The Coolidge examiner., 1935-07-05

Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington. u C.--WSu Service.
HE Royal Dutch Airline IS
studying proposed routes
which will link the Neither.
lands with the Faeroe islands aud
Iceland via Great Britain. Accord
Ing 20 reports from The Hague. the
proposed route Is intended TO be
link In the chain which, not many
years hence. will be extended west
ward To the United States along
the northern route investigated by
Colonel LIndbergh.
The Faeroes are group OF 2l
small Islands. sprlnkled over a small
area about 80 miles of the north
ern tip OF Scotland. When the Is
lands were first settled has caused
guessing contest. among histo-
rlans At Thorshayn. the capital,
city OF about 1000 inhabitants.
the wooden buildings on strong
foundations. topped by turf roots,
take the traveller back a thousand
years ago when Norsemen settled
there on some OF the southern
most islands. however. live dark
haired. dark-eyed people.
Thorshavn. rambling about the
shore Of the Island and up the hill
sides beyond. Is a busy port There
are few narrow streets winding
between houses. but of these are
mere paths leading to the Sub
urbs." Ponies have not been dis
placed by automobiles. or even by
wagons and carts. so that there Is
no demand for good roads on the
Islands. and there are none.
Men Wear Native Garb.
In the village streets and through
out the islands. men wear their
native costumes. Buttons are nu-
merous on their hip-length coats,
but the garments are clasped only
at the throat so that the shiny
brass buttons and fancy embroid-
cry work adornlng their vests is
visible Knee-length breeches. long.
brown hose. soft-skin shoes. adorned
with buckles. tied TO the ankles
with white thongs. and a floppy
cap complete the masculine cos
tune.
Many women have forsaken their
voluminous dresses, white aprons
with gaudy stripes, and colorful
shawls. European fashions have
won them. and frequently even the
native costumed women viii be
seen wearing high-heeled shoes.
Travellers are amazed at the lofty
homes OF many OF the islanders.
particularly on those islands which
are trimmed by sheer cliffs, rising
more than COO feet from the sea.
Some islands have homemade ele-
vators. but many islanders scale
the rocks as a human fly" scales
modern building.
The cliffs appear insurmountable
but they are sources OF life to the
Faeroe inhabitants. The ledges,
from sea TO summit. are the nesting
places Of myriad birds which forms
an important part OF the Faeroe
diet. Native hunters, with ropes
tied securely about their waists and
Iong-handled nets in hand. descend
the cliffs and return with several
days supply of food.
II all the Faeroes were merged.
they would not cover an area half
that OF Rhode Island. They are
treeless. brisk winds sweep them,
and there are few harbors where
ships are safe from the treacher-
Gus currents and high winds. Yet
$1,000 inhabitants live busy, happy
existence on the islands. Isolation
has made the inhabitants a versatile
race. In the village shops are I'm
ported goods. particularly Danish
goods. but there is a noticeable alb
sence OF homemade products, for
the families usually make their
own clothing and implements.
Acres of shore line are blanketed
with white strips of drying Goldfish.
The people are also builders, fur
niture makers. blacksmiths. sheep
herders, tanners and hunters. The
women are adept knitters, weavers,
fish curers, and wool dyers.
Iceland Not Frieid Land.
Iceland's name naturally suggests
to the prospective visitor that he
will find a frozen waste: And when
his map shows this land to lie
across the very threshold Of the
Arctic ocean, hard by the glacial
coast Of Greenland, and 800 miles
farther north than bleak Labrador,
he Is almost prepared to come upon
a land of polar bears and Of fur
clad folk living In snow igloOs.
Iceland Is libeled both by nomen-
clature and maps On many charts