The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-09-29
SEA-FARiNO WOMEN.
The Skill with which Those OF West Ire
land Handle the Oar and Hudder.

|
Tho women OF these coasts and
Islands are as skillful as the men IN
| handling tho oar and ruddcr. They
know every sunkcn rock and danger
Gus current of tho intricate channels
| between the great island Of Aran and
the mnin land, and take the boats in
and out IN all wcathcrs. For many
| years q Grace Darling Of this Western
coast, tho daughter Of IA pilot who
lived on Fights Island. went out in
storm and darkness with her old
father, never trusting him alone as
sho knew his weakness for whisky.
This brave girl never 1inchcd from
facing the widest gales, fearing that
disaster might bcfall her father, and
the vessels IL was his business 20 guide
tho helm. Many n ships crew beating
about between Aran and OWcy owed
its preservation 10 Nellie Doyle. Two
sisters have taken the post boat into
Aran for many years past, their father,
John Nancy, being now old and iniirm.
The bcctling cliffs and cchoing caves
OF this dangerous coast have n weird
charm Of their own, and tho simple
people born within tho sound OF the
Atlantic surgcs cling with n surpris'
Ing tcnacity TO their matched and
ropod cottages, sheltered behind huge
round-b backed rocks. In the hOllows OF
which they grow their patches OF po-
tatocs and stuntcd oats and barley.
Tho number OF these dwellings,
starting up out OF what from hfar
looks like II stony desert, both by tho
sea, and for miles inland, is startling
20 us who reflect on tho possibilities OF
subsistence afforded by this sO-callcd
land. Tho unfailing bog affords nm-
pie fuel, IL Is true, and the potato
crop, when rs good as now, will last
throughout tho winter.
In II good season such M this tho
oats have IA chance Of getting stacked
before tho cquinoctinl galos begin TO
blow. Well 10 would DO II those oats,
ground into meal, might form II larger
part Of tho staple food Of Donegal.
Strong tea, boiled In tho "wco pOt
beside tho turf cmbcrs, with bakcr'a
bread. have takcn tho place Of tho
wholesome bonc-mnking pOrridgo on
which the canny Scot still lives.
To buy groceries money Is needed,
md We wonder how this can bo earned
hero. Kclp, or soa-wccd, burning used
60 bring thom money; and this year,
too, thin pillars Of bluo smoke are ris-
Ing MI round by tho sea, showing, let
us hope, that trade In iodine is brisk,
Tho fishing ought TO bc II fruitful
source OF prosperity TO the ROsscs, but
on this subject u resident writes in
1884 M follows:
"To tho north Of AranmOrc, scrctch-
Ing nway 10 the northwest Of Tory,
thoro Is IA fine fishing bank, whore all
kinds of fish might be caught every
day In tho ycor with suitable boats and
gear. In very fno weather our small
craft often go out from four to six
milos of Arun Heads. Next day They
NIL como back laden, and after such II
take all the other boats i'm the ncigh-
borhood will 60 out IL may be that n
breeze springs up, the sea rises In tho
middle Of II good catch, then nll have
10 run for home or shelter. Large,
woll-httod fishing smacks could stny
out thcro for days and mako plenty OF
money, too; but facilities for the transit
and salo OF fish thcro aro mono. ~
WOndR'S World