Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-27

with in England or at home. But one de-
duction from the merits of the Irish peas
ants. their warmest admirer must concede,
that is, that they are, of all the beggars in
Christendom, at least out of Italy, the most
unabashed and importunate. On the other
hand, if you like fattery and blessings, you
get your moneys worth in that sort of cur
rency.
One thing which strikes all American,
especially if he be from one of the Military
Districts, which were formerly Southern
States, and travel through England, Scot
land or Ireland, is the admirable condition
of the roads Accustomed, as am, to the
roads in North Carolina it made deeper
impression on me. Here the grades are
low, the road-bed rises on each side to the
middle, by gentle curve, enough to carry
off the water, but not to effect sensibly the
equilibrium of carriage; the bed itself is
made of stones, broken into small pieces,
so that it becomes as firm and almost as
smooth as a wooden floor; the rains merely
moisten the surface, the water running at
once into the CUTTERS and the horse conse-
quently, in drawing, meets asl little resistance
as is possible, unless the wheels ran on iron
rails Horses consequently draw enormous
freights with comparatively little effort.
I remember in Scotland being on stage
coach with seventeen other passengers, in
side and out, and the driver and our lug
gage and being drawn by two horses at
the rate of ten miles an hour, without diff
ticulty or Inconvenience to them. Now, it
is evident that not only are roads of this
sort very pleasant, but that they save an
immense deal of horse power, and what is
much more costly, human tirle and labor.
In our altered circumstances we can only
prosper by saving labor, and one necessary
means of doing this is to have good roads.
But good roads are not possible under our
system of keeping them in repair by the
work Of the laborers living on or near them.
They have no inducement to make their
portion good, for the next lot Of hands
may destroy the benefit of their work by
leaving their part neglected. Here the
roads are let out to contractors, and the
money is not paid until the work is salts
factorily done, and therefore it is done.
If, as the Emperor of France has lately
said, good roads are test of civilization,
ireland, as well as England and Scotland,
would stand at the head of the nations,
while the good Old North State would find
it expedient to show her accustomed mod
esty and withdraw from the contest alto
gether.
From Cork we went by rail to the
Lakes of Killarney. These are three, con-
nected, however, by narrow channels, and
the lower much the larger, being about five
miles long and two and half broad. The
scenery around these lakes is not only the
finest in Ireland, but it is generally con-
sidered the most varied and beautiful in
the Kingdom. They lie deeply embedded
among high, precipitous mountains, some
times bare, sometimes covered with rich
woods, while occasionally beautiful valleys
intervene, with noble trees and heritage of
that intense green which gives its name to
the Emerald Isle. On their shores and
islets are ruins of castles and monastic
buildings, with many noble modern houses
and villas One very striking ruin is that of
Muckross Abbey, in the chapel of which
lie buried some of the chieftains who, in
former ages, ruled over this part of Ireland.
The scenery around the Abbey shows the
good taste of the Monks, for it is of ex-
quisite pastoral beauty.
The Tore Waterfall is also much and
Justly admired, and it's solemn grandeur is
greatly enhanced by the majestic frs that
hang over the stream as it pursues it's thun-
derous course towards the Lake.
From Killarney we came at once to Eng
land, passing through Dublin without stop
ping, as I had visited it last year.
THOMAS ATKINSON.