The St. Johns herald., 1889-12-12
PICTURESQUE FouLA.
4 Pretty Island with Clever Inhabitants
 and Curious Superstitions.

and Curious Superststions.
 The Island of Birds. for such it has been conJectured is the meaning of the word '.Foula," is not so frequently visited by the tourists as it deserves tt be. Situated at Q 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 oi any importance in the archipelago The eye of the observer of the pictur- esque, as it glides a.ong the distant prospect, is caught by the fine. bold peaks of Foula, and returns again ano again from the general survey to gaze fondly on that island as the finest feat ure of the scene. Nor is it only at @ distance that it looks grand. The cliffs on the west side, which are beaten b, waves which have rolled. without a check all the way from Greenland
 are the loftiest 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, confronts the ocean as 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 nYaf q ho ciA q har are some remarkable stacks, or iso- lated rocks, one of them being pierced by 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 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 turning-lathes and spinning wheels. Some can repair clocks and watches; all can make and cobhle shoes. A few are weavers and tailors, as well as dyers. Every man is a mason. The women clip, and, 1 am afraid, sometimes roo or pluck the sheep. They spin the wool and knit excellent stockings and sailors frocks or jerseys. I 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 contrive to find food for his SUD- port, but in short time would, by his unaided efforts, be provided with clothes, with house. having clock on the wall, and 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 "cloven foode'' or ''hemelte. A par son is an ''upstander," and the church is ''bone house." and so on. To use land word in boat is certain to frighten away the fish. A copper coin is nailed on every keel to prevent b1S UFlSuy NWLACA ID Gu0 OStIi- ish name for the baskine 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 a tom cat bJ the tail over their backs. If minister or person with fiat feet crosses the path of the man going out fishing, no fish will be got. To accidentally wet the foot when stepping into the boat is favorable sign. A cat should never be mentioned when a man is batting his line. A rusty nail from g coffin will cure the toothache if used as a toothpick, and sip of water from an old kneepan is sovereign remedy for some disorders. To catch hali- but for bait the fishermen put nine pieces of peat into a 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 it is sown. When a sheep is being slaughtered indoors no woman should pass between it and the fire. Stacks should be built and the ground dug according to the apparent course of the sun. Boats always take a turn sunward before going to sea- London World.