ROCK-FOWLING IN NORWAY. 349 



of rock-fowl. The places under these projections are termed " sie- 

 lings :" to obtain access to these, constitutes the very summit of the 

 rock-fowler's art : none but the most skilful can perform it. The bird- 

 man has to swing- himself as far as he can from the cliff, and then to 

 dart under the projecting rock ; and all whilst suspended in the air 

 by the bird-rope. When he has succeeded in swinging himself 

 under the projection, it requires a good deal of experience and 

 skill to know how to hold on by the feet to a leaning rock, and 

 at the same time make use of the hands for the purpose of taking 1 

 the birds. 



The most skilful bird-men delight in this perilous practice, and 

 swing themselves from rock to rock with great dexterity : an 

 accomplishment peculiar to the art, which requires much practice. 



When the bird-man comes to a good standing and plenty of birds, 

 he sometimes unfastens the rope and secures it to a large stone, 

 whilst he pursues his art unfettered ; climbing and catching 1 the birds 

 with his hands, or by aid of the bird-pole. When he has taken a 

 reasonable number he ties them to the signal line ; and on tele- 

 graphing to his companions above, the birds are drawn up, and the 

 line is immediately let down again. 



On ordinary occasions, when suspended by the bird-rope from the 

 brow of a precipice, the fowler, having taken merely a belt full, is 

 drawn up, with the birds attached to his belt, on signalling such his 

 desire to his companions. 



Some of the rocks scaled by these intrepid fowlers are fearful to 

 look upon ; and so perilous, that, to a stranger, it appears almost 

 incredible how the fowlers dare venture to scale them. In the most 

 precipitous cliffs, however, there are but few if any clefts that are 

 not explored by these dauntless fellows. They sometimes venture 

 into places where they can but just pitch their toes, or lay their 

 fingers on some narrow ledge ; and this where a gulph of two hundred 

 fathoms' descent lies yawning beneath them. 



The occupation is often very lucrative : a great profit is some- 

 times derived from the feathers of the birds ; and the flesh is dried 

 and salted in large quantities as food for themselves and families 

 during winter. 



By the ancient laws of Norway, when a fowler on climbing the 

 rocks in that country happened to be killed by a fall, the nearest 

 male relative of the deceased was compelled to climb by the same 

 route as that from which the deceased fell. If he declined, or 



