The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-16

hardy race OF fishers. retaining in appear
ance and language strong marks of their
Friesian origin They all speak German
and many English as we'll. but among
themselves they use the Frleslan
tongue. here alone 10 he heard in
perfect purity. There are so many
words in this tongue remarkably rich
In soft vocal sounds for northern Ian
guage) W hich so closely resemble English
that one is at first tempted 20 think them
adopted from the former owners of the isl.
and. But scholars tell us that the He'll.
goland fishers use these words with Older
right than We, when they prove 10 US that
among the early invaders oi England
came many of the Frleslan tribes. who
aided largely in the forming OF our Ian
Guage.
The principal sources of income for IN.
islander are his original occupation az
fishery and the short term of invasion Of
the summer boarder. Although the posi.
ton of the island-so dependent upon IL
sclf-and his free, open-alr life IN his boar
have given the Heiigolander certain firm
simplicity of character. he is by no means
the child of nature he appears, and under
stands thoroughly the advantages to be
gained by a proper treatment of the un-
suspecting stranger whoyentures into his
sphere of power. I.
The women dress for the most part in
IL
here and there one sees the national Co.'S
tune. This costume-or that form of it
worn everyday-has one odd feature. Over
the red skirt with broad yellow band
is worn a wooden apron fully a. long Is tls
skirt, trimmed generally with several
fiounces. looking therefore exactly like .
skirt. This apron covers the skirt entirely
with the exception of back breadth a
little over foot wide and in this opening
one sees the red skirt with its brilliant
yellow border. This effect Is amusing, TO
say the least. The great hats, formed IKE
a Shaker sun bonnet with the addition ola
tiounce falling on the shoulders. are worn
tipped forward over the forehead so that
scarcely more than the lower haA of the
face can be seen. These hats. made of black
silk for Sunday wear. are quite expensIye
and last the wearer a lifetime Ihs
many sheep grazing upon the meadows on
the Upper Land are of great value to their
owners, giving milk, wool and flesh In
constant supply during the months In win
ter when communication with the main.
land IS uncertain and dangerous. The one
church OF the island, surrounded by its
pretty, we'll kept churchyard, is quite in.
teresting. 1t bears the marks or many
rulers, lay and clerical. The interior is a
queer mingling OF various styles OF archi-
lecture and OF symbols of various forms
of worship. From the height of the arch
of the middle aisle hangs a pretty model
of a three-masted schooner, and to the
right, of the altar, over the yestry door,
rests another, a stately, full-rigged ship.
At night the island is fascinating. This
meadows lie still and deserted, lit only by
the dame from the lighthouse tower, but
never quite dark, as even the faint light OF
the stars awakens an answering shimmer
from the waste of waters on every side The
Lower Town is brilliantly illuminated and
out at sea can be seen the lights OF vessels
lying at anchor and the beacon of warning
on the sand bar. Sometimes on q calm
evening the slightest ripple on the water,a
stone thrown into the waves, the dipping
contact of the oars, will start wonderful
cleaning and sparkling, which disappears
before we have fully realized its existence.
The appearance o. phosphorescent lights
upon the water can be enjoyed here in its
full beauty. At times the edge of the
beach CLEANS like a necklace of diamonds,
q fitting ornament for the fairy-like little
kingdom in the sea.
GRACE ISABEL CoLBRoS.