THE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SHETLAND ISLANDS; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, CIRCUMSTANCES, SUPERSTITIONS, AND RELIGION OF THE INHABITANTS.

Catton, Rev. James

Published by Wainfleet P. I Tuxford 1838, 1838

About this Item

1st edition, 8vo in fours (22cm), 126pp. Original grey boards, rebacked with period cloth. Original endpapers preserved. Wainfleet bookseller ticket and bookplate of 'A.I. Tulloch, Shetland' to pastedown. Inscriptions of Richard Holland, Boston (dated Jan 28, 1843). Tight and secure. Some minor marks and smudges. An excellent copy. The Weslean missionary Rev. James Catton, from Nottinghamshre, spent 3 years in Shetland. 'Part the Third' of the book on the manners of the inhabitants is a highly readable account, for example: ' "About six years ago," says Dr Edmonstone, "a man entered a prosecution, in the sherrifs court at Lerwick, against a woman for witchcraft. He stated that she uniformly assumed the form of a raven, and in that character killed his cattle and prevented the milk of his cows from yielding butter. The Sherrif expostulated with the man upon his folly and dismissed the case." ' (p.115). The author also witnessed a whale hunt: 'On the 22nd of August 1834 I saw two hundred and eighty driven upon the sands of Voxter.' (p.108).

Seller Inventory # 1723

Bibliographic Details

• Title: THE HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SHETLAND ISLANDS; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, CIRCUMSTANCES, SUPERSTITIONS, AND RELIGION OF THE INHABITANTS.
• Publisher: Wainfleet P. I Tuxford 1838
• Publication Date: 1838
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Seller catalogs:
  • Scottish Tour
  • Orkney