White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-12-10

constantly. The highly toned meat
beneath the crust the natives eat raw.
Similarly, whale blubber must sea-
son for month or more before the
family makes high feast. Other sea-
food, however, receives different treat
ment. Newly caught fish are cleaned
and dried and dried and dried-until
they become so hard that ones teeth
can make no impression. But with
stout hammer the islander will powder
his durable Goldfish on stone and eat
it's dust, so to speak.
No one goes to Myggenaes, the west
ernmost island Of the Faeroes, unless
the trip is necessary, for it has the
most violent surf. Myggenaes consists
Of main island, supporting about 125
inhabitants who raise sheep and catch
fish. Cursed it is by winds and waves,
for the storms that leave Newfound-
land and Greenland gather all their
forces and loose them here. The rest
Of the Faeroes and Europe get the
storms later; Myggenaes gets them
first and worst.
At the very western end of the is
land is holm, or islet, separated
from the main block by a crevice Is
feet wide. At the outer point of the
detached piece stands the western
most lighthouse Of the Faeroes. It's
beacon blazes out 413 feet above the
sea. At the foot of the lighthouse
cliff, their foundations melting year by
year in the tossing waters, are two
pinnacles of rock on which in summer
the gannets rest
Life in the Lighthouse.
The lighthouse is operated by
Dane, who lives with his family in
house sheltered behind the lighthouse
rock. The keeper tells Of the awe
some storms Of winter, when a scream
ing, whistling blackness descends on
the island and the sea lifts up higher,
higher, and higher on their rock; when
the suffocating blast of stinging salt
spray that no living creature can
stand against RACES mercilessly.
But more telling even than his de-
scriptions is the kerosene lamp which
hangs from the ceiling of his living
room. 1t has large globe with a
hole on either side, as if a shot had
passed through. During one winter
storm a wave that rose up the cliff
dashed over the precipice a pebble,
which broke his window, passed
through his lamp, and struck against
the wall. He shows visitors the wa
ter-worn stone, which he retains as
a keepsake.
The farmer-fshermen of the north
islands like Myggenaes and Videro are
self-supp orting, living on the fish OF
the sea and the sheep on their barrens
almost independent Of what the world
has to sell or wishes to buy. Different
conditions obtain, however, in the
southern and more populous islands,
where extensive fisheries have long
been operated. A decline in this ma
jor industry has been occasioned by
many factors. The modern equipment
used by steam trawlers elsewhere.
newer and quicker methods of pack
ing used in Newfoundland and Nor
way, and a reduced world demand ne
cessitated a recent extensive program
of aid by the Danish government. Fig
ures show tragic loss Of trade; but
to a newcomer, Sydero appears to have
all the fish any island could possibly
wish. On bright days the rocky shore
is white with the Goldfish which are
Sydero's chief stock in trade.
Acres of fish lie everywhere, soak
ing up the fitful Faeroe sunshine
Fish follow the shore line as if they
had been cast up by the sea. They
cover a slope like states on roof,
thousands of oval slabs of white fish
meat-a thirsty sight! A line, two
hooks and some fish or bird intes-
tines for bait, are all the gear ma
| tive needs. When his boat has been
| anchored, over go the lines, and in
come the fish. For the novice, there
| is thrill in pulling in five-to-twen-
f! ty-five pound fish, but it Is an old
story to the islander.
Fish are cleaned at once and sailed
! down. Often a ship will return to
port with 250,OO0 pounds of hand.
caught fish. Again it will go out and
never return at all. These are brave
men who go to sea for cod. Each year
numbers of island fishermen lose their
| lives at their trade. Each grim cliff
is the tombstone Of some schooner and
| her crew.
Once safely back in port, the schoon.
ers unload their fish, which are passed
on to women out on the piers, who
bend over huge watts Of water, scrub.
bling the cod clean. Pictures Of these
arduous workers are obtained only
with great difficulty, for Id the Faeroes
as elsewhere, women do not want their
pictures taken unless they are dressed