The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-09-13
PICTURESQUE FOULA.
A Pfotty Island with Clever Inhabitan
and Curious Supcrstitions-

4
and Curious Superstitions-
The Island OF Birds. for such it has
been conJectured is the meaning of the |
word '.Foula," is net so frequently /
visited by the tourists as 1t deserves to |
be. Situated at a distance of fifteen |
miles from the nearest point of the
mainland of Shetland, its cloud-like
form, which seems to float on the hor-
izon, is visible from every hilltop of
any Importance in the archipelago
The eye OF the observer of the pictur-
esoue, as it glides along the distant
prospect, is caught by the fine, bold
peaks of Foula. and returns again and
again from the general survey to gaze
fondIy on that island as the finest feat
ure of the scene. Nor is il only at Il
distance that it looks grand. The cliffs
on the west side, which are beaten by
waves which have rolled without a
check all the way from Greenland,
are the lofticst in the British
Isles. The highest hill is the Snuek.
which has an altitude of thirteen hun
dred feet above the sea. Another
peak, almost as high, ccnfronts the
ocean as n stupendous precipice from
summit to base. These crags are the
homes of innumerable sea fowl, the
norie sea parrot and kittywake being
most abundant On the east side the
rocks are comparatively low, but not
uninteresting. On the north side there
! are som, remarkable stacks, or iso-
/ lated rocks, one of them being pierced
| by a lofty Gothic archway and another
| surmounted by q ruin. The hollow
center CT the island affords peat, and
the grassy slopes at the back OF the
cliffs affords good pasturage for cattle
/ and sheep and a number of handsome
! ponies. The population numbers two
hundred and seventy, and with the ex-
| ception of three families is engaged
| in crofting and fishing. The Foulese
are masters of many trades. They make
| their own tuIning-lathes and spinning
wheels Some can repair clocks
and watches; all can make and
cobble shoes. a few are weavers and
tailors, as well as dyers. Every man
! IS mason. The women clip, and,
am afraid, sometimes roo or plucli
the sheep. They spin the wool and
knit excellent stockings and sailors
froclIs or jerseys | believe if a FOula-
man were to be placed naked on des-
ert coast, with nothing in his posses
sion but a clasp knife, he would not
only centrive 10 find food for his sup
port, but in a short time would, by his
Unaided efforts, be provided with
! clothes, with u house, having "a clock
on the wall, snd with boat and fish
ing tackle. When they go to sea they
never use The language that Is en-
ployed on shore, but a jargon sacred
to the occasion A woman they call
-.cIoven fooGe'' or ''hemelte" a par
son is an ''upstander, " and the church
is a bone house. and so on. To use
land word in a boat is certain 10
frightcn away the fish. a copper coin
Is matted on every keel to prevent
the '"brigdy' (Which is the Dan
ism name for the basking
shark from sucking the boat TO
the bottom A worsted thread having
nine knots ON it is tied around joint
when it is sprained. Sick cows are
cured by drawing tom cat by the
! tail over dheir backs. II a minister
or parson with fiat feet crosses the
path OF the man going out fishing, no
fish win be got. To accidentally wet
the foot when stepping into the boat
is q favorable sign A cat should
never bs mentioned when a man is
batting his line A rusty nail from a
coffin will cure the toothache if used
as a toothPieiz, and a sip of water from
an old kneepan is a sovereign remedy
for some disorders To catch hall
but for bait the fishermen put nine
pieces of peat into kettle above the
fire before proceeding to sea. A hen
should be SET when the tide is flowing,
and an egg must be placed among the
seed corn before il is sown. When 4
sheep is being slaughtered indoors NJ
woman should pass between il and the
fire. Stacks should be built and the
ground dug according TO the apparent
course of the sun. Boats always take
turn sunward before going TO sea
London World.