HAVING given some description of Orkney in general, I shall now give some more particular account of the several isles thereunto belonging, which are divided into such as are inhabited, and so are more commonly called isles ; and such as are not inhabited, which they call Holms, only used for pasturage. The isles are said to be twenty-six in number, viz. Pomona, or the Mainland, being much larger than any of the rest, Gramsey, Hoy, Swinna, South-Ronaldsha, Burra, Lambholm, Flotta, Faira, Cava, Copinsha, Shapinsha, Damsay, Inhallo, Gairsa, Rousa, Eaglesha, Stronza, Papa-Sronza, Eda, North-Faira, Westra, Papa-Westra, Wyre, Sanda, and North-Ronaldsha. To which may be added Pightland-Skerries, it being sometimes inhabited in the summer-time, and Waes, which, in a high stream, is divided from Hoy, whereunto it is joined by a low and narrow neck of land ; as also the Calf of Eda, it having a salt pan in it. It may be observed that most of the names of these isles end in a or ey, which in the Teutonick tongue signifieth water, to shew that these isles are pieces of land surrounded with water.
The first is Pomona, or the Mainland, said to be twenty-four miles in length from east to west, and in some places six or eight miles broad ; nigh to the middle whereof is the. town of Kirkwall, about three quarters of a mile in length from south to north, the only, remarkable town in all this country, and beside which there is no other royal burgh in Orkney or Zetland.. The Danes, who had the Orcades long in possession, called it Cracoviaca, which name Buchanan takes to be the same with Kirkwall, but corrupted : Quod Dani Cracoviacam appellabant, nunc nomine corrupto Kircua Scotis dicitur. It standeth upon the north side of the isle, in a low and moist ground ; hence a minister in this country told me that in several places of their large church, where the more respected burghers ordinarily bury their dead, they can scarce dig two feet of earth but water will arise ; so that he hath seen, when they interred the corpse, they behoved to press them down in the water till the mould or earth was cast upon them. It is now much decayed as to trade and number of inhabitants, as many ancient burghs in this kingdom are. In it hath been two stately edifices, the king's and the bishop's palaces : the former is now very ruinous, being the ancientest of the two, built, as is thought, by some of the bishops of Orkney, it having the vestige of a bishop's mitre and arms engraven upon the wall that looks to the street, and in which, it is said, the bishops of old had their residence ; the other, called the bishop's palace, wherein the bishops lately lived, was built by Patrick Stewart, earl of Orkney, anno 1606, son to Robert Stewart, natural son to king James V. This palace is also going to ruin, though with some expence it could be kept in good repair.
The church is a very noble and large structure, having in it fourteen or fifteen strong pillars on each side ; the steeple standing on four bigger and higher pillars in the middle of the church, wherein there are several old and good bells. In the eastern part only of this great church is divine service performed, which is furnished with good seats for accommodating the inhabitants, and other conveniences proper for that end. It is commonly called St. Magnus' Church, being built, or at least, as some say, the foundation laid by Magnus, king of Norway, whom they report to have been buried here ; though others say he was buried in Eaglesha, an isle to the north of Kirkwall. There are many of this name of Magnus in this country.
At Kirkwall there is a safe road ; but ships coming from the south cannot get so easily into it, by reason that the same wind which brings them to Orkney often will not suffer them to turn up to Kirkwall, they being obliged to encompass a point of land stretching to the north-east, before they can make the road, so that frequently they lie at Elwick, or Deer-sound, two anchoring places to the east, or north-east of Kirkwall, until that the wind shall favour them.
