accomplished . Re erring to thi “ a f mo a s ttempt, although unsuccess ul , Dr Ed nston s ys, thi s s n and a r n the h pirited, e sible , p t iotic resolutio does them hig est credit . “ T h and n e people are generally discreet civil, says Bra d, not so ru stick and clou nish as would be expected in such a ” e of a r and plac the world . This was ttributed to the comme ce n b r converse with stra gers, which not only made them the ette of r to live, but tended not a little to the cultivating thei

a . f m nners They are also very ashionable in their clothes, and n ffs la the gentry want ot their fine stu , such as Hol nd,

'

m &c . aflord as Ha burg, , do , so that they are to be seen in o s g od order and dress as with us in the south . The boor , s and and fi hers, other country people, also do go honest like i ” n t as . decent heir apparel, becometh their station of ff m of me In the time Gi ord, Shetland enjoyed a syste Ho 1 THOMAS GIFFORD . 3

' difle ri n i fr h Rule, g, however,w dely om the older met od when w s justice a meted out at the Things, according to ancient f of and orm . The administration law justice was then in the — 1 hands of the Earl Lord Morton . It was only in 74 7 that was Hereditary Jurisdiction abolished, compensation being

ff - Su . given to the Feudal perior Gi ord, as Steward Depute, had n f r to hold courts as often as there were occasio o , but he had — to hold two head courts in the year one in the beginning of and h of —at c June, the ot er in the beginning November whi h s s the whole heritors and feuars were obliged to attend . Be ide that he had to hold a circuit cou rt in each parish once a year. In this capacity Gifford drew up a lengthy compendium of the w Country Acts . He held many courts and meetings ith the w of m heritors and leading men, ith a view i proving the con of dition the people . The opening year of the eighteenth century found William f f o Orange seated on the throne of Great Britain . The ollow

a of s . ing ye r witnessed the death the exiled king, Jame II ; six f months later, William himsel also passed away, and Queen

n . a Anne succeeded to the thro e The Shetland Isl nds, remotely sit uated and unrepresented in the Parliament of Great Britain — which met for the first time in the closing year of the — previous century were but little affected by the political f s changes and civil broils o the time . The Jacobite Rebellions which followed on the death of Queen Anne and culmin ated ’ — in the 4 5 when the hopes of the party of Divine Right were — for ever shattered by the defeat of Culloden merely caused a s f mild flutter in these island , where several political re ugees

f . f fa ound an asylum Most o the principal milies were Jacobites, s dis but, unlike the Highlanders their devotion to the cau e played itself only by a preference for the service of the a s of Episcop l Church, by contumaciou treatment the Presby of terian clergy, or, in their cups, drinking to the health Prince of f f f Charlie . The only instance or eiture which resulted rom s f of of of thi mild orm treason was that Oliphant Urie, North in m av e . of Unlike most men property in the islands, Thomas 3 2 ANNALS or A SHETLAND PA R tSH .

h Gifford of Busta had adopted H anoverian principles. He ad a wadse t over certain properties in Urie belonging to

' ifl r ar as . G o d Oliphant, who w a Jacobite overhe d Oliphant . m a a m king some treason ble re arks anent the reigning sovereign,

r r ff o d inking the health of Princ e Charlie . Gi ord put the ‘ alternative before Oliphant of handing over to him his pro s as perty, or being handed over to the authoritie a rebel , in c l his u s and whi h atter case lands wo ld have been confi cated, ' Giflord would easily have obtained a grant of them for his f “ f . am ff o a in ormation The g e with Gi ord was one he ds, I ” ' in his he ad and a w tails, you lose. Oliphant retained h nded

' is ifl r f ff s of his over h estate to G o d. A ter Gi ord got posses ion a s a a f s l nd , Oliphant bec me quite cr zy, and would o ten vi it ff Busta, screaming and denouncing curses on the Gi ord race, and wildly praying that they might never have a m ale heir to cc l f s inherit their estate. On one o asion he e t Urie to vi it s a f Bu ta, but was never seen alive ag in , being ound dead shortly f r a terwards near Mavinsg ind.

ANNALS OF A SHETLAN D PARISH .

a The poor, however, had no re son to do other than speak well of she f and was s her to them acted the Lady Bounti ul , alway

charitable and kind . Everything appeared to prosper with the Giffords for a m s ti e . They were rich, and were highly re pected , and, no

. u r of doubt, deeply envied Fo teen children were born the — a a — six and s s r r m rri ge daughters eight on the fi st child , a gi l r oth r 1 1 and the as called Ma garet, born on 3 Ma ch 7 5 , l t , a son h 1 t . a named Thomas, born on 5 September 7 3 4 De th had m l fa h a eanwhi e visited the mily , and the first , T om s, who was 6 h 1 2 t . born on June 7 7 , died while quite young It was not until 1 74 0 that any great trouble appeared in s r f and Bu ta but in that year smallpox ente ed the amily, the s all as children were oon smitten with the terrible dise e . The following extract m ay be given from a di ary kept by Thomas ff the af a s of Gi ord at time, not only because, ter the l p e one f s f n be hundred and fi ty year , it may be ound interesti g, but tcau se it shows him to have been something more than the 3. ce ssfu l m an of r a s h is r the wo ld ; it l y bare hea t , showing hi a f to h ve been a kind and loving ather, and one who s f a not eemed to be able rom the he rt to say Thy will, mine, 0 Lord, be done — and r 5 , Wednesday Poor Betty F anky took the bed — T h n s . 1 0 e a d ye terday morning , Monday pox out . Betty W n r . s s w 1 d e . 2 e s F ancie very bad The pox ri eth very lo , — a s . s h d y The bairns are wor e Thi day is the 9 t with them . 1 rs — r — 1 1 th 3 , Thu day The bairns ve y bad all day being the h — f r — f t e s . 1 o pox everi h and weak 4 , F iday They were a

r — a fa 1 little easie , but extreme weak pox beg n to ll . 5 , Satur — . 1 a s . r a and s s day 3 d y out The bai ns very we k ore, but ome — . 1 8 a M n i n hope , Tuesd y y dear Betty died about 7 at ight

r a . la d W n a . 1 e d e s a ve y calm m nner Robbie y all that y 9 , da — ra t a r ca . 2 1 y Poor F nkie died about 7 night ve y lm , — r a a a e a on r s F id y The pox beg n to pp r Robbie and Ch i tie, la all a 2 — and a d . a a r they y th t y 4, Mond y The b i ns were r A nde rina — b . . 2 a H a u ied took the bed 3 , Tuesd y y took ye Y T HE GIFFORD FAMIL . 3 5

th s . bed all e bairns unea y ; but, blessed be God, not very ill . 2 6 dn s a — s — f w e e d . e , W y The bairns continue pretty ea y pox ” appear on them but begin to rise . With the exception of the two children whose deaths are the f the a of recorded, rest recovered rom the disease, but he lth of s n for some the others eems to have been undermi ed, only — eight of the children reached maturity four sons and four a — s a a d ughters Thomas, Jame , and B rb ra having died shortly f w a ter ards . a ff r s Marg ret Gi o d, the elde t daughter, was married twice 1 of Windhouse 2 u ( ) to William John Niven , ; and ( ) to Arth r — s of bu t ss . a a Nicol on , Lochend had no i ue Christi n m rried Br of S m biste r and had a a John uce y , one child, d ughter a m the named Eliz beth , who arried last M d J F s s . s a of c We t hore On thi marriage, the isl nds Skerries, whi h

u the S m biste r q then belonged to B sta, were handed over to y ‘ a a a r r f u est te, either as p t imony or mar iage gi t, or in perpet al 7 f ” f u . e It is not quite certain in what orm the islands were ‘ S m biste r s / handed over ; but to this day y make an annual ' J money payment to Busta ; and when the Northern Lighthouse CL s s s a Commi sioner erected the lighthouse at Skerrie , they p id “ 5 0 0 or some such sum to Busta as lords su perior of the ” s r a . oil, or, more prope ly spe king, the rocks “ The m ention of Skerries recalls the story of the Skerry ” in a of h Fight, which took place the e rly part the eig teenth the ff s c a s of century, between Gi ord and the Sin l ir Brew. It appears that booths erected for the u se of fishermen and work

at s a as a men the t tion were looked upon common property, nd a ss ss fa the strongest p rty took po e ion, and kept it in the ce of r s the f all opposition . Hibbert desc ibe fight in the ollowing term s “ The fishermen belonging to the Gifford fam ily of Busta a and s s of h c me armed, obtained po ses ion a booth that t ey had

c . l a s h a ere ted the preceding year The Sinc airs l o, e ded by th e

viliant of fa . s lady the mily, took the field A eige commenced r was sc a of a f e ar h l the e a di h rge fire rms rom ach p ty , wit ittle or 6 L F 3 ANNA S O A SHETLAND PARISH .

ff f h n rs no e ect until Magnus Flaws, the champion o t e Si clai , o of ch having tried in vain to break open the d or the booth, whi ff s of and e was occupied by the Gi ord , mounted the ro , swor most stoutly that he would be in the building though the devil should dispute him admission . On effecting an entrance he was immediately shot dead by the occupants within ; upo n e a n e which the Sinclairs took flight, and, lik dastards, ba don d ” t a . heir lady, who was, by the opposite p rty, made prisoner The place now pointed out as the scene of this fray is “ ” called the Battle Fund . It is probably the most complete h i s l a ancient stone circle in the islands, thoug t erection is oc lly h of ascribed to t e time this encounter. It need hardly be of f r h added that this deed bloodshed called o th no punis ment, ff of him as Gi ord was Steward the Islands, and it rested with s of law to puni h all breaches the . ' — ' To return to the account of the Giflords Ann Giflord

rr G rs of Bardiste r a8th D e c ma ied ilbert Hende on , , and died r 1 80 of w embe 3 . From them the Hendersons Liverpool ere A ndrina ff so n descended . married her cousin Patrick Gi ord, r ff of We the rsta A ndrina n of And ew Gi ord and Nicolso ,

of hu icolson of . ra n daughter Art r N Lochend Their g ndso ,

ff f s ff v. Arthur Gi ord, was the pursuer in the amous ca e Gi ord

- iflor 1 8 2 . G d, 3 3 5 fa h In addition to the mily, the ousehold comprised the

R . e v of R e v. tutor, the John Fisken, son and assistant the s f D l in a s o e t . Andrew Fi ken , p ri h minister g This tutor, who was his l a of n a cousin to pupi s, seems to have been man i ff of a di erent character. It is said him that at marriage he

r f the d ank until he ell at table, and cut himself on a bottle . w f i of on of On another occasion , hile east ng at the house e the of a a gentry,he complained being tre ted in a nigg rdly manner, and said that when entertained by a neighbouring and more generous host he had been so well supplied with liquor that _ was la he unable to leave the room Irregu rities, which would a h ve rendered his ordination invalid, had occurred at his n h f s is . t ordination as assi ta t to ather The Church Cour s, T H E R F Y GIFFO D AMIL . 3 7

v had a a a r was howe er, t ken no action in the m tter, and l te he o s of l s presented by L rd Morton to the pari h Tingwal , the be t

. s s living in the islands, as successor to the Rev Jame Grier on , s of f of G f u nd l ance tor the amily rierson o Q e a e . ” was a There also, as humble companion, a young wom n , a f f M s n o . B rbara Pitcair , a poor relation the amily i s Pitcairn was a pretty and attractive girl , rather below the average

. of S and height She was possessed some pirit, , as might be e sh s a a exp cted, e did not alway succeed in concili ting L dy f wa Busta . It was a terwards said that a private courtship s on he r ff of being carried between and John Gi ord , the heir I f was a f Busta. such the c se, it was doubtless kept care ully f m a concealed rom his mother, to who such an lliance would ' f m e ofle nsive . o have b en most The result this attach ent, and s f f in the curiou complications which ollowed, orm a story te re sting from the inexplicable conduct of all the parties concerned. H 3 8 A N NALS o r A SHET L AND PAR I S .

CHAPTER VIII .

’ ‘ T H E DROWNING or THE SONS o r BUS I A .

s a s an a d and T thi period ro d were unknown thing in Shetl n , n a h ad u s s whe tr velling to be done, whether on b ine s or l as a l h as c l p e ure , the people tr ve led by what been al ed the

r — nat u al highway o f Shetland the sea . Ma 1 8 th o f a a In y 7 4 e young men Bust , long with their u s and c fa t tor, Mr Fi ken , a companied by the rm grieve, had n f s a been spendi g some time visiting among their riend , sever l of a a s a in the of whom were, as lre dy t ted, resident vicinity s Busta . It seem s that while on the e visits they sometimes

ss n . r a took Mi Pitcair along with them Howeve , on Frid y,

1 Ma 1 8 f r s r f s c 3 th y 7 4 , the ou son we e returning rom Hill wi k, where they had probably been shooting otters and seals . The da was and a was s f a y fine, the bo t going wi tly long, impelled by “ ” . had a s r oars They p s ed the Min , and were ente ing the h of s a n s mout Bu t Voe, whe uddenly the boat stopped without a c s w rning or apparent ause . The men plied their oars mo t u h a a sto tly they pulled , t ey b cked , tried to turn the bo t, but ll ff n a . s s f a to no purpose De pite the be t e orts o the o rsme , she lay upon the smooth waters o f the voe like the barque of c h ad the Ancient Mariner . Such an occurren e never been

- - a of f r b b c a c l . he rd be o e, and y and y the o cup nts be ame a armed s s ss of a n M r Fi ken , trongly impre ed with the sense d nger, k elt — down in the bottom of the boat the others following his example — and there he prayed for their deliverance from their present

a and w . d nger, their protection hile on the sea Immediately s c his r s Mr Fi ken had con luded p ayer the oar were again plied ,

— s a - a and the boat started three tr nge looking creatures, sh ped s a s f w lik e e l , coming rom below her, and going slo ly astern, as a a its th ough they were le ving the bo t and occupants reluctantly . T H E W OF T H E S OF DRO NING ONS BUSTA . 39

Busta was reache d without further m ishap and after a landing had ff been e ected Fisken addressed his pupils, telling them that he believed that some of them had been g uilty of a sin of a n more than ordinary magnitude, and until they m de ato e and a f i be ment, obt ined org veness, strongly advised them not s a to go to ea gain . f a a 1 th and The ollowing day, S turd y, the 4 , dawned calm and f was s bu t bright, how the orenoon pent is not known ; in the afternoon it was decided to visit their uncle Andre w ff r m a of f and Gi o d, and spend the re inder the a ternoon even f W h r ing with his amily at e t e sta. The boat was got ready,

' m Giflor e and John , Robert, and Willia d, and Mr Fisken , a com anie d se t for the of p by the grieve as boatman, out other side th voe a of e , bout a mile distant . Apparently the experience da f for e the previous y had not been altogether orgotten, whil f these three decided to go by water, Hay re used, and taking s the of the hor e he rode round head voe, and thence down to “ ” W h r e t e sta. f s a When riend meet, hearts w rm , and a plea sant evening was no doubt spent, host and guests being alike f f m w of fa h was s ree ro care, nor a are the terrible te whic o s a for clo e at h nd . Shortly before midnight a start was made H a n . home, y again decidi g to go on horseback When he r ha reached the place where his ho se d been tied up, however,

