Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-03-26
Mutes Of Trareliu Gnrope.
OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.]
BY REV. r. LATHAM.

Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.]
One of the most natural curiosities in the
world is the Giants CauseWay. Such it has
been regarded for centuries past, and such,
no doubt, it will be considered for centuries
tocome. individuals from all sections of the
globe visit it, and none 60 away without ex-
periencing strange feeling, which is not
inaptly expressed by the word beWilder-
ment.
The Giants Causeway is on the extreme
northern coast of Ireland, in the county
Antrim, about eight miles from the town Of
Coleraine, in county Londonderry. There
is small portion in county Donegal, which
is farther north than the Giants CauseWay.
The coast on which is the Giants Causeway
is, according to its extent, the most remark
able in the world. Everything presents a
strange aspect. The scenery suggests the
reckless thought that here lies, in wild con-
fusion, the left over material of creation.
Even the waters of the ocean look strange.
It is scarcely conceivable, but it is a fact,
they look grim with age and defiantly mad.
Wave pursues wave, as if each which fol-
lows had been unpardonably insulted by the
one going before it, and all tiercely dash
against the craggy rocks which wall them
in, as if these craggy rocks had fraudulently
deprived them of their rights. On the other
hand, the grey crags, which line the shore,
look down in silent but proud contempt
from ther lofty height upon theangry waves
which dash in maddened fury against their
sides.
From Port Rush to the Giants Cause
way, and for considerable distance beyond,
the scenery is awfully sublime. The travel
er is conveyed from Port Rush to Bush
Mills on an electric tramWay that is, on a
railroad the propelling power of which is
electricity. The coaches in which the pas
sengers ride are not unlike other railroad
coaches, but to see these coaches moving
along the track, at moderate rate of speed
with no motive power visible, is calculated
to beget feelings of astonishlnent. There is
no smoking engine to be seen, no blowing
of whistles to be heard. In fact, there is
nothing to he seen but the coaches them
selves. The track of this electric tramway
is within sight Of the sea- all the distance
from Port Rush to Bush Mills. Often it is
in close proximity to fearful precipice. A
run off would be plunge into the raging
sea below. The distance from Port Rush to
Bush Mills is, l suppose, five miles, and
from Bush Mills to the Giants Causeway
about half that distance.
From Bush Mills the Causeway is reached
by private conveyance by two routes. The
near and more direct leads west of the
Causeway, while the other leads to a point
east. This western coast, which is called
Ton Duff, is beyond question the most awe
inspiring spot ever saw. The sea is strong
ly walled in by a precipice which attains, in
some places, the height of near three hun
dred feet. Occasionally this precipice is
slightly inclined, but generally it is per-
pendicular, winds abruptly, sometimes put
ting out into the sea, and at other times re-
ceding into the land. Beneath, the sea
RACES with wild fury. At short intervals
huge columns of rock rise from the sea to
the top of the precipice. These all have
been given names, but l do not remember
any of them.
On approaching the Causway from the east
the precipice makes aquick turn to the right.
Atthis pointit ceases to be perpendicular and
becomes about as much inclined as very
steep roof of house. This inclination is
literally covered with stones of all sizes
and various shapes. Some are firmly fixed
in the ground, while others are loose.
Down this rocky inclination there is a wind
wide enough for one Individual to descend
at time. For the greater part of the dis
tance-about two hundred and fifty feet
it is on the very edge of a precipice, vary
ing in depth according to the distance from
the point at which the descent was begun.
It is with great difficulty that an individu-
ual can stand, and fall would, in any case,
be attended with the most serious cOnse-
quenceS.
When the descent is completed the indi-
vidual finds himself or herself, as the case
may be, standing on triangular nook lit
terally covered with loose stones. Two sides
of this triangular nook are bounded by pre-
cipitous crags and the remaining side by a
pent-up sea.
1 is, perhaps, impossible for any one to
attain such perfection in word painting as
to be able to present a full-sized likeness
Of the Giants Causeway. / may say that
the fact those who have not seen it have
generally very vague notions of it is proof
of this declaration. They have either been
misled by the descriptions which they
have read of this wonder of nature, or the
name causeWay itself has led them into err
rOr The common notion of a causeWay is
that it is raised road over wet ground.
In some respects the Giants Causeway con-
forms to this definition, but in others it
does not. Some persons have the idea that
the Giants Causeway is huge bridge with
gigantic pillars and long spans Of stones.
This, it is not. What then, it may be ask
ed, IS II:
When l first saw the Giants Causeway
it presented the general appearance of an
old stone building Of grand proportions, in
and looks at it, the appearance is that
of a vast amount of stones which have
been thrown in every direction from a
structure of enormous size, with here and
there some of the original structure remain
ing. On approaching nearer, this first inn
preston passes away, and another, in ac-
cOrdance with the facts in the case is made.
The coast of Ireland, on which is situated
the Giants Causeway, is winding at that
point in a northeast and southwest direc-
ton. AS above said, the shore is not a level
plain, but a high, precipitous bluff. This
bluff, | suppose, is near two hundred feet
high. From this bluff there juts out into
the sea a strange stone structure, which
gradually decreases, until it is covered by
the waters of the North Channel. In fact,
there are three causeways, which are distin-
guished by the names of the Little, the
Middle or Honey Comb, and the Great or
Grand Causeway.
All of them are tongues protruding from
the side of the precipice and extending into
the sea. At the point where the great
Causeway projects from the side of the preci-
pce it is forty feet high and about the same
in width. 1t gradually widensand becomes
lower, until, at the distance of two hundred
and ten yards, it comes in contact with the
sea and is concealed from view.
In all this, it may be said there is nothing
very wonderful about the Giants Causeway.
This is true. Perhaps other craggy tongues
could he found which project out of a precip-
itous bluff and run down in Il gradual slope
into the sea, but after all there is only one
Giants Causeway, and that one isin County
Antrim, Ireland.
The wonderful thing about the Giants