526 BIRD-CATCHING IN NORWAY. 



how to put their feet against the rock, and throw 

 themselves several fathoms out, and push themselves in 

 again, to what place they will. And they know artfully 

 how to keep themselves fast on the line in the air, and 

 to hold the pole in their hands, in situations where 

 the rocks project over like a cover as in such the 

 birds gather and there to catch numbers whilst flying 

 out and coming in. Here they will continue (and this is the 

 greatest art) to throw themselves out, and quickly to fling 

 themselves in again, under the cover, to the birds, and 

 there to fix their feet. When one of them gets into these 

 holes, he loosens himself from the rope, which he fastens to 

 a stone, to prevent its falling out of his reach, and then he 

 climbs about, and catches the birds either with his hands, or 

 with the pole, in the same manner as was said before ; and 

 when he has killed as many as he thinks enough, he ties 

 them together, and fastens them to the small line, and by a 

 pull gives a sign for those above to draw them up. In this 

 manner he works all day ; and when he wants to ascend, 

 he gives a sign to be drawn up, or else he works himself 

 up, with his belt full of birds. Where it happens that 

 there are not people enough to hold the large rope, then 

 the bird-man fixes a post in the ground, and fastens his 

 rope to it, and so slides down, without any help, to work 

 in the aforesaid manner. 



" There are also in some places vast steep cliffs, lying under 

 the land, and yet more than one hundred fathoms above the 

 water, which are also very difficult to get at. Down these 

 cliffs they help one another in the manner aforesaid, and they 

 take a strong rope with them, which they fasten here and 

 there in the cliff where they can, and leave it all the sum- 