, c he was surprised to find it had vanished, nor could any tra e f f n f ust as o f s . it be ound , eve a ter a care ul earch Reluctantly, j r f the othe s were leaving the shore, he was orced to take a pas

sage along with them . No doubt it might be very interesting to descant for a fe w

moments on the beauty of Busta Voe in a fine summer night, with the smooth waters of the voe sparkling and glancing in of fa the silvery beams the moon , while the little wavelets ll on s the hore with a musical ripple, and the wind sighs gently a through the trees, filling the air with a pleasant c dence . ’ 1 1 8 Twas such a night, we are told , on Saturday, 4th May 74 , ’ f f of f ft of when Busta s our sons, ull li e and hope, le the shore h rsta f of We t e , and be ore midnight the occupants that boat had 0 R 4 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PA ISH .

f of le t behind them the things time, and entered upon the f f f We th e rsta n shoreless ocean o eternity . A ter they le t o eye of saw them , no ear heard their drowning cries , but the waters f the voe sang a dirge as they ell on the shore, and the little burns trending over the rocks to the sea murmured a song of

melancholy on the midnight air. a a and f Sunday morning d wned c lm beauti ul , and as there was no word of the Busta young m e n returning a messenger ff h was sent o to We t e rsta to ascertain the cause of the delay . He returned with the news that the boat had left We the rsta

all n c the previous night , with the sons o board, in luding

Hay . w e At once , on the ne s beings r ceived , search parties were S s of organised , and the hore the voe, Roe, and Linga, and the c w s f whole surrounding distri t ere eagerly canned, and be ore the S h ad he a was f ha earch proceeded long t bo t ound . It d been is supposed , and still held by some , that the boat had been s was af a f up et, but it stated terwards th t when ound it was ' ’ a Giflord s floating in a n tural position , with John hat and stick was a a in . it All hope now bandoned in Bust , and the horrible fact was realised that the four sons of yesterday were numbered and of s with the dead, the house Busta was tricken to the a dust. Nothing more could be done th t day, but messengers were sent out over D e lting and N orthm av ine for boats to assemble and commence dredging for the bodies the following n morning. On Mo day morning Busta Voe presented such a as n f n sight had never bee witnessed there be ore or si ce . All of f the boats the two parishes, together with some rom Yell, of o were there, while numbers pe ple lined the shore . The of co f work dredging was commenced early, and ntinued or some time without success but during the day a boat belong s ing to a man named John on and crew, brought the body o f ff f John Gi ord to the sur ace , the dredge having caught him by f the thumb . The body was li ted into the boat, and brought

a a . r shore to the yre, close to the booth Here a la ge number of o a pe ple gathered , and when the body was pl ced on the

2 o r S E A R I 4 ANNALS A H TL ND PA SH .

a f a a l w ul grandchild without name, or right to the inheritance of f fa & o f his ore thers No doubt her dislike, hatred even, a a m a a e a B rbara Pitc irn y h ve been extrem , and the idea th t f and of a she had been be ooled hoodwinked by this chit girl , m n s who used to tre ble at her gla ce, mu t have been wormwood and gall to her soul ; but the motive seems insufficient to la a and s exp in such gre t injustice to the dead , uch cruelty to

the living . A R R B RBA A PITCAI N . 43

R CHAPTE IX .

B R B R A A A PITCAIRN .

’ O all appearanc e Barbara Pitcairn s story regarding her T ' alleged marriage with John Giflord was not credited s a f by the Bu t amily . A rather curious story has come down to

u s and s i n . a , is till believed by a good many people It is s id that one night before the birth of the child Lady Busta dreamed son a that her drowned John came to her, and told her th t he ft to a f u a had le an heir the name and est te o B st , and that she

as nd . was to regard him such , a be kind to him In November 1 8 Six f i f ff a 7 4 , months a ter the drown ng o John Gi ord , Barb ra a a so s Pitcairn g ve birth to n, born , it was aid, in a garret in the f f house o Busta . In due time Barbara was brought be ore the and a wi zh ille iti session , there ch rged having given birth to an g

a . W she a ff f m te child , hile admitted th t John Gi ord was the ather of a t a She the child, she does not ppear o have cl imed that had f been married to him . This, it was a terwards contended , was owing to the knowledge that Lady Busta possessed the only of a a c as evidence the m rri ge, whi h it w in her power to destroy if an c for f of Barbara made y su h claim . Anxiety the uture her on the of boy, who was entirely dependent goodwill Lady a a a Bust , may have se led her lips and r ther than endanger her ’ s son prospects she would have a doubt cast upon her honour, since she could not substantiate her story of the marriage with f fa indisputable e vidence . The boy, however, ound vour in the s of for w was eye his grandmother, hen he brought to her, f sh e a shortly a ter his birth , placed her h nd upon his brow, and immediately recognising the resem blance to the features of her a of eldest deceased son, she said That brow will make man ” f f a s . o him yet Though ond the boy, L dy Bu ta never conquered “ i he o he r aversion to Barbara Pitca rn . S could not bear to lo k ‘ H 'l D 44 ANNALS OF A S E L AN PARISH .

- - w far s r n s as in la . upon the woman , le s ecog i e her her daughter It is stated that at one time she made pecuniary offers to Bar bara to induce her to renounce any such claim ; but thi s f s all Barbara re u ed, saying her honour was more to her than ” f she could give her . The grandmother o three ladies pre se ntly living in Lerwick were presen twhe n Lady Busta held out ’ s f this temptation, and heard Barbara re usal . f of About seven years a ter the birth her son, Barbara Pit f s o f s a k cairn le t the uncongenial hou e Bu t , and went to Lerwic , where she resided at the house which belonged to her mother — now9 7 Commercial Street . Lerwick at that time consisted

of about four hundred families . All the houses with the ex ce tion of f r of a p ou , were built on the upper side wh t is now Com r i l — me c a Street . The houses on the lower side were the old ’ house to the south of Stout s Pier the house which now serves Messrs Sinclair Hardie as a workshop ; a house somewhere ’

f R . n i n the vicinity o Messrs . C Robertso s business pre

mises and one at the North End . There was a fair number

- was of three storey houses built . The old House of Twagoe s L e o s built, Lower g was then in existence, and the old Man e

and the Auld Kirk were very prominent buildings . The Dicks of Frackafi e ld had their town residence in what is now the r N icolsons of tenement in Wate Lane, and the Lochend in the ’ a K l a — a house fronting B in s Beach . James e d y who che ted the — smuggler lived in the house which was pulled down som e years

a o of h nows a G a H . g , and on the stance w ich t nds the r nd otel — There were three trances across Commercial Street then and long after called the shore one almost opposite L e isk ’ Sandison s business premises one between Reform and Pitt Lanes and one betwee n the residence of Mr John

. u ne s of . Robertson , jun , and the b si s premises Messrs R ue ndale u l of Go udie Son . Q Ho se is bui t on the grounds the of of rc house Bailie Craigie, which was in line Comme ial a t rs Street . From th t house the shore below the s reet still bea ” — the name Craigie Stane . The old Tolbooth erected by was — Lord Morton , who then superior of the Islands occupied BARBARA PITCAIRN . 45 a r ockstool p ominent site on the C . It was the County Build n s r off wth i g at that date, and the oom what is no e reading room of the Shetland Literary and Scientific Society was u sed ’ ” as h w t e Debtors Prison . Where H ove rsta Dairy is no kept ’ ws th s On th so f a a e Thieve Hole. e uth side o the entr nce door L e rwegians will remember seeing a small attached build f h I wa h f ing roo ed wit flags . t s ere that male actors were m e i T co p lled to sit n the stocks . he last man to undergo this h m s of punis ment in Le rwick was a tailor. The li it the town “ ” L e o e to were g and The Mount, the latt r name being given the c h of he ight on whi h t e Town Hall now stands . A numbe r ss s the houses were thatch roofed . There were two roofle house — a of Mounthool and the in the town one at the he d y Street , n h l oa w u other i t e vicinity of Kve dsrd. The Docks R d as n s of c known, the path con isting a track along the steep ro ks on t f of w which For Charlotte is built, and the ront the to n, except

a was ff. where there were natural bre ches, a steep cli Peats f n of th n s were cut and cured in ro t e Union Bank Buildi g , and i n w the Church Lane . The sea flowed up past here Market now s nd h a h t s e Cross tands, a wit bad we ther or igh ide p ople s of could not pa s along there without the risk a wetting. A plank lay across the burn at Mou nthooly Street for pedestrians s to cross over. Even at that early period in its social hi tory h ws n in r ar a a t ere a a da cing school kept Le wick, as B bar Pitc irn — m ade a dress for Miss Janet Tarrel who subsequently became — s Mrs Sinclair of Brew to we ar when she was attending the clas . a n her or te Dressm king does not appear to have bee f , however, as she is describe d as an u ncommon knitter and spinner of

for h She . very fine stockings , w ich got great prices The knit f c o & . ting fine shawls, veils, , was not introduced until a later stage ; and at that time stockings were knitted fine enough to ” be pulled through a wedding ring. The gentlewomen , says “ w 1 s for n a riter in 7 5 0, who make stocking their amuseme t so a n work them very fine, even so much that Shetland ge tle man who was here (London) lately, and whom I knew there, ’ told me he had sold a pair of his wife s making for four 6 4 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

i “ guineas . It is said of Barbara Pitca rn that she was of high spirit, and nobody knew how she was supported, and she could ” “ not bear the world to know it . She was always dressed like ” f of any other lady o the town . Her dress indoors consisted a a a S blue c mlet gown, a coloured pron , black ilk napkin, and an a s o f ordin ry cap or mutch . At other times her dress consi ted “ ' fine stufls of her own spinning but when she was visiti ng at the houses of the other gentry she was generally dressed in a

fine yellow silk gown , with white flowered and laced apron , and s f ru flle s exces ive fine lace on her cap, fine handkerchie and , ” s of and elegantly dressed . It seems to have been a ort a for a golden age in Lerwick at th t time , we are told th t all the s a f f a a re pect ble amilies lived in per ect h rmony, and were intim te r in a a rn with each othe . Although living Lerwick, B rb ra Pitcai f s a and l s she was not orgotten at Bu t , every year at Ha lowma f 1 6 2 1 6 h r son was presented with a at cow . In 7 or 7 3 e was in for h s Lerwick t e first time, and he vi ited his mother and gave her a handsome present . He was then grown to be fine young n f he r lad, and it must have bee com orting to sorrowing heart ’ had l a a s to see that her son s lot been cast in such p eas nt pl ce .

She never saw him again . During all this time she bore her a r as a m iden name, being known to eve ybody Barb ra Pitcairn ; ’ f f e re and, as will be seen rom the oregoing, she w no widow s n in 1 66 a f weeds ; and whe she died, 7 , eighteen ye rs a ter the of birth her son , she was buried as Barbara Pitcairn . However, u f a h as Lady B sta arranged the uner l, there is little doubt s e a would h ve prevented any other name being used . if s It appears incredible, Barbara Pitcairn had posse sed evidence to prove the marriage when its disclosure would have given her son a right to the name and a claim to the i nheritance ’ f his she . s a o ancestors, that took no action At first Lady Bu t s ’ of f u resentment might, in the event Barbara s ail re, have proved fatal to the hopes of her son being provided for by his grand fa r b ut for s s the , many year no uch danger was probable . When is a ff h the boy was christened, it st ted Mr Thomas Gi ord eld for s and was him up bapti m he called Gideon , a nam e which B R B I R A ARA P TCAI N . 4 7

h n of a prior to t at time had been unknow in the line Bust , and n f give to him , it was alleged, owing to some belie in his 1 w s illegitimacy . In 7 7 5 , ho ever, old Busta had omewhat . of his recovered from the shock caused by the drowning sons, h ff r a a is a s. d and he set bout arranging a ir On 3 April that ye r, “ n — I he wrote to Mr David Anderso , writer, Edinburgh am f r s of i nfi rm itie s of mysel an old man , and ve y sen ible the old age and the consequences thereof ; my wife so far advanced a a can i in ye rs th t we expect to have no more ch ldren, and it a s ns rr e hath ple sed God to remove all my o by death unma i d, f son and leaving no children a ter them, save only my eldest , a who left a girl with child . Whether he designed to m rry her w s s a or not , I kno not ; but the child promi e to be very

r s a a s . p omi ing boy, now bout three ye r old I have three s all a r of h w has daughter , m r ied , the eldest t em a wido and no ’ r r s children . I have two younger brothe s and several b other h a s sons living . It th plea ed the Lord to bestow upon me a s a a f of mall l nd est te, the greater part thereo the ancient — ' property of my progenitors the Giflords of We the rsta and — Busta the most whereof I have been enabled in a fair way to redeem out of the hands of several possessed thereof by wodse tts n s of s thereupo , and some lands I have purcha ed other , c r a i s so that however in onside able my l nd estate , yet while kept together it happen s to be somewhat greater than any in thi s of is a s country Zetland , or ever was, which m ke me unwilling s a son a to divide it among my daughter , as I h ve now no to le ve s u r s it to . The e da ghte s who otherwi e have the best n atural a f right, but thereby my n me and amily become extinct in case is s f f it not otherwi e provided by me in my li etime, a ter we have h sa s f r a s t e o . if possessed me upward two hund ed ye r Now, thi s can be prevented without any real inj usti c e done to m y living n c children , which I ever intend nor in line to do, I very well know

- and believe that there is an over ruli ng Providence . I th ink has n a an s a the boy the best atur l right to st d fir t in the ent il , and the necessary steps to be taken to clothe him with a legal ” f f a be f e n . the o title I w nt to in orm d ane t Be ore end the year, 8 4 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH . he executed an entail conveying the estate of Busta to Gideo n

' ff of of Giflord Gi ord, my grandson , procreate the body John , f 1 6 for my eldest law ul son . ” In 7 5 , a bond was ’ m f s e ade out in Gideon s avour, in case any ettlem nt made by

Busta might be overturned by some legal quibble at his death . There can be no doubt that Lady Busta acquiesced in these t if arrangemen s ; and it is remarkable, in these circumstances, the necessary evidence for establishing the legitimacy of the

f 1 60 adopted heir could be ound that it was withheld . In 7 ff s e Thomas Gi ord died, and Gideon ucceeded to the state hi s i s . r st a under will In the will, howeve , it was pecially pul ted ’ f that the estate should go to Gideon s heirs male, but ailing him ’ da h s. having any male heirs, it was to revert back to Busta s ug ter was of a e 1 6 u h Gideon not g till 7 9 , and Lady B sta, along wi t her brother, Sir Andrew Mitchell, acted as tutors, but Lady was a a she Busta the principal m n ger, as she was in everything

r s n 1 6 1 -6 w meddled with . In a cor e po dence, 7 5 , ith Mr f n sh a Anderson , the amily age t, e practic lly admitted that Gideon was illegitimate by allowing the heritable debts of — — Mouat of Garth not included in the entail to go to her a s if him d ughter . And yet it seems strange, they had believed a a h Sh a rn to be illegitim te, th t t ey ould have llowed him to be bo a s and s fa s s and re red in their hou e, then ettle the mily e tate

s of of was upon him to the exclu ion their daughters, one whom

ff r at a had son . married to a Gi o d, and th t time a 1 6 a s a a and s ss In 7 9 L dy Bu t died , and the l nds bu ine , i had c m a and a s for wh ch she practi ally an ged, ctually posses ed rs f in a of son o f so many yea , was le t behind her the h nds the a sh e the wom n whom , it was alleged, had so cruelly wronged l and dishonoured whi e alive .

