The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-20 00:00:00

THE DUBLIN EXHIBITION.

A TRIP TO KILLARNEY.

The management of the Dublin Exhibition have
wisely determined to connect it with the beauties of
Irish scenery, and to show how the wonders of the arti-
ficial world chime in with those of nature. To tourists
who during the approaching pleasure season contem-
plate
a visit to the Emerald Isle, this will be an agree-
able announcement, and the delightful trip which I am
about to describe may fairly be regarded as a foretaste of
what all will enjoy who come here intent on recreation.
On Monday morning a large party of ladies and gentle.
men, whom the opening of the Exhibition had attracted
to Dublin, started by special train on the Southern and
Western Railway to see the far-famed lakes of Killarney.
Sir Edward M'.Donnell (the chairman of the company),
Mr. Pennefather (the deputy-chairman), Mr. Miller (the
engineer), and the other chief officers of the line accom-
panied them. Mayors from the chief English cities,
commissioners and superintendents of the late Exhibi-
tion, executive committeemen of the present, foreign
contributors, and even members of the French press—
a happier party never started to feast their eyes upon
the romance-ground of Kerry. The line over which
they travelled is not remarkable for the beauty of
the scenery through which it passed, and there, were
few objects on the way to attract attention. Occa-
sionally, one of those monumental round towers to
which so much antiquarian interest is attached fixes the
eye, or some solitary mountain, like Slievenamon, with
a veil of mist gracefully suspended over its long-backed
summit ; but, otherwise, all is tame and commonplace
enough, and even Thurles, where poor Smith O'Brien
was arrested by a "tight-buttoned railway official," fails
to draw much notice from the pleasure-seekers. The
Southern and Western, nevertheless, is a fine line, quite
equal in excellence of construction to those in England,
and, as was proved on this occasion, capable of bearing
trains propelled at the highest speed. Some curious
facts with reference to it and the social state of the
country were mentioned by the chairman. One was,
that hardly a single case had occurred of an employe on
the line emigrating, and he attributed this to the cir-
cumstance that the lowest wages paid were 12s. a-week
and clothes. Sir Edward also stated that Mr. Dargan,
in constructing the line, drew a very large number of
his bands from the workhouses, and that these men, once
accustomed to remunerative employment, never returned,
but either emigrated or became "navvies." Luncheon
at the Limerick junction, and then on to Mallow through
a thickly-enclosed country, unwooded, but warmed up
by the bright yellow of the gorse-blossom. From
Mallow a new line is about to be opened to Killarney.
It is expected to be finished by the 15th of June,
and will thus be ready for the summer and autumn
traffic. The tourists of Monday travelled on it to
within nine miles of the lower lake, and this distance
they completed by omnibuses supplied for the occasion.
You descend on Killarney through a black region of
heath-clad moor and bog, preparing the mind, by con-
trast, for a keener appreciation of the charming scenery
beyond it. A change in the aspect of the peasantry,
perceptible for some time, here becomes obvious. Some-
thing in their look and dress indicates, if the face of the
country did not do so, that you have advanced into the
wilds of Kerry. Many traces of the past sufferings of
this primitive people reach the eye and affect the heart
of the stranger. The small proportion of strong middle
age to that of boys and girls and old men and women
recalls to the memory the realities of an emigration such
as the world has rarely seen equalled, while pinched
faces and wasted frames bring up again the dismal his-
tory of the great famine. Looking into each little gar-
den attached to the cottages on the wayside, young
cabbage plants and other vegetables are struggling into
life instead of the potato. The whole country seems
soaked with superabundant moisture, and the very people
have a damp appearance. At night, in the Victoria
Hotel, there was high festivity and true Irish hospita-
lity. To the delight of the French visitors especially,
old Gansey, the blind piper of the Lakes, was intro-
duced, and, with tremulous fingers upon the stops of
his chanter, played the sweet melodies of the country.
The English mayors could only find vent for their gra-
tification in the speech-making so dear to all muni-
cipal minds. Morning broke heavily upon the district
of the Lakes, with mist shrouding the mountain
tops, and magnifying their height by concealing it. For-
tunately, however, it did not rain, and though the
weather continued somewhat overcast, it became brighter
as the day advanced. In white-painted barges, and at
as early an hour as they could be got together, our party
started to view the scenery of Killarney. Often de-
scribed, its beauties are always new, and at this season
of the year especially, when nature is just assuming her
garb of summer loveliness, language fails to do them jus-
tice. What strikes one most about these lakes is the
exquisite combination of objects, which leaves no imagi-
nation, however cold, unsatisfied, and kindles poetic
feelings in the most prosaic minds. Every wish is gra-
tified by that changing panorama of island, and moun-
tain and clear rushing stream and grotesquely-formed
rock, and ruined castle and mouldering abbey, which are
collected here together. The mode adopted for showing
the beauties of Killarney to visitors, under circum-
stances, is the best that could be hit upon, but when, as
in the present instance, large numbers go together
under hospitable guidance it possesses extraordinary
advantages. MacGillycuddy's Reeks and Tomies'
Mountain, Tore Mountain, Dinis Green Isle, and
Glen-h's wooded shore, all revealed their sweetest
charms to the eyes of the tourist, and the notes of the
bugle were prolonged by the echo, with the same exqui-
site effect as when Tom Moore sang of them. Through
all the lakes and to the foot of the Eagle's-nest, to Ross
Castle, overgrown with grass, and to Innisfallen Island,
with its crumbling abbey walls, crowned by waving
foliage, past the " Honeycomb-rocks," toe, and the
" O'Donoughue's Library," with "the big Bible lying
on the top,' the strangers in their gay barges swept.
They inhaled the fragrance of the spring blossoms, and
admired the splendid varieties of a vegetation in which
the myrtle and the arbutus grow wild. The lights and
shadows that chased each other on the hill side, and the
diversified hues of wood and glen, all were noticed and
delightedly praised in their turn, and still the light
drapery of the misty mountain-tops maintained over the
changing prospect a certain character of dream-land. So
thorough was their inspection of Killarney that the
Devil's Punchbowl, of all its attractions, alone escaped
a visit. On the summit of Mangerton mountain this
celebrated reservoir lay, brooded over by a dense mass
of vapour, within which, while mayors and railway
directors, Royal commissioners and executive com-
mitteemen, were feasting their eyes beneath him,
the Prince of Darkness might unseen be quaffing com-
fort and relief from the ice-cold waters. Killarney does
not contain the element of sublimity in its scenic effects,
and those whose tastes turn to the grand and majestic
attributes of nature must seek them elsewhere ; but for
picturesque variety, raised by legendary associations to
the verge of enchantment, it is quite unrivalled by any
place within the compass of the British Isles. The new
railway about to be opened to it, and which has been, it
is said, constructed at the low cost of 5,0001. a mile,
will place it within seven hours' ride of Dublin, and
within 17 of London. So charming a retreat from the
fatigues of business and the exhaustion of a, town life,
thus made accessible, is a boon to the community at
large. Thousands will now visit what previously was
only within reach of the few, and in time nature will
win for the surrounding wilds of Kerry a degree of coin-
fort and civilisation which has hitherto been denied
them. The Southern and Western Railway Company
have made arrangements for conveying the humbler
classes to see the Dublin Exhibition at the cheapest pos-
sible rate, and there is little doubt that their liberal
example will be followed by all the other lines.

