Foula 1821 Captain Vetch

The Island of Foula is the most western of the Shetland Islands, and from the grandeur of its form, and secluded situation, has attached an interest to it, which a nearer inspection serves but little to diminish. As seen from the sea, at a few miles distance, its appearance is of the most imposing nature, - for though little more than three miles in its greatest dimensions, it rises boldly to a height of 1370 feet, and presents, along its western shores, perpendicular cliffs that seldom fall short of 600 feet, and in one place attain 1230 feet, forming a scene perhaps not surpassed in grandeur by any in the British Islands. The mountain-ridge which stretches across the centre of Foula, and which chiefly characterises the island, bears some resemblance to the rock of Gibraltar. The length and height of both ridges are nearly the same; both present three prominent points or peaks, and both terminate at one extremity in perpendicular cliffs of nearly equal height.

From the summit of the Snuke, the highest and central peak of the ridge, an extensive view of Shetland is obtained. The Ossa Skerry, a remarkably detached rock, and Ronas Hill, forming interesting features on the left of the scene, while Fitfull Head and Fair Isle, objects of no less interest, terminate the view on the right hand, including a space of about seventy miles chiefly occupied by the Mainland of Shetland. In very fine weather five hills in Orkney may be descried, appearing like clouds on the horizon, but to the naked eye giving no clue to their identities. From these hills, however, the island of Foula assumes an appearance not to be mistaken. Its precipitous west end, as seen from Westra, in Orkney, a distance of seventy miles, forms a striking object.

The Island of Foula is about fifteen miles from the nearest point of the Mainland of Shetland, and from Lerwick about thirty miles in a straight line, and in a direction nearly west: its greatest length is three miles and a half; its greatest breadth, two miles and a half; and its greatest elevation above the level of the sea, about 1370 feet. The island is divided into two portions of nearly equal extent, by the mountainous and flat ground. Besides the mountainous ridge I have already mentioned, the Noup occurs as a detached hill in the south, rising very steeply to a height of 810 feet, and terminating in a round summit. This hill, though of the same height with Arthur's Seat, becomes a feature of minor importance in the vicinity of the Snuke. The mountain-ridge which occupies so large a portion of the island, has its general direction about 60 degrees W. of N., being about a mile and a half long, falling very abruptly to the north, and with a gentle slope to the south, till it terminates in precipices at the coast, the external form of the mountain conforming in a general way with the tabulae of the sandstone of which it is composed. An elevated platform, about 600 feet high, projects to the north from the west end of the ridge, and terminates abruptly at the north-west point of the island; when viewed from the east, a few miles at sea, the last mentioned point, with the three peaks of the Snuke ridge, appear like separate hills rising behind each other, and then, with the Noup, may probably constitute the five hills of Foula with some, though, correctly speaking, it contains but two.

This island is chiefly composed of sandstone, resting on primary rocks; the upper 600 feet or 700 feet being of a loose texture, occasionally ferruginous, containing numerous small scales of mica dispersed through it. Pebbles of quartz, and fragments of other rocks, occur, but not frequently, and are arranged in layers and patches; the first conformable with the direction of the strata, which is also the line the patches assume in regard to each other. Green-earth also occurs in some places, in considerable quantities, in small compressed nodules, appearing, at first sight, like the fragments of a schistose rock dispersed in the sandstone. The sandstone, which occupies the upper part of the Snuke, has the direction of its strata nearly conformable with the line of the ridge, having its outgoings on the steep north slope of the hill, while it dips to the south-west, at an angle of about 12 degrees, constituting the cliffs on the south-west side of the island, from Ravenbrag to the south point. Along that portion of the coast, from the softer nature of the rock, and the inclination of its base towards the sea, full scope is given to the action of the waves, and a scene of ruin and impending danger arrest the attention of the spectator; enormous masses, quite detached, seem ready to fall on the slightest application of force; while fragments, larger than the huts of Shetland, strew the shore. Among the cliffs of this shore may be seen some beautiful specimens of carious sandstone, produced by the action of the weather, the cells of great depth, and the septa of the most delicate thinness.

