National Geographic December 1970

Land Diving With the Pentecost Islanders
Melanesian men in the New Hebrides ensure a good yam crop by leaping from a high platform into thin air. Author Kal Muller became the first outsider to take the heart- stopping plunge.
Searching Out Medieval Churches in Ethiopia’s Wilds
The author discovers wall paintings of biblical scenes in rock churches of Ethiopia’s highlands, some unknown to the outside world. Orthodox Christians have been worshipping in these shrines since the Middle Ages.
Frederick G. Vosburgh Retires as Editor; Gilbert M. Grosvenor Succeeds Him
The Society’s President recalls the 37 years of service given by the retiring Editor and details the experience of the new Editor, the third generation of his family to hold the position.
Our Ecological Crisis { The Fragile Beauty All About Us}
A photographer working in the Geographic’s photo laboratory takes his camera to backyards, woods, and gardens to record the poetry he sees in common plants and animals.
Old Salem, Morning Star of Moravian Faith
A restored historic district in the heart of Winston- Salem, North Carolina, is home to a Protestant sect that predates the Reformation.
Our Ecological Crisis { Pollution, Threat to Man’s Only Home}
Factories belching smoke once signaled prosperity, but no more. Gordon Young examines the sources of pollution and its effects on humans and wildlife.
Scientist Studies Japan’s Fantastic Long- tailed Fowl
The Onagadori boasts a feather that exceeds 30 feet. Breeders in southwestern Japan created the curiosity from the common chicken.
Our Ecological Crisis { The World and How We Abuse It; Special Map- and- Painting Supplement: The World and How We Abuse It}
A double map supplement, carries a world political map on one side and a painting by staff artist William H. Bond illustrating, How Man Pollutes His World.