Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-07-30
The Giants CauseTay.

Only imagine yourself, says a writer in the
Journal of Commerce, in little row-boat, pas
sing around the Northern coast of Ireland. In
the distance, You seem to look upon an immense
castle, fankcd by double rows of cylindrical col
ums. 1t seems so fortreSSlke, this massive struc-
turc rising from the depths OF the sea, that You
expect to find guards and wardens, soldiery and
arms; but as YOU approach nearer it loses that
castellatcd appearance, and gradually lessons in
magnitude until there remains onlva huge stone
wall, extending around the coast for miles. 1t
is composed of gigantic pillars, cut into prisms,
three sidcd fvc-sdcd, eight-sidcd-sid fitting
to sidc-variousy jointcd, joint corresponding
to Joint, imumcrable irregularities conformed in
to such beautiful regularity, that YOU are struck
asK ITvOuHrTTIry wTIHt great artist your praise
is due; what year marked the foundation stone;
what force formed each cylinder, and joined III
uniform contrast such irregular masses! The
toll of many life time has been spent on far
,neaner designs, and proud wealth has gloried in
much less wonderful relics OF man. invention.
Passing onward and still onward, for this col
umnar structure bounds great extent Of sea-
coast. You come upon vast gateway OF stone
work like the rest but formed into a vide arch
not Gothic nor Norman, but unique, and perfect
as peculiar Its cnteranccis kept by huge waves,
that for centuries have been rolling higher and
higher to bar the getaway that is openstll SO
Your tiny boat rises with swelling, and yon pass
through not, as You had expected, to find the
sky above YOU still, but into the rcccsses of 4
mighty cavern, whose vaulted roof is formed Of
stones many corncred, and many colorcd. You
should be there at sunset, as we were, to see the
dashinc waters sparkling with god and the
stones radiant with crimson light. You would
be awcd into silence; for there is something feat
full in the thought Of a chamber built without
hands; but should Your feelings find vent i'll words,
yolr ears would be stunned 10y the deaiemnS
sound of even Your sweet voice, dear Bel, 50 hea-
Wy is the echo there. ! had been always very
anxious to sec the inside OF this famous cave,
with its ocean door, and its stony wall hung
with scawced tapestry, but assure you | was
not less eager to see the outside of it again; l
had no ambition to interfere with a solitude too
dcsoIate for aught save the cawing of rooks and
the twittering OF swallows.
The average height of the ba>altic columns
constituting the Giants CauScway Is thirty ieel;
but the whole ncighhorhood is strcwn with de-
tached fragments of the same species ot rock,
that in their picturesque confusion seem the bro
ken pillars ofsome ruined temple. These columns
in combination, these hcmptagons, hcxa-"nS, aud
octarons and tnanglcs all joined in perfect SYM
lnetrv, as if hcwn for corresponding measure
mcnts, FORM when You have claimed the rocky
ascent to til cir level summit, tlssclaied pave
ment where one may promenade in scorn OF the
fierce waves that inccs>antly dash against their
base, as ii they sought to lurI the firm rocks III
to oblivion. 1t is quite amusing TO listen to the
wonderful harangucs Of the numerous barctootcd
urchius that follow You all the way along the
shore, Offering themselves for guides, and Their
tongues for teachers. They were all born with
in sirht of the 'aull Giants" dominions, and all
the history they ever learned is comprised in wild
legend, about the Stoucs and cranncs the giant
once ruled. From morning to evening they
walk before YOU, behind YOU. and seem TO rIS'
from the stones on every side of YOU, ornn9
their "Spaccrncns' tthe Giants Punch bowl,
''his hoor's walking stick" and various Other
remarkable relics, 'lhc very last OF which IN,
been sold and rc,old for twenty years back, and
will be for twenty years TO come, to every visitor
who will "lend them the loan of Il slxpcnce tt
break their fast with"
The little rag-a-muflins tell you that thel
father is dead, and their mother Is poor; and II
the grief of your heart your buy, and buy unit