Swarback’s Mine—Muckle
Roe—Busta—The Giffords of Busta.
PASSING the northern
mouth of Roe Sound, and sailing under the towering granite cliffs of
Muckle Roe—scooped out here and there into magnificent caves, once the
haunts of robbers and smugglers—we reach a strait, which rejoices in the
curious name of Swarback’s Mine. Lying between the islands of Roe and
Vemintry, it forms the common entrance to an important congeries of voes,
opening up a great extent of country. The Voe of Busta runs north, that
of Aith south; while Gonfirth takes a south-easterly course, and
Olnafirth stretches circuitously in the same direction, several miles
into the heart of the Mainland. The eastern shores of Mnckle Roe are
low, fairly cultivated, and well sheltered by the land-locked bay. The
Sound between that island and the Mainland is navigable only by boats;
and so narrow and shallow is it, that, at low tides, the people can wade
across. Small as it may appear, Muckle Roe is twenty-four miles in
circumference.
Having passed the
opening, we skirt along a fine green ness, and soon reach Busta—a place
which has for generations figured largely in Shetland history. Than its
situation, none more favourable could have been selected. Nature has
scooped out an amphitheatre in the hill-side, with a small circular
branch of the Voe at its base. Not many feet above the water’s edge,
rises the good old mansion of Busta, embowered in trees. The
productiveness of the gardens, once so fertile, has been seriously
impaired by their overshadowing influence. Many of these trees are
native, and the*perfection they have here attained is evidently due to
the rich soil, sheltered situation, and the protection of high walls.
The grounds of Busta are laid out in the straight Dutch style of last
century. This arrangement is particularly observable in the Willow Walk,
the principal avenue leading to the house from the county road. It runs
straight as an arrow, for several hundred yards, through a ravine. The
trees have grown so much over the road that the stranger must take care
to avoid the fate of a learned divine—now no more—who, on riding through
the avenue, encountered one of John Gilpin’s mishaps, and involuntarily
hung, not his harp, but his hat and wig, on the willow tree.
The principal entrance to
the house of Busta is through a baronial-looking hall, with a massive
stone staircase. Over the doorway, which looks towards the gardens, is
the coat of arms of the Giffords. Beyond the entrance the house has no
pretensions to architectural embellishments. It consists of three
distinct portions, each erected at different periods since the beginning
of last century. The drawing-room and dining-room are adorned by many
fine family portraits, the most of which were executed by a native
artist, Mr John Irvine.
The Giffords of Busta
have rather a romantic history. Like several other families of Shetland
lairds, they spring from a clergyman. This gentleman was minister of
Northmavine at the Reformation. His descendants prospered, and acquired
a considerable estate, which, however, being divided amongst the
different members of a large family, became so atomised as to be of
little use to any one. In the beginning of last century arose Thomas
Gifford, a man of great sagacity, energy, and business talent. He was a
Whig and a Hanoverian, while all the other Shetland lairds were Tories
and Jacobites. This circumstance gave him great political influence in
the troublous times of the two rebellions. The Earl of Morton appointed
him Steward-Depute of the county. To the occupation of proprietor and
chief-magistrate he added that of a merchant, and appears to have got
most of the trade of the islands into his own hands. With these
advantages he soon consolidated the family property, absorbed many
neighbouring lands in it, and, in course of time, accumulated the
largest estate in Shetland. Everything seemed to prosper with Mr
Gifford. Not only was he rich and powerful, but the sun of domestic
happiness shone on him. He was the husband of an accomplished spouse, a
daughter of Sir John Mitchell, of Westshore, Baronet, and the father of
four promising sons. But human happiness, ever evanescent, proved
particularly so in his case. One dire day in 1748, Busta’s four sons,
accompanied by their tutor, went to visit their uncle, who was
chamberlain to the Earl of Morton, and lived at Wethersta, on the’
opposite side of the voe. The young men spent a pleasant evening, and
were returning as they came, when, horrible to relate, the boat was
upset, and they all found a watery grave. Wonderfully did the good laird
bear up against this fell blow, which left him childless, and without an
heir in his old age. He found his consolation in the words, “The Lord
gave, and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
When the first outburst
of sorrow was over, some rays of hope began to dawn on the bereaved
family. Mrs Barbara Pitcairn, a humble relative, who lived in the
household, began to give promise of a coming child, and declared she had
been privately married to John Gifford, the eldest of those who were
drowned. In due time she gave birth to a son. The good old laird was
soon afterwards gathered to his fathers, and left the estate to the able
management of his widow, Lady Busta. Her young grandchild, Gideon
Gifford, was brought up as heir, and, eventually entered on possession
of his wide domain, which he enjoyed all his lifetime, no one
questioning his right. Mr Gideon Gifford appears to have lived in great
style, assuming all the pomp and display of a great Highland chief, and
certainly not adding to the value of his estate. He died in 1812, and
was succeeded by his eldest son.
Arthur Gifford, Esq. of
Busta, was no ordinary country squire. To great natural abilities, and
no mean scholarship, he added a very handsome face and form, a-
commanding presence, and most pleasing and highly cultivated manners.
Although by no means bound with them, his estate being entailed, he very
chivalrously became responsible for his father’s debts. He held his
extensive patrimony undisturbed for twenty long years. In 1832, the
representative of a remote branch of the family, settled in America,
raised an action in the Court of Session, with the object of having
himself served heir to Busta, on the ground of Gideon Gifford’s alleged
illegitimacy. A long and tedious proof was led, eminent counsel
retained, large numbers of elderly men and women, cognisant of the
circumstances, had their old age enlivened by a trip to Edinburgh, there
to give evidence in the Parliament House, and, as a necessary sequence,
great expense was incurred. The laird’s chief defence consisted in the
production of marriage lines, said to have been found in John Gifford’s
pocket after his dead body had been brought on shore in 1748. The
circumstance that the property had been in the undisputed possession of
the defender and his father, for eighty years, weighed greatly in his
favour. Still the evidence on the opposite side was strong, and the jury
wavered. At length they came to a decision in favour of Mr Gifford.
Amid the congratulations
of his friends and tenantry, the good laird once more took possession of
his patrimonial mansion, but the estate was fearfully burdened with
debt. Most' nobly did he bear up against such difficulties. He lived
amongst his people, kept up his dignity, was lavish in his hospitality,
enjoyed the. respect and good-will of every one, all the while managing
his property so well as to pay off a portion of the debt each year. But
a stroke of apoplexy came in the spring of 1856, and took the good old
man to his long home. The present representative of the family is his
niece, Miss Gifford of Busta, who resides at the manor house of that
name.
The estate of Busta
includes three-fourths of Northmavine, the half of Delting, besides
smaller portions of land in Walls, Aithsting, and Yell. The rental for
the year 1872-73 is stated in the Parliamentary returns of 1874 to be
£2707. The sum may not seem large, but it takes an immense extent of
poor Shetland soil to bring in such a revenue. |