Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-13 00:00:00

LOUGH DERG.

Lough Derg is a small inland lake near the West coast
of County Donegal. It is situated in a wild and unculti
vated dis•rict of country, and is surrounded by a chain of
_a_ auvuitia,iun. j,le 1814.11C1 Calltu
Patrick's Purgatory" is in this lake. It is oval shaped,
nearly level on the surface. but. rocky and quite barren.
Its entire extent is less than one acre, and it is situated
about half-a-mile from the main land. There is a tradi-
tion among the peasantry that this spot was once a
favourite residence of St. Patrick ; a rock is shown
whereon it is alleged that he was accustomed to spend
one-third of every night in prayer; a cell is exhibited
where it is said that he spent another third; and
there is also a cave, or " Purgatory," where he passed
the remainder of the night in acts of pennance and
religious .humiliation. On the stone is a cleft or
print alleged to have been made by St. Patrick's
knees, and other traces of his visit are shown
on various parts of the island, which are all very
wonderful, indeed. The result is that, even up to the
present day, the spot is regarded by large numbers of the
Irish population as a very holy place; and for the last
thousand years, at a certain season of the year, many
enthusiasts of the Roman Catholic communion have been
accustomed to repair to it from all parts of the country,
as penitent pilgrims, either in discharge of what they
conceive to be a religious duty, or in expiation of some
particular offence. The pilgrims are conveyed to the
island in a ferry-boat; and the average number of such
passengers is estimated at thirteen thousand yearly.
Numerous priests are in regular attendance throughout
every season ; and there are two chapels, and a long
range of miserable cabins, upon the island. One of
these chapels is for confession of the penitents, and the
other for general worship. Teem are also circular
walls about two feet high, enclosing sharp stones, frag-
ments of glass, and some wooden crosses. These enclo.
sures are called " saints' beds," or " paths of pennance ;"
and round these circular beds, on materials expressly
intended for laceration, even to the bone, the pilgrims
crawl in miserable torment, upon their naked knees.
There is also a building round which the pilgrims
walk barefooted, 1111.011 stones placed with the spike
end uppermost, arid arranged so as to form narrow
paths circling within each other like the " walls of
Troy," and the exercise on this statien is continued,
with torn and bleeding feet, till the strength or
endurance of the pilgrim is entirely exhausted.
Their food is a small quantity of bread or oatmeal,
and water; and of this they partake sparingly, and only
once in the day; but in the prison or purgatory—a dun-
geon where the light of day is never allowed to enter, and
in which every pilgrim must remain for twenty-four hours
—food of any kind is strictly prohibited. While in this
purgatory they are not allowed to sleep for a single
moment, and a man with a large hand-bell and a switch, is
kept in continual exercise upon the devotees to keep them
in a wakeful state; it being the popular belief that a single
nod, while in that locality of expiation, " would lose the
soul for ever." Twenty-four priests are the regular
number for officiating in this place, each in his turn for
the space of one hour ;and towards the support of this
clerical body each pilgrim pays from 2s. upwards, in pro-
portion to his ability. In former times, and in some cases
even yet, the pilgrims remained upon the island for a
period of nine days, sleeping at night upon the ground,
without pillow or covering. The number of penitents
who still continue their annual visit to this " place of
purification" is exceedingly large. A modern traveler
relates that, " on first sight of the spot the eye could rest on
little more than a mass of human beings, crawling slowly
about like worms upon the carcase of a dog, the stone
spikes penetrating their nerves and muscles till the brain
reeled with agony." On first approaching the lake the
pilgrim kisses the earth, and repeats a certain number of
prayers ; and on arrival upon the island he " prostrates
himself again, and greets it with fifteen holy kisses and
another set of prayers." Then follow scenes of most
extraordinary " jostling, elbowing, scrambling, and
penitential ejaculations, along the blood-stained station
paths ; during every circuit of which the pilgrim repeats
fifty-five prayers to the Virgin Mary, and five prayers to
God." Those purgatorial observances originated at a
very early date; and in 1632, when, in consequence
of the increasing scandal, the island was cleared by order
of the State, Sir William Stewart, who was charged with
that duty, found an Abbot and forty Friars located upon
the premises ; and reported that there was then a daily
resort of four hundred and fifty pilgrims, who paid a
clerical fee of eightpence each for their admission.

TRANSPORTS OF TIV,OPS TOINDIA.—The ships engaged
by the East India Company yesterday (Friday), for 'he
conveyance of troops, comprised six steamers and eleven
sailing ve;sels. The six steamers are to go to Dublin to
take regimen at that port ; four of the sailing vessels will
proceed to Portsmouth and remainder to Dublin.
EVENTS ir Isom—The Daily Fetes says it is understood
in the event of anything of an alarming character happen.
ing in India the agents of the Pe❑insular arid Oriental
Company, at Calcutta, would probably despatch the steamer
for Suez a day or two before her regular time, in which
case her news might be known in Loudon by this evening.
It is supposed that the vessel was despatched at the usual
day, and is thought that the telegraphic anticipations
could not possibly roach London before Saturday afternoon
and may probably be delayed till Monday. Many parties
are disposo to deduce a favourable augury from the
delay