In descending from the Snuke ridge to the platform at the foot of Combe Hill, the sandstone then becomes more compact; and the small scales of mica, heretofore promiscuously arranged, are now disposed with thin, flat surfaces parallel to the stratification, and more or less in layers, giving the rock often a decided schistose character, when the mica is abundant, - an appearance which may also be discovered by weathering, even where the mica is scanty. As we continue to descend towards the north, the sandstone becomes still more compact, and often passes into, or alternates with, quartz rock, from which, however, the mica is rarely absent, though in some of the harder varieties it becomes again irregularly dispersed through it. At the north point of the island, opposite the Friar Rocks, we arrive at the lowest point in the regular stratification of the sandstone, proceeding from the Snuke ridge. In a small bay, the sandstone is much undulated, and even contorted; the seams of stratification become wedge-shaped, curved, and leave the structure of the rock in an undefinable and unstratified mass. To the east and west of this point the strata again become remarkably straight, and their slaty structure well marked, differing in direction, however, on the opposite sides of the unstratified mass; that on the east side bearing 77 degrees W. of N., while, on the west side, the direction of the strata is 105 degrees W. of N. The Arched Friar, a singularly picturesque rock, arched in two opposite directions, and supported on four columns, I conjecture, belongs to the unstratified portion to which it is opposite, and to which, I imagine, it owes its ability to resist the action of the waves.

This occasional interruption of the stratification of a rock in the line of its direction, is a circumstance that deserves to be well studied. A most remarkable instance of the same kind occurs near Lambaness, in the Island of Stronsa.

Among the lower beds of the sandstone, a few thin layers of limestone occur, very compact, of a blue colour, and resembling siliceous schistus; argillaceous matter also, in combination with the mica in very thin lamina, serve occasionally to give the sandstone a schistose structure. But the circumstance most worthy of attention, is the occurrence of some thin beds of indurated clay, containing minute scales of mica; these are from a foot to two inches in thickness. The sandstone in the immediate vicinity has much the appearance of quartz-rock, and fills up numerous rents and openings of the indurated clay, which is cheifly separated by openings vertical to the plane of stratification, presenting appearances similar to what clay assumes in drying. The following sketch of a small portion will convey a notion of the manner in which it occurs, in which the white spaces represent the sandstone with its branches alternating with and traversing the clay, which forms the black part of the figure.

Proceeding from the north point of the island to the eastward, the strata have their direction 77 degrees W. of N.; when two thirds across the open bay, the sandstone begins to rise towards the promontory, its direction and dip bending round at right angles to their former bearing. Its rise towards the promontory is at first very gentle; but the dip rapidly assumes an angle of 70 degrees, where a small gully divides the sandstone from the primary rocks; and, on the east side of the gully, an apparent chaos of primitive rocks meets the eye; thick tortuous beds or veins of graphic granite intersect gneiss and mica-slate in the most fantastic manner; and veins or beds of quartz, of a calcedonic appearance, of a foot or more in thickness, tend to increase the variety. An attentive examination, however, shews, that the gneiss and mica-slate, and even the granite veins, have a general tendency to one direction and dip; and a view of the rock, which accompanies this description, will show the nature of the association. The dip is a little to the E. of S. The granite veins, however, are not always parallel with the dip of the strata; on the contrary, as is seen in the section of the rock A, they sometimes intersect them at right angles. I observed in one place a section, in the direction of the stratification, display two curved veins of granite, inclosing a portion of mica-slate.

Muntaavi Stack

At the promontory, the mica-slate contains much hornblende, and in some places is studded with garnets. Felspar occurs also between the layers, by which means it passes into gneiss, to which it seems subordinate. On the east side of the promontory, all appearance of gneiss and mica-slate is lost, and an unstratified mass of fine-grained graphic granite extends for half a mile along the coast. This granite is of the same nature with the veins already mentioned; the felspar, which is in excess, is sometimes nearly compact, and so abundant, as, without its geological connections, would render the name of granite rather inapplicable. Where the unstratified rock terminates a narrow cave or fissure prevents an inspection of its contact with the succeeding rocks. On the south side of the fissure gneiss rocks occur, dipping to 25 degrees S. of E., at an angle of 45 degrees, and extend for a space of a mile and a half, varying or curving in the direction of the strata, the most general being the magnetic north, nearly at right angles to the general dip of the sandstone. Subordinate to the gneiss occur beds of mica-slate, hornblende-slate, and compact feldspar, and occasionally veins of large-granular granite present themselves. The junction of the sandstone and gneiss is effected by graduations so minute, as to render it difficult to point out the precise spot, affording a remarkable contrast with the junction of these rocks at the north end of the island. At a point where a bed of unstratified quartzose rock occurs, the superimposed strata of sandstone has apparently been bent up . Among the primary rocks of Foula, minute crystals of iron and copper pyrites often occur disseminated.

