PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN IN DANGEROUS PLACES.
"Race war in Alabama. Take cinematograph pictures of fighting andcountry." "Want pictures of Dyaks of Borneo as soon as possible.""Series wanted of whale-hunting in Arctic regions."
The average man, receiving one of these messages with his breakfast,would not regard the commission exactly in the light of a pleasuretrip. To the cinematograph man, however, such orders are all in a day'swork. He simply packs up his machine, makes his arrangements in theshortest possible time, and goes right ahead with the business.
It is thrilling and wonderful work at times; and it requires a littlepatience, too. "One of our photographers," said the manager of acompany recently, "once sat beside a geyser in Iceland for threeweeks, waiting for an eruption to take place, in order that he mightobtain some pictures of this wonderful phenomenon. The geyser seemed inno hurry to oblige him, so he left the district for a couple of days.When he returned he found that the eruption had taken place and thegeyser had again become inactive.
"Another of our photographers, who went out to Borneo to take picturesof the home life of the natives, narrowly escaped losing his head aswell as his machine. The natives thought the latter was some new andpowerful weapon, and it was only by the timely intervention of theinterpreter, who explained matters, that they adopted a more friendlyattitude.
"By the way, this particular photographer raised a good laugh whenhe came home. We wanted some pictures taken while traveling down thewater chute at an exhibition. It was necessary for the operator and themachine to be strapped to the boat, in order that he might be quitefree to turn the handle and take the photographs as he shot down thechute. I asked the photographer from Borneo to do the job. 'I wouldrather be excused,' he said; 'I've got a weak heart.' Here was a man,who spent weeks among one of the most savage tribes in the world, whowas afraid to go down a water chute. Nerves are peculiar things.
"I think, however, the worst experience which has befallen one of ourphotographers was that of the man we sent to take the pictures of awhale-hunting expedition. A fine school--I believe that is the correctterm--of whales was sighted one day. The boats went in pursuit, and ourphotographer with his machine entered one of them. The crew of thisboat managed to harpoon a fine big whale, who went through the sea at aterrific pace, dragging the boat behind him. Our photographer was justcongratulating himself on getting some of the most realistic picturesever obtained, when suddenly the whale doubled in its tracks, and, tomake a long story short, smashed the boat. Luckily, another boat cameup at the critical moment and rescued the crew and the photographer.But the latter is always bemoaning the fact that one of the finest setsof cinematograph pictures ever taken lies at the bottom of the ArcticOcean."
Some of the most interesting pictures shown, however, are scenes takenen route while traveling by rail in various parts of the world. Aspecial engine is chartered, and the operator, with his machine, takeshis place on the front platform of the engine, or on a low truck whichthe engine pushes in front of it. Thus mile after mile of scenery isphotographed as the engine rushes along. It is a rather ticklish job,particularly in wild regions where all sorts of animals stray on to theline, and there is a risk of collision and general smash.
Doubtless many readers are acquainted with the entertaining and novelmanner in which these pictures are afterward shown. One sits in astationary model of a railway carriage, the picture being thrown on ascreen at the end. A motor underneath the carriage gives a realisticimpression of the noise made by a train when traveling, and thus oneseems to be rushing through the country which is being depicted on thescreen. It is a novel notion, which is deserving of all the success andpopularity it has attained.
COSTLY FISHES.
The most beautiful and withal costly fishes in the world come fromChina, and of these the most expensive and rarest is the brush-tailgoldfish. Specimens of these have sold for as high as $700 each, and inEurope the prices range from $250 to $500. The brush-tail goldfish isso small that a half-crown piece will cover it, and probably there isno living thing of its size and weight that is worth so much money.