The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-08-12
BOY EGG HUNTERS.


Greenland boys are great egg col
lectors. As soon as the gulls and
other birds that nest in the far north
appear in the spring the work begins.
No boy who has not practised good
deal at climbing the rough mountain
sides and creeping over the glaciers is
allowed to venture on the pcrilous
task. But at fifteen, and even before,
n Greenland boy is as strong of limb,
us fearless OF heart and as cool of head
as any steeple- climber.
Early some morning he takes bag
made of sealskin and with lunch of
dried fish or blubber he starts out for
II day i'll the mountains. Up, up, he
climbs along the dizzy edge of some
deep inlet of the sea until no comes
to the rocky ridges where the gulls
make their homes. An ordinary
American boy-and some of them are
pretty good climbers, too-would not
dream that the steep mountain sides
could possibly be crossed, but the
Greenland boy knows just where to
step, just how to hold his stout staff,
and he will walk quite coolly along a
jagged ridge hundreds of feet above
the water where one little misstep,
Oh - ii
would hurl him down to his death.
But it is only on these wild lodges
that he can find the nests
he seeks. Here every crevice is
filled with eggs, laid almost without
protection on the rock. AS he ap-
proaches the gulls go chattering ont
and circling round his head. He must
not look at them lest he become
dizzy. When he reaches n nest ne
plnces the big blue and white eggs in
his bag, and thus he proceeds until he
has load. Happy is he if he. sees a
falcon rising in the air am ong the
gulls, for n falcons eggs are very val
liable. But its nest is hard to find,
and often whole day is expended by
the brave hunter before he reaches
the spot where the eggs are laid. And
if his bag is already filled with eggs
he slips his new find into his roomy
sleeves.
1t may we'll be believed that the
task of getting back with the load is
doubly dangerous, but the egg hunter
thinks nothing of it, and when he
reaches home in the evening he
spreads out his treasure. All of the
rare eggs-and sometimes there are
several in the lot are sold to denler,
who supplies the museums and collec-
tors of Europe. The common gull's
eggs are carefully examined and the
fresh ones are sold to the missionaries
or to the traders.
Occasionally there are accidents.
An explorer tells OF stout boy who
ventured too far ont on rocky ledge
in order to reach n falcons nest, aud,
losing his footing, fell. Fortunately,
however, he caught the edge of the
ledge with his hands and c.ung, cry ying
for help. At last his father heard him.
but it was long time before they
could give him any help. They we're
compelled to climb to the top of tho
cliff and the young egg hunters
brother wa' let down at the end of O
long rope brought from the village.
1t was a perilous descent, but the
plucky little fellow was determined
to save his brothers life. On reach-
ing the almost exhausted boy he
fastened loop OF rope around his
body, and the two were pulled up
together by the men at the top.
Later the brave hunter allowed him.
self to be let down to the falcons
nest, where he succeeded in getting
the much priced eggs. Chicago Rec
ord.