The distinction of Primary and Secondary rocks in this island may be rather comparative than real; for, though the sandstone occasionally partakes both of the character of primary sandstone and quartz-rock, it also alternates with, and at last passes into, sandstone of a much newer aspect. This Transition class, in this instance, seems a very convenient division to refer it to.

The lines drawn on the map, distinguishing the boundaries of the different rocks, are in a great measure conjectural, as the surface has there a deep covering of peat-moss, and the only clue is that afforded by the direction of these lines as they occur at the coast; but as there extent is small, the direction and length assigned to them cannot differ much from the truth.

The Island of Foula, except on the very steep acclivities, is covered with peat-moss to a considerable depth; and the circumstance of laying waste the country, for the purposes of fuel and roofing, which so constantly distresses the eye in Orkney, is here almost rendered impossible. At Stanisfield, however, a portion of the Noup Hill, the covering of peat-moss being scanty, the natives have managed by perseverance to get down to the naked rock; and they seem disposed to prevent an accumulation of soil again in that place, as I observed some of them employed in cutting for fuel the scattered tufts, the remains of former attacks. This system of carrying off the soil, so prevalent in Orkney and Fair Isle, cannot be sufficiently deprecated, or too soon put an end to, as hundreds of acres of good land are every year consigned to sterility, though abundance of peat-moss is never far distant. Along the margins of the brooks in Foula, white and red clover, of natural growth, appear in considerable luxuriance; and should Mr Leisk, the worthy proprietor of Uya, be able to draw the attention of the Shetland proprietors to pasture, instead of cornfields, Foula may, after no great lapse of time, present over its greater extent rich crops of grass, instead of the heath and scanty herbage it at present affords.

The number of inhabitants in Foula amounts to about 165. And it is a curious fact, that during the last seven years there has been no marriage in the island, nor illegitimate children;— in this respect affording an extraordinary contrast to the state of Fair Isle. Nor does the contrast end there. In Fair Isle, the natives are in general half-starved and ill-clothed, seem squalid and unhealthy, and have a look of savage apathy. In Foula, the reverse is the case: in every respect the inhabitants seem to be much at their ease, are decently clothed, and are of a cheerful, inquisitive character. Indeed, I met no peasantry in Shetland that equal them. Their frank, free disposition, simple primitive manners, render them a very amiable people. It seems difficult to account for the difference between the inhabitants of two small islands so near, and in every respect so similarly situate. The difficulty entirely ceases, however, when it is known that the Fair Islanders live principally by smuggling, and the Foulaese by fishing, much may also be due to the exertions of the proprietor of the island, Mr Scott.

Our arrival in Foula, to carry on there the operations of the Trigonometrical Survey, excited the wonder of the Foulaese very much, they never ceased to express their admiration of the marquees and tents, and other objects of novelty. But when they understood our intention of carrying our baggage to the summit of the Snuke, and living among the bonxies, they considered the attempt would be fruitless and rash. An elderly man, looking at the great theodolite in its case, exclaimed, "It's a bonny box; but it's no in the poor o' man to take that up the Snuke." When, however, they saw our lusty artillerymen set off with heavy packages up the steep ascent of Snifield, a kind of emulation seized them, and we were enabled to hire about twenty of them, on easy terms, to assist; and the same evening we had an encampment of eight tents on the Snuke. A respectable old woman, who seemed to pay great respect to the Hill Trows, gave us her blessing at parting, assured, that if we were really going to live among the bonxies, we should never return safe again. The men, too, feared "the bonny claith-houses would never stand the north winters." The news from the metropolis arrives in Foula a few months after date, a good deal changed in its course northward, but more adapted to the ideas of the Foulaese. I was seriously asked if it was true the King was coming to Foula.

The name of Foula being supposed by some to have been imposed from the quantity of fowl that inhabit it, in a description of the island, some notice of these may be given; and, though ill qualified for the task, I shall state some particulars relating to such of the feathered tribes as particularly distinguish Foula, and shall therefore commence with the Bonxie, or Skua Gull, the Lestris catarractes of naturalists.