On the main land good corns do grow in several places, though likewise there be much moorish ground ; but the pleasantest part of the isle I take to be the west end thereof, about Birsa, Hara, Sandwick, and Stromness, where there are several spots well furnished with grass and corn. In the parish of Birsa is the king's house, situated on a plain champain ground on the west end of the main land, nigh to the sea, or Deucaledonian ocean, which formerly when in order hath had several pleasant and diverting avenues about it. At a large quarter of a mile's distance to the south we saw the pleasantest mixture of gowans, so commonly called, or daisies, white and yellow, on every side of the way growing very thick, and covering a considerable piece of the ground, that ever we had occasion to see. The palace was built in form of a court by Robert Stewart, earl of Orkney, about the year 1574 ; it is two stories high, the upper hath been prettily decorated, the ceiling being all painted, and that, for the most part, with schemes holding forth scripture histories, as Noah's flood, Christ's riding to Jerusalem, &c. and the scripture is set down beside the figure : it was inhabited within these twenty years, but is now fast decaying. When we entered the palace gate, we saw above it that inscription so much talked of, and reputed treasonable by king James VI. : Robertus Steuartus filius Jacobi Vti. Rex Scotorum hoc ædificium instruxit; which inscription could not but offend the lawful heir of the crown, for it cannot well be thought that the earl and all about him were such blunderers in the Latin tongue, as to put down Rex instead of Regis, if there had been no design in it. Within the palace we saw also the motto above his arms : Sic fuit, est, et erit ; which was a piece of too great arrogancy for any man to assume that unto himself which properly belongs to the Son of God, vvhose wise judgment is not unworthy of our remark, that now only it can be said of his house and family, now extinct, sic fuit; which that great king Nebuchadnezar knew to his experience, " That these who walk in pride God is able to abase."
Among other pleasant places in this west end of the Mainland we may take notice of Kirfal-Hill, a little to the east of the house of Brachness, in the parish of Sandwick, which is very large on the top, and plain almost like a bowling-green, so that nine or ten thousand men could easily be drawn up in order thereupon ; it is all over very green, without any heath or such like growing there, neither are there any rising hillocks on it that we could discern, as ordinarily are to be seen on other hills ; and because of its being so very pleasant, the inhabitants about call it Chearful-Hill. Within a few miles also of the west end of the Mainland is the Loch of Stennis, the largest in Orkney, whereon are some mills ; some trouts and salmon gilses are found in it and the brooks that run from it.
Beside Kirkwall-road, there are several other harbours or bays on the Mainland, wherein ships can safely lie ; as one at Kerston, a small village at the west end of the Mainland, much frequented by ships going to the west of Scotland or Ireland, or coming therefrom ; another is at Holm's Sound, towards the south-east side of the isle, to which sometimes barks do resort from the south ; several ships also going through Land from the south to the west sea drop anchor here ; and when they pass they must sail between Lambholm, a little isle in the sound, and the Mainland ; for the way on the other side between Lambholm and Burra, though it seem more open, yet it is, they say, shallow and dangerous. But none I think will dare to sail through these isles without some measure both of skill and experience, else it will be to the hazard of their lives, and the Joss of ship and cargo, there being several turnings, blind-rocks, and shallows ; where. fore many do judge it the safest course to keep the wide sea, and so sail without the isles, especially if the weather be not well set and promising. Another convenient road is at Deer-Sound, to the east of the Mainland, where is a great bay, commodious for navies to ride in. Some other harbours and bays also there are upon the Mainland ; but these are the most remarkable.
Nigh to the point of Deer-Ness some years ago was cast away a ship transporting some prisoners to America, who were for the most part west-countrymen, apprehended, imprisoned, and then banished, for adhering to presbyterian principles : there were, as is said, above an hundred who perished, being kept under the deck, and tied together by pairs, whereas, if they had been at liberty, the greatest part, if not ail, might have been saved, as a few were, then upon deck with the mariners. The country people here did, and do think, that the captain of the ship willingly suffered her to drive upon this point, and the men there to perish ; and if so, it is probable that others, though not aboard, have been concerned in this mischiveous design, as the authors and abettors thereof.
In the Mainland are seven parishes, but thirteen kirks; for many ministers in Orkney have two and some three kirks, wherein they ordinarily preach by turns : the first is Deerness and St. Andrew's, at the east end of the isle, where two kirks, one at Deerness, and another at St. Andrew's, wherein their minister preacheth by turns ; here live the lairds of New-work and Tankerness. Under this minister's inspection also is Copinsha, a little isle to the east of the Main, wherein a few families, some corn land and pasturage : it at a little distance appears to be as an high rock conspicuous to seamen ; but it declineth and lieth low towards the west. To the north-east of it lieth a Holm, called the Horse of Copinsha.
The next parish is Holm, also on the east of the Main, to the west of Deerness and St. Andrew's, wherein is but one kirk ; in this parish liveth the laird of Graham's-Hall.