5 0 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PAR ISH .

h f owing to the disturbance caused by t e War o I ndependence, he had returned home to Shetland and taken up his residence H a r at Ollaberry . e was such a m an that no reliance wh teve m f a could be placed on him he admitted hi sel , lthough his was f and admissions could hardly be credited , that he a orger ; ” of a he was possessed various other c rdinal vices, without any of r f a s trace vi tue to be ound . It is pleasant to st te in thi

' iflords his f f s respect that he stood alone among the G , ore ather be ing as respectable as the times they lived in would pe rmit ; f n r and it is a act, that although his so epresented him in his

i s . ntere ts, he certainly did not represent him in his iniquities I f the entail of Thomas Gifford could have been set aside and ’ d f to Gi eon s illegitimacy proved, the estate would have allen n e ff ra man i n A dr w Gi ord ; but st nge to say, it was this who,

' 1 80 a ifl r f had 3 , communic ted to Gideon G o d o Busta (who enjoyed the estate for forty- three years without attempting to establish his reputation as the lawful son of John Gifford) the gratifying i ntelligence that a paper existed which proved the r of f and w ma riage his ather mother, and destroyed any shado f f o doubt which might exist as to his right to the amily estate .

' 1 0th 1 80 Giflord to On January 3 , Andrew wrote Gideon ff f m l n Gi ord, and enclosed a copy o the arriage i es, in the following terms

“ u s th —T r if t a is da o n A t B ta 8 D ecember 1 . e se ce , 747 h t y, h t th y , J h iffor of s a o n e r and ar bara Pi cai rn e re we re married G d Bu t , y u g , B t , th , duly ' in rese nce of Wi li am iffor and H a Giflord his bro e rs b p l G d y , th , y “ OH N FI SKE N M i nr . J ,

I F Witne WI L L M . F OR D ss. G , ” H AY I FFOR D Wi tne ss. G ,

m a of T he history of this docu ent reads like a p ge romance, and one is m e t face to face wrth strange contradictions at every ’ 1 8 ffor was e n turn . In May 7 4 , when John Gi d s body tak a a re ashore at the beach at Bust , Barbara Pitc irn , it will be f and ar a e membered, came down rom the house took the m ri g nt lines from a pocket inside his coat, hid it in her dress, and we con up to Busta House . During her subsequent illness and I I F 1 G DEON G FORD . 5

fi ne m e nt was r of wn ro , while she unable to take ca e her o p a f perty, Lady Bust searched the house until she ound the

f . lines, when she put them care ully away While she was pos of 1 60 sessed this valuable document, old Busta died in 7 , 1 66 a f Barbara Pitcairn in 7 , and Lady Bust hersel passed away 1 6 l a m in 7 9 , when the ast restr int surely was re oved ; but although the paper was then in the hands of the family no of 1 8 1 mention was made the marriage lines . In 7 9 or 7 99 h they made a second appearance, however, and t is time in the f S mbiste r of Whalsa s o . house y , in the island y It appear that S mbiste r of ff d Lady y , an aunt Gideon Gi or , had an impression a f h r that some l ce had been stolen rom e , and in order to put h h er suspicions to rest, she started searc ing the house, looking n and f a i to drawers, repositories, , in act, in every pl ce where the “ m s of lace might have been put. Co ing into a ort lumber ” o of r om , she started examining an old chest drawers which

had . belonged to her mother, Lady Busta While thus a f engaged, a grey paper p rcel was ound, containing a coarse sealed h . S e f paper broke the seal, and ound inside a sealed letter

r f. off addressed to he sel Tearing the seal , she read the first a of f f of p rt the letter, and on turning the lea a note ell out the l f h sh e f etter be ore er, which li ted up, and looking over it she ’ exclaimed Oh &it is my brother s marriage lines with Bar mbis e r bara Pitcairn . This discovery agitated Lady Sy t very m for uch , and she went to her room and lay down about two a a hours. In the letter accomp nying the marri ge lines Lady Busta said it was the last letter Lady Symbiste r would ever get from her ; that she was sorry that she had carried her resent ’ f s for m ent so ar a to deny her son s marriage, she knew it ; but she did not like that a lady should be in the house of Busta who would dispute the authority with her ; and that she left her in s and dy g bles ing to her daughter, enjoined her daughter to ’ publish her brother s marriage, and hoped that she would obey the dying injunction of her mother . About two hours after the sc r a S mbis er r e and a di ove y made by L dy y t , she a os c lled f m the se rvants together in her room . A ter they had asse bled 2 R 5 ANNALS O F A SHETLAND PA ISH . one of them asked if they had been called together about the ” ss ac f a mi ing l e, and whether it had been ound . No, s id S mbiste r a f Lady y , it is a better thing we h ve ound this day, u f r and which I have called yo together o . The happy news I ’ la h f a have to dec re to you are, t at I have ound my de r brother s a an marri ge lines this day, and I desire you to declare it to y ” far n person in the island, as as your influence will go . The atural a i for S mbiste r f w f course, one might im g ne, Lady y to ollo a ter thi s discovery and declaration would have been the continued exhibition of the lines and accompanying letter ; but she too k f another course . The mother had le t her dying injunction to her daughter to proclaim the gratifying fact that her dead th brother had been married, and that his only child, now e w of fa s a was o ner the mily e t te, legitimate, and gave her two s document to prove it with , but she did not publish them to

not n. the world . They were given or exhibited even to Gideo S m biste r f r f n Lady y , a te reading them hersel , and war ing the “ servants at Sym biste r House to declare it to any person in “ s aw in the i land, went quietly ay and locked them up another

r and better d awer. ” ' f of S m biste r e Giflord— A ter the death Lady y , Andr w who — was then called Old Ollaberry purchased in 1 8 0 2 a chest of r o th 1 80 drawers which had belonged to her, and on January 3 , s f I f is he wrote to Gideon a ollows you remember, it some i of t me since I requested you to grant to me and Mr Bruce,

' of ombiste r n of ou now S , a renunciatio any title y had, or ’ e of s might have, to the state Westshore, or to Garth bond to irlsta ff of We th e rsta G , adjudged by Peter Gi ord , which you f for promised to possess me o , and which I hold you in honour bound ; and relying on your implementing this promise, I — cannot leave the country whic h I am obliged to do on — account of my health witho ut informi ng you of a discovery I made in rummaging an old drawer containing writing appa ’ r - f S mbiste r s h ratus and d essing boxes o the late Lady y , whic I s s of fl cts in e t purcha ed at the ale her e e , and a concealm n a n for a th t seemed not to have bee opened a great many ye rs, I F GIDEON G FORD . 5 3

’ nothing less than a certificate of your father and mother s

S . The of marriage, which I hall transcribe consequence this to you and your family you cannot but put the proper value on ; but I declare the original never shall appear till you pos f h sess me o t e renunciation you promised me, and when I do so great a service you cannot grudge to implement your pro m h of f ise, w ich is but a mite out the fine ortune you possess , but would be the ruin of my family was I to be obliged to count back to you for the money I have unwillingly received f rom the subjects you promised to renounce . Happen to me l f s and f s what wi l, I depend on your riend hip riendly service to f m f my a ily which I have so o ten experienced, and now thank

for. and a you Both Gideon his son acted with gre t caution . f and although a lengthy correspondence ollowed they honestly, m ss f and with anline , defied and re used to bribe him . Olla his s for 2 oth berry then changed , tactic , , writing to Gideon on 1 8 0 a s March 4 , he declared he had lost the marri ge line .

f of r A ter acknowledging receipt the desi ed renunciation , he “ said - I am sorry to have to tell you that the certificate which I promised you was put up with other papers to be sent f r a f home, when I le t the count y, and must h ve been lost, or h v : an rs of t ey ne er reached home nor y lette at that time, ” as which I have never, yet, been able to procure any account . for f Matters remained thus a year and a hal , but at the end of a n' that time Ollaberry wrote ag i on the subject . On r o th ’ 1 80 ff September 5 , he wrote to Gideon Gi ord s agent, Mr D . f r f Bal our, W iter to the Signet, in the ollowing terms Some

' time ago I informed Mr Giflord of my finding in the late Lady ’ ’ Simbiste r s repositories a certificate of his father and m other s a m rriage, when I stipulated with him some preliminaries before h as I gave it up ; t ese he at l t complied with, but in the interim I had consulted a friend who I thought understood these things better than I did, and he advised me by no means i l fa to g ve up the certificate, or I wou d ruin my mily . I ff h accordingly wrote Mr Gi ord t at I had lost it . I wished to w have wrote you on the subject, but that I ould not do know H N 54 ANNALS OF A S ETLA D PARISH . in his no t r s n i n g you to be agent . I had o her cor e ponde t t f r as a E dinburgh in that line . I here o e stated the c e to m f m i and r h w l gentle an going ro th s country, eque sted e ou d m f of nl am get advice as to y sa ety, which , although o y lately, I ' f s a n iflord of afte r ully atisfied, and as I c n ot write Mr G this s a to having told him I lo t the certific te, I beg leave hand it ou fl to y as his agent, and shall beg your in uence with him in doing away the bad impression towards me this matter seems to have made on him He enclosed the original, and was r f fi ft that the fi st time it had seen the light, rom the day, y f to at eight years be ore, that it was alleged have been written

1 m 1 80 8 as Busta . Ollaberry again wrote on 4th Dece ber , f You of a ns ollows have hoisted the flag defi nce agai t me, f f of s s . to and, cour e, I mu t now de end mysel I have here inform you that it is long since I was urged to do a thing of the kind, and what money I wanted to carry on the matter, to l c was be readi y advan ed . I , it is certain, averse to it, but as h m atters stand now I shall embrace it . I ave to inform you a a s r is that m ny ye r since, the e not a title deed in your s of s pos ession but I have a narrative , and an atte ted copy r f f t s lette rom my grand a her to Mr David Ander on, deceased , s of h con ulting him on the settlement his estate, and wherein e r a of reg ets putting it p st his own natural children , which copy l s for a etter I enclo e your perusal, to be returned to me . I su ndrie s on have other paper the subject to be produced, a on and f m terial the subject, which will enable me my riends h to come forward with the better grace. My friends to t e s a h as f 0 m outhw rd unded £35 to begin the matter, and by y w e advice m ore when anted . At the same time I have reserv d a s f a a if power to my el to accommod te m tters with you , your can of a terms admit it, but nothing ne r what at one period I as a h v would have done, my counsel is so cle r on the right I a e on fa a f h f the cts l id be ore them , all vouc ed by act and deeds . A s to the bond for it is de f acto extinguished by your of a f f o m accepting the entail, t king in e tment up n it, and aking he o f r ss ss r c 1 6 it t title you po e ion eve sin e 7 1 . I have here N FF GIDE O GI ORD. 5 5 given you a hint whereby as yet an accommodation may take if e rtu es a a place, but the ov r does not come in nswer to this in f da a . y or so, it cannot do terwards the Ollaberry still held what he considered trump card. In F r 1 8 1 0 a ebrua y , he called together cert in landed proprietors in he l Shetland, to his house, and there he made what cal ed a l t t fi a so emn written declara ion , not only that the cer i c te which h f u f it he imsel had transmitted as gen ine was orged, but that f had been orged by him , and this at the instigation and by the f f o . o aid Gideon On hearing this declaration , Gideon sent l Mr John Barclay to O laberry, to ask him how he could recon l s cile it with his letters . Ol aberry replied that both the letter ’ r and the ce tificate had been written at Gideon s request . “ When Barclay returned with this message, Mrs Gideon ff h m n Gi ord burst into tears and said they were bot old e , and if had h that they done any wrong, she hoped t ey would ask pardo n of Almighty God . Ollaberry stated I now make s for fi of fam l this olemn declaration the bene t my own i y, and ” f h all others concerned . The scroll o t e declaration was in of l of Bardi r the handwriting Wil iam Henderson ste . Gideon Gifford and William Henderson were enemies of long stand u ing. Their first q arrel arose about Gideon pulling down a fi sh t ha boo h ; then they disputed about kelp shores, and d a litigation about it ; and subsequently they fought over the question of scattald rights belonging to the estates of Busta ’ Bardister. Ollabe rr s and Old y story, however, did not receive mu ch credence . It is held in law that forgers professing penitence are never good witnesses, even when disinterested

a . l not and corrobor ted Ol aberry was corroborated, and was l “ ” . f highly interested Short y a ter making his declaration , ' Giflord of 1 8 1 0 i Andrew Ollaberry died in , leav ng behind a record which plainly shows that he had no principle or object for h h f but extortion , w ic he pro essed and varied according to

a . 1 8 1 2 circumst nces Two years later, in , Gideon Gifford was also gathered to his forefathers ; and while the house of Olla be r was b h ff rse i th r y represented y Art ur Gi ord, pu r n e Roya 6 5 ANNALS or A SH E TLAND PARISH .

a d of s ff Navy, the broad l n s Bu ta were heired by Arthur Gi ord , f eldest son o the deceased Gideon .

' It is worthy to note that Gideon Giflord and his wife died

-f of o within twenty our hours each other, and were buried b th on the same day . They were survived by two sons and four daughters .

