Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-10
Famine IN Ireland.

Fdiuilu III Aloidnu.
& The foreign journals received by the
Hibernia, give horrible pictures of the ap.
pailine distress which prevails in ireland.
Can Irishmen, the sons Of Irishrnen, or the
friends Of Ireland (and who is not friend
of Ireland2l read these shocking details.
without having their hearts movedf Shall
the poor of Ireland starve to death, when
our pranaries are filled to overfowing2
Forbid it humanity--forbid it Heaven!e
We entreat our renders attention to the
following shocking description Of the state
Of Skibbereen, and the surrounding dis
trict of West Carbery, in the county of
Cork, promising, that it is only an aggra-
waited epitome Of the sufierings of the poor
starving peasantry in other districts. 1t is
by Mr.. Gummins, a country magistrate,
who thus writes to the Duke Of Wellington:
II went on the 18th inst, to Skibbereen,
and to give the instance Of one townland
district which visited, as an example Of the
state of the entire coast district, shall
state simply what there saw. Il is stu
ated on the eastern side of Castle haven
harbor, and is named South Keen, in the
parish Of Myross Being aware that !
should have to witness trign1iull munger, !
provided myself with as much preao us hVe
men could carry, and on reaching the sPoI
Twas surprised 70 lind the wretcheo haullels ;
apparently deserted. ! entered some = oI
the novels to ascertain the cause ana the
scenes that presented themselves were sucn el
ns no tongue or pen can convey the sfghtest
idea Of. In the first, SIX iamished ana
ghas.ly skeletons, to oil appearances oeao'
were huddled in corner on some hlthy
straw, their sole covering what seemed
ragged horse cloth, their wrelched legs
hanging about naked above the knees.
approached in horror, ana founo' oy a
low moaning, they were allve--1hey were
IN fever, four children q woman ana wha'
had once been a man. II IS Impossible 10
60 through the detail; sufnce II 20 say, laaI
in few minutes was surrounded oy a,
least 200 Of such phantoms-such frlghtiul
spectres no words can describe. ny lar
the greater number were delirious' elther
from famine or from fever. Their demo,
niac yells are still ringing IN my ears, ana
their horrible images are hxed upon my
brain. MY heart s'ckens al the fecl'a'' ou'
must go on. :, : -,
IN another case @ oecenss w "oala ,n,a '0fDu M,,
s,othoa % ] .wsra noor,v torn off in nv en-.
deayor to escape from the throng of pesti.
lence around. when my neck.cloth was
seized from behind by grip which com.
nailed me to turn. 1 found myself grasp.
ed bv woman with an infant apparently
lust born in her arms and the remains o.
a filthy sack across her loins--the sole Gov
ering of herself and babe. The same
morning the police opened house on the
adjoining lands, which was observed shu
for many days, and two frozcn corpse'
wore found living on the mud floor, hal
dovoured by the rats.
A mother. herself in fever, was seen the
game dav to drag out the corpse Of hel
child, a girl about twelve, perfectly naked
and leave it half covered with stones. II
another house, within 500 yards Of the cav
airy station at Skbbereen, tho Dispensary
Doctor found seven wretches lying unable
10 move. under the same cloak. One ha
been dead many hours, but the others wer
unable to moyo either themselves or tn
corpse ,., II c.,,-. !,
Equally dlshoartehing is "na' 'oi'o"
frem tho Monaghan Standard:
"Tbo state Of deslitution in this neigt
borbood Is absolutely frightful. In ever
street, ut every corner, lean and cadavel
GUS beings meet your eye, famine in tn
Cac. w,nt in the hollow glance. emaci