'The enclosed land in Zetland is divided into what are called
merks and ures. A merk, it is said, should contain 1600 square
fathoms, and an ure is the eighth part of a merk; but the merks are
everywhere of unequal dimensions, and scarcely two are of the
same size. The oldest rentals state the number of merks to be
about 13,500, and those of the present time make them no more.
A considerable portion, however, of common has been enclosed
and cultivated since the appearance of the first rentals, although
not included in them. When a part of the common is enclosed and
farmed, the enclosure is called an outset; but the outsets are never
included in the numeration of merks of rental land. From these
circumstances it is very difficult to ascertain the actual quantity of
cultivated ground in Zetland.

'The enclosures are made, generally, in the neighbourhood of
the sea, and contain from 4 to 70 merks, which are frequently the
property of different heritors, and are always subdivided among
several tenants. Such place is called a town or a room, and each
has a particular name.

'The uncultivated ground outside of the enclosure is called the
scatthold, and is used for general pasture, and to furnish turf for
firing. Every tenant may rear as many sheep, cattle, or horses, on
the general scatthold attached to the town in which his farm lies as
he can. There is no restriction on this head, whether he rent a
large or a small farm. If there be no moss in the scatthold
contiguous to his farm, the tenant must pay for the privilege to cut
peat in some other common, and this payment is called
It seldom exceeds 3s. per annum.