Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-20


 graphy of the Emerald Isle was once sug gested by writer who likened 1t to terra queous trencher, rhomboidal in form, the circle inscribed within it's lozenge-shaped paralehogram comprising 8 vast field of ] limestone, the mountains of granite, clay slate and quartz of the island being found outside the described circle ill the angles of the rim of this "terraqueous trencher."
 The excellent exactness of this will be seen from glance at the map of Ireland and the general contour of it's mountain ranges. Beginning near Cork are the Knock mealdown mountains running along between the Blsckwater and Suir in county Water- ford. Thence extending around to the east and north are the ranges furnishing the no- bIe height of Lugnaquiila, and the surpass- ing scenery of the Dargle. Luggelaw. Glen daloch and Glenmalure in county Wicklow. Beyond Dublin, and the plains of Meath, the one exception of an Irish sea-coast plain, come the Mourne mountains and the heights of Down, followed on the northeast coast by
 the splendid Antrim heights, which at their extreme north furnish that most curious ge- ologic phenomenon, the Giants Caussway.
 Following these on the weird north coast are the splendid headlands of Loughs Foyle and Swilly, backed by legend haunted Slieve Snaght and the Inishowen mountains; while around the wild, desolate and sometimes awful northwest, where the sea beats cease lessly upon "dauntless Donegal" are innu- merable heights within which nestles and slumbers romantic Glenveagh, and above whose highest crsgs rises the cold and gilt tering cone of lone Errigal. Then along the west coast, where the thunders of the ocean are never silent, are the rugged fastnesses of Sligo and Mayo, watched over by their dark and frowning sentinel, mighty old Croagh Patrick; these in turn followed by those grand and desolate solitudes of Connamara, the Twelve Pins of Bunnabeola. Below the headlands of the Arran Islands and Galway Bay are the great ranges of limestone heights, giving to the Atlantic oa the one side the Moher Cliffs, the most magnificent sea-clifs in the world, and overlooking at the other the valley of the Shannon and that wide flowing and storied river itself. Then in that tremendous sea-reaeh of southwestern Ireland, comprising the counties of Cork, Limerick and Kerry Kingdoms each not so very long ago), which sends it's half dozen oloud-wreathed promontories far into the Atlantic between the greatest and mightiest, though desolate, bays and harbors of the world, are the Lacfodery group in the north of Kerry, the Boggra ranges extending vests ward through county Cork; and the two seemingly expanding into their highest ele vations in central Kerry. Here are the Paps, the Mangarton peaks. the heights of Mulla- ghanatin and Boughil, all eliminating in the highest ground in Ireland, above the lofty Macgillicuddy's Reeks, in the grizzled peaks of Carrsntuohill, to which I tramped from the old city of Tralee, the capital of Kerry, and the ancient seat of authority of the powerful, brave and unfortunate Desmonds; in order to stand upon the very highest ele- vation in Ireland and contemplate the Kill larney region. For here, winding between the heads of those grandly great and mag ni6cent bays of Dingle and Kenmare, boz somsd between, or at the edges of, the no- blest mountains of Ireland lies that trinity ] of enckantment, the lakes of Killarney. Their majestic power and charm sooner or later brings every world-traveler to them; l but the thrill their very name causes in eve- l ry Irish exile's heart is beyond the power of l conception or expression by one of other na- l
 
 this heart-passion in America under most | unromantio circumstances. Early one Sun l day morning I was strolling along the Hud- ! son, when on coming to tho little Riverside Park at the foot of West Eighty tyseventh street in New York, I found it's only other occupant to be an Irish laborer, engaged during the week among the blasting gangs in that vicinity. He was smoking his pipe and gazing dresnilY across the placid river upon the hazy Jersey heights above. 1 sat down beside him and we were soon talking about Ireland, of county Kerry, of which he was a native, and, of necessity, of Killarney, it's fondest pride. Finally silence followed; he puffed at his pipe and we both looked across the river again. felt he saw klllar- ney even in this mean mimicry of blue and heights and haze; and I said quietly:
 It looks little like Killarney, doesn't it?"
 As if his thoughts and longings were in- supportable, he sprang from the bench; dashed his pipe to the ground; and Ainging his arms above his head with an indescriba. ble gesture of desperate protest at change- less absence from things loved, blurted out piteously:
 "Manim asthee hu, Cill-airneadh!" (My soul is within the, KillarneyD
 I thought of this yesterday among the Kerry peasantry over behind the Carrantuo- hill, where you will hear little else than Gae- lie, and where they will tell you strange le- qends about this highest mountain in Ire.
 
 close the Gaelic meaning of its name. A carran is an ancient reaping- hook and tuat- hail means left-handed. Thus Carrantuohill means 0 left-hsnded, or inverted, reaping hook. And if you will climb the majestic peak as I did, and descend through the grewsome Hsg's Valley. you will see that it's concave edge is tremendous serrated rim, whose mighty clefts and projecting crags form innumerable jagged teeth, cut as clear ly against the clouds as ever teeth were cut in the ancient utensil, whose similarity in reversed form gave the mountain it's name.
 was told by a score of the peasantry that any attempt to scale Carrsntuohill would re- suit in my being "kilt entirely" But as had climbed every height in Ireland, from storied Tara Hill, away around the eastern, northern and western coasts, set out before daylight without trepidation. Although the spring is now we'll advanced in southern Ire- land, at about twenty-five hundred feet above the sea I reached the worst impedi- ment where snow began. For here were countless bog pockets, filled with melted snow and ice, into which I frequently plunged to my waist. Wherever turned an impossible barrier of slush and sink holes seemed ready to impede my passage. Two hours were consumed in surmounting this difficulty; but that overcome, whatever dangers I might have ignorsntly escaped, no discomforts attended the remaining tru- ly Alpine ascent, not easily overcome by one or orulnary nerve ana muscle. The day was clear and balmy, and already even | in the highest attitudes the softening in- | fuence of the sun upon the almost crystal | encrustation was perceptible. Here and l there black crag points jutted through the | shroud like mountain cap, and a good l footing was always securable through trl, | fling dexterity. At eleven o'clock had gained the summit, and was at the nonieso height that man eau attain by mere leg | force in Ireland. If for no other reason than to secure an exact mental photograph
 of the physical contour of the Killarney