Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-01-21

,ne rope about 200 feet long, threc.plv,
md of strong raw cowhide prepared for
he purpose IL is covered with dressed
,heepskin TO save it from chatting against
he edges of the rock. A well-made rope
Of this kind is highly valued, and is even
bequeathcd by the owner TO his successor,
Dr. given as a dowry with his daughter.
fowler descends the face of the cliff
by the rope, which is held |
from above by two or three men. Armed
with staff or pole, to one end Of which
is fastened piece of hair-line, he pro-
ceeCs to search for birds. The hair-lin |
is, formed into sort of running moose,
which he throws over the head Of any |
bird sufficiently near; and by pulling il |
toward him the moose tightens upon the |
birds neck and secures its capture. |
linked together in couples, |
each with a rope fastened round his body, |
the fowlers Chamber along the face of the
cliff. When one is moving the other
plants himself on a ledge or shelf, OBJ
tains a firm foothold, and holds himself
in readiness for exigencies; if his com
panion slips or stumbles, untiinching
steadiness and strong rope can alone
avert disaster. When the first man has
arrived at safe landing. ledge he main
tains a firm hold while the second fol-
lows. Some authorities state that one
single man on the top of the cliff holds
and manages the rope by which the
fowler is suspended; but others assert
and we think with more probability
that two or more are generally employed.
The coasts of Norway, which are in
some places more rugged, and grander in
scale, than any of those in Scotland or the
Hebrides, exhibit the characteristics of
clifffowling with remarkable complete
ness. Mr.. Lloyd, who knew Norway bet
ter than almost any other Englishman,
gives graphic account of the system
there pursued in his Scandinavian Ad-
ventures On some of the magnificent
cliffs two modes of getting at the birds
and their nests are adopted-from the sea
beneath, if the height to be climbed is not
too great; from the edge of the cliff
above, in other cases When the men see
their work fairly before them, as viewed
from below, they approach the foot of the
cliff in a boat. A pole, twenty or twenty
four feet long, has an iron hook at one
end. This hook is looped into the strong
waistband of the fowler's dress, and he is
lifted or pushed up by men in the boat, or
from any ledge of rock flat enough to sus-
tain them the lifting is something like
that adopted by butcher when he hooks
up a leg of mutton in front of his shop;
but the fowler aids his own ascent, partly
| by his hands, partly by a bird-pole which
| he carries with him. When he is safely
lodged on any shaft or ledge of projecting
rock that may afford foot hold, com
panion is hoisted up in similar way.
| The two men then tie the rope to thcil
bodies, the length of rope depending on
the probable work required of it. One
begins to climb up as high as he can, be
! ing pushed up by the flattened end of the
pole held by his companion. When the
uppermost man has reached ledge tha
affords him anything like standing-room
| however narrow and precarious, he pulls
up the other by means of the rope. Ant
so they proceed; No. 2 pushing up No
/, and then No. pulling or drawing W
No. 2. The bird pole, having hook a
one eud and tiattish top at the other, il
invaluable on these occasions. When thu
two men reach height at which tht
birds can be met with, one plants himsel
as firmly as possible on ledge, to act as
stay or check; while the other grope
with hands and hook to capture the birds
II the latter slips, the former holds hin
up by the sheer resistance of the rop
which binds the two together. Alas TO
both of them if there be any weakness @
muscle or of nerve at this momentl
The birds, not expecting to be disturbe
so high up the face of the cliff, are com
parativcly tame and are captured withou
resistance; a knock on the head seals thei
+ fate prior to being heaved out into til
/ sea and picked up by the attendant boaI
, To avoid being struck by falling bir
requires very great caution on the part {
the boatmcn, who accordingly give tn
, rock pretty wide berth until the crag.
men, ceasing their labors for while, per
! nit the floating birds TO be gathered. Th
0 velocity of falling, full-hedged game
3 would suffice to stave the stoutest ope
? boat. If the weather be fine the fowler
/ will remain several days and nights tt
e gether up alott, when they can find ledge
broad enough to sleep on, or recesses int
which they can creep; food and othC
! necessaries can be hauled up by thel
from below--a hard way of earning u liz
e ing, truly In bygone times there W;
j, a law in Norway strikingly Illustrative
/. the dangers of this employment. Wht
4 fowler was killed by falling from Il
0 scarp of these terrible cliffs his neare
!, relative was required TO attempt the san
5 venture. If he succeeded, Christia
e burial was allowed TO the body of the d.
: ceased; but if he could not or would NJ
q make the attempt it was concluded tn
J. death had been caused by recklcssne
e or want of judgment. The dece lsed W;
J, declared to have been the cause of h
il own death, and his corpse was awardt
|, the unchristian interment of a suicid
9 This strange law has not been acted u
G on in recent times.
s Wnen the cliff is too high to be rCachC
c from the water the fearless cIagsmen
Il Norway commence their operations fro
;, above. A strong rope or rock-line, ~
/. or six hundred feet long, and two or eve
IS three inches in. thickness, is fastened
n one end round the waist Of Il fowler, ar
h then passed between his legs in such
? way that he can sit upon it. Six men
e the top hold the rope and "pay 1t out
|, lowering 1t by degrees; smooth piece
d wood being placed at the edge of the pre-
10 ipice to shield the rope from chail
% against the rock. A smaller rope, al
N coiled round the fowler's waist, enabl
is him to transmit such signals as higher
10 " lower" fright" "left," "stop," e
~ In constant peril from loose pieces of 70
b. striking him in their fall, his chief {
a fense Is a thickly-lined fur cap to prot
Or the head, his body and limbs defendi
to themselves as best they may. The bil
III pole is dexterOusly welded. BY thrustl
ne The end of the pole against the verti'
u face OF the rock The cragsman can spri
ly out to considerable distance, and d
d. proaeh the cliff again atadiferent spot;
Ii can do this even by the pressure OF his i
in alone against the rock, if his bound is to
n of smaller range. This springing outand
rs. again is much adopted where recesses {
nd cur beneath jutting portions Of rocks
of birds like to nestle in such spots, and
IS fowler gets good haul each time J
to spring brings him to a fresh place;
re some situations, where the recess is lal
ne enough, he loosens himself from the 70
At which he temporarily fastens to sto
ok and, moving about more easily, captu
ld the birds with both hands; these he
,e- together with d small line and signals
have them drawnup. Again he fast
X himself To the rope when his harvest
he that spot has been gathered. Thus
~ will pass several hours Of the day, vi
N fatigue or appetite impels him TO sigma
IN. be hauled up. Ii he is not firm
Ia. | a.,a 80 tho roma hv which he IA