Fortune-Telling by Kite-Flying

Southland Times, Issue 19471, 26 November 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

Fortune-Telling by Kite-Flying

'- The East'is genwally regarded as the lane} ■ of myßtery arid sHir'an'grfeußtoms ; hence it is hot unusual-to meet 9 with and "beliefs*- which to our- Western minds appear very foolish and useless. Morocco, though m the North of Africa, id, peopled. by aq Eastern race, and many •weird superstitions and cußtoms still "exist which had their origin in Eastern countries in days gone by » To the inhaliiiiants of^ribco th« jrorW seems goverp&Ptif fat^i' ' aha"6fterif" 6hildisH oustdnn are resorted tb for the purpose of

gliding out' how the fates are disposed tdwiu3s; them. The picture shows some 'girls telling I their" 1 fortunes by' means of kites.; They have ; olimbed ! to the flat roof of theiii •hornes'to'fl'y kites, which they • believe will give air augury of - their . future. If the kittf remains good fortune is in store for them J ilf mishap .befalls it, eyjl days will be thejr portion. So .great is their faith in the oracle thafe, jf the hte coDjea^td grief, they are immediately filled with s'adhess "and de-; jection. As not unfrequently happeffs?how-! ever, the kite makes a successful flight, wheri the joy of these Eastern girls is unbounded,' and their future life looks sunny and bright. l Gibraltar and its Fqes. - Experts differ as to the "strength of Gib-: raltav, and those .irho know most can itvyi least, . owing 'to. the nepessity.' for 'kßeping seoret its principal meatfsjJf defehce.' J ,M6cl-5 era long range guns' eouldffroito the' Spanish' side of the Hay, commsttd^he 'whole/westisfn! face of the 'Hock, ineltiditfg th 6 towfi and thej haw -dockyard now' in construction, while; works on the eastern side could enfiladed! from the heights of the Sierra Carbonera, mi Spain, and from the lower .hills ezt^ndi^^ .eastward. -It has also been,. suggested that it^ might- be ef|eqtiyely T bombardad from Uie 1 African side pfthe Straifei'. The'Eook^how-c ever, is how : f ort&ed; to ? the ' gunim it, i,200 ; feet 'above sea levi&T,' and n the gtins at that; height "oohtrolthe 'fire ; frbm ahipg, orfroin! batteries of lesser height/ The British por-' tion of the isthmus is reputed to be so mined? as to tender it possible to make Gibraltar an' dslandi by the mere touch of , ft button, and the- Navy would igrobably deal wijih.anyjppssible attaok fr6m .Africa. We may^toefe-' fore, believe that the Rpok i« praotioally im*