IN OTHER LANDS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 548, 8 March 1913, Page 7

IN OTHER LANDS.

CLIFF FOWLING IN THE FAROE

ISLANDS

The Faroe Islands lie 200 miles tc the North of Scotland. They were formed ages ago when a submarine volcano threw up from the bed of the ocean masses of trap rock, which now. form the group of islands. Their sea cliffs, which rise terrace on terrace, from one or two thousand feet in height, are the roosting-places of thousands of gulls, guillemots, puffins, and auks. From the top to the bottom of, the cliff the birds may be seen sitting in -serried rows, each species having its own terrace, and jammed so close together that a snot would kill scores of them: The islanders bag them wholesale, for salted puffins, dried guillemots and auks, with rashers of smoked whale, supply them with food. The fowling is a dangerous business. One method is this : —Two men agree to ascend a cliff. . One climbs up the first terrace, beingi pushed up from behind by the pole of his comrade below. When he is safely planted on the shelf, he pulls up the other, who is attached to him by a rope fastened to his girdle. In this way they climb shelf after shelf? until they reach the one on which are sitting the best birds. Should one lose his balance and fall from the terrace, his comrade go with him. Fqi they are partners in life and in death.

Another method is resorted to when the nature of the cliff prevents climbing. A man is let down by a long rope from the top of the cliff. Down he goes, several hundred feet, Holding on to a string, by which he signals the watcher on the cliff.

When he arrives opposite a shelf on which the birds are sitting, he oscillates till he swings into the alcove. Then, disengaging himself from ■ the rope, he uses a long pole, to which a "net is attached to bag,, the birds, which he catches sitting, or while they are flying close to the cliffs. The spoil is either thrown into a boat below or hauled up by the string.

Chains or ropes made of horsehair are used.

IN. CENTRAL AFRICA

• The lion is regarded as the king oi wild beasts, and, like Robinson Crusoe, he was "monarch of all he surveyed" until man invaded his haunts and made war upon him with his terrihle weapons of destruction. The lion now experiences the novelty ol being hunted himself. However, in the wilder parts of central Africa, where civilised man rarely penetrates with his firearms, the lion still holds sway and fearlessly roams througb his drrr'nions, dining off the tenderest an A appetising, parts of herbivorous animals whenever the pangs of hunger trouble him. He lies in ambush and suddenly pounces out upon his prey, or ; if he fails after the first rush, he makes a succession of terrific springs and leaping bounds 'or a hundred yards or so. travelling almost as fast as the fleetest horse, but he cannot keep up this "spurt," and if not successful in his charge he gives up the chase. Favourite resorts of lions are the water-holes and drinking/ places where the various animals converge in the early hours of the morning to slake their thirst. When overtaken by disease, aid age, or worn out fangs, he is no ionger able to capture the alert and fleet-footed antelopes and resorts tc 'small fry," even he condescending to satisfy his appetite upon humble rodents such as rats and mice, but the pangs of hunger eventually force aim to screw up courage to tackle a'native; then' it dawns upon his leonine brain that these black halfuaked "humans" are very easy to kill and afford an abundance of good meat, obtainable with very little risk or effort, and so he becomes what is termed a "man-eater," and .the utmost alarm prevails in the district. This destruction of human life, continues until in self defence the terrified villagers turn out in a strong body and put an end to him after a fierce combat. In many parts ( of Africa when the villagers' goats and other domestic animals begin tc mysteriously disappear they say, "Ah, there is m old toothless lion about. We must turn out and kill him or he will soon begin eating, us.' WONDERFUL SUBMARINE HEROISM. The loss of a Japanese submarine, "No. 6," was caused by a broken chain in the ventilation tower, which opened the sluice valve and allowed the water to pour into the boat. Desperate efforts were made to. close the valve, but without avail. The electric regulators and lights were put, out, and 1 the machinery which supplied the crew with air came to a stop. The commander of the submarine, when he saw that the end I was inevitable, sat down and calmly prepared a record of the accident, begging the forgiveness of the Em-| peror, and taking upon himself thf blame for the accident. The record closed as follows :—"The air pressure becomes high, and I feci as if my ear drums were bursting. I feel great pain" in breathing, I thought 3 had blown out the gasoline, but 3 have been intoxicated by it ."

The young man who had taken thi debutante in to dinner was talking art. "Are you fond of etchings?" he asked. "As a general thing, yes," she answered, looking up into his eyes with an engaging frank threatened havoc to his heart ; "but. not any to-night, thank you ; it if rather late. A small piece of jellj will be sufficient. *'