8 N N L or L H 5 A A S A SHET AND PAR IS .

’ ff a bu t ro Gideon Gi ord s legitim cy, it is not by any means p bable that Ollaberry would have entered the lawcourts with no a to e not ma te r other intention th n settl that point. It did t , and d h n t him in an wa rov th at coul not ave be efi ed y y, to p e ’ ff was iff f n Gideo n Gi ord not John G ord s law ul son . Gideo ff had h e f and son Gi ord held t e state during his li etime, his ’ f llab rr s Arthur now held rom him . O e y family se em to have f h ff held the belie , however, that old T omas Gi ord had ex cee de d his powers when he willed the estate to his grandson I f i i as the Gideon Gifford . they could succeed n sett ng ide ff f a disposition by Thomas Gi ord, there ore, and est blishing ’ ff of Gideon Gi ord s illegitimacy, then the heir line ceased, or a to rather never existed, in that br nch , and , the estate came

' Giflord of the f - r n Arthur Ollaberry, who was law ul great g andso ' f Giflord of a the wf l - n o Thomas Bust , and nearest and la u heir i m ff f general to the said Tho as Gi ord . At the end o twenty th e u h had u a years, tranq ility w ich been experienced at B st a l s f n House came to conc u ion , and the amily entered upo e what proved to be their last great campaign, which shatter d e ft i h its prosp rity, and le the estate heav ly encumbered wit debt, of incurred as a result this litigation . In 1 83 2 (after having dropped the proceedings upon a pre ious f of r u ff of a r v brie the same desc iption), Arth r Gi ord Oll ber y took out from Chancery a brief for serving him self heir-in ff of f was general to Thomas Gi ord Busta . The brie addressed of Canon ate 2 th and to the Magistrates g , and was dated the 4 , 2 h executed edictally the 5 t Febru ary 1 83 2 . This step was a f s a wa t ken in order, it was pro e sed, to endeavour to p ve the y for depriving Gifford of Busta of the whole unentailed estate

' Giflord of of which had belonged to Thomas Busta, and which Arthur Gifford and his father Gideon Gifford had been in the ff of possession . Upon this Arthur Gi ord Busta took out and th 1 8 2 i f to executed on 7 March 3 , a competing br e , addressed a of E re the M gistrates dinburgh, and instantly there was p of i f for u o sented an advocation all the three br e s, the p rpose f h aving them tried before the junior L ord Ordinary of the Court THE BUSTA CASE . 5 9

f f h 8 o o t e 1 2 e o . . . Session , in terms statute and G . IV , c 3 a f ff o The advocation c me be ore Lord Moncrie , as junior L rd a for Ordinary, and both parties obt ined diligence the recovery of for a of writings, and also commissions the ex mination old and u infirm witnesses here in Shetland . Mr Andrew D ncan , who r f a t was related to the Ollaber y amily through marri ge, e u ff of w u a presented Arth r Gi ord Ollaberry, hile the B st side s s wa represented by Mr James Grieg. The Commis ion did an t f m ri s not sit in y par icular place, but went ro dist ct to di trict, wherever the parties to be examined resided . The Commission ss for examined numerous witne es throughout the islands, both f f . os o sides, between fi ty and sixty giving evidence M t them v of were old people , being from seventy to o er ninety years h age . The evidence t us obtained was mainly of a traditionary r u cha acter, as the events which were attested to had occ rred at s f a period when the olde t o the witnesses were mere children . u The investigation ca sed considerable interest, and public opinion was pretty well divided between the rival claimants. of The partisans Busta, doubtless honestly, swore through thick and n for w o r of l r thi their side, hile the supp rte s O laber y were equally emphatic on their side . s The Commis ion having been exhausted and reported, the Court of Service for the trial of the compe ting briefs was du ly t 1 8 cons ituted on the 8th November 3 2 . The parties produced f f r was their respective brie s and claims, and a pro essional ju y a s f h sworn as the s ize . One o the principal arguments broug t before the jury by Ollaberry was that Barbara Pitcairn was u n f a likely, rom her birth and position , to h ve received honourable f ff h a f of e r . propos ls rom John Gi ord, the ather child In con ne ction of f with this , it may be interest to supply some in orma f tion relating to the Pitcairn amily . On this point one of the witnesses remarked they were a f f . respectable amily, though allen back in the world The f of a ather Barbara Pitc irn was George Pitcairn, a shipmaster of i o f and merchant in Lerwick . At the time the b rth the was and wn h child he dead, her mothe r resided in her o ouse, r 60 ANNAL S o A SHETLAND PARISH .

h f h l o whic was one o t e best at that time in the town . On y ne r s an house was assessed at a higher ent, and only two o ther at

iz . 2 of d equal rent, v , £7 Scots One her sisters was marrie of L axfi rth f of of Fracka e ld to Dr Innes , the ather Peter Innes fi , who e lda of n K elda married (first) Cecilia K y, daughter Joh y , s r e was merchant, Lerwick, and ( econd) Margaret C aigi , He f of z h n f of ss the ather Mrs Eli abet I nes or Ross, wi e Robert Ro of of i i n f m Sound, one the w tnesses the case, and rom who f s the Rosses o the Coco Keeling I lands are descended . It that Pe te r of r e may be added . Innes purchased the estate F a ka fi e l t u a s 1 r 1 00 d a a j dici l ale in the year 7 7 4 fo about £ 9 . This property had bee n possessed for a considerable period by f of f o f the old amily Dick, descended rom Sir William Dick a o f Br id, who, early in the seventeenth century, held the tack f h o Orkney and Shetland rom t e Crown . A nother sister f a a s wh o B rbar Pitcairn was Mi s Peggie, was married to the

. of of a Rev Alexander Pitcairn , son the minister Hoy nd

raem sa . 1 2 G y The Rev . Mr Pitcairn was ordained in 7 5 as s and f missionary to Fair I le , Foula, and Skerries, was a ter s n of of Sha insha f 1 8 ward mi ister the parish p y, Orkney, rom 7 5 1 2 is to 7 9 . Another was Miss Ellis Pitcairn, who mentioned by several of th e witnesses as having lived at Symbiste r in the ’ a a of . of f r c p city housekeeper The uncle Barbara s athe , of Mune ss George Pitcairn , was a remarkable man in his day . He is mentioned by Thomas Gifford of Busta as being present in 1 7 2 4 at a meeting of heritors held in Lerwick for the pur o f h h pose settling paroc ial sc ools in Shetland . He appears to have s ucceeded to what remained of the once extensive estate of M une ss of th of e , on the death e last laird that n ame, Andr w

' fl H a m rsn s 1 o e e . Bruce, who was drowned m s in 699 Som e traditions regarding him have been preserved by a gentleman well known for his extensive knowledge of Shetlandic lore a nd acquaintance with the traditions and family histories of the s North Isles . Writing on thi subject some years ago, this gentleman says G r a of Mu ne ss was C eo ge Pitcairn, l ird , a elebrated charac B C 6 1 THE USTA ASE .

his of M une ss ter in time in Shetland, and the castle , in which of he resided , was looked upon with a mixture dread and i adm ration by the islanders around . He possessed a great s f f share of the characteristic traits of the laird o eudal times .

He was haughty, domineering, impetuous, with personal bravery t and and strength , and kept up much s ate hospitality about the a conse castle. But he was also eccentric . On one occ sion , in que nce of a violent quarrel between him and some of the other f of nst e chie lairds U , he attack d them , with his armed attend ou d of Balliasta ants, a Sun ay in the kirk , either during or f r for h f immediately a ter divine se vice, and but t e inter erence of a strong party of the congregation would have severely r handled them . But he was ove powered , bound, and carried ff ff o a prisoner . For this o ence he was sentenced to a heavy of c of his punishment, part whi h was the confiscation all

' m of l and ovable e fle cts. The laird Greenwe l others were the ffa r a principal agents in the a ir. An old woman named Ma g ret l kashie of Sco lay coming home carrying a peats on her back, of Mune ss a when she saw the cattle being driven away, le ned f s f of f l hersel up to the tack, and expressed hersel the ol owing ex tem or e p rhyme .

’ E T L L A v S E xT E M POR E D D R E SS MAR GAR SCO A .

’ e n le me n I se e it s c e ar G t , l ’ That I have me t the lai rd s kye he re . But we ll I wat se ve n ye ars be fore r na sae we ll a e n e re his oo r Y e du st t d d , ’ wi ca i n an But stoo d p h d, ’ A n well it se t ye the re to stand ’ ’ For tho h e s canke re d in his nature ’ H e s a ge ntle man i n e ve ry stature . l as am e at L n twall k e at his co an Gre e nwe l h h u d , y mm d ,

Y e t his se rvants se e k the ir bland . Y im a abbit ko e bae le ft h be t e sc o . H i r n i noo e ne ve r sought h s d i k t ll .

The jury sat in the Court of Service by adjournment from th 1 8 2 of n the 9 Novembe r 3 , upon a number days embraci g a r h of t . 2 6th rd ot period hree months, viz , November, 3 and 6 2 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PAR ISH .

1 8 2 th l oth 2 8th and th 6th December 3 ; 7 , , and January ; 4 , , 1 8 at and 7 th February 33 . During this period a very gre m f of f m nu ber o witnesses, most whom had been cited ro Shet x of r was land , were e amined, and a mass documenta y evidence f T he was was a led be ore the jury . verdict which returned f of f n verdict by a large majority in avour the de e der, negativ l of a ff o f ing the c aim Oll berry, and serving Arthur Gi ord Busta nearest and lawful heir-in-general to his great-grand f ' ather Thomas Giflord of Busta.

The case did not rest here . Immediately on the verdict i fa of a be ng given by the jury in vour Busta, Ollaberry appe led, raising an action of reduction for having the verdict se t aside on these grounds

e ml — S eu o The said service and retour were erroneous , and not a supported by, but were contr ry to, the evidence f and sa adduced by the de ender, on which the id service pro ce e de d : a s F rther, that evidence was incompetent, inadmis able, ’ and insufficient to instruct the defender s claim and that claim was disproved by the evidence led on the part of the pursuer : — Ter tio The defender is not the nearest lawful heir- in-general

' to the said deceased Thomas Giflord of Busta ; whereas the pursuer is the nearest and lawful heir- in-general to the said ff l Thomas Gi ord, and lega ly instructed his claim, and ought to s a t have been erved in that char c er by the jury, in the said t — process of advocation of briefs : Quan a The pursuer alone is the nearest and lawful heir-in general to the said deceased T ff of l in homas Gi ord Busta, and is a one entitled to be served ” that character .

The case of reduction came before the Lord Ordinary n (Lord Cockbur ) . Eminent counsel were employed by both

- f an . . parties . The Solicitor General ( Ruther ord) d G G Bell, for Esq . , were advocates, and Thomas Rankin, agent, a r of Oll ber y ; while Busta engaged the Dean Faculty ( Hope) ,

. a a Ge o. E s rs . a a s and . T M itl nd, and Napier, q , as dvoc te , G W . . S. a . W Napier, , gents 6 THE BUSTA CASE . 3

f was The only question or the court to decide , whether on the evidence adduced, it had been proved or not that John ff h c s was Gi ord ad married Barbara Pitcairn . When the a e e f r te n t b ore the ju y, the court required about diets, the firs 1 8 2 a 1 8 being in November 3 , and the l st in February 3 3 while of the fifteen jurymen thirteen were legal practitioners . In the Court of Session the pleading before the Lord Ordinary o c a s f t cupied nine d y , and the whole subject be ore hem was the

a . a marriage certific te The c se was, as already stated, origi 1 8 2 I st nally raised in February 3 , but it was not until March 1 8 6 3 that Lord Cockburn gave his decision . The paper pro duce d of a f as a certificate marri ge, he held, ormed the only f of f la direct proo the act that a marriage had taken p ce, and ’ f s if the de ender s case rested o much upon that, that it was and withdrawn the defence must fall . Without being able, n f r indeed without thinki g it necessary to detect ab ication, and i u f a still less to conv ct any individ al abric tor, the conclusion which it was felt safe in adopting was that the authenticity Of this certificate was not proved . ’ The following was the Lord Ordinary s judgment & The o L rd Ordinary having considered the closed record, with the f proo s, productions, and whole proceedings , and heard parties thereon at great length : Finds that the verdict brought under reduction cannot be maintained on the evidence hitherto a of f adduced , and that upon this evidence the cl im the de ender and a of s u oad must be rejected, th t the pursuer ustained and g ultr a appoints the cause to be enrolled, reserving all questions f ” o expenses . ff f n l r Arthur Gi ord o Busta at o ce rec aimed, and car ied the r case to the Inner House . A hea ing was ordered, and took place on several days at great length, it being argued that the Court of Session had not the power to set aside the verdict

of ff e of . w a jury upon mere di er nce opinion Ho ever, the Lord - o s l Me dw n Justice Clerk, L rd Glen ee, Meadowbank, and y , ’ unanimously concurred in the Lord Ordinary s deliverance, and f of re used the prayer the reclaiming note . 6 r I 4 ANNALS o A SHETLAND PAR SH .

s was l for s c The ca e subsequent y enrolled expen es, in whi h

' Giflord of f b m n Busta was ound lia le , and a ounting to somethi g like the Court having decided that Ollaberry was

-of- a a a heir line, but th t Bust held under special deed , which s of s s a could not be set aside . The re ult thi was that the e t te of a Giflord u Bust was heavily burdened , but Mr bore p heroically under his great adversity. Few people who knew him u for was l but regretted the loss he had s stained, he wel liked by all who knew him ; and those who knew him most a f liked him best . He was very hospit ble both to riends and an was strangers d although his income reduced, he continued f fa to display the traditional hospitality o his mily . As a man e he was widely resp cted, and as a landlord he was such that livin in D eltin of for old men still g g, who were tenants his many s lar a of year , unhesitatingly dec e him to h ve been one the best in a of his f landlords Shetl nd . The last years li e were devoted large ly to the furtherance of the construction of roads throughout i of a the ma nland Shetland , which was supervised by Capt in

f R . N . r (a terwards Admiral) Craigie, This impo tant work was for of of s carried on the support the people the islands, who e

staple food had failed owing to the potato disease . A large fund was collected in the south and expended in the making a of roads . Most of the larger Shetland proprietors m de con

' ributions Giflord la a of an t in aid, Mr giving the rgest mount y,

. 8 2 s 2 . w f s 1 . . d as . viz , £7 43 g He gathered to his ather in 5

' was Giflord f f He survived by Mrs , but having le t no amily, the s of f of e tate Busta passed into the amily his brother, Thomas

ff s . Gi ord , in whose possession it till remains Of ff of a Arthur Gi ord Oll berry, the pursuer in the Busta f of of case, little was known a ter the decision the Court Session . Although under the decree he was entitled to take possession of the portion of the estate not included in the will of old ff ff in Thomas Gi ord to Gideon Gi ord , he never took any steps of the matter, and the possession the estate remained as it had f of f been be ore the raising the action . He le t Britain and

f . went to Upper Canada, where he engaged in arming On

66 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

Sae close he fau lde d he r in o his arms ly t , ’ ’ ’ ’ A n isse he r fu aft an fu e n e r k d , t d ly Oh wha cou h ae e ar ane sae e ntle to arm , ld h t g h , ’ ’ Or bring ony dule twee n m y ain love an m e &

We i e oor ro we wou e e r be rue pl ght d t th , ld v t , ’ We li ted oo r ro an we sea ed it for ife p gh t th , l l ; T he secre t is oot 1100 bu t in I rue , th k y e T he day be fore God that I made ye my wife &

T is ni fo r the roof I wi cross o we r the voe h ght p ll , — N ae re st will I se e k till I ge t it m y que e n ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ A n e n to the H a wi ar in I ll o th my d l g , T o - m orro w to-m orrow the proo f shall be se e n

Oh iffor m ain ov e I k e n e are r e , G d , y l y t u W a care I for we a t or a a to be & h t l h , l dy Y o r s ile is s ns i ne I bas in it noo u m my u h , k , I f ’ ’ a we re ta e n frae m e I in I wad de e . th t , th k

L ike m aide n sae pe nsive the northe rn night ’ ’ Cam oo n owe r the lan as the da c ose his c c d d , y l d , ’ T he oon has arise n an w a m ee s he r si & m , h t t ght ’ as e r ss a h a A m t le bo t driftin oot to t e se .

’ Swe e t s e e has fu e n e r smoo e de e r row l p t d ly th v y b , ’ The i si e a ne an the valle e ow h ll d bu y b l , s e e — e e e r s e e —has e nco asse him noo But l p d p l p mp d , ’ ’ W ose b d is th wan e i oe h e e d r n wave 0 the v .

The S e rri e s are sin in his ir e to the awn k g g d g d , ’ ’ T he cr 0 th e se a- ir i s ane l an wae y b d l y , ’ One s ar in th e wi e e a e ns sic an wan t d h v , kly , ’ ’ ’ I s fa in awa frae t i 0 h e da d h e l ght t y .

