The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-10-08
hattery and blessings, you get your moneys
worth in that sort of currency

WoTtu In tnat sort OF currency.
Doe thing which strikes an American, espe
cialy If be be from one of the Military Districts
which were formerly Southern States, and trave
through England, Scotland or Ireland, is rh,
admirable condition of the roads. Accustomed
as am, to the roads in North Carolina, it made
deeper impression on me Here the grade!
are low, the road bed rises on each side to thI
middle, by gentle curve, enough to carry of
the water, but not to effect sensbly the equli
brium of carriage; the bed itself is made o.
| stones, broken into small pieces so that il be
comes as firm and almost smooth wooden
| floor; the rains merely moisten the surface, the
water running at once into the cutters, and the
horse consequently, in drawing, meets as little
resistance as is possible, unless the wheels ran
| on iron rails Horses consequently draw enor
nous freights with comparatively little effort
| remember in Scotland being on a stage coach
with seventeen other passengers, Inside aud out
and the driver and our luggage, and being drawn
by two horses at the rate of ten miles an hour,
without difficulty 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 time and labor Iu 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 satisfactorily done, and
therefore it is done. If, as the Emperor of
Franco hoe 1atolv cai5 ~
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 modesty and
withdraw from the contest altogether
From Cork we went by rail to the Lakes of
Killarney. These are three, connected, how
ever, by narrow channels, and the lower much
the larger, being about fves miles long and two
and a half broad. The scenery around these
lakes is not only the finest in Ireland, but it is
generally considered the most varied and beauti-
fu in the Kingdom They lie deeply embedded
among high, precipitous mountains, sometimes
bare, sometimes covered with rich woods, while
occasionally beautiful valleys intervene, with
noble trees and hcrbage of that intense green
which gives its name to the Emerald Isle. On
their shores and islets are ruins of castles and
monastie buildings, with many noble modern
houses and villas. One very striking ruin is
that of Muckross Abbey, in the chapel of shich
lie buried some of the chettains 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 exquisite pastoral
beauty.
The Tore Waterfall is also much and Justly
admired, and its solemn grandeur is greatly en-.
bauced by the majestic frs that hang over the
stream as it pursues its thunderous course to-
wards the Lake.
From Killarney we came at once to England
passing through Dublin without stopping, as
had visited it last year.
THOMAS ATKINSON