Unst, the remotest of the Shetland Isles, and most northern part of his Britannic Majesty’s dominions, is supposed to be about eight miles long and four broad.
A hill called Vallafield rises within a mile and a half of its northern extremity, and runs directly parallel to the western coast, to the very northern point. It is six hundred feet high. At right angles with this hill, stands Crossfield, nearly in the middle of the island. To the north lies Saxaforth, which is seven hundred feet high. It is the highest in the island, and may be seen upwards of forty miles off the coast. A hill, called Vordhill, runs parallel to the east coast.
Among these hills are tracts of level fertile ground, and the highest hill is some feet covered with black moss. Unst contains many fresh water lochs. That of Cliff is two miles long, and nearly half a mile broad. The banks of this loch exhibit pleasant and most beautiful scenery. From this loch a few smaller ones run to the southern part of the island.
The headlands here rise to the height of sixty or seventy fathoms; but the shores of the bays and harbours are low and sandy.
About this island are scattered here and there a great many very small ones.
Around the coast are several curious natural caves. One at Sha has its roof supported by octagonal pillars.
At Burra Firth are a vast number of small caves, running from the sea under the hills. One of these only is entered once a-year, and robbed of the seals which frequent it. The rest are mostly inaccessible.
To the east of this, under an arm of the hill of Saxaforth, is a magnificent natural arch, three hundred feet long, and of a considerable height, through which a boat can row.
The Shetland Isles, (called by the Dutch, Zetland; and, by the Danes, Yetland,) lie between sixty and sixty-one degrees of north latitude, and have their longest day about nineteen, and their shortest about five hours.