T he li on his e e s e t in ar ne ss h e ie s ght y , y d k l , H e ie s on the san at th e ri wa e rs la e l d , th b ght t v ’ ’ A n a e the re frain com e s a ain an a ai n y , g , g , ’ ’ - T he cr 0 the se a ir the as o the wa e . y b d , pl h v — Bu t she wha i s she at th e lowcottage door & ’ ’ — T he spirit 0 m orain th e sunlight h e r hai r ’ A o e n she s an s wi her e e n on the s ore m m t t d , h , ’ ’ — A n noo wi ic fe e she is t e re sh e is e re . , qu k t , h th

' Oh Giflord sh e crie s as she sin s on the san , , k d , ’ A n oo s on th e w i e face —we t we t frae the se a l k h t , , ’ ’ ’ ’ A n issin the cau i s an ri ia the an k ld l p , g pp h d , Oh iffor iffo r s e a oh s e a to m , G d my G d p k p k e T H E BUSTA CASE.

— ’ Y e ask wha am I wi sic grie f for the de ad ' ’ Oh la the answe r e e a e n frae his bre as , dy, y v t t M o e and m life noo to sorroware we d y l v , y , , ’ ’ Y a e n fr hi w a can e e the res e ve t ae s bre ast h t t ll y t .

A e e re is the roof ne x his e ar it was worn y , th p t h t A e e re is the roof —and it cos him his ife y , th p t l , noo frae slan e r his ai rnie n orn But save s d b u b , ’ — — An me noo hi s widow for I was his wife

’ ’ T e stan face to face an e ir tearfu e e n m e e h y d , th t , A voice i e an e c o ri ls ai e ir e ar s ro l k h th l b th th h t th ugh , ’ I ra e r son we re s re c e e a at fe e d th my t t h d d d my t , ar ara Pi cairn an we e to ou B b t , th dd d y 8 6 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

CHAPTER XII .

K T AT T A MUC LE ROE o SC S .

HE Island of Muckle Roe lies close to the entrance of W r e th s a . Busta Voe, and opposite e t Ness The coast low is on the east side, but to the west it presents a bold steep ff a a of cli , which is washed continu lly by the he vy fierce waves t n the Atlan ic, which eddy and swirl rou d its base even in fine h n weat er ; and when the storm fie d is let loose, it is a sight to see the white mained sea -horses rush against the red granite

' li a u o f c fls f . , and fling their spr y h ndreds eet in the air The s D e ltin fine t rock scenery in g is to be seen in this island , which is divided from the mainland by a n arrow shallow sound, navigable by boats only ; but at low water the passage f h across can be made dry shod . I the rocks and the caves at t e ” of u Back Roe co ld speak, they would have many strange

n e of . smuggli g adventur s to relate, and tales shipwreck On c l was a an one oc asion, ear y this century, it reported th t a Russi “ ” vessel went ashore during a thick fog on the Back of Roe . was l u w Though there but litt e sea r nning, the cre made no of a of attempt to land . On hearing the ccident, the Laird

' Busta sent ofla boat to the ship with a hospitable invitation to a s com the c ptain and crew, and a king them why they had not a m u nicate d with the island . The c ptain replied that they l f do wou d have been happy to have landed, but were a raid to so on account of the numerous little bears they saw about the

c s e a ro k & These, it is n edless to say, were the sh ggy little s ponies of the island . There are no roads in the i land ; and although the people have to go to the m ainland for thei r ua n f ta h for th spirit l i struction, there is a com or ble sc ool e s a an a children . Between thi isl nd d the m inland lies the little 6 MUCK LE R OE T O SCA T ST A . 9

s of a h is a s a l c a s a and as a i le Ling , w ich m l cir ul r i l nd, , its n me is a s n s a . denote , it covered lmo t e tirely with he ther

n a - aft s n i Proceedi g in north westerly direction , er de ce d ng

a Mavins rind d r s o f D e ltin Cliv Hill , g is reache , where the pa i h g

f i n i l w- s and a o N orthm av e s. s a o end , th t begin It lying neck of n s a a and s s la d, about ixty y rds in bre dth , while the ea t ide of is r Se a s as it bathed by the No th , the we t side is w hed by c ari a the Atlantic Ocean . A pe uli ty about this pl ce is that the se a on the Atlantic side is said to be about three feet above l s of the evel of the sea on the ea t side . The cutting a canal ac s s s h as f s k of and if a ro s thi isthmu o ten been po en , , the tr de of the s a r a i lands only w rranted it, there ce t inly does not a to a r ffi s ppear be m ny enginee ing di cultie in the way . It would undoubtedly be of immense benefit to fishermen coming f s r a rom or going to the west ide, who would the eby void the — dangers of a passage round the point of Fithaland a stormy of r n s track wate , where strong curre t contend , and where the

a a r c a s se a is always in commotion . Le ving th t dist i t and p s ing of a s a along the west side the G llow Hill , which ri es above Br e, the of is th e V alo re B next place interest y urn, which flows into Voxte r s r Voe . Thi burn runs down a deep gorge, whe e a r s s w mountain ash and other n tive trees, or rathe hrub , gro , and where in summer large clusters of wild roses blossom in h f s . Vo xte r s t e a s pro u ion At Voe stand m nse, where reside

- . . o n e s s is a the Rev W G ldie Bo g, the pr ent pari h minister . It

s s fe w a s ~ most commodiou hou e, with architectur l embelli h f i ments . At the head o this voe the old manse was built n 1 1 was a for the 7 5 , and the glebe exc mbed one at Souther

s it is s f s s 1 8 2 0 hou e, where upposed the ormer man e tood . In old was ar a the the manse enl ged and rep ired, and present a 1 8 H r ll manse w s built in 69 . Passing a dwe and T rondavoe r f ra a c o f on the ight, a ter a short t mp over the he th the Lo h T rondavo the of s as a e is reached . At west side thi loch w f f a a a a a cave, which rom the act th t it ppe red to h ve been rti

fi cially made has called for comment from previous writers .

This cave was excavated by J . L . Dunbar while residing in 0 H L 7 AN NAL S OF A S ET AND PARISH .

I Scatsta for s o f c a s. t , the purpo e se reting contrab nd good was of s a s as s a a f con ider ble ize, and heep occ sion lly ell into it

w s has s. and ere mothered, it been filled up within recent year s s f Scatsta s of A hort di tance arther on , at , stand the church D eltin c has and is fa g, whi h been recently renovated, a very ir of u a r s ca specimen the r r l pa i h church . Although S tsta seems V of s no s to be oid modern intere t, there being little or triking is s a a s a scenery around it, it not without hi torical ttr ction , h ving the s a of f f a of been e t the amily o H wick, at one time import ance in the parish . The first of the Hawicks seems to have come to Shetland a a o f in the sixteenth century . Tr dition relates that the n me fa was and the mily originally Scott, that their ancestor fled to

a for a s s of s Shetl nd concealment, to void the con equence ome s f ha s illegal proceeding o which he d been accu ed . When he came to Shetland he c hanged his name from Scott to the name h h s of of is a a c . of t e a native pl ce, H wi k Several descend nt s s s s a s a st l thi Scott till exi t in the i l nd , and the n me Hawick il survives in D e lti ng. rs of the a s 1 The fi t mention H wick is in 5 7 5 , when Andrew ’ H awick of Skatska complained to the King s Majesty again st “ Lord Robert Stewart for the pronu nci atio n of wrangus and false judgment and sentenc e . What the result of this com a was is k is s ca a a pl int un nown , but it ignifi nt th t the s me year the inhabitants of Shetland complained of Lord Robert re ce iv f d aw r a s an a the ing rom An rew H ick ane hund ed ngel , d th t by wa of br bri f r f s y y e o the corrupting o ju tice . 1 th of f A w o f On the 4 February ollowing, ndro Ha ick

Scattsca a c at D e ltin f a ss g ve eviden e g, be ore commi ion c appointed by the King, oncerning a charge made by the people of Shetland alle O ing treasonable prac tices by Lord

Robert Stewart. 1 th of m a a On the 5 the same onth ppe red at Tingwall , s af f r H aw k of Scatsca the witnes ter ollowing And o y ,

f z iris h ir i x m in h f o . e t a b unm are t e a t u t e o the age xl or y, , pon o ntis conte nit he f a o f p y in t ormer bill, nent the invading M R E T T T A 1 UCKLE O o SCA S . 7

A rthou r c a of A th a of Cu ltm alindie Sin l ir y , be the L ird and his ” c s s was an a m ar of Cu ltm alindie compli e . Thi tte pt on the p t ” r c a of A th ca - bankis and a c to mu der Sin l ir y at S lloway , H wi k

' was s saw aflair c pre ent and the , but his eviden e did not amount to much . is i 1 6 1 1 a a c a a a ars and a It not unt l th t H wi k g in ppe , lthough a is s a can the n me till Andro H wick, there be little doubt a the m an h ad a and a th t old passed way, the Andro H wick who “ ” reigned in hi s stead belonged to another generation . In s a r a a of a c a Augu t th t yea , the inh bit nts Shetl nd ompl ined a s s son of a ck and a ag in t Robert Stewart, ba e E rl Patri , ( mong h s a o f Scatista s r an h t a ot er ) Andro H wick , his e v t in S e land , th t of s s a s they do commit all kinds iniquity and wickedne s, di d in ’ and his a s s s s c s n contemns M je sty commis ioner , ju ti e withi the said bounds ; oppress and ove rthawis the poor inhabitants f s a thereo , over whom they may be ma ters and comm nders ; di sturbs the peace o f the said country and be their insole nce and mi sbehaviour does what in them lies to foster and entertain

n c a of all law and a e publi k and vowed contempt , good order,

s a of r a justice, in mi reg rd our Sove eign Lord, his uthority and ” lawis . R 7 2 ANNALS OF A SHETL AN D PA ISH .

CHAPTER XIII .

T HE GARTH MURDER . — CAT ST A Voe and Garthsvoe both arms of Sullom Voe la are divided by a narrow tongue of land . The tter

ff a ff ar hsvoe of n h am . a ords good anchor ge . O G t lies the isle U g

About eighty years ago sheep were pastured on this island, but nowthe top of it is just visible in the surface of the water with if u s fe w high tide ; and it s bside as it has been doing, in a a years it will be entirely submerged . G rth winds out in a h of nort erly direction, and is conspicuous by a long stretch

a f of vo verd nt green , sloping rom the hill to the side the e . L axobi in 1 6 1 2 Here, on the brown common below gg , in , a m an his f f terrible tragedy took place, in which a and wi e ought “ ” be s to the death , armed with a word, she armed with a long f braig kni e . It seems strange to be told that at so early a period in the s of a 1 6 1 2 a f a hi tory these isl nds as , a g ng o w ndering Egyptians of a should have been strolling about the country Shetl nd ,

- endeavouring to make a living by the practice of fortune telling. a r Yet such was the case . Their strange manners, e ste n a of f a costumes, and peculi r mode li e, must h ve produced a strange effect among the u nsophisticated and untravelled f a a th peasants, as they wandered rom pl ce to place, c mping on e

- for a a hill sides , and remaining probably d ys in place ; then s off striking their tents, houldering their packs, and marching to astonish the inhabitants of some other hamlet with their of n f a occult skill and legerdemain . The presence a ga g o begg rs a s in Shetland was by no means an unusual sight in those d y . An Act passed at this time states that there are monie both ” and n be eris f outland i land gg , who in ested the islands demand f a of ing wool, fish, and corn rom the people . M ny them were

7 4 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PAR ISH .

Faw s s to s we r n c and acc u sid fo r , i ter the aid little John , i di ted airt and pairt of the cruell and unmerc iful Slau chte r of u m q u hill u com m ittit a M rdo Brown, Egyptian, be th me upon the grund of a s of Ga a h of D e ltin the l ndi rth within the p roc in g, Lordship of a and Sh e rifdom Orkna u as da of Zetl nd or y, pon the l t y s a s July la t bye past. There were various other ch arges ag in t c as little John in luded in the libel . The complaint ended follows : And last they and e ve rie ane of thame were i ndytit and accu sit of com m ou n thift com m ou n ckrie and for and py , o f a se lfli s f r for sorce re ris ive ars of s giving th me u th , g weird , f w i h de clarers of orto n s. And t at they can help or binde r in r i f f stiall h the p offe t o the milk o be . All t e prisoners pled not t and Coltart a s r a guil y, Mr , the fisc l, de i ed th t they should all ” be k nawle d e of an ass se an s s put to the g y , d that ju tice hould a s s of a be dmini tered to them in term the compl int .

c ar c a r a a for Mr Walter Rit hie , not pro ur to , who ppe red the s s a s not pri oner , contended th t they hould be put to the ” of an ass se a was c s a knowledge y , bec use it not u tom ry to

a for S a h a ca adjudge Egypti ns l ug ter mong themselves . The Fi s l a r r sla was c ra replied th t whe eve ughter ommitted, the perpet tors f s u s s o f c u . ho ld be puni hed, con orm to the law the o ntry ’ f ar a th e f A ter he ing the p rties , Judge repelled the de enders

a l a and r r s s s a . l eg tion , o de ed the accu ed per on to be put on tri l h s a n a T is re olution h ving bee come to, the Court set bout

an ass se w f w l w r a electing y , hen the ollo ing gent emen e e p pointed i laitt r in k all w nki N co Sc e S o a ba s. ll , y Wi lia M a nussone o f N e i l m g , p. M a nu so n of I l b s Ola e s ru ch . g , D a i Kaid i n Scallo wa banki s v d , y .

