St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-23
THOUSANDS IN Want
Michael Davitt Makes a Quiet
Visit to the Arran
Islands.
He Carries a Fund for the
Purpose Of Buying the
People Food.
The Great Leader IdoliZed by
the Starving Island
Residents.
Story Of the Hunger and
Death in Fisherman Bra
baZon's Cabin.
BlakeIr Ian in Boston Globe.

Blakely Hall in Boston Globe.
AEEAN ISLANDS, Galway Bay, Feb.
1S.-Micha2l DaVitt, accompanied by
your correspondent, arrived here yes
terday. after Il final and heartleSS bit of
diplomacy directed toward the British
detectives.
The misery and destrtution on the
islands Is 50 great that imperative relief
was demanded. \ fund was placed III
Mr.. Dayitt's hands for the purpose of
supplying the people with food. When
we left the hotel at Galway early yes
terday morning, three detectives fol-
lowed IL to the wharf. There was but
one Sailboat there, and we engaged it.
''HoW far is it to the Arran islands,"
Thirty miles" said the boatman,
with glance at the clouds. It'll take
lis till night t'get there with this wind"
lis there Il shorter way?"
''rhere is
"What is ita''
Take 4 car along the shore till you
come to Costello bay, an thin sail tin
miles across the channel"
III we don't take your boat" re-
marked MI Davitt, gazing dreamily at
a great disturbance at an upper pier,
what Viii YOU do?'
Faith. yer honor, I'll sail down the
How ftr?:'' ~
About twelve miles"
''COuld you make it double the dis
tamce""
Il could sail ahead then. and be sure
that our friends beyond there do not
catch YOU
The skipper looked ahead. grinned
deIightedly. and. calling his men, ran
up the mainSail. shook out the iib and
moved away. We were sheltered from
view by pile of bales. The disturb
ance at tie adjoining pier had at last
settled down into bargain,
and the three detectives set out to
sea in long rowboat manned by four
men. They evidently thought we were
in the cabin of the Sloop, and the Irish
skipper OF the staunch little vessel kept
up the delUSion to the immense delight
of himself and his crew by holding long
and excited conversations with nobody
IN the cabin. The SlOop sailed away,
and after il struggled the rowboat, with
the spray daShing over the budding
figures of the officers in the stern
sheets.
8 Our haunting car started along the
smooth roads an hour later, and we saw
no more of the chase of the fishing boat
that day. The long drive of twenty
four miles was broken by the crowds
that checred Mr.. Davitt whenever we
passed through villages. Finally we
came TO the end of civilization, and
stopped for bite before crossing a
bleak moor to the edge of Costello bay.
II had grown late and very cold. The
driver alone was imperviOus to the
weather.
Dis here place is famous. Mr..
Davitt." he said. indicating the road
with Il sweep of his whip, FIR bein'
young Dlan WIZ wa'kin' along here
Rbout four years ago, all alone wild
his pig, Whih fairy seq t i'm: 'Phat'll
y ave. young man?' Faith, FL hey
cOOmpaniOn az me own age t talk an
sing wild Shall | change yer pig into
young man" Aye SO sayin', the
fairy up an done it, an the pair av thin
walked along happy an chatty till dey
comes Ia Il vine where touSands Of
man ate his full, an stopped as gintle-
man should. TIL sicOnd, which WIZ
vance pig, ate like a pig, an couldn't
stop. Faith, he groveled. Thin TIL
first young man yelt, 'WanSe apig, allus
n pig am tn other young man was
changed back into pig agin."
''Do you believe all that?'' | asked.
''Indade [ do. Why should l not,
whin me own mudder seed it wild her
own eyes,
1t was / o'clock before we started for
the biggest of the
THREE ARRAN ISLANDS
We found a fishing boat of about
forty tons burden and chartered her to
take Us over. The man demanded the
eXorbtant sum of shilling for carry
ing Us ten miles.
A. io clio &.c-;% -
''fur our luk'S bin bad. We fShed fer
two days an only caught two fish. We
traded wan av tn fish fur bush'l av
pertatics, an afther carryin' tn Spuds
three miles tn mate slipped an split tn
hull lot Oyerboard.''
This tale was told with a horror
struck face as we talked in the teeth of
a bowling wind that sent the spray from
stem 10 stern. 1t was rough sailing, and
we were drenched half an hour after
the start.
Fer weeks at a time" the skipper
said, no boat kin git to or from tn
islands so rough is the water, an thin
tn poor divils have T. go widout letters
an news an sometimes food. Nanny a
boats bin wrecked on this bay"
L thought of the detectives in the row
boat and wondered where they were.
It was dark when we swung past
a small pier. But despite the gloom,
the boat had been seen, and the pier was
crowded by motley group of half-clad
men and women, who recognized Mr..
Dayitt in the glare of the lantern, and
divinii@ that he had come OH a mission
of mercy and benevOlence they raised
cheer that echoed back and forth be-
tween the stony hills half dozen
times. Some of the people ran
ahead 70 tell the priest the news
and the others tralnped silently after
Us. As we assembled the hilI
the door of small cottage was thrown
open aud the parish priest, Father
O'DonuEhue, and his curate, Father
Farra@her, came ont. They were on
blum. and as they hurried down the
rocks 10 meet us the gale blew their
robes wildly TO and fro. The chill
dren. dancing and screecling wildly
around the two priests, looked like
demons in the half light. The peopIe
broke into Wild shouts. The arrival of
Mr.. Davitt meant food, and MANY of
them were literally starving.
Its The most notifying thing in the
world to me TO be obliged to appeal TO
charity again this year." said Father
O'DOnOghue. after we had been warmed
and fed. but what can L do? My peo-
pie are simply starving to DEATH The
potato crop has failed, and there is no
market for their kelp. They have not
the money for buying the elaborate and
expensive vessels and tackle necessary
to fish successfully in these stormy seas,
and the result is that our 5000 people
are in absolute want. Unless they get
some seed potatoes and immediate re-
lief from hunger, the death rate will go
on increasing appallingly."
''Is the soil so bad?''
There is nc soil to speak Of For
oonturioS tba naopla bava dur +bo eo,,d