Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-10-12
THE ISLAND OF BIRDS.
Peculiarities Of a Little Isle of Which
Little Is Generally Known.

-
The Island of Birds-for such, 1t has
been conjectured, is the meaning of the
word ''Foula'. is not 80 frequently WIS.,
tied by the tourist as it deserves to be.
Situated at a distance of fifteen miles
from the nearest part Of the mainland of
Shetland, its cloudlike form, which
seems to float on the horizon, is visible
from every hill top of any importance in
the archipelago.
The eye of the observer of the pictur.
esque, as it glides along the distant pros
pect, is caught by the fine bold peaks of
Foula, and returns again and again from
its general survey to gaze fondly on that
island as the finest feature of the scene.
Nor is it only at a distance that it looks
grand.
The cliffs on the west side, which are
beaten by waves which have rolled with
out a check all the way from Greenland,
are the loftiest in the British Isles. The
highest hill is the Sneuk, which has an
altitude of over thirteen hundred feet
above the sea. Another peak, almost as
high, confronts the ocean as a stupendous
precipice from summit to base. These
crags are the homes of innumerable sea
fowl, the norie Oh sea parrot and the
kittiwake being most abundant,
On the east side the rocks are compare
lively low, but not uninteresting. On
the north there are some remarkable
stacks, or isolated rocks, n of them
being pierced by a lofty Gothic archway,
and another surmounted by a ruin. The
hollow center of the island affords peat,
and the grassy slopes at the back of the
cliffs afford good pasturage for cattle and
sheep and a number of handsome ponies.
The population numbers 270, and, with
the exception of three families, is engaged
in crofting and fishing. The Foulaese
are masters of many trades. They make
their own turning lathes and spinning
wheels. Some can repair clocks and
watches; all car make and cobble shoes.
A few are weavers and ~tailors, as well as
dyers. Every man is a mason. The wo-
men clip, and, l am afraid, sometimes
roo or pluck the sheep. They spin the
wool and knit excellent stockings and
sailors frocks or jerseys. l believe if a
Foulaman were to be placed naked on a
desert coast with nothing in his possess
ion but a clasp knife he would not only
contrive to find food for his support, but
in a short time would, by his unaided eff
forts, be provided with clothes, with a
house having a clock on the walls and
with a boat and fishing tackle.
When they go to sea they never use
the language that is employed on shore,
but a jargon sacred to the occasion. A
woman they call 'cloven foode" or
''hemelte, a parson is al ''upstander, "
and the church is a ''bone house" and
so on.
To use a land word in a boat is certain
to frighten away the fish. A copper coin
is nailed on every keel to prevent the
''brigdy" (Which is the Danish name for
the basking shark from sucking the boat
to the bottom. A worsted thread having
nine knots on it is tied around a joint
when it is sprained.
Sick cows are cured by drawing a
tom cat by the tail over their backs. II
a minister or a person with flat feet
crosses the path of a man going IL fish
ing no fish will be got. To accidentally
wet the feet when stepping into the boat
is a favorable sign. A cat should never
be mentioned when a man is batting his
line.
y rusty nail from a coffin will cure
the toothache if used as a toothpick, and
a sip of water from an old kneepan is @
sovereign remedy for some disorders. Tt
catch a halibut for bait the fishermen pur
nine pieces of peat into a kettle above the
fire before proceeding to sea.
A hen should be set when the tide i:
flowing, and an egg should be place.
among the seed corn before it is sown
When a sheep is being slaughtered in
doors no woman should pass between i
and the fire. Stacks should be built anC
the ground dug according to the apparen
course Of the sun. Boats always take
turn sunward before going to sea.-Lon
don World.