The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1890-09-16
A QUEER LlTTLE ISLAND.

and Germany have recently made the
little island of Heigoland not only
famous but place of Importance IN in
Sensational politics. Some OF the facts
about Heliqoland, which are found IN
the "Encvclop@dia Britannica," and
given in the recent issua Of the Chris
fias, Uaaie are peculiarly interesting,
Religoland lies in the North Sea
about thirty.six miles from the mouth
of the Elbe. There are in reality two
1slets, one of the sand and one OF rock,
lying about quarter Of mile apart.
"The Rock Island Is nearly trian-
gular in shape, surrounded on every
side by steep cliffs, the only beach be-
ing the sandy spit where the landing
place is situated, near the southeast
point. On this islet there are some
five hundred houses, divided into a
lower town or U1aterlo7ad, on the spit,
and an upper town or Oberlo7ad sit
uated on the cliff above, and connected
with the lower town by wooden stair
of 100 steps, the only possible mode OF
communication between the two Sec
tions. The portion Of the aat-topped
rock not occupied by the houses, the
church with graveyard, the Govern
ment residences, and place for 9 bat
terry, comprises little pasture Land, a
few cabbage gardens, potato patches,
and powder magazine at the nortn
end of the route. About two hundred
sheep terhered to particular spots, feed
on the scanty herbage, eked out oy
potato-peeings and. halms, cabbage
blades. or any other vegetable refuse,
which is carried out to them every
morning. From one end of the island
to the other runs foot. path, called by
the Heigolanders the Landwae' OF
high road, but better known to visitors
by the name of 'Kartoffel Alice TO
tato Walk.) There is alsoa lug ghthouse;
but. though few guns are placed be-
hind q rude earthwork, there are no
fortifcat1ons except the inaccessible
cliffs of the island, and no garrison OF
any kind unless few coast-guardsmen
be considered as such. The greatest
length of the island which slopes some,
what from west to east, is five thousand
eight hundred and eighty feet, and the
greatest breadth eighteen hundred
and forty-fve feet, its circnmferenee
thirteen thousand five hundred feet.
its average height one hundred and
n1nety-eight feet, and the highest
point two hundred and fifteen feet.
Tie Dune or Sand Island is little
more than sand-bank covered with
scanty herbage. and ,mperfecty bound
together by bent-grass, and car1ces. Ii
is only about two hundred feet above
the sea at its highest point, but the
drifting sands and the constant inroadf
of the sea make the height rather 7arls'
Bile. The sea-bathing establishment II
situated here; but, with the exception
of the restaurant keepers and walters,
and the attendants who drag the bath
J ing coaches into the sea, there are nc
Denlents. A shelving beach OF white
-. >apts excellent facilities tol
| bss- will cisfything is.=nnder str1c'
EG0gsfnmsnf siifVeNmne hesSoatsf
| which the { bathers cross IN tho mornil!s
the hours of bathing, and the tariff be
ing all regulated by law. Approached
from the Sea, the Rock Island, with it,
red-tiled houses. perched Ill q little
cluster on the red cliff-'Am Falm, az
1t is called-lcoks very picturesque,
and even the narrow brick-paved OF
| sandy lanes Of the town are rot defcl-
ent in certain degree of quaintness
There are--with the exception OF s
| wheel barrow or perambulator-ne
wheeled carriages in the Island, and nc
horses or other beasts of burden. Ever
the two COWS kept in the Unterland tol
the use of invalid visitors, and whose
| milk is sold at the apothecarys shop.
are removed at the end of the bathing
season to Cuxhaven, the Island moi
supplying food for both man and beast
Mud is unknown on the streets, the
rain only serving to wash their slopine
surfaces clean as the secured Aoors o.
the housewives kitchens. Most of the
houses are built-tne lower half a
least-of brick, but some are of wood
There are theater, conversation
house. and number of hotels aud res
taurants, though during the season
nearly every house is more or less lei
out to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. for sea
bathing forming the great source OF th'
islanders prosperity. In both th'
lower and the upper town there ar
numbers of shops; but the article
for sale seem to be chiefly intend
ed for the Summer bathing guests,
the natives getting most Of thel
supplies from Hamburg or Bremen
The dwellings of the iisher-folks ar
reasonably, clean and the interiors .tea
evidence Of the sea-faring character o
the population. Some of the. house
have little gardens with flowers, cucum
bers, etc., in front of them; and Il
places protected by the sea breeze
there are few fruit trees. At the foo
Of the starr are one or two lime trees
sheltered by the contiguous houses
they are looked upon by the Heligo
landers as objects of national rride
During the summer, from two thous ~
to three thousand visit the Island 70
{ sea-bathing. Most Of these are fror
Hamburg, English or othe: guests
being rare. There ore no English resi
dents, the officials, the governor eS
cepted, being either natives orGermans
OF these officials correspondent e
the New York ssTr bune" gives D
amusing account in recent letter.
s'There is good deal Of governmel
here, too. There is Colonial Go,
ernor and the aforementioned Secre
tary, and two Councillors, who meet
solemn state in the old Danish Cover
or's House. There isa Treasurer, toe
and a Pooh-Bah. The latter is a VII
rant officer of the British Navy. He:
also Commander-in-Chief Of the lan
and sea forces of the colony, Chief i
Police, Chief of Justice, Attorney -Gel
eral, Chief Constable, County Coz
Judge, Governor Of the Gaol, TurnkS.
Sheriff, Justice Of the Peace and Exeet
} toner; and if there are any other llttl
odd jobs to be done ontside OF thas
~ Jo,g &bnro t.. chaJ716 q