To their minister's charge belongeth Lambholm, a little isle to the south of the Main, wherein a family or two. North west from Holm the parish and town of Kirkwall lieth, where one church, but they should have two ministers : a part of their charge is called the parish of St. Ola. To the west of Kirkwall is Orphir, where is but one kirk. To the north-west of Kirkwall lieth Firch and Stennis, having two kirks, wherein their minister preacheth per vices, or by turns : to this parish belongs Damsey, a little isle. To the north of Firth and Stennis is Evie and Rendal, having two kirks, wherein their minister preacheth per vices. To this parish belongeth Gairsey, a little pleasant isle, wherein liveth Sir William Craig, of Gairsey.
To the west of Evie and Rendal is Hara and Birsa, where are two kirks, in which the minister preacheth per vices; the king's house is in Birsa as abovesaid. Next to Birsa, to the south-west, is Sandwick and Stromness, wherein are two kirks, which their minister goeth to per vices. To Stromness belongeth Kerston, where the best harbour in Orkney, and by reason it is daily increasing as to houses and number of inhabitants, (who are encouraged to dwell here upon the account of the many ships that do frequent this port, and often tarry for some time) ; the minister and gentlemen concur in supplicating judicatories competent, that Kerston with some of the country adjacent may be erected into a parish by itself, that so the inhabitants of the place, and strangers resorting thereunto, may be served with preaching and other parts of the pastoral work; their present church at Stromness being four miles distant from them, wherein also they can nave sermon but every other Sabbath. In Sandwick lives the laird of Brachness.
To the south of Stromness and Sandwick lieth Hoy and Waes, which ordinarily make but one isle, though sometimes, by a high stream overflowing the low and narrow passage whereby they are joined to one another, they are divided into two; the isle is about ten or twelve miles long from west to east. Waes, at the east end of the isle, is better inhabited than Hoy, at the west end thereof, it lying lower, and so fitter for pasturage and labouring; whereas Hoy is more mountainous, only having some houses on the skirts of the hills, by the coasts, and some corn land about their houses. The hill of Hoy is the highest in Orkney, whence we have a fair prospect of all the circumjacent isles, as also of Caithness, Stranaver, Sutherland, &c. on the south side of Pightland-Firth, yet though it be so high, it cannot hold true what some do assert, that from this hill is to be seen the sun all the night over in the month of June, when he is about the tropic of Cancer, for seeing the sun is for several hours seen above the horizon the shortest day of winter, he must necessarily be so far depressed the shortest night in summer, so that his body cannot then be seen, though something of a clear light may be discerned, as it were, accompanying the sun from his setting to his rising point, by reason of the reflection and refraction of his rays upon and through the sea, he dipping so little below their horizon. For the further illustration of this, the ministers of the northern isles of Orkney told me that in the month of June they will see to read small print, or write, at midnight; and in December for some days they can neither see to read nor write unless that they light a candle, as one of them attested from his experience. Ta the south of the entry into the Sound between Hoy and Kerston in the Mainland is the Comb of Hoy, the highest rock in Orkney, looking to the west or Deucaledonian Ocean, much frequented by sea-fowls.
The minister of Hoy hath two kirks, one in Hoy, and another in Gramsey, a little pleasant isle about a mile long, lying to the north of Hoy, between it and Kerston in the Mainland; but ships that go through this Sound use to sail between Gramsey and the Mainland, the way between Gramsey and Hoy being very dangerous. The minister of Waes hath two kirks, one in Waes, and another in Flotta, a pleasant little isle, and as capable of improvement as any isle in Orkney ; Faira and Cava, also two other little isles. are a part of his charge ; these isles lie to the east of Waes and Hoy.
Nigh to the east of Waes and Hoy lies South-Ronaldsha, five miles long from north to south, and about two broad in several places ; it is the southernmost of all the isles of Orkney, and very fertile and populous; at the south end thereof is Burwick, whence the ordinary passage is to Duncan's-bay in Caithness over Pightland-Firth. Their minister hath three kirks, two in South-Ronaldsha, one at the south end of the isle, called our Lady's Kirk, and another at the north end, called St. Peter's-Kirk. He hath a third kirk in Burra, a pleasant little isle to the north of South-Ronaldsha, wherein is much corn-land and many rabbits ; in this isle liveth Sir Archibald Stuart. To this parish belongs Swinna, a little isle in Pightland-Firth, of which more afterwards, when we come to discourse of Pightland Firth.
