American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1855-04-26

ing made ourselves acquainted with the
locality Of the wells, early in the evening
we repaired to the spot; we had been told
that we should see something quite new TO
us, aud we met with what scarcely was
credible on ocular evidence. The spot on
which this scene of superstitious folly was
exhibited, was admirably adapted to
heighten every attendant circumstance OF
it;the won ierful wells, OF which there are |
four, being situated in a square or patch OF
ground, surrounded by steep rocks, which |
Irsverberated every sound, and redoubled |
all the confusion. The coup d'oilof the |
square on our approach presented float.
ling mass of various coloured heads, and
our ears were astonished with confused
and mingled sounds of mirth and sorrow,
Of frantic, enthusiastic joy, and deep des-
ponding rawlings. On descending into the
square we found ourselves Immediately in
the midst of innumerable groups OF these
fanatics, running in all directions, con-
'usedly, in appearance, but methodlcally,
as We afterwards found in reality;-the
men and the women were barefoo;ed, and
the heads Of all were bound round with
handkerchiefs. Some were running in
circles, some were kneeling in groups,
some were singing in wild concert, some
were jumping about like maniacs at the
end Of an old building, which, we were
told, was the ruins OF chapel erected,
with several adjacent buildings, in one
miraculous midsummer's night by the
tutelary saint Of the wells, Of whose talent
as mason they give, it must be confessed,
no very exalted opinion. When we had
some what recovered from the first sur
prise which the (to us) unaccountably
fantastic actions Of the crowd had given
US, we eudeavoured to trace the progress
of some of these deluded votsries through
all the mazes of their mystic penance.-
The first object of them all appeared to be
the ascent of the steepest and most rugged
part of the rock, up which both men and
women crawled their painful way on their
hands and bare kness. The mems clothes
were all made soas to accommodate their
knees with all the sharpness of the pointed
rock; and the poor women, many of them
young and beautiful, took incredible pains
to prevent their petticoats from affording
any defence against its torturing asperi-
ties. Covered with dust and perspiration,
and blood, they at last reached the summit
of the rock, where, in a rude sort Of chair
hewn out OF the stone sat an old man,
probably one of their priesthood, who
seemed to be the representative of St. Pat
rick, and the high priest of this religious
frenzy. In his hat each Of the penitents
deposited half-penny, after which he
turned them round certain number o
times, listened to the long catalogue oI
their offences, and dictated 10 them the
penance they were to undergo or perform
Then they descend the rock by another
ipath but in the same manncrand posture,
equally careful TO be cut by the flnts, and
to suferas much as possible this was, per-
haps, more painful travelling than the AS
cent had been--the suffering knees were
rubbed another way--every step threat
ened a tumble; and il any thing could
have been lively there, the ridiculous at
titudes of these dcscenders would have
made us 80. When they gained the foot
of the hill they (most Of them) bestowed
a small donation of charity on some mis-
cradle groups of supplcants who were sta
toned there. One boggar, cripple, sat
/, on the ground, at one moment addressing
the crowd behind him, and swearing that
all the Protestants ought to be burnt out OF
the country, and, in the same breath, beg
gng the penitents to give him one half
penny for the love of 'swate blessed Jasus.
/, The penitents now returned to the use oI
their feet, and commenced running sort
OF Irish jiggish walk round several cairns
j or heaps OF stones erected at different spa
: ces: this lasted for some time. Suddenly
= they would PROSTATE themselves before tht
- cairn and calculate some hasty prayers, az
: suddenly they would rise and resume
7 their mll-horse circumrotaton. Tbei
i. eyes were fixed; their looks spoke anxiety
= almost despair; and the operation Of theiI
faculties seemed totally suspended. They
= then proceeded TO one end Of the old chap
el, and seemed to believe that there was
.. virtue, unknown TO us heretics, in one par
ticuiar stone of the building which every
=, one was careful to touch with the righ
= hand; those who were tall did it easily
those who were less, left no mode ofjump
;. ing unpractised to accomplish it, But tn
= most remarkable, and doubtless the mos
= efficient of the ceremonies, was reserved
l. for the last; and surely nothing was eve
= devised by man which more forcibl,
evinced how low our nature can descend
j Around the largest of the wells, whic!
was in building very much, to common
= eyes, like stable, all those who had per
. formed their penanoes were assembled
f some dressing, some undressing, man,
stark naked. A certain number of then
/ were admitted at a time into this holy well
!, and there men and women of every ag
I bathed promiscuously without any cover
= ing. They undressed before bathing, ant
!, performed the whole business of the toile
|, afterwards in the open air, in the midst o
: the crowd, without appearing sensible o
q the observations of lookers-on. perfect,
q regardless Of decenoy perfectly dead to al
= natural sensations. This was strang
y sight, but so nearly resembling the feast O
Il lunatics. that even the voluptuary woult
. have beheld il without any emotions bu
q those ofdejection. The penance having
terminated in this marvellous ablution, tn
Il penitents then adjourned either to booth
"a and tents to drink, or join their friends
d The air then rang with musical monoton
Il Gus singing, which became louder wit
y, averv olnss of whisky Hn;ehino In frolir