The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-07-21

home present themselves in turn and cor
daily salute the stranger guest.
I have already intimated that fishing is
the most important occupation of the peo-
pie. The most exciting event of their
piscatorial pursuits is what, in the vernac-
ular, is called "grindabud" (whale bat
tle). These only occur when shoals of a
variety Of whale known as delphinus nael'ts
frequent the coasts and fjords. They are
about 90 feet in length, and several hun
dred are often eongregated in single
shoal They are usually sighted from some
outlying island, whereupon a signal fire is
quickly built on the summit of the nearest
peak. Other islands catch the signal, and
soon the tops of the surrounding peaks
are ahame with lurid beaeons summoning
the fishermen from far and near to rally
and give battle to the cetacean hosts. In
an incredibly short space Of time score Of
well manned boats are arranged in a semi
circle between the enemy and the open
sea, urging with vociferous demonstrations
their huge aquatic antagonists into the
narrow, shallow waters of the fjord.
Women and boys armed with knives,
spears, hooks and lances line the shore
ready to despatch those driven on the
beach. ------'-
When the whales are hard pressed by
the boats and the increasing shallowness Of
the water, the melee commences. Some
dash madly on the shore, others attempt to
rush past the boats for the open water and
are lanced by the boatmen, who are now
half frenzied by the excitement of battle
and the prospect of a blubber-flled larder.
The whole bay is echoing with battle
noises; the water is everywhere being
lashed into foam; the men shout to each
other and the petticoated warriors on the
beach squall victories to their viking lords
on the water, and thus the battle is waged,
often for the greater part Of the day, or
until no member of the shoal is left to bear
the sad tidings back to the cetacea of the
sea.
When the fight is over and may be
hundred huge carcasses are anchored to the
shore, or dragged upon the beach, and the
victors assemble to contemplate the carnage
they have wrought and their acquisitions
of whale flesh and blubber they are trans
formed in manner and appearance.
RENEWING THE OLD WILD BLOOD.
After 'grindabud" these men, who
usually appear so meek and mild-tempered,
seem changed into the relentless sea kings
of old; their eyes glare with excitement,
their whole visage is fierce and compass
sionless, they are spattered with blood,
and the fire of their ancestors, that seems
to have been extinguished for centuries,
appears now rekindled and famed into its
ancient fury by conflict with these bulky
mammals of the sea. A distribution of
the whales thus taken is made by the chief
official at Thorshavn. A part of the blub-
Der is made into train oil, and the rest is
dried and eaten. For many weeks after
"grindabud" whale flesh and blubber are
the principal articles of food, prolonged
diet of which gives greasy appearance to
the skin, and even the clothes beome satu-
rated with it. But this oleaginous condi-
ton of the person does notseem prejudicial
to beauty in the Faroese mind, the ruddy
maids of the north rather esteeming, it an
added charm to have their faces sparkle
with exuding blubbsr.
The islanders tell of novel method of
capturing the beaked species of whale
which frequents the Island of Qualboe.
Were these simple-minded people more
familiar with the excessive fondness for
hyperbole peculiar to the Waltonian fol-
lowing farther south, the alleged method
would surely be discredited Y Lsflhs1
The whale to which I refer is about 30
feet in length, and when seen floating on
the sea is approached by two men in a
boat, which is brought gently alongside
the uususpecting monster, and while one
man is cautiously engaged in scratching
the exposed back of the leyiathan with. a
paddle, his companion inserts his mittens
or his socks in the tIukes of the gratiied
victim to prevent him from sinking The
titillations are continued until an incision
has been made in some part Of the back,
when line is made fast to the edge of
the skin at the incision. By this line the
now unsuitable creature is towed to shallow
water, where he is.soon despatched with
powerful lances. .gtg-a
DANGLING HUNDREDS OF FEET IN AtID-AIR
While the sea supplies the greater part
of the food Of these people, the innumera-
bic water fowl and their eggs afford some
variation Of their monotony of fish. In
the pursuit of birds and eggs they display
a wonderful nerve and daring, making
fearless ascents up perpendicular walls and
scaling dizzy cliffs that would strike vertigo
into the head Of the most reckless Alpine
chamois. Many accidents occur and many
lives are lost in this dangerous employ
mentLa broken line, lOosened rock or a
single misstep, and the fearless fowler is
mangled corpse. Nearly every variety Of
sea bird is eaten except the gull and the
cormorant. -7ap