To the north of the mainland lies the Northern Isles, as Shapinsha to the north-east, four or five miles long, to this parish belongs but one kirk. It hath a safe harbour at Elwick, on the south of the isle : here is the house of the sound, which looketh well and hath a pleasant situation on a rising ground, lying to the south.
To the north-east from Shapinsha lieth Stronsa, about four or five miles long, it is well inhabited, and the grass and corns are good : Papa-Stronsa is a little isle over against it towards north-east, wherein but one family ; between Papa-Stronsa and Stronsa is a safe harbour or bay, well fenced by promontories or capes of land : it is said to be the best north bound harbour in all the Northern Isles. Opposite to Stronsa to north-west lies Eda, about four miles of length from north to south, it is full of moss and moor, and but thinly inhabited : some of the neighbouring isles get their peat hence. In it a loch and mill. To the north-east of Eda is the Calf, a holm so called ; between which and Eda is Calf-sound, a convenient and safe road. The minister of Stronsa and Eda hath two kirks, one in Stronsa, and another in Eda, where he preacheth every third sabbath. To the west of Eda lies North Faira, a little pleasant isle, wherein a few families.
On the east side of Eda stands a house built by John Stewart, earl of Carrick, anno 1663, some of whose offspring are yet living in the neighbouring isles. The occasion of his coming and living in this remote corner is reported to have been some discontent which fell out between him and his lady ; he built at a great expence twelve salt-pans in the Calf of Eda, over against his house, which for some time were all at work, he designing to have driven a foreign trade with his salt, but he dying, after a few years abode there, the house and pans, not being kept in repair, went to ruin, so that now only one salt-pit is standing. Thus his project died with himself.
To the north east of Eda is Sanda, the pleasantest, I think, of the Orkney Isles, nine or ten miles long from south to north, in many places a mile or a mile and a half, and in some scarce half a mile broad, having several tongues of land washed by the sea, hence some do compare it to the shape of a lobster : no place in the isle is high and mountainous, and many spots of it are very plain, and even like a bowling-green, every where it is well furnished with grass, and much good corn, said to be the best in Orkney ; it alone payeth to the king forty-two chalders of victual, every one of which chalders is twenty-one bolls of our measure ; the whole isle is but as one rich cuningar, or a coney-warren, for I never saw a greater number of conies running in any place than I did here ; hence the heritors kill several hundreds of them yearly for their use. There are several bays for ships, as Kitletoft, Otterswick, and Taphness-bav. Some gentlemen also, who have considerable interests, as Burgh, Lapness, &c. many fowls frequent this isle, as duck and drake, plover, &c. so that there is good sport for the fowler. The stirlings or stares are as numerous, I judge, as the sparrows are with us.
In Sanda are two ministers, one having one kirk called Lady-Kirk, on the east side of the isle towards the north end thereof ; in this isle are some sober, knowing, and good people ; particularly in this Lady parish, in the former Presbyterian times, there was a goodly zealous minister, Mr. Arthur Murray, who went south after the revolution, an. 1660, and died there ; some of the old people yet alive, who were under his minis try, cannot speak of him without tears : " The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance." The other minister hath under his inspection three kirks, two in Sanda, Cross Kirk, and Burness, and one in North- Rondalsha, an isle to the north of Sanda, two or three miles long. Both these isles of Sanda and North-Ronaldsha lie low, and dangerous for seamen, who cannot discover them at any distance, especially in a misty day or dark night, till close upon them, and so are ready to suffer shipwreck, as many do.
