Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-10

one day in fair weather, this was humble
compensation indeed. He awakened me
before dawn, as the tide would shortly be
going out, and after hasty breakfast of
"bannocK-cake, eggs and milk-posset, /
came to the waterside to find nv man wait
ing for me in an affair that could hardly be
described as a diminutive wagon hay-rack,
but certainly had no right to the appella-
ton of boat.
care We going in this?'' inquired pro-
testingly.
"Arrah an we are that, me sundown."
But, by all the saints, wen drown"
Its by thin same"-and here he crossed
himself reverently-"well not. Faith an
livery wan o. their blissed selves, God give
them powerI'
FAMOUS BOAT.
The curragh as it is, and was, resembles
in form dimlnutive square-end scow, with
perpendicular sides, and long angles from
its ends to the square bottom. Some are
made with square sterns and raised square
prows. Others again are similar in shape
to the pecan nut she'll, cut in halves length
wise. But they are all made with light
oiser or bent wood frames, covered with
tarred canvas. While their carrying ca
s
! they are still so light that any western
coast boatman will readily pick one up,
with all of its belongings, and carry it away
upon his head.
The ancient curragh,, or coracle was pre-
! cisely the counterpart of the curragh Of these
waters to-day, save that it was covered with
rawhideS. Ali coastwise testimony has 1t
that wonderful feats of seamensh1p and dar-
ing are performed in these curraghs; that
the most savage seas are braved in them,
and that the little craft skim the most dan
gerous serfs like birds OF the air; but l
know nothing of this of my own experience,
for our passage was as calm as upon land
locked lake in June.
The faint outlines of the Arran Islands
soon came in view. The sunlight from the
east playing upon their misty clouds formed
a strange mirage above. This continued
along the seas horizon to the north, with
diminishing but magical distinctness. The
splendid scene drew from me an expression
of enthusiastic surprise; and this led to
some interesting revelations of belief which
1 find is shared in varying degree and form,
by all the waterside folk of the Irish west
ern coast.
''Yez may we'll say there's more nor three
islands (the actual number of the Arran
group. More's like they be 300!"
Three hundred? And where are tney z
"Where % This with lofty disdain.
IGNORANCE is BLISS.
''Where! Beyant, there''-with q COM
prehensive gesture towards the western hori-
zon-"to be sure" Then, as if to give op-
portunity for penitential introspection upon
my surprising American ignorance, he re-
lapsed into a stern and wrinkly-faced
silence FINALLY he continued.
"Sure aany one knows thin islands,"
''What are they called?" ventured tim
orously.
''CaiIed. is it? An for phat an for
whv?"
Have they no names?-how do you speak
of them among yourselves?"
''Anything's aisy among oursel's."
"But their names? Now you've name"
81 have that, bliss God!-Conn Leahy,
sor. Sorra a man would be, lackin' that
littler'
"But, come now, how would you speak of
these islands, Conn.,"
"Wid respect sorr'
THANK you, Conn"
1 put my notebook away gently, and
gazed at the wondrous mirage, where lay
these isles of Irish superstition. Then there
came long wrangle, in Celtic, between the
boatman and his shock-headed lad assistant,
in which heard the words wanted. Then
a long silence; and finally a little rest in
Conn's rowing.