The Bonxie, or Skua Gull, I believe, in the British islands, breeds only in Shetland, and there only on three hills, the Snuke in Foula, Ronas, and Saxafiord, which are also the three highest. On Foula they seem to have taken exclusive possession of the Snuke. In its nature it appears to partake both of the nature of the Gull and Eagle tribes. On Foula it breeds generally about a height of 1300 feet, and nowhere but on the Snuke. It is easily tamed, and is, I understand, a very docile bird. (A young one, which I kept for some time, and afterwards sent to Mr Neill, Canonmills, near Edinburgh, has proved remarkably docile. It is now (May 1822) acquiring new plumage, which has every resemblance to that of the mature bird.) I often observed it walking about within a few yards of the tent, and without fearing our approach. When, however, his nest is approached, he shows a determination to defend his possession with his life. Ravens, Eagles, Hawks, or other birds, are soon pursued from the territory they inhabit. On approaching the nest an attack instantly commences; male and female in rapid succession descend from a considerable height, with a velocity and noise truly startling; horses, cattle, and sheep, are immediately put to flight, and receive no intermission of attack till well driven from the nest; and if man, bent on sinister purposes, continues to brave the Bonxie’s fury, he will seldom accomplish his aim without carrying away marks of war. The nest is a mere concavity in the ground; the number of eggs two; the month of breeding July. The young bird is a nimble, gallant little animal, and almost as soon as hatched leaves the nest. On the approach of danger he secretes himself in holes, or behind stones, with great art; and when captured, at least makes a show of defence that is quite amusing. The number of these birds that annually breed at Foula probably does not exceed thirty pair.

The Arctic Gull (Lestris parasiticus) deserves the next place in the description of the birds of Foula. This elegant bird, which I have observed in Orkney to breed in single pairs, or at most two or three pairs in one place, seems to have selected Foula for its head-quarters, and here it is chiefly congregated on the elevated platform under Combe Hill. Solitary pairs may be found in other places; but at the place above mentioned, the number of pairs breeding in 1821 probably did not fall short of 100; and having established that as the seat of power, they are no less tenacious of this domain than the bonxie, from which they exclude all other birds. And the Skua, when it happens to stray into the adjoining territory, is pursued by such a host of nimble enemies, as often leave him no resource but to alight, when the tactic of the Arctic gull is lost; his long wings, so advantageous to him on the wing, being quite the reverse on the ground. They are equally fierce with the bonxie in the defence of their nest, and make up in superior velocity their deficiency of weight. The rushing noise that accompanies the darting resembles that of a small rocket. The Arctic gull employs the same stratagems with the plover to decoy enemies from its nest. Placing itself at some distance from its retreat, it assumes the appearance of being disabled and incapable of flying, even making repeated tumbles, and continues to excite pursuit in a direction opposite to that of its nest, till a safe distance is obtained; the Arctic gull then mounts with extraordinary velocity: and I may venture to say, that, to a person ignorant of the trick, the stratagem is conducted with an art that never fails of success.

In approaching the nest of the Arctic gull, an attack still more fierce than that of the Skua commences. The intruder receives constant flaps of the wings of the bird. Judging from the rapidity of the dart, and their just grazing the head of the person, I imagined, if any hard substance was suddenly elevated above the head a few inches at the moment previous to the graze, the animal would probably terminate its existence against it. I accordingly elevated the muzzle of a fowling-piece a few inches above my head, and after a few trials, in which the bird showed a most extraordinary power of altering its course when almost touching the gun, the experiment ended by its death; and so great was the force with which it struck the gun, that its brains were forced out, and the death was instantaneous; and I have no doubt an adroit person might kill numbers in this way. The form of the nest, number, colour, and shape of the eggs, resemble that of the Skua, as also the time of breeding. The young birds, or scories, are of a very handsome dark-speckled brown; the old birds are generally of a blackish colour all over, with exception of the belly, which is of a rusty or tarnished appearance. Considerable numbers, however appear with white bellies, and a few variously speckled on the breast, forming a gradation between those with black and those with white bellies. These varieties of colour, I imagine, are the effect of different ages, having observed pairs belonging to the same nest associated in every possible mode of combining the colours, as two whites, two blacks, a white and black, a white and speckled, and a black speckled, and two speckled. I should imagine that not less than 150 pairs breed in Foula.

The Kittiwake Gull (Larus rissa), from their numbers, are next in importance, and are remarkable in their adopting a very peculiar and circumscribed place of breeding; they are all congregated in a natural arch, with which the north-west point of the cliff of Foula is perforated. It seems a habit of this bird to prefer covered places of breeding, and the number that crowd into the arch is so great as to completely whiten the face of the rock, and where the fowler, if he is disposed, may destroy them by the bushels.

The Puffin (Alca arctica) breeds in great numbers on all the high cliffs of Foula, and their number probably exceeds that of all the other birds put together.

That well known bird of the sailors, Mother Cary's Chicken (Procellaria pelagica), conceived by many of them to breed under the sea, and never to alight on land, breeds in Foula in considerable numbers; and an abundant supply, both of old live birds and young ones, or eggs, may be obtained from the boys of Foula for a very trifling reward. The eggs are of a dull-white colour, and very round at both ends.