To the west of Sanda lies Westra, seven miles long, it is well inhabited, having much corn in it ; here is Fitta-hill, where they say the fairies are frequently seen ; it is the highest hill in all the northern isles of Orkney. In the north end of this isle is the castle of Noutland, built by Gilbert Balfour for the use of James Hepburn earl of Both-well, married to Queen Mary the 27th of May, an. 1567, in the abby of Holyrood-house, who fearing he should not always retain and enjoy his present grandeur, which the nobles envied him for, he likewise being suspected guilty of the murder of my Lord Darnly, her former husband, caused to be built this strong castle, which, upon a change of the scene, he might betake himself unto, situated upon a high rock nigh to the Deucaledonian Ocean, having plain champain ground about it ; it is four stories high, and the lowest is strongly vaulted, above which is a high hall, having two air-holes through the arch, so to give vent to the powder, if at any time they should be surprized with a blast, the walls are very thick, and all the free-stone for the building was brought from the south : the roof is flat and fenced with rails of stone, whence we have a fair view of the circumjacent country. There are several holes or slits in the building, not only to let in the light, but to gall an approaching enemy with small shot, if at any time they should be attacked ; but the Lord, often taking the sinner in his own craftiness, suffered him not so to escape, by sheltering himself in this nest. This castle was never completed, for in one part thereof the walls are but half the height intended, and never hitherto covered with a roof, and he being pursued by the Lords of the congregation, never possessed it, or so much as saw it, if not at a distance, for he taking himself to sea with two or three ships came to Kirkwal in Orkney, and being driven thence by William Kircaldy of Grange, he fled to Zetland, where the pursuer had almost overtaken him, if the pilot's skill in these seas had not made a way to escape, in holding down by the side of a blind rock well enough known to the pilot, which the pursuer ignorant of split upon ; which rock to this day is called the Unicorn, from the name of a ship that perished upon it. Bothwell escaped to Norway, where being apprehended. he was taken to Denmark, and cast into a filthy prison, where he died after ten years imprisonment : his wicked life having this miserable end : " Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished ;" and ordinarily murder, (whereof he was suspected to be guilty,) so crieth from the ground, that it bringeth down remarkable and often tremendous judgments in time. There are several gentlemens' houses in Westra.
The minister of Westra hath three churches, wherein he preaches per vices, two in Westra, one at the west end of the isle called the West-Kirk, and another nigh to the north end called the North-Kirk, the third church is in Papa-Westra, a little isle of three miles long from south to north ; betwixt it and Westra there is a convenient harbour for ships at Piriwa ; as also in the same sound a little to the north of this harbour lies a holm, wherein there hath been a little chapel, whereof some of the ruinous walls are yet to be seen. Papa-Westra aboundeth with rabbits, and hath some corn land, but not so much as some other isles, it being hard and stony ground ; it belongeth to a gentleman called Holland, and hath been reputed famous for St. Trodwell's Chapel and Loch or Lake. To the east of this isle lieth the Holm where the Enster men had their huts as above.
To the south of Westra lies Rousa, an isle six miles long, full of heathy hills, abounding with moor-fowls ; there is not much corn in it, and but thinly inhabited. There is a loch and mill thereon, that goeth ordinarily all the summer over, which is rare in these isles. The minister of Rousa hath two kirks, one in Rousa and another in Eglesha, a pleasant isle two miles long, where a church much frequented by superstitious people, with a high steeple, seen at a great distance, where (as some would have it) St. Magnus was buried. To his charge also belongs Inhallo, a little isle to the west of Rousa, also Wyre, a small isle.
Thus I have glanced at the description of the Orcades ; most of which I have had occasion to see, wherein we see there are seventeen parishes ; eight in the mainland, viz. Kirkwall, Holm, Deerness and St. Andrews, Evie and Kendal, Firth and Stennis, Orphir, Birsa and Hara, Sandwick and Stromness ; and nine in the other isles, viz. South Ronalsha and Bura, Waes and Flotta, Hoy and Gramsey, Shapinsha, Stronsa and Eda, Lady-Kirk in Sanda, Cross-kirk and Burness in Sanda, and North Ronalsha, Westra and Papa-Westra, Rousa and Eglesha ; but there are thirty-one kirks; and these ministers look upon themselves as more happily posted, who have only one kirk, especially if they have not more kirks in several isles ; this tending more to the edification of the people under their charge, and consequently to their peace and encouragement, they every Lord's Day dispensing ordinances m the same place, to the same people, whereas those who have more kirks committed to them are sometimes obliged to preach in one place, and sometimes in another, and the people generally frequent but their own kirk, especially if they be in different isles ; hence ordinarily they enjoy the ordinances only every other Sabbath, and in some places but one of three, which cannot but obstruct the progress of the Gospel among them. Besides, it is uneasy, expensive, and dangerous for them to travel from isle to isle, and sometimes a storm arising they are necessarily detained there. The stipends here are small, and for the most part paid by the steward or his depute, the king being the principal proprietor, yet they can live very well upon them, victuals being had at an easy rate.
The people are generally tractable, submissive and respectful to their ministers, which is very desirable and encouraging to those who labour among them, when true zeal enlargeth the desires, and puts an edge upon the spirits of pastors in the discharge of the Lord's work for the good of souls.
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