The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-05-01
AN ADVENTURE ON AN EGG.VAR.

JAN lived with his father, Christoph
Jansen, his good mother, Use, and his
wee sister, Use, her mother namesake,
in little hut on the southern coast of
Iceland.
This hut was built of layers of stones,
up three or four feet from the ground,
with turf between the layers to keep
out the cold. Then above this was a
sloping roof of wood covered with turf,
which, in these long sunny days of
June, had sprouted up thick with grass,
making it resemble a green hillock
more than human dwelling. And, in
deed, their only ewe-a present to lit
tie Use from her Uncle Gotthard, who
lived inland and owned focks of sheep
and cows--would often climb the fami-
ly mansion, and, clinging with her sharp
hoofs to the turf, nibble breakfast
with much contentment.
Christoph Jansen was fisherm m,
and spent the greater of his time in his
boat, setting fishing nets, or gathering
in quantities Of haddock and Goldfish,
and preparing them to dry on the
beach. And he constantly had to keep
sharp eye over his game, for if left
unmatched, the pilfering ravens, not
unfrequently, would come in large
focks and devour whole catches" at
once.
But the business from which the fish
erman derived most profit was from
his egg-var. And first must explain
to some of you just what an egg-var is.
All along the west coast of Norway
and the southern coast of Iceland there
are numerous islands, some of them
situated at considerable distance from
the mainland, but others within bow
shot of it. These islands are of two
kinds, many of them being nothing
more than high masses of rock, while
others are flat, or nearly so. The form
er are called hol1ae, the latter car.
Upon these var the eider-ducks con-
gregate in large numbers for laying
eggs and rearing their young; for when
nesting on the mainland they are much
disturbed by the cunning Arctic fox,
who is as great an epicure in his cold,
northern haunts as is the red fox in
New England. 1t would not be unrea-
sonable to suppose that his appetite,
from the colder climate in which he
lives, would be considerably the keener
land the young elders, or the rich eggs
which he deity cracks with stroke of
his paw, make one of the daintiest meals
Reynard can procure.
Yet Nature teaches the defenseless
bird that she can, at least, protect her.
self against this one of her many enc
mics by nesting in places impossible for
him to reach.
The high price set upon the feathers
OF the eider-duck renders these islands
very valuable, and they have been in
the possession of Icelandic and Danish
families for many generations.
More than twenty-five years ago Ice
land exported between four and five
thousand pounds of eider-down in a
single year, and as great care has been
taken to promote an increase of the
supply, the amount sold has probably
more than doubled since then. The
true "down'' is worth from three to
four dollars per pound, and it is said
that enough down for bed coverlet
would not weigh more than pound
and half.
The laws of the country are very strict
in relation to the ownership of the
islands, and the poacher, if caught, is
punished with fine of thirty dollars for
the seizure of single duck. Even an
egg cannot be stolen with impunity.
But the var-owners have other poach-
ers to deal with, for whom the law has
no terrors-the raven and the great
sea-eagle. These birds of prey make
sad havoc among the young elders, in
spite of the vigilance used in protect
ing them-the eagle sometimes even
carrying off the old ducks themselves.
Christoph Jansen's var was but a
short distance from the main land, and
was looked after entirely by the fisher
mans wife and Jan, now eleven years
old.
"Now be off, good Jan, for it is get
ting late" said Mother Jansen, as the
boy was about to set off to the var one
evening early in June, "and be quite
sure, my son, not to disturb the old
elders, and do not forget to cut the
notches," she added.
"Let little Use go, too, mother"
pleaded Jan, who did not like always
going alone.
MAJ, nai," returned Mrs. Jansen,
Use is but wee thing; she would
stumble over the rocks. And have We
forgot the raven that perched on the
gable only yesterday l fear, Jan, he
BODIED us ill'' and she gazed solemnly
at the tiny, blue-eyed fairy playing
with a string of blown egg-shells, then
away across the dancing waves, whittier
Christoph had been gone since early
dawn to fish. However," she added,
seeing JAMS disappointment, "thou
art careful boy, my Jan, and, since
! must go to the beach to help your
lather when he comes in, she may go
with you. But mind and let nothing