Ravens are in considerable numbers in Foula, and I observed them more numerous on one high cliff of great height, which I have named the Raven Crag in the map, though probably it has a native name attached to it, few features of the island being without them; but probably the omission of native names to minute parts will not be regretted, as many of them can only be pronounced by a native, of which the Snuke is an instance, as it is somewhat difficult to say whether the concluding consonant should be k, g, or d, though I think the k comes considerably the nearest.

I saw some Eagles, but am informed they do not breed on Foula at present.

The Sea-pie, or Oyster-catcher, occurs in considerable numbers in Foula along the low shores; as also the small Guillemot, and the Danish Duck. Of Plovers and Curlews, so plentiful in other isles of Shetland, I did not observe an individual; and I was told the appearance of curlews on the coast of Foula was a sure indication of an approaching storm.

Seals are abundant on the coast of Foula in the month of July, both of the large and small species; the place of resort seems chiefly to be under the high cliffs between the Combe and the Kittiwake Walk. I imagine I saw not less than forty in one day.

The curiosities of Foula, chiefly detailed by the natives, are, I am afraid, no longer to be found. The carbuncle, seen by boatmen under the high cliffs of Combe Hill, is not confined to Foula, as the same phenomenon is said to occur off Hoy.

I regret I did not examine the Lum of Snifield, a crevice near the summit of the peak of that name, which the natives allege descends perpendicularly to the level of the sea (1130 feet), and then to have a subterranean passage to the ocean. Of the truth of which, they adduce the circumstance of a dog pursuing a sheep, which precipitated itself into the crevice, and was followed by the dog, and both were found afterwards at the mouth of a small cave by the coast. It would, however, appear at present, if the natives did not impose on some of our party, that the lum has ceased to exist, as they could discover nothing but loose stones filling the heretofore unfathomable abyss.

The following is a register of the weather in the month of July, on the summit of Foula, or about 1340 feet above the level of the sea.

Register of the Weather on the Snuke Hill of Foula, July 1821.

Sign - signifies before noon, and sign + after noon.

Days.   Hours.   Barom.    Ther.    Ther.                 General Remarks
8          +11                                        41               High north-wind, and fog.
9          +12                                        38               Light do., very foggy, with showers.
10         +101/2                                    39               Fresh do., fog clearing away.
11         + 23/4     28,800      483/4       481/2
11         +11                                        43
12         -   8        28,737      471/2       46               Calm
13         + 2        28,523      481/2       46               Calm
15         - 101/2    28,488      49           49               Calm. Foggy. Wind S.
15         +11                                        42
16         -   8         28,297      48          46               Wind W. A gale, with fog.
17         -   6         29,275      44          45
18         -   91/2     28,755      491/2      48               Wind S. A gale, and thick fog.
18         +11         28,848      50          49
19         -   73/4     28,824      52          501/2           Wind S. Moderate. Flying mists.
19         +10         28,667      491/4       491/2           Wind S. with fog. Blowing.
20         -   9         28,505      51           501/2           Wind S. Fog on hill.
20         +101/2     28,210      50           48               Wind S. Fresh, with showers.
21         -   4         28,133      501/2                          Wind S. with fogs.
21         -   8         28,118      52           501/2           Do.        Do.
21         +12         28,170      531/2       48                Do.        Do.
22         -   8         28,242      56           52              Clear, calm weather.
23         -   8         27,982      52           52              Wind SE. Thick fog down to shore.
24         -   8         28,046      50           50              Wind ESE. Fog.
24         + 31/2                      55           55               Wind SE. Fog
24         +11         28,058      48           48                Do.          Do.
25         -   8         28,037      501/2      50                 Do.          Do.
25         +12         28,092      481/2       47               Clear on hill, haze in the distance.
26         -   8         28,122      531/2       54               Calm. Clear on hill.
26         +11         28,206      48           48               Do.           Do.
27         -   8         28,278      52           52               Calm, clear. W. wind about 9.
27         +11         28,277      451/2       45               Wind W. by N. Showers.
28         -   8         28,282      49           48               Do.                    Do.
28         + 81/2      28,238      481/2      471/2           Wind W.            Do.
28         +11         28,228       441/2      43               Calm.
29         -   8         28,306      50           48               Wind NE. (light). Clear.
29         +11         28,362      47           46               Calm.
30         -   4         28,320      441/2       43               Wind SE. (light). Clear.
30         -   8         28,320      52           50               Do.                      Do.

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