M alco lm e M owat e r , th . M a nu s C o il i n Pa astou r g g l , p . anr e rar M owa in ll fi r . Co a the . Ch B d t ,

D a i Foste r of L u na . v d , y

e ro e N i colsone i n Caldcliff. J m ,

M a n s lasone i n Ai th sne s. g u O , n wa o n Ma nus one i n ram a t t. J h g s , G Ma n s u fowd of Brassa g u B lt, y . R R THE GA TH MU R DE . 7 5

Ma nus S i in Bras a g m th , s y . i Wi e r i a an H e nr e s a n Barr l d. h t,

T o as L e ntroun s i e r i n L e i t . h m , k pp h

a u a a was The gentlemen h ving been d ly sworn , Ber rd Mou t “ ” a l t c a and a a . Co tar ppointed h ncelor, h ving he rd Mr , the s ass se f K athe re ne Fawa and as Fi cal , the y ound lone guilty, ked the Judge to convict her of the slawchte r of her said u mq u hill

s a t m e fo irsaid and fa re m anant e rsone s hu b nd the y , nd the p ” f s c a a as u t and f thairof. A s se q y rie ter thi de l r tion by thew y , ass s n o f a K ath e re ne a the Judge p ed ente ce de th on F , which “ is rec orded in the Court Records as follows The Judge de ce rnis and ordanis th e said K athe re ne to be tane to the

ar and sse r sa se drownit Bulw k ca n ove the me in the y, to be to

d a and thairu one . de ce rnis the e th , dome given p And the ” m i in remanent pe rsone s to be quyt of the c ry is aboue wr tt . One cannot help reflecting on the limited powe rs which are vested in the local courts to that held by them in former times. D uring the period th at Shetland was subject to Norway the people were governed by a code of laws similar to the laws of a n was a a w as th t ki gdom . There regul r digest kno n the ” of L aw w f Buik the , hich ormed the ruling authority in the

r f c r a s Co u t s o Justice . The An ient P ovinci l As embly was a the L awth in was r s a c lled g, and p e ided over by the princip l s ss r a o r of c a and is Fowd , and po se ed g e t p we s both a judi i l leg u c rs f L awhin lative description . The j di ial powe o the t g both c n f ivil a d criminal were extensive . In the ormer it acted as a ur of a s c for c all a of co t Origin l Juri di tion , de iding c ses import a as r of a for s nce, and a Cou t Appe l , reviewing the judgment of s r ubo dinate Things in questions of a minor nature . As a “ ” a had of a s i e Crimin l Court it power pit and g llow , . . , to a a of u awr confi sc drown or h ng, and lso the power o tl y and a f f wh in o . s r o L a t af tion property The legi lative powe s the g, ter the s f a law had been ormul ted by the Althing, did not exercise the power of formulating ne wlaws or of altering any of the of L aw and a statutes contained in the Buik the , ccordingly its enactments seem to have been confined to provision s of the 6 N F I 7 AN ALS O A SHETL AN D PA R SH .

a of c la s s t l C c m n ture poli e regu tion , ui ed to the pecu iar ir u and of stances situation the country . s s of law s f 1 8 1 a Thi ystem was till in orce in 5 , when E rl Robert Stewart got a grant of the i slands from the c rown of a a s Scotland, and he immedi tely set bout putting his hou e in ” ' . was a She rifl order He the princip l Fowd, or , and he turned a a u s as a f s i the law g inst the people, ing it a me ns o cru h ng and f f a impoverishing them, and enriching himsel . A ter him c me a of f h Earl P trick, evil memory . Where the ather ad squeezed a f u with the h nd, the son ground with the heel . By orced labo r be i his at compelled the people to bu ld castle Scalloway, and to that place the seat of the L awthing was changed ; and the s s rs f o f s poor i landers, cru hed with dive orms oppres ion , were

f r orced to attend Court there . Forme ly they were wont to s at f T in ste ad the c of a semble the chie g , a holm on Lo h Ting a w a the e s a w ll, ith the blue sky bove them , and gre n field round t and the a a c f a hem , have l ws de lt out by men hosen rom mong m s n s . w the elve N o it was so very different . They met u der the frowning walls of a castle which spoke of oppression in its s f s s— f Fowd wor t orm, even in tho e day the Earl as chie , the Fowds of the a s s h is n a s r v riou pari hes depe d nt , and the Cou t a h his c s w s a and fa o p cked wit reature they met ith the t ke gg t , “ ” “ ” and and s r n the pit bulwark, the ominou hanging i g, f cas all f and all dangling rom an upper ement, ully in view ; a f f s i spe king o the power o the de po ler . “ Peterkin says : In the year 1 604 the unlaws in the wthin and a and a for L a g, all ord ined to be levied p id poinded , s s confi scations amounted to Scot , be ides the , which 2 h 1 60 2 . m r 6t were many Fro 3 d July to August , the as a for f pecuniary fines to the King ( it was s id) petty the ts,

&c . a two h confi s slanders, , were in number bout undred ; the cation of lands and goods and perpetual banishment on pain f d a o eath, the women to be drowned and the men h nged, or sometimes instead of bani shm ent scourgings round the parish

a b - a kirk on the Sund ys , were a out twenty eight and the c pital s f an of sentence two . Nor did they eem to be ewer at y the THE GARTH MURDER . 7 7 f f ollowing circuits . One cannot help seeing a sort o poetical f ’ justice in the events which ollowed Patrick Stewart s capture, “ a d W n confinement in durance vile . hen his trial came on ” for as treason as a subject, not tyranny a ruler, there was scant justice granted to him at the Court where a fewy ears “ afterwards he was sentenced to be taen to the mercat croce f E r f d . ix of . o n t o ye burt and thair, upon Friday the third this a e twa afte rnone to inst nt, b twixt and thre houris , his heid be kkin f stru rom his body . 8 F R 7 ANNALS O A SHETLAND PA ISH .

CHAPTER XIV .

L Ax omG I T G N o DALE .

a is L x i i s a ob n &c . LL round thi district dreary, gg , Garth , , a a for of s A h ving been depopul ted the introduction heep . Close to the road leading from Graven to Firth stands Moo r h s s of t e s . was field, the old choolhou e pari h This school always regarded as one of the best country schools in Shet r was s af a land . The fi st teacher Mr J . Bis et, and ter him c me fa of s a Andrew Robertson, ther the pre ent School Bo rd Clerk

. s of the parish . The Rev Jame Robertson was the next

- a . s of te cher He was subsequently mini ter Mid Yell, and f u s hi afterwards o St Ferg s . A rather good tory is told of m his m as c s s s during ter tea her . He had been outh pas ing ome a examin tion , and there being no regular communication with a a h the m inland, he got chance to make the passage in a w aler

f r h r o e . f s bound Shetland to complete crew A ter they ailed ,

a fr s - s and however, a strong g le sprang up om the outh we t, before it h ad spent itself the vessel was so far past Shetland that the captain decided to go on . Robertson was duly put ’ S s his at on the hip s book , took turn duty as an ordinary ss a s f a seaman , and, the ve el making succe s ul voy ge, he declared when he came back to Shetland that the whaling was a s not only more remuner tive, but les exhaustive, than the a f teac hing . He completed the voy ge rom the mainland to

Shetland in a little less than eight months . Mr William Pole

af a of r was ( terw rds G eenbank) the next teacher, and he held of ofli ce until the appointment Mr John Anderson . He h for a a s s a occupied the sc ool m ny ye r , turning out a con ider ble

of r h s. s f s number b ig t pupil When Mr Ander on died, his riend and the pari shioners erected a large and beautiful tombstone L AXOBI GGI N T o DALE. 7 9

f h r is . is to h memory A ter death , Mr James I vine, a c ofli ce s was ppointed tea her, and he held the until the pas ing of a r the Education Act, when new school was built at Fi th , M fi n and the oor e ld school abando ed . A short distance from the school at L axobiggin the old

a was s a was . p rish church itu ted, and dedicated to St Paul It f s is of ell into di use , and there a stone built into the wall the of catsta the a 1 68 s church S , bearing d te 4 , aid to have been f s of s is s a taken rom the ruin thi church , and upposed to h ve T he a a been the date of its erection . churchy rd is situ ted here, but beyond the monumental erections to Mr Anderson f s r w of . and the Rev . D . Milla it contains e stones any intere t

ss - s s Cro ing over the hill to the north we t, one come to the of head Orka Voe, a long exposed firth running up between

' l k Mion ss afl rds a ac e . o C db Ness and It poor anchorage, being f h f th e . Of s v e t e s o open to north thi o lies i le Little Roe, a a of of is s a once the h bit tion man , now sheep . It aid th t on one as a a a com occ ion , when a m rriage was bout to t ke place, the as r s pany being sembled and eve ything in readiness, a torm sprang up and the clergyman could not get over to celebrate

a . was of the m rriage An elder, however, who one the com pany came to the rescue ; and as it was considered very

' ofl f unlucky to put a wedding, he per ormed the ceremony, and s r the rejoicing went me rily on . Next morning, the storm a at having ab ted, the clergyman took boat and arrived the “ ’ a f s of n D a isl nd , where the estivitie the Auld Weddi y were su spended until be reunited the happy pair .

f al back of rook se tte r fr Up rom C d is the Wart C , a point om which a fairly good view of the N orthm avine side of Sullom is a s n of s Voe obt ined . Pa sing on , the ext place intere t is Fu la s s of s s of the g Nes , a mall point land on the ea t ide r s are a of pa ish . At thi place there tr ces a large Pictish brough

s se a- s and a S of clo e to the hore, around the l ndward ide the a f of building a mo t, about thirty eet wide, and considerable h h ad . as depth, been cut In recent years, however, the moat U off been filled p . Lying in Yell Sound , this Ness, is the 80 A L F A A ANN S O A SHETL ND P RISH .

of f of to island Bigga, on which is ound traces a church , said as a r have been erected a votive offering by shipwrecked m rine s. f a hi N s on ofts is . s A ter passing , T Voe reached Thi voe is r the harbour for Mossbank . It is here the Dundee and Pete head whalers bring up after leaving Lerwick for the sealing and

r - e whaling ground, to set watches and put matte s ship shap f a a of th e be ore proceeding on their voyage . The inh bit nts s a f urrounding district, however, allege th t they do not are well

c &c . s s s on these oc asions, as poultry, , di appear my teriou ly h s a w ile these vessel rem in at anchor . Mossbank is to the of north part the parish what Voe is to the south, and Brae fli c . o e f to the west It is a post and telegraph , and a port o ” of f a ss call the steamer Earl o Zetl nd . A considerable busine

H oseason Co . is carried on by Messrs Pole, , , and there are

fi shcu rin s s. P U . extensive g premi e There is a commodious . r f a Chu ch and com ortable manse here and the p stor, the Rev .

s ar sh . T . Robertson , is very highly e teemed throughout the p i

' fl s is l f h r h O Mo sbank the ittle isle o Samp ay . It too as s s of f s s been given over to the heep, but the ruin cro ter hou e , a S t at m an of r still st nding, how hat one time was more impo t h a a h ance than sheep . In this isle t ere is churchy rd, in whic s f it is stated no men were ever buried . Thi is accounted or

f s r n by the act that the men alway met their death by d ow ing,

s f m ba s a s - in cro sing ro Moss nk, a mo t d ngerou tide way inter 1 8 2 was fa of vening. In 3 there a mily the name of Murray

l . 1 of ar s iving on the isle On the 7 th July that ye , Magnu

r was s th e a s Mur ay , along with other , out in gre t torm which a a s f rf s f f o . raged over Shetl nd, c u ing ea ul lo s li e His boat,

-l a however, out ived the gale, and was driven to Norw y, where

h r s . a t e c ew were kindly treated by the Norwegian Me nwhile, ’ the boat s crew had been mourned at home as lost ; and as a a was communic tion was uncertain at that d te, it not till six h af s s r f s mont s ter the torm , that, ho tly a ter Auld Yule, Magnu fa appeared once more in his native isle, where his mily received fr f him joyfully as one returned om the dead . Just be ore s s a an a a leaving the ho pitable hou e in Norw y, old wom n h nded

82 N N H AN D R I H A ALS OF A S ETL PA S .

r s h s c black, and all scarred at inte val wit deep fissure , down whi h in as the water rushes winter, and it rolls and tumbles over s s had b a w the rock , it eems as though it een cont minated ith

a and s a . the bl ck moor, take on decidedly sooty colour When a s of s i s the lowering clouds drive cro s the sky, the top thi hill

- s f wa lost to view, and the trailing rain cloud hang hal y down i r ts . s a su n s s side, and drag drearily along In thi v lley the i e later and sets earlier than anywhere else in Shetland and th e for a ss a be whole scene is one which, dre rine and gloom , c nnot e u in a M a sa a if he had q alled these isl nds . ark Tw in id th t an a h a him enemy whom he hated worse than de t , he would h ve “ ” a had a da bills b nished to Tangiers . He not been tween , or else he would have said that he would have hired a piece o f is that hill from the Busta estate and sent him there to live . It

f a -offi ce s f a s r three miles rom post , three mile rom hop, th ee s f s far mile rom a church, and kind Heaven alone know how from civilisation Why men should elect to Spend their days r here is a mystery that some do live there is undoubted . He e

s a t of was a ~ in ancient time Ting or Cour Justice held, nd it

f a a r r s is rom th t circumstance th t the pa ish de ive its name ,

- — D e ltin as Dale Ting g . Be that it may, it seems almost “ ” certain that the prisoner who had to thole an assize would have required a good set of nerves to have stood the ordeal ; for bar h r s n to have been led to the wit such drea y urroundi gs, would have surely depressed the most buoyant spirit . The T ingstead was situated on a patch of ri sing ground at of of Sand arth a the side the burn g , and immediately bove the waddel which is formed at the burn mouth . A short distance to the east there once stood a church and bu rial-ground but “ ” though the oldest inhabitant cannot recall even a stone of f the church standing, its location is fixed by the act that in the yard of the croft of Dale human rem ains h ave been unearthed several times within living memory . f s The climb to the top o the East Hill is long and tire ome, n the hill being exceedingly steep however, any one who is lo g f f f winded, and does not mind a little atigue, will eel himsel L AX BI I N T 8 O GG o DALE . 3

more than repaid by the splendid view whic h is to be got from ’ ” f F tlar . s Unst e the Club o Ta tin Away to the north lie , , and

Yell, some parts looking hazy and indistinct, while others stand winiste r . a s S out bold and clear Closer at h nd is Mo sbank, , and Foran a s s e ss. To the e st the island of Skerrie are to be seen a and a lying low in the w ter, looking more like d rk clouds floating on the horizon than the habitation of men and nearer ha Whalsa L u nnan ss s at nd are y and e , together with numerou “ ” an s of stacks d i lets standing alone like sentinels the deep . s for The whole cene is one which, rugged beauty and wild grandeur is well worthy Of being painted by some Shetlandic a s of poet in glowing words , to be e gerly welcomed by ons the ” “ ” who a of Old Rock , in the gre t cities the earth seek the f — ortune which they could not make at home, who carry with as f a them a treasure, not to be orgotten or c st aside, memories of f a the their lonely island home, and still in ancy he r weird music of the waves as they break around the base of the cliffs f or all with the sound of thunder on the shore . w The descent, except to those acquainted ith the hill, is

' c s of at nearly as bad as the as ent, mo t it having to be done the ” of f of f s rush, and one is not devoid eelings thank ulnes when he has reached the base without experiencing some mishap or other. 8 F H I 4 ANNALS O A S ETLAND PA R SH .

CHAPTER XV.

N SCOTT ISH OPP R E SSI O S.

