Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1884-11-25
MISCELLANEOUS.
Sketches of Foreign Travel.
Br Coz. Jxo. T, GpsoS.
(Contimued.)


Iarney, and put up at the Royal Vic
toria hotel, situated near the lower
lake, distant from the city about one
mile and a half. on the demesne of
Lord Kenmare. The lands from Cork
to Killarney appear to be of good
quality, and are mostly in grass
The same may be said of the country
between Killarney and Dublin. In
fact, the most of the lands in Ireland,
save the bogs and moors-and they
furnish pasture and peat-are good,
and will compare favorabIy with those
of any country. They are as fine
grazing lands as any in the world, and
the grass continues green and fresh
all through the winter, hence the name
of Emerald Isle. North of Dublin,
in the counties of Meath Louth,
Managan, Fermaugh Tyrone, Derry
Ausrine and Down, tillagc is more
extensive and the culture cleaner
Yet in these counties there are great
quantities of lands that are never
ploughed up. The staple crops are
oats, barley, potatoes, some wheat
and flax. The grazing interest seems
to be the preponderating concern of
the great landowners--whether be-
cause it is more profitable, or because
they wish to get rid of the poor peas
ants by diminishing the demand for
labor, aud thus forcing them to leave
the country as the only alternative to
starvation, L can't say. Possibly they
are influenced some by one and some
by the other motive. If they were
men of true bcnevolcnce, men Of the
least sense of justice, of any milk of
human Kindness in their breasts, they
would let this land be cultivated, and
thus give employment to thousands,
yes millions of their fellow beings,
who are also their fellow countrymen,
and spare them the sad necessity of
abandoning their dear native land
which they love so much.
Unless above himself he can exalt himself,
how mean thing is mani"
God help the man whose heart is in
sensible to the words and strains of
the song of the Irish Emigrants'
lament 1 heard that song some
thirty years ago, sung by Lover, or
some distinguished Irishman, at Fred
erick City, Md, and 1 could not help
weeping with the Irish men and women
who surrounded me, from whose eyes
the tears flowed copiousIy, ard whose
bodies were strained and agitated
with constrained feelings which broke
out at last in convulsive sobs.
The Lakes of Killarney are a chain
of small lakes, each differing from
the other in size and setting, and are
situated in the county of Kerry, in
the southwest of Ireland-whcrc. the
little black Kerry COW, once so much
priced, came from. They are en-
closed for the most part by steep and
lofty hills, densoly wooded, from the
waters edge far up their prccipitous
and rocky sides, furnishing assures
in the cliffs Of their crests where
eagles build their eyries. BY means
of ropes let down from above, these
nests are annually robbed, in the
month Of June, aud the young sold.
The tops of these hills, some seven
hundred feet above the lakes, were
white one morning with snow, whilst
all below was as balmy as May. The
length of the Upper Lake is but two
and half miles, with a breadth of
thrce-quarter5 of mile, and covers
an area of 43O acres. huckross,
Tore, or Middle Lake, contains an
area of $50 acres, and the Lower
Lake, or Lock Leane, has an area of
5000 acres, with length of five and
width of three miles. The aggre-
gate length of the three is the same
as that of Lock Katrine, in Scotland.
On one side of the lower Lake the
lands are level, and as they recede
become gently undulating, and are
covered with heavy timber and thick
preserves of Lord Kenmare and Mr..
Herbert, NJ. p, with high stone wall
fences along the roads, ESQ high that
you can't see over them, and to
great extent in a state of good culti-
walton. These lakes abound in islands,
none of which are large. Innisfallen
Island is the most Interesting and
pleasing of all on account of its real
beauty and historical association
Upon this island are seen the extern
sivc ruins of Innisfallcn Abbey,
founded by ST. Finian some 400
years ago. On Ross Island is seen
the fine old ruins of Ross Castle, built
by one of the O'Donoghues. 1t was
the last stronghold in Munster, that
in 1862 surrendered to the British
The waters of these lakes are clear
and fresh. There is no steamer on
them. You are rowed over them by
two men in an ordinary sized skiff.
that will carry a party of eight or
twelve. The most usual excursion is
in carriage, by way of Aghadoe
ruins, some eight or ten miles to the
Gap of Dunloe, and through it some
four miles to the cottage of Lord
Brandon, where the Doatmen meet
you with lunch and some spirits
You thence slowly return to your
hotel, some fifteen miles. by way of
O1uckross Abbey, Ross Castle and
Innisfallen over the three lakes. The
distance in all is about thirty miles.
And what with the drive, the thread
ing of the Gap of Dunloe, the sail over
the lakes, the beauty, picturesque
ness and grandeur of the scenery, the
placidness of the waters, and the many
and hallowed old ruins and lords es-
tates you pass by and over, and a
bright and clear sky over head, there
isno place so pleasing and interesting,
L. YpsW