Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-08-20
NO. xxx.

BILE, cellar &c. O'Donoghue, in the days of
feudasm occupied strong castle on one side
of the Islands, and by his bold, daring and in
trepid conduct acquired a name that is handed
down with his memory and deeds to the present
time. The peasantry cherish his memory with
a feeling akin to veneration, and hence associate
his name with every object of interest in the Vi
cnity Of the lakes. The castle is still standing
and kept in toerable state of preservation. Du-
ring the last rebellion in Ireland, England used
it for prison, and incarcerated in its dark re-
cesses for time some of the leading men of the
revolt. Resuming your course along the shores
of the lake, you reach Cary pass, q channel,
over which is constructed rustic bridge, pass
ing beneath, you come to point called the
meeting of the waters. This is point of pecu-
liar interest and dattracton. Rising in your boat
in the narrow channel, when all nature is hush
ed in profound stiffness, not sound or chrp Of
bird disturbs the loneliness of the spot-you
can contemplate the mountain scenery in front
of you as well as admire the beauty of q small
Island on your right thickly clustered with rich
foliage of the holly and the beautiful arabutus.
This spot was fayorite resort of Walter Scott,
when on visit to these lakes. Leaving the
meeting of the waters you ascend narrow
channel through which the waters from the up
per lakes are discharged. The rapidity with
which the water descends, requires the boat to
be drawn up with rope or chain. At the
head ofthe channel stands the old wire bridge.
Its moss grown arches and crumbled abutments
indicate great antiquity. 1t is said to have been
erected by the Danes At the head ofthe cham
mel you resume your seat in the boat, but not
until you have paid your respects to the numer-
ous milkmaids who resort to this point to sell
to the. travellers cup of Goats milk and q little
of the mountain dew, Qrish whiskey.) There
is no escape, a cup of Goats milk for yourself,
and then few draps of the mountain dew for
the!oarsman, pay your37 1-2 cents, receive their
benediction and then you may be off. You
are now in the long range connecting lake Lena
with Muckrosse lake. This channel is miles
long, along this range are many, objects of inter-
est from the peculiar formation and distinguish
ed by appropriate names. At length you reach
q turn in the channel called Paddy Blake's point,
here the guide gives q wild yell, and as it rings
through the glens of mount Lock on the east,
its deep reverberations are caught by Glennassen
in the west and echoed back in wild and en-
chanting music. Such is the echo from noun
lows yell, in quick succession until it dies a.
In passing through to upper dake you are shut
in by mountains forming vast Amphitheatre
from which there seems to be no point Of egress.
After reaching the point of landing in the upper
lake, YOU mount donkey and pass through the
Gap of Dunlowe Before reaching the gap, you
pass another old bridge built by the Danes, the
peculiar construction of the arches, blended with
its antiquity, makes it an object of merit In
the Gap of Dunlowe, you are i'm
pressed with the secusion of the place, encom-
passed by high and rugged mountains, no sign
Of man or trace Of his power or work, save the
lonely road over which you travel, all is hush
ed in death-ike stiffness, and under the influence
of the feeling, the solitude Of the spot, you are
ready to say, this is Natures Temple Whilst
seated on bold ledge of rocks, wild air came
loating on the breeze from far up the mountain
side; it was from an Irish horn, played by some
yoat-herd; the music was enchanting, and could
but regret when the last sounds died away in
the mountain glen. The Pass of Glenlowe is
one of the great points of attraction in Ireland,
and for wild and stern grandeur has no rival on
the Island. The singular character of the deep
ravine would seem to favour the popular trad-
ton, that the mountains were cleft asunder by
the stroke of the sword of one of the giants OF
Old. The road, or rather bride track, often
passes along the Drinks of precipices, and the
slightest mistake of your donkey would be at
tended with the worst of consequences. A
stream called the Loc, wends its way through
the gap; at several points it expands into small
axes, and then contracts again to force its way
through the narrow pass About midway of the
gap, numbers of the peasantry are collected, Of
both sexes to sell toys, goats milk, and mountain
dew; and each one claims to be relation Of
,,Moores) Kate Kearney, The Gap of Dunloe is
about three miles in length, and visited by all
:ourists who pass through the Southwest of Ire
and. Before leaving Killarney there are seve-
al old Castles in the immediate vicinity well
worth visiting. The Lunatic Asylum on the
shores of Lake Terra displays much architectu-
al beauty, and as an eleemosynary institution it
S highly creditable to ireland. w.
Tn, Tn N CIpc. Wo,lry -Thore