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

like uniform, come down the stair in fine
order. One sees and hears very little OF
the islands garrison, and these fine, stall
wart lads, in their blue jackets and brass
buttons, are quite pleasant addition to
the landscape, as little disturbing as the
occasional bugle call sounding out clear
over the water at night or morning.
The elevator tower, built beside the
stair, offers q means of ascent more accept
able to the laZily inclined, but it is not as
largely patroniZed rs one might think
perhaps because the stairway provides the
only means of exercise obtainable on this
little island, where everything is within
five minutes walk of everything else.
The Upper Town huddles close to the
southeast edge of the cliff as if conscious
OF a necessity of assuring itself of the ex-
istence OF its companion below. Here are
several large restaurants, and the usual
number of VILLAS, with placards, Rooms
to let" but there are also streets where
the islanders live, and where all their Pc
culiarities can be seen and studied.
The principal characteristic of the
streets of Heligoland Is that they are inno-
cent OF the presence of horses, or indeed
of any four-footed animal larger than cat
or dog. There are hut four horses on the
island, imported this year tor work on the
iortlncatIonS, TO the awe and astonishment
of those of the natives who, never having
visited the mainland. had never seen such
creature before. The streets, therefore
are very narrow and irregulariy paved,
some indeed quite innocent of even an at
tempt at paving. What strikes the oh
servant visitor in the Upper Town most is
that the houses, instead Of facing one an
other, all have the main entrance
turned toward the south, so that
the streets show the fronts OF the houses
on the one side, on the other the rear view
This peculiar method of building still
rigidly adhered to- draws its origin from
some ancient NoFthland custom, its shirt
long forgotten, while the letter is still
obeyed. The architecture OF the houses -
the simplest possible, but. on the whole,
they are quite picturesque. with their red
overhanging roofs, tiny gardens toward
the south, to catch what little warmth
there Is, and within, the pIainest
interior made homeike by the alb
solute cleanliness reigning every
where. Often in some tiny alley
one comes upon names in gilt letters,
parts OF figure heads, faded and broken
scrolls, nailed up above the doors, silent
witnesses 10 some tragedy OF the deep. of
which the inhos pitabie shores of He!ig0-
| land were the scene. One old barn has at
least half a dozen such decorations. "Os-
prey, Plymouth" shines out clear from
the weather-beaten boards; mutilated
/ figure still bears crown and scepter: other
names and lowered scrolls surround her.
| The old wall is quite chapter in marine
statistics in itself.
Our beyond the town stretch the mead
ows and potato fields, once lying peaceful
in rural simplicity, now intersected under
/ mined, dominated by the works of the new
Notifications. These works. undertaken
by the German government upon the &C.
QUESTION OF HeIig0land two years ago
are on such grand scale that il is not vet
possible Tor the layman 10 discern what il
is ali about-what it is all to be. Nor hy
the way, Is II quite easy for the uniu.
ltlated and impartial mind TO un-
derstand why such sums should
/ be spent in fortifying this rock. OF
no value in itself and too far from the
! mainland TO be reckoned rs harbor de.
/ fence. The Potato Walk" the smoothly
paved promenade running from north IN
south through the island greatest length.
/ is now so intersected by the trenches that
/ II quite disappears az intervals. But the
! walk around the island. close TO the edge
/ o. the ellis, ~ undlsturDed. and full OF in.
| terest for the visitor. The peculiar irregtl.
/ lar formation OF the steep rocky sides and
/ their deep red hue can be seen to best al.
vantage from the deck Of sail.
/ boat IN tour about the island, or bv a
wax at low tide around the shelving
/ stony beach at the foot of the cliffs. The
/ last - particularly fascinating. being At
/ tended by the constant uncertainty of get
/ ting safely through before the return oil
/ the TIDE, anu the sensation of standing
/ thus upOn the narrow strip OF stone be-
tween Inc relentless ocean and the stern,
| Implying biankness of the great cliffs, the
/ absolute loneliness and grandeur of the
/ scene, ~ not easily forgotten.
! 1he Islanders themselves are sturdy,