The great effect of money is to break
property into small parts. In towns, he that has a shilling may
have a piece of meat; but where there is no commerce, no man can
eat mutton but by killing a sheep.
Fish in fair weather they need not want; but, I believe, man never
lives long on fish, but by constraint; he will rather feed upon
roots and berries.
The only fewel of the Islands is peat. Their wood is all consumed,
and coal they have not yet found. Peat is dug out of the marshes,
from the depth of one foot to that of six. That is accounted the
best which is nearest the surface. It appears to be a mass of
black earth held together by vegetable fibres. I know not whether
the earth be bituminous, or whether the fibres be not the only
combustible part; which, by heating the interposed earth red hot,
make a burning mass. The heat is not very strong nor lasting. The
ashes are yellowish, and in a large quantity. When they dig peat,
they cut it into square pieces, and pile it up to dry beside the
house. In some places it has an offensive smell. It is like wood
charked for the smith. The common method of making peat fires, is
by heaping it on the hearth; but it burns well in grates, and in
the best houses is so used.