12
50
161
St.
20

20
116
10
st.

20
10
St.
50
40

SHOCKING CASE OF DESTITUTION AND STARVATION AT
BURITON, NEAR PETERSFIELD.—During the present
month a poor labouring man, named Thomas Surrell,
while working at a thrashing machine in the parish of
Weston, dropped down in the field, while at work, in a
state dexhaustion. Ile was sent home by his employer
in a cart, and on the fourth day the poor man ex-
pired, and would have been buried but for the vigilance
of Mr. Thomas Fay, superintendent of the police for the
Petersfield division, who caused a coroner's inquest to
be held by C. B. Longcraft, Esq., and a respectable
jury. After a minute examination, the following verdict
was given :—" Died by the visitation of God." But
there were reasons to suppose that the deceased had not
had a sufficiency of food to supply nature. Great credit
is due to Mr. Fay, who affirms that he never saw such
an emaciated and starved body. On a post modem,
examination not a particle of food was found in the
intestines or any part of the stomach. This case occurred
within four doors of the rector of the parish, the Rev.
J. M. Sumner, M.A., second son of the Bishop of Win-
chester, who is luxuriating in the parish with 1,6001. a
year, besides a prebendaryship or two. The poor starved
peasant was an example of honesty, sobriety, and in-
dustry, yet withal he eked out but a miserable existence,
and died at the age of 52, without a murmur, having
the munificent sum of Bs. per week to support his wife
and five children, not one of whom, we hear, was earn-
ing a single penny. After paying ls. per week for
the rent of his cottage, he had just ls. per day to main-
tain seven individuals. In the Petersfield Union the
cost-would have been two shillings and sixpence per day.
This distressing case has caused considerable excitement
in the neighbourhood, and is strongly condemned by
the humane.—(From a Correspondent.)
STRIKES.—SHIELDS, MAY 18.—The South Shields
shipwrights struck this morning, and have been walking
about all day. It seems they were content to receive
275, per week, provided the masters allowed them half
an hour at 4 o'clock for tea, while employed at new
work. They now ask 30s. per week, or the half-hour
per day. One master has complied with this request,
and it is likely that the other shipbuilders will also con-
cede the demand. The master joiners have refused to
comply with the demand of the men for an advance to
275. per week, and are clearing out their shops as their
contracto are completed.

St.
St.
St.
St.

13}
20
20
50

20
20
50
20