N 1 5 7 5 the excessive oppressions of Lord Robert Stewart drove the inhabitants of Orkney and She tland to draw up and f a f orward to the king lengthy complaint, setting orth

f t rran wron is ss o him his mani est y y, g , and oppre i n , done by , ”

s a . his deputies, and servitor , by his c using Since the islands h ad s f of a a pas ed rom the hands the St Cl ir E rls, the people had been ground down by the exactions of the lay and e ccle si astical of s a Donatories, to whom the government the i l nds had been entrusted ; but in Lord Robert they had found a harder a - r i t s . s e t sk maste t ll He impo ed new burdens, and set up

u lations of c L awhin g his own . He pa ked the t g, and perverted the statute book at pleasure ; be prevented assistance being given to wrecks ; was in secret partnership with pirates ; im posed he avy duties on the D utch fishermen and Norwegian “ traders ; agravate d every burden by adding a fourth to each “ standard of measure and weight ; and cried up and down the tariff and the coinage according to his interest as buyer or ” i seller . The complaint charged L ord Robert w th variou s ’ ff a a a of his o ences g inst the King s uthority, by usurpation of s ss s of rights, and grievous exaction and oppre ion the people l of the islands . It is not necessary here to state these genera

r of s a c s cha ges, but it will be intere t to give the speci l omplaint of s a s c a d s thi p ri h , whi h, as already st te , were certified by mo t

s f D l in at hat. of the principal householder o e t g t period . The s of a — of H owbinse tte r name the compl iners are Magnus , of Voxse tte r Olaw of Gonfi rth of Gonfi rth Thomas , , Paule , Barf nse tte r a of Olawin Ske wa Magnus in e , Thom s Flett, , Petir

irkhou se c of K , Angus in Voy, Nichole in Back, Ni hole in Pe tra a a s of Colva arth in Theon, y th ir, M gnu g , Laurence Lie, 8 SCOTTISH OPPRESSIONS . 5

n Sorse ttar Southirhou se E bz e n Joh in , Erasmus in , thair,

a Sou thirh ou ss s E iste rscorde Erasmus young r in , Magnu in , s of Grutin of Sand arth A Andro Hall , Erasmu g, Magnus g , ndro Pe irsou n a a f a of in Daill, Erasmus th ir, Don ld in To t, M gnus Gardou n of of Collafi rth Olaw , Laurence Brek , Claw , Cull, m of uthallistoft m a u hom Giffu rde Sy on O , Tho s in Q , Andro V nde rfowd a a of Scattsta e , Nichole H rdwall , Andrew H wick , of Grawe n Y rre win a of L axvo Antonius , Thomas g, Thom s , a of L axvo c C w of N e arth ra of M gnus , Ja ob thair, la g , E smus Ste nswall of Bordi arth Y rre win , Williame g , Boun g in Garth, Sh e wart Caldback h Or uo s of Cro a in , Nic ole in q y, Erasmu g Olaw Me lshor u lane setter, Andro thair, in Burgh , C , Petir N sshon s sm in e , John in Burne s, Benedick thair, Era us elder a E re ick c of and younger th ir, in Burness, Lauren e Firth , John ’ m Sw nase tte r a a in Firth , Tho as in y , Andro thair, M gnus th ir, d D e non an e . John , vicar

a - s s f f s The pl ce name are till amiliar, and rom the igna a a a its tures we le rn that the Ud l system was alre dy in decay, “ as many of the signatories are designated as in the hold r a ing, while only a mino ity owned the l nd they tilled, and “ ” “ s are a of as for s a s of the e design ted , , in t nce, Magnu ” H wbins t r o et a . It will be noticed that only seven bear su r s a a m c d ss a name , and one be rs a p trony i , being oubtle a n tive, “ ” Giffurde D e none . Y rre win while , Hawick, , are Scotch g is a m a ssa of prob bly now Irvine, but y not nece rily be southern as fe w s s n and origin , a true Norse urnames exi ted the still

s s. s a the na survive in the I land Among the ign tures, me

s c f . Era mus oc urs most requently, viz , nine times ; the other names occ urri ng in frequency in the following order

n s Olaw as a Six Mag u , eight times ; , Andro, and Thom , e ch s f s and a time Nichole and John , each our time the rem inder

of s nam s c a . a n m of s the ixty e , on e e ch The gre ter u ber the e s s nam es have fallen into di u e . and a a n e of Over above the gener l compl i t , the p ople D e lting alleged concerning the L awr ichtm an o f their parish “ Thai all afli rm e th at Nichole H ardwall was thei r L awricht 86 ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

bot the L air is t me no u se h is man, in d y he got place to offi nor e l v r w m ll ne ce, to d y e the ad e as he aucht to have do , bot the Laird causit othe ris of his own chosing to met the i r wadm ell fra the Com m ownis ; zit (yet) ne virthele ss the Com m ownis was compe llit to pay the L awrichtm an his accustom it f i n c h e e z e rlie a ofli e . a (yearly), albeit he got place to do his T i ar conforme to the form ar depo nairs anent the wrang of th e m e ttin (measuring) of the wadm e ll (Shetland cloth) with th is ff if of wantit cu tte ll a e ll addition, gi ( ) any thame ane (Shetl nd ) of de witie com e llit a ai his (duty), the Laird p thame to p y th r foir twa schillingis Scottis and giff thai had ane cutrell attou r of or wad (over) thair dett upon the end thair wob mair, he not giff (give) that superplus of to thame ; bout wald giff twa a for cutte ll a b b beis (3d. Scot) ilk th t thai had owr thair de t ; ” f ir and sum tym e wald tak it and gif thame na thing thair o . d an d The taxes at that time were paid chiefly in kin , though Lord Robert only ventured in a fe w instances to im s f s a of a f r po e re h and illeg l imposts, he, by means adding ou th a of a to each stand rd weight and measure, m naged to enrich “ ” f r a s a was himsel , and impove ish the isl nders . The bi m r ofli cial a s the recognised weighing m chine in those day . The L awrichtm an of every parish had to proceed to the L awthing Court and there have his bismar tested and stamped with the fli b o cial seal of the Thing . But Lord Robert altered this ; e a s a re appointed his own Lawrightm n, provided with a bi m r ulate d ne w f s g to his scale, and thus de rauded the people . Thi setting aside of the Lawrightman was offensive both from the u and s of a and f inj stice everity the t xes, rom its exhibiting con m of a of s of w te pt the uthority the old Court , hich the peasant n of s s m obility the i lands were ju tly proud . It ay be interesting to some of my readers to say a fe w words regarding Lord

Robert Stewart . He was an illegitimate son of King James

- . s n and a f V and Arabella Elphin to e, consequently a h l brother f f r of to the beauti ul and un o tunate Mary Queen Scots, and

a f- m sm r h l brother to the acco plished state an the Regent Mu ray . I n his for youth Lord Robert had been bred the Church , and 8 SCOTTISH OPPRESSIONS . 7 h ad been appointed Abbot of Holyrood but the Reformation of fi c deprived him this rich bene e . In compensation for his th e of n losses he obtained grant Ork ey and Shetland, and by an n of arra gement with James Hepburn, Earl Bothwell, who had of of received a grant the Church revenues the islands, h e got possession of both the Earldom rights and the Bishopric f f of lands, thus becoming euar o the Earldom Orkney and ordshi of of I p Zetland, and Commendator the Bishopric, o of n with the combined p wers both , stre gthened by the f ” countenance o his brother the Regent . of t af aux as r The mother Lord Rober , ter her f p , mar ied of ul m alindie and e e m Bruce C t , their son Laurence Bruc a co panie d Lord Robert when he took possession of his northern ” for s s m kingdom , , remote as the island were, his powers ee to have been little short of princely . This Laurence Bruce was a fit accomplice in the crimes and cruelties of Lord f f dis Robert, and evidence was orthcoming rom the various trict f l s of Shetland as to his treatment o the peop e . The following shows the care and attention to due legal form with — — which the bismar the standard weight of the islands was me regulated by the then County Council , in the days when Ho u t h s R le flourished in the far north . In connection wi h t i it n I f will be noticed that the L awthi g possessed a common seal . s had in thi seal still been existence, our County Council would doubtless have used it as their offi cial seal on county docu m c a of ents, but, like the ommon se l Orkney, it was probably abstracted by the wicked Earl Patrick . The following complaint was made by the people against “ ” Cultm alindie , in respect to tampering with the bismar They all afli rmis and aggrie s anent the bism eyre and the re ssait of buttir o z e iris s f the , and up n the (year ) , con orm to f de onaris s additioune f the ormer p , with thi (addition) o the arochinaris of Bu rra uh arff Goldbe rw k ff p y, Q , and y , qua a ermit that the man that weyit their buttir durst do na vythe r (other) wa is for fi e r of be caus be s de h y the Laird, he stude y him all t e tym e of the we ying : And wyth this additioun of the grittest 88 A ANN LS OF A SHETLAN D PARISH.

r of arochinars of Scatsta D e ltin b numme the p y and g, qu a de onit nathin of the we chtis a p , that thai gat g doune wrang l st zier : And wy th this additioune of the bail] parochinaris of N orthmave n b de clarit a c abone specified, qu a , that D vid Tullo h, thair L awrichtman broucht his bisme yre wyth him to the D uche m e nnis bu t o Gluss l h bu ttir y (b oth) at , ti l aue weyit the u ou ne e witie of his thair p to the Laird, according to the d ffi a ff o ce, bot the L ird wald not su er him to do the saimen and he said to the Laird it was u vill (evil) done that he would not lat him wie the Com mownis butter wyth the just bism e yre u hilk h n q he had brought wit him thair, and said it was ot aneuch that he suld Oppress the Comm ownis wyth ane wrangus bism e yre ; and because he spak the wou rdis to the Laird fo r r cht f of Com m ownis the y in avour the , or ever the Laird would

a for a luik on him with patience, he g rd him pay to him the s id ” l ur f do o is. ve os . speiche y &A silver coin s . stg , but varying f 0 5 . 0 s rom 3 to 4 5 . Scot ] Of the various knaveries and illegal exactions of Cu ltm a n a a o f th lindie, one seems to h ve roused the indign tion e people so much as his attempt to regulate the public life o f “ ” c u n r c that a tive and contumacio s animal, the Shetla d g i e . “ ” of Under the pretence good neighbourhood, severe and illegal penalties were imposed on the owners of pigs whic h were found to have been following their natu ral in stinct o f “ ” h t was not a riiting. T is impos regarded by the people s for of s bu intended the prevention di putes among neighbours, t “ of n uhilk for the profit the Laird by the fi es levied , q extended in ane z e ir in the m ayne land by the Y les (Isles) to three hundred

& Zo indale s 1 s. 1 1 s p (a silver coin 5 Scots in 54 , but rai ed by 2 0 tar Earl Robert to 5 . in to our vt (entire) he irse hip and ” ’ r ik Cultm alindie s was wa . Prior to time there a statute o n ” of a a the Buik the Law, which enacted th t when pig belong ’ “ ing to one man went over his neighbour s land ruting it up, r s c b & . e r and damaging the co n , gras , , had a remedy by b ing f Fowde ing the matter be ore the Under , when the owner of the pig was ordered to make compensation for the damage

0 N F N 9 AN ALS O A SHETLA D PARISH .

Though Cultm alindie and his followers were themselve s a believed to be but little better than pir tes and wreckers, they were quick to punish any of the islanders who venture d to o f f w i n th e appropriate a piece sea dri twood . This ill be seen following instance Christophir Joh nsou n be and giffi n u p i n Grande rie N orthm ave n for alle e it of an e ane in , the g uptaking

of se a- h u iffi n th airoff piece drewin tree , he eand than, at the pg , dwe lland D e ltin uhilk cau ss in g, ane other parochin For the q f a n D e ltin an d it was re erred to the Court h ldi in g to the Laird, of com e llit a sax the Laird by all order justice, p him to p y dolouri h irf ir ich ouris foi rsai s t a o . And this provin be the n tb d ” of D e ltin g . These complaints against Lord Robert failed to rouse th e attention of the Scottish Government ; but the treasonable practices with Denmark which he indulged in awakened th e ’ was a sw for hi s Regent s cupidity, and he summoned to n er f h i s of . s crime , and confined in the Castle Edinburgh A ter c was s t s t incarceration , a Royal pro lamation i sued, dated 3 1 f f f m January 5 7 5 , by which the erries and Firth were reed ro his illegal restrictions ; and during that year a flood of com la f a a hi p ints poured in rom the n tives of the islands gainst m .

f - fi d A ter various inquiries and commissions, a bail bond was xe

c th 1 d at under whi h , on 5 August 5 7 7 , he was remove fr a f om Edinburgh C stle to Linlithgow Palace . A ter being 1 8 o th a of was detained there until 5 7 , on 3 J nuary that year he

r f - allowed to visit O kney to prepare his de ence . The bail bond was a w h cancelled by Roy l warrant, and ithout more ado e again entered upon his possessions with renewed determination “ ” s h 1 8 h . t ad to stre s the inhabitants On s June 5 9 , when he a a n passed to his account, a new ch rter was ratified by Parli me t to Patrick his son . ’ Earl Patrick s treatment of the islanders is too well known for f a to call much comment , but one cannot help eeling little amused at Cultm alindie being one of those who complained a s r of f s gain t Earl Pat ick on the ground his al ehood , tyranny, and s a a s f d ale rs ft oppres ion, and ple ding the c u e o the u d , A er I SCOTTISH OPPRESSIONS . 9

’ h e f k Cultm alindie s a t advent o Earl Patric , power bec me very m t f uch cur ailed, and he was orced to restrict his oppressions t o the islanders more immediately in the vicinity of his castle at

'I u n f L s . s e s He too pas ed away, and has le t behind him a n ame which is still held in detestation by the people of th e i l f f- a s a . o nds His doggerel motto sel compl cency, which he l f on not a th e e t emblazoned his castle, has been c rried out, and “ p lace is now fast becoming a prey to the cankering tooth of decay ; and fatalists will probably find a subject for medita t n f t s of of io , in the act that tradition rela e that none the Bruces ” that line who bore the name of Laurence but have met with v iolent deaths . 9 2 AN N ALS OF A SHETLAN D PARISH .

H C APTER XVI .

D E L T I N G OLD FAMILIES .

L T H OUGH of f w o s there is a number old amilies, h e s s s d s is b e hi tories would be intere ting to mo t rea er , it to

regretted that so little accurate i nfo rm ation is obtainable . Among the old families who occupied a prom inent po s iti o n ltin f f W r in D e g was the amily of Dunbar o e th e sta. Th i s fa se f a of s wh o s mily took their ri rom minister the pari h , e was f c of lnafi rth an d monument ormerly in the old hurch O , a the C now pl ced within modern hurch, where in a dim co rn e r under the gallery the followi ng inscription may still be read

“ D UN B R S OF W E T H E R ST A T H E I R B R I A , U AL PL ACE .

Be for this monume nt ly e th e bone s dust o f Mr Ale xande r D u nbar of We athe rstay son to Jam e s D unbar of Church - hill 2 d son to the L aird of G rainge so m e tym e ministe r at Inve ran the n 40 ye ars

iar. at D e lti n o f w ic o th Pre s of m h h 1 3 M dr . e Ze an wh o de airte d is l f h 1 08 tl d p th y e t e 1 0 o f Se pr. 7 and of his a e 8 g 5 .

' N on m il: i fi t du r u m qu ad now m e M ar i tu r um ;

ncc mar /ent lcbo. u i n tccm n Cbr i ste m an bo j Q e . Ca r a M r i jacobi D u nbar nu nc dc Weather stay nati cju s ct M ari e M u atfi li ae dom i ni dc Balql wlc i lli u s con u i s j g .

