The Lamar register., 1891-08-08

vaults and arches. through which the
breakers rush necessarily with a deaf
euing noise Ii can be calculated with
mathematical precision how long It
will take the sea entirely to swallow
Up the island. computing by the raw
ages it has already made. and it is
said that in 600 years nothing will re-
main OF the ground ceded TO Germany
by England. What value it has must
be as a post Of observation; as to its
appearance it is graphically described
by its own motto;
Grun ist das Land,
Roth is der Kant, -
Weiss ist der Sand,
Das sind die Farben Won Helgolnnd.
Her three colors arc also in her flag.
and the soil repeats them accurately.
The upper plateau is called the
Palm" and dominates the whole
area, the lower portion being only a
narrow line of beach. Above stands
a church; the new lighthouse. AN older
one dating from the seventeenth CEN
tnry, interesting only that it has with
stood the storms of $50 years; the
Governors villa. not a bad building BY
any means, and u few mean looking
houses. The portion OF the plateau
which corresponds 10 the green stripe
IN the Tag Is a large meadow, on which
tho precious island sheep rruze. Hell
go,and rcars but very limited num-
bc- OF COWS. and MS goats cannot stand
the climate. the milk of the ewes is
The ordinary beverage. The Palm
Is linked TO the lower part OF the vii
lase b. fight of steep steps and an
elevator. On the beach or seaboard
the houses are small. built OF wood,
aiornod with verandAs and balconies;
tho extremely narrow streets boast OF
shops whore photographs. shells and
articles OF national raiment are sold; (;
there are no inns on the islaud, but
tho bills OF 'LogIs.' banging out
oi the windows OF private dwell
Ing houses Indicate that board
and lodging can be found therein. The
whole thing looks like quaint, new.
clean toy. Queen Victoria street is
the main thoroughfare, u liliputian
street in n liliputian town; yet it leads
10 . theatre. actually bona fide play
house open during the summer. where
very fair performances are given under
the superintsndence OF an Intelligent,
manager. For. Notwithstanding dis
advantages. Hclgoland Is fayorite
sea-bathing place The visitors do not
bathe on the island itself but have to
cross strip OF sea to a sand dune
some ten minutes of. opposite the
village, but inaccessible To open boats
in rough weather
This dune widens and broadens in
proportion as the block of rock dimin-
ishcs, and the air there is 50 admirably
pure nnd invigorating that it is con-
sidered perfect cure for diseased
lungs and nnHmia- The islanders are
IN the possession OF excellent health;
they make "A good living out OF the
strangers during the short summer
months, after which they return 10
their legitimate trade of fishing. their
chief hauls being Holsters and herrings.
The HelEolanders were not consult
cd when they were handed over to
their new proprietor2, aud probably.
il quite aware OF the change. are
rot much concerned by 1t; some of
them though; that England neglected
them too much; others fancy that the
Germans will prove too ofiicious and
hamper them with police and military
regulations but On the whole they are
Indifferent As long rs Helgoland re-
mained British, no foreigner being
able to acquire land on the island
there could be no prospect of hotel
being built likely 10 interfere with the
trade OF the lodging-house keeper; not
one OF them was rich enough to make
the venture; therefore the profits ac-
cruing from visitors were divided i'm
partially between all. Now it is prob
able that some German speculator may
be tempted to purchase ground and
open modern hotel; little steamers
will be made to ply between the vii
lage and the sand dune and defraud
the boatmen OF their customers, and
these innovations are dreaded. On
the other hand, increased comforts and
facilities will make the island even
more popular, so that on the whole the
natives will not have much to COM
plain of.
Gain. it must be confessed, is their
chief pre-occupation; they have scanty
political and civil faith; originating
from Friesland, they have changed
hands too often to be patriotic; in turn
belonging to the Normans. to the
Hanse, to the Duke of Gottorp. and to
Denmark. they became English in
1908. and their island was used to send
British produce on the continent dur
ing the time of the blockade.
II has been said that the little COM
munity paid no taxes. but this is incor-
rect; under the British rule the inhab-
itants were taxed according to the size
of their dwellings and the possibility
of receiving more or less visitors. I'm
der the new rule every Helgolander
born at the time of the transfer is tpso
facto exempted from military service,
and with so long an immunity before
them they can afford to look upon fu-
ture contingencies with equauimity.
Formerly Helgoland was sort of
Gretna Green and many irregular
matches were contracted on its shores;
arau NJ y,rasapt the laws are bv no