FOULA, an island, in the parish of Walls-and-Sandness,
county of Shetland; containing 215 inhabitants.
This island lies almost twenty miles distant
from any land, and is the most western of the Shetlands.
It is about three miles in length, and one and a half in
breadth, with bold and steep shores, and formed chiefly
of three hills of a nearly conical shape. There is very
little level ground; and the isle has only one landingplace.
Ham, which is on the east side, and even this cannot
be approached in bad weather: the island is resorted
to as a fishing-station, and it affords excellent pasturage
for sheep. Dense columns of birds of various kinds
hover round it, literally darkening the air at particular
seasons; the surface of the hills swarms with plover,
crows, and curlews, and the cormorants occupy the
lower portions of the cliff's. The rock scenery in this
island is supposed to be the grandest in the country.
The minister of Walls makes an annual visit to the isle,
remaining usually two Sundays; at other times the schoolmaster
oHiciates in the church as a kind of pastor.