The arms of the min i ster are impaled with those o f his wife — I n c/zi base s ass e ef a head with wig, in three cushion t ell d , ates s d s . an m g The cre t an open book , the otto Deus pes “ Me a ( In God I The arm s of the Dunbars of — r st and th— ates ra a ent Mochrum were 4 g a lion mpant, rg within a border of the second charged with eight roses of the — fi r st ; z u d and 3 rd ar three c u shion s tasse lled g nles (borne L D B I M I S O ELT NG FA IL E . 9 3 l tressu r e eu re counter eu r e of the ozengy) within a double , fl fl s e n — co d. The Mouats of Balq uh ollie carried A rgent a lion r sable les m u . ampant, langued and ar ed g

. e n a of The Rev Al xander Du b r married Mary Mouat, the M oua s of h n s t Balqu olli. Their so Jame married Barbara S a of We the rsta s a pence, and exc mbed his property (with Bu t ) f r B n o . and so m s ardwell Both the Rev . Mr Dunbar his Ja e m ortified certain sums of money in 1 7 0 7 for behoof of the poor o f of f — the parish . J ames Dunbar h ad a family our two sons nd f a a . son a o two d ughters The eldest , Alex nder Dunbar B a c f n f s s s ar a o D e lti . rdwell, be ame B ilie g O the two i ter , M y a r rc a was m r ied to Thomas Irvine, me h nt in North Yell, and M a ar f r w t was rg et married Thomas Henry o Fo at at . She a n a gr ndmother to Johan a Eliz beth Henry, who married A c a was ndrew Irvine, mer h nt in Lerwick, while Mary Dunbar A ’ a . ndrew Irvine s gr ndmother James Ludovick Dunbar, the s s s m c younge t brother, seem to have been a o ewhat eccentri a f H ardwe ll c haracter . He exch nged his portion o the property “ for s H e sc m (with Busta) Scat ta. is de ribed as Ja es Ludwick D ” 6 f a Scatsta 1 . unb r, wright in , in 7 5 He a terwards sold Scat s ta an f r s of a , d the ollowing sto y i told the tr nsaction s was c f i n Su rse tte r Peter Gilbert on a ro ter , and he seems ssf f s to have been a succe ul man , arming the teind , and in s various other ways adding to his income . He eems to have ’ ff h ad an a . eye to the main ch nce, when occasion o ered One a m e t at Su rse tte r night J . Ludovick Dunb r and Gilbertson , an d they spent the night in a convivial way, Gilbertson pro ‘ ’ du cing an unli mited supply of punch . While sitting over

r Scatsta for their cups, Dunbar ag eed to sell to Gilbertson

60 . a a m an f o f £ Ludovick, like m ny nother , repented himsel and s his arrangement in the morning, wi hed to get back his f a property rom Gilbertson but Gilbertson was obdur te, and a f stuck to his bargain . Ultim tely Dunbar was orced to leave

Scatsta u iste r . de si , and he removed to C pp , in Yell He is g ’ i n 1 1 nate d a Co iste r . deed as merchant in pp , in 7 7 It is said that while in Cuppiste r Dunbar always carried a loaded ANNALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

in e of m i h gun with him the hop meeting Gilbertson , that he g t shoot him . — A family of the name of Scollay a name still exi sti ng in D e ltin — i n f u r a o g held land To t about three h ndred yea s g , a th e Si n but all trace of them has been lost. It is st ted that la f Scolla s fr c irs took possession a ter the y , and have held om 1 7 00 down to the present time ; but that can scarcely be 1 8 1 6 f s s i s o f correct, as in March To t was po se sed by the he r

. Scolla s of Bu rrane ss and the late Gilbt . Angus The y the f D ltin f wh m Cogles o Udhouse are also old e g amilies, about o f little in ormation is obtainable. The H ose asons of Mossbank are of a very old Shetland f f e s e th amily, but originally rom Y ll, where their ance tor bor e n of Schowald and a Fowde e ame , whose gr ndson was in Y ll in

1 6 0 2 .

of f i e i The Tarrels Voe were another old am ly, whos orig n “ ” “ ” for of h m seems lost in antiquity, a poet who wrote t e so far back as the early part of 1 7 0 0 says

T e re ie s a se e i n o his ace h l d t t pl , ’ e n e wi the M rra s race Bl d d th u y , f Tarre ls w e nce e aro O , but h th y se We n i r re a in e rse nor ro e the d v p se .

M aster Ross seems to have given countenance to the tradi i of s is tion concerning the orig n the Tarrel , which that they f T rre l fu are descended rom Sir Walter y , who killed King Ru s f l . a whi e hunting This un ortun te gentlemen fled, and, accord ” a s ing to M ster Ross and country tradition , came to Shet f land . It is worth mentioning that a Shetland amily now — — extinct the Sinclairs of Brew is said to have had a ge nealo ical f ar g tree, in which their descent rom the knight was cle ly traced . 1 0 T arroll was of 1 1 2 In 7 3 Laurence proprietor Voe. In 7 — three generations of the family lived there Laurence T arroll f a a his h o Voe and Ursill Mou t, spouse William , t eir son, and

a a of . Margaret Sp lding his spouse ; and L urence, son William A tombstone was plac ed in the floor of the old parish church OLD D E L T I N G FAM ILIES . 9 5 o f w of a a M rs Ler ick to the memory Marg ret Sp lding, William

a of 1 2 of T rrel Voe, who died 7 7 . On the erection the present C s a hurch at Lerwick thi stone was removed, and pl ced in the

of D unrossne ss. s a church Laurence Tarrel, la t n med, was f w s a e f a ter ard a merch nt in L rwick, and ather to Janet Tarrel , wf of of w of s s i e Sinclair Bre , one the witne se in the Busta f f an ca . o s d se The Tarrels of Laxo were the ame amily, ’ ” i t was one of them who was the hero of Laxo s Lines . They seem to have been proprietors at one time of both Voe and catt l s Laxo , with a right to the intervening s a d . Their property was and acquired, however, by the Hunters on the one hand, the ff scattald Gi ords on the other, who disputed about the wa marches between . There s a standing dispute about the

wof - s o f the sca ald of the meado the Sae water , a portion tt east f Loch o Voe . Both Gifford and Hunter would have cattle of put there in the spring every year, and one them would ’ e ff an a of driv the other s cattle o d poind them . We rying this of w ff of kind ork, Gi ord hit upon the plan getting a vicious ox, u s which he t rned loose on the di puted ground, and as nobody could venture near the place he was left in possession for a i s a time . The delimitat on of their respective rights in the c t tald was finally settled in 1 8 7 5 by an action of division in the f Court o Session . 96 A NNA LS O F A SHETLAND PA R I SH .

H C APTER XVII .

ECCLESIASTICAL ACCOUNT .

c of t N oncluding this sketch , it may not be void interes to r s of the a wth he e give a li t v rious clergymen , together i f m a a a h e such in or ation as is obtain ble bout them , who h ve ld a 1 6 a offi ce in the parish of D e lting since the ye r 5 7 . At th t time the parish was supplied by a reader name d Matth e w r of a L its L itsta . It may be worthy note th t the name tar is s now extinct in Shetland, although it exi ted until the p as t D e ltin and o n generation , when two women, one in g e in e n s of and a L itstar e L rwick, bore the ame Molly M ry respectiv ly . The following notes are taken from the valuable work by the Rev . Dr Hew Scott .

1 . s V a 5 7 3 John or John John Denoon , pre ented to the icar ge V rd a and c f D n a s i . 2 a o u by J me , 3 M rch , also to the Vi rage

rossne ss th f . 1 catista a s , 5 April ollowing In 5 7 4 , S y, Foula, W ll ,

s s . II . of Sandnes , and Papa, were al o in the charge, with lxxx “ ” r i r u stipend 1 3s. he upholding one e da e ; contin ed 1 8 8 in 5 .

1 5 93 . John Edie ; continued in 1 60 1 .

60 . M . a 1 a . 7 Gilbert Mow t, A , was l ureated at the University of oth 1 60 1 1 6 0 was Edinburgh, 3 July ; continued in 3 ; and f in 1 6 1 trans erred to N orthmav e prior to 5 .

6 M . f fr 1 A . a e a 45 . Robert Murray, , trans erred om B lmacl ll n ; 1 66 2 was of a a continued in . He proprietor l nds in Stonew ll Swiniste r s 1 8 6 s and , which are till possessed ( 4 ) by descendant f a a6th 1 6 2 a in the emale line . He m rried first, July 5 , Je n s f 2 th Ma 1 6 6 a s Pont econdly, be ore 5 y 3 , M rgaret Thom on, o f of and relict James Keir, minister Glenluce, had a son 6 a a . I n 1 r James, and daughter Eliz beth April 4 5 , Mrs Mur ay

h ad a c r h r hild in Edinbu gh to another than e husband .

H 9 8 ANNALS OF A S ETLAND PARISH .

1 2 s of r s of Bal 7 8 . John Morri on , son George Mo ri on u hall &c 1 h at Olnafi r th q y . , called , 7 th Marc , and admitted ( 2 4th April ; he took the most resolu te part i n asserting th e right of the Presbytery ju re devolu to to the settlement at U n st 8 1 8 H a in 1 and 6th e m 1 . e in 7 9 4 , died S pte ber m rried , l f e 1 8 a o f s E s . o o Nov mber 7 4, a d ughter Arthur Nico on , q , L ch and s s r h e o f a ar n end , had three on , A t ur, Colon l Roy l M i es ; h of of a n u Jo n , the Royal Navy and William, the Inl nd Reve e

w wh r . t o o ar . and daughters, m ied Mr J Pottinger and Mr A

a a . Raich , both pursers in the Roy l N vy

' 1 8 1 n of Banflhir had h is A . M . s e 9 . John Simpso , , a native , ’ fr m th e s and s r n in degrees o Univer ity King College, Abe dee , 1 6 was r s of a ss 6 A 7 7 ; licensed by the P e bytery C ithne , th pril 1 8 0 2 a r s of C airston 1 8 0 as ord ined by the P e bytery in 5 , a f c r assi stant to the Rev. Willi m Clouston o Sandwi k and St o m n s s s a s as as e s ; pre ented to thi p ri h by Thom , Lord Dund , in

a d r st 1 8 1 sf rr February, and dmitte , 3 March 9 tran e ed to

Stronsa E da 1 th 1 8 2 0 y and y, 4 June . 8 f a n 1 2 1 . a son o N a t as John P ton , Mr ini n P o , schoolm ter ’ of ra rn at Portsb ur h f s C mond , bo g , le t St Cuthbert s, licen ed by th e P s of Abe rtarff o th r 1 1 s re bytery , 3 Novembe 7 9 pre ented in

1 8 2 0 and r a 1 1 th a a f November , o d ined J nu ry ollowing ; died

o h a 1 his 8 th ar an 2 th f m s r t a 8 d o . 3 J nu ry 4 7 , in 5 ye , 7 his ini t y He mortified a su m of money for the education of the poor d of a s chil ren the p ri h . ‘ 1 nt r wa c f 846 . John M I y e s ordained to the harge o the r wa m n f i s . s a a o So a c u ar c ac e and s pa i h He mewh t pe li har t r, stil l re mem be red on account of h is struggle with the. h e ritors of a s re ar his a s and the u s c ssf warfar the p ri h g ding m n e, n uc e ul e

' h e a his co - r sb th a a s h r and w ged with p e yter e l te Rev . J me Sut e l

f r a i n . r s h r he o N o thm v e . Du ing the di pute wit the herito s h s d. resided in the out , where he die i f D ltin 1 8 7 0 . Will am Goldie Boag was elected mi nister o e g 1 8 0 c a H is i s . s in 7 , and he ontinue in the pastor te whole time earnestly devoted to the fu rtheran ce of the religious work of a s s ar c the p ri h . His mini trations e highly appre iated by the ECCLESIASTICAL ACCOUNT. 9 9

people, who earnestly hope that he may be long spared to act

as their spiritual guide .

FREE CHURCH .

1 s s f ar 846 . James Bain was the fir t mini ter o the ch ge in

r 1 8 n wa a f a this pa i sh . In 43 Mr Bai s probationer o the Est b lishe d h and sr n s C urch , on the Di uption he joi ed the eceding

c f 1 8 a body whi h ormed the Free Church . In 45 he beg n his a s D e ltin and 1 th c of h a a l bour in g, on 4 O tober t at ye r Kirk s was f st of s H a e rsta se sion ormed , consi ing Thoma Williamson, g r ras and W h e rs a Pete F er, Muckle Roe ; Gilbert Robertson , et t ; “

. a e a a f the Rev J m s B in, prob tioner and elder rom Helens ” r a ar r as s bu gh , t king p t in thei deliberations Asse sor . Mr

a was n s r and a i n 1 8 6 d . B in duly chose mini te , or ined 4 A r was c e and for r chu ch ere ted at Bra , opened public wo ship

1 8 1 8 1 c s was in 4 7 , and in 5 a large and ex ellent man e provided . a was m an o f a and of Mr B in a very high ch racter, eminent was c attainments as a scholar and a lingui st . He mu h loved n l s m l D e ltin h a d high y re pected , not ere y in g but t roughout s 1 8 fa l a h the whole island . In 7 4 , compelled by i ing he lt , he ac r a c a s s gave up tive wo k, and olle gue and ucces or being n r r at s w r appoi ted , he reti ed to eside Gla gow, he e he died on

th a a 1 8 . was u his w h 9 J nu ry 7 9 He s rvived by wido , a daug ter, l a s . . . a and two ons The elder son , the Rev J A ex nder B in, f a s of s devoted his li e to the c u e Foreign Mi sions . He ren dered noble service in connection with the Livingstonia Mission f a f s a in A ric , where a ter a hort but brilli nt career he laid down

for c u s a da d a of h is life the a e, dying at B n we in the 3 3 ye r a s h as his age . A med llion bu t been erected to his memory

r rc as . in the F ee Chu h College, Gl gow The second son ,

. i a W a n E s s an adv . R . . K . B i , q , oc te in Aberdeen r s and s 1 . . 8 7 4 John D Rogers , o dained as istant succe sor on

sth Novem ber 1 8 7 4 . Mr Rogers is held in high esteem by of s r c as a m s and for his the people the di t i t ini ter, exertions in c 1 88 a a the cau se of temperan e . In 9 consider ble lterations u was r were made on the ch rch , which practically reconst ucted,

- f r h r o h and re opened o public wors ip on t November. It was 1 00 AN N ALS OF A SHETLAND PARISH .

’ greatly due to Mr Rogers exertions that the work was succes s fully brought to a conclusion without incurring any debt on the

congregation .

R BY UNITED P ES TERIAN CHURCH .

r fr h 1 8 . t 5 9 Duncan Milla , om Per (North) , was ordained s r 2 th 1 8 mini te on 4 August 5 9 , services in connection with the United Presbyterian Chu rch having for some time been conducted by divinity students residing as tutors in the family a of Mr H oseason of Mossbank . An applic tion was made to the s of for l United Secession Pre bytery Orkney a permanent supp y, r f 2 was a n m 1 8 . which granted, and a cong eg tio or ed in 4 In c s c a s 1 846 an excellent and ommodiou chur h was built . A m n e was 1 86 1 fe wac s of ac built in , and a re land att hed to the a the rs s was w a in glebe . Mr Mill r was fi t mini ter, and un e ried

f r r a f f his endeavou rs o the spi itu l wel are o the people . In 1 8 7 1 be secured funds and built a comfortable school and sc hool of ne w a house, and which was closed on the opening the Bo rd 1 8 1 was at 8 . School Firth in He much beloved by the people, and f a s inde atig ble in his exertions on their behalf. Posses ed of s r s f a con ide able medical kill, he was o ten c lled upon to s r a admini ter to their tempora y ilments . He died on 6th June 1 8 the 6th r of h is a e and 1 of his r 7 4, in s yea g , the 5 th minist y . is L axobi in a f He buried in gg Churchyard, where a be uti ul monument has been erected to his memory by the congre ati n f s g o and their riend . f 1 8 . r d f a s h 7 4 James C aig, rom Gorebri ge, rom Burr I le, S et

a h a 2 6th s 1 8 6 l nd, to whic charge he had been ord ined , Augu t 9 . a k 2 th 1 8 Transl ted to Mossban , 7 October 74 . Loosed from c a 2 nd a 1 8 his h rge there Janu ry 7 7 , on accepting a call to

W -on- l s a s . illington Quay, Newcastle Tyne, where he til l bour

1 8 . r s fr of T e ith s 7 7 Thomas Robe t on om Bridge , Perth hire, 1 s 1 8 ordained 7 th Augu t 7 7 , the present minister . He is universally esteemed th roughout the district for his unwearyin g exertions to promote the spiritual welfare of the people among whom he labours.