Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-19
A BEAUTIFUL ISLAND.
The Spot Where the Atlantic Cables
Touch the European Shore.
ONCE A HAUNT FOR PIRATES BOLD.
Points Of Historical Interest in the Imme-
diate Vicinity.
A TRIP TO THE GREAT sKELLIG ROCK

| rcoRREsPoNDENcEo OF THE DIsPATCH.I
KNIeBTsTowN, IRELAND, May eff
anyone ever heard of Valentia Island, Ire
land, the thought concerning it is likely to
have only taken on the commercial form of
its being bit of land off the southwest Irish
coast to which and from whence the needs
and news Of the new and the Old World are
day and night flashed over the Atlantic
cables, the successful laying of the first of
which was accomplished in July, 1866. But
no spot within the myriad entraneing
places provided among the natural beauties
of Ireland, can be found more enjoyable
from its own winsomeness and grandeur.
1t is an emerald gem cut out of the north
western corner of the peniDsular barony of
Iveragh, in county Kerry, with the sea ever
laundering against the sublime cliffs Of its
southwest and northwest faces, and sloping
to verdure-clad beaches, kissed by silvery
waters which, 1and-locked, wimple along
its northeast and southwest shores.
The entrance from the northwest TO the
sunny roadstead and harbor behind it, is
narrow and picturesque indeed. 1t sweeps
past the Island headland that frowns above
the ocean at the south; furnishes to the
north the grandly beautiful perspective of
Doulus' Head, overhung by the mountains
of Kilane behind; divides past misty and
mystic island and islet; stretches one shin
ing arm between purple heights to the north
east; and lays another lovingly back to the
southeast harborward, over against the
beautiful Kerry shores and along the low
lying edge of the islands upland-creeping
Ill IL
clustering cabins in a setting and scene of
somnolence and natures luxuriance, which
recall the dreamful atmospheres and enVi-
ronment of the semi-tropical nests along the
quaint Riviera.
PIRATES RENDEZVOUS.
The island has a Spanish instead of an
Irish name. All the western and south |
western portion of Ireland, from its discov- |
cry until as late as the year 1900, was occu-
pied by Spaniards; and Valentia, named in |
honor of the fine old Spanish town of Va
lencia, on the Turia, near its mouth in the |
Mediterranean, was especially beloved BY
the ireebooters of that nation. The harbor,
with noble entrance from the sea, at both
the northern and southern extremities, was
particularly adapted for a rendezvous of
this SOFT The pirates set their watches
upon the headlands and promontories.
|
of the harbor any ship of war directed en-
trance. No sooner was this known than
the privateer gaily sailed out at the other;
and if chase was made in that direction, the
flying craft frequently saucily sailed in at
the other again.
Among the fishermen, some Of whom, as
at Galway, show traces of their olden Span
ish extraction, are found the queerest tales
of specter pirate ships; and of one in partic-
nj rrbiob at - L. |
and turn of the tide, sails thrice around the
island at night in search of its skipper bold,
who lost his head in an engagement here
with one of Queen Anne's ships of war.
Singularly enough this phantom ship is
manned by hobgoblin dullaghans. These
are the spooks you are likely to come upon,
if you are little soft upon the subject of
fairies, who carry their heads under their
arms, in their pockets, or even leave them |
behind altogether if in great hurry. They
are solely OF Irish extraction; and the SUI !
perstition bellies even the ancient Irish peo- !
pie, fairies included, who never furnished .
pirates for any craft or seas. But Cromwell 1
in 1649 put an end to the French as we'll as
Spanish pirates of this lovely retreat, and
built two stone forts, one at each entrance
from the sea, where lighthouses now stand;
and where among the ruins of the ancient
fortresses may be found many of the queer
|
A CABLE CENTER.
Coming as a tourist to the Island of Va
lentia, you would ride 45 miles by long
car" from Killarney, and make your head
quarters at Cahirsveen; or cross the little
ferry three miles below, where the harbor is
but half mile wide coming directly into
the chief island hamlet of Knightstown.
where there is more than one quaint little
Irish inn; a few cottage homes where !
wealthy English and Irish families pass
part of each summer for the magnificent
boating, bathing, fishing and scenery of the
locality; and an isolated group Of unpre-
tentious buildings at the southern edge of
the hamlet, is the working headquarters of
the Atlantic Telegraph Company. Three ]
cables are now operated at this point, one of
which is in direct communication with !
in North Germany. Messages
from all parts of America are sent direct 4;
via New York, Cape Breton, Newfoundland
and Valentia, to Embden and all portions
Of Continental Europe: .
The operating rooms are only two in num- s
Der. In one of these, operators are ex- c
,lusively at work upon the Embden cable q
messages. As the instruments spell out the q
American message under transmission from =
Newfoundland, it is so promptly forwarded :
rom Valentia that the first half OF the dis : :
patch is at Embden before the last half has :,
Wholly left Newfoundland. The other room =
S exclusively y devoted to stock exchange and e
press messages; from six to ten operators :
)eing thus employed. These messages are " !"
wholly transmitted in cipher; and some =
dea of the rapidity and promptness of the
york may be formed from the fact that a :,
New York, Boston or Philadelphia broker :,
eels very much aggrieved if he cannot -
ecure London answer to q cable message !.
n neida of IN mil Thara a1fooafhar | ~
'erhaps, two-score men employed in various :;
apacities by the cable company at Knights n
own, and with their families they form | =,
most pleasant little colony in this remote "
nd unfrequented corner of Ireland.
ALITTLE KINGDOM. =,
The area OF Valentia Island is a trife over
900 acres. 1t is about five miles long and :.
ut two in breadth. The Knight of Kerry IL
its titled owner. His lodge is a most d
picturesque structure overlooking the bay W
nd magni6cently environed. Agriculture ii
J carried on to a considerable EXTENT some al
the finest cattle of Ireland are bred and -
razed here; the island contains one of the -
lost splendid slate quarries of Europe, pro- .,
ucing states of such remarkable size that h,
BUR will form the walls, and Fl tn the ~
oof of a fairly-sized cottage; and the huts -
many OF the fishers of the southwest coast =
D delightful picturesqueness dot the entire
caches of both the island and mainland
lores.
determined before departure from the
'uthwest coast to perform the dangerous
,at of trip to the Great Skellig rock, and pl
n ascent of its loftiest and most inaccessi- T.
lie peak. The Skelligs are the most south in
esterly extensions of Ireland They are nj
roperly three in number, lying in a direct "a
ne southwest from Port Magee. The first
nd the least, is called Lemon Rock 1t is
round solid mass rising only few feet
bove the water. The second and next
lrger is called Little, or Lesser, Skellig, de
nd is craggy grouping OF rocky pima
les, standing grim and black against the m
"; as though some city of churches with he
ondrous steeples had been submerged, an
caring above the waves their mighty Gothic