The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-09-21

point commanding a beautiful view O
the coast and the outspread ocean, W
took the electric cars for the Giant
Causeway, eight miles distant. The tram
way follows the line of the coast as closet,
as practicable. presenting charming vista
of head lands and grim rocks, will
bright sparkling waves breaking on tn,
broad sands below. We passed the giant
in white chalk, and Duuluce Castle, grim
silent, and lonely, every curve in the
road bringing out in holder relief the
striking outline of the coast. The termi
nus reached, we began the rocky descent
to old oceans level, the peculiar forma.
tions on every hand making up study
of rocks and verdure as novel as it was
fascinating. Finally we recognized the
outline of the Causeway projecting ocean
wards, dwaried as we look down at it,
by the over-towering head lands. This
appointing at first, the pier or promentory
of basaltic rocks not being SO high or
colossal as visitors generally have pic
tured it in their minds eye. As you and
my readers generally are aware, it de-
rives its name f.om mythical legend
that it was the beginning of road to be
built by the Giants across the channel to
Scotland, this fancy being sustained by
the fact, that a similar formation can be
found at Fingal's Cave on the coast of
Scotland. The fact further is, that the
| Causeway is of volcanic origin, and if the
ocean could be drained between Scotland
and Ireland, the continuous formation
would be traceable in it's entirety. As
seen on the Irish coast, the Causeway
is a part of an extensive and everything
mass of basaltic rock from three to five
| hundred feet in thickness which covers
nearly the whole county of Antrim ex-
| tending over ali area of about a thousand
| square miles, the basalt occurring in
several beds stratitied with layers of ash
and chalk. A number of these basaltic
stltutes the curiosity of the Causeway,
that is, they are eolumnar in shape,
standing on their ends, the angle of incli
nation being very slight. These columns
are principally hexagonal, although many
are found with five, seven, eight and nine
sides, the general diameter of the pillars
being from fifteen to twenty inches, strik-
ing feature of them being the sectional
joints of unequal lengths into which the
pillars are divided, the concave hollow at
the end of one section, fitting exactly
into the convex projection of the other.
No stone cutters chisel could dress these
rocks more smoothly than nature has
done, they being set with joints SO clean
cut and close that the thin blade of PEN
knife cannot penetrate them. The lively
imagination of the Irish has invested the
entire locality with interesting conceits,
and traced in the outlines pictured
against the sky, many suggestive profiles.
Away off you dimly see what to your
local associate or guide is as clear as day,
the head of the giants grandmother.
INDUSTRIOUS woman that she was, she was
petrified for marrying her third husband
while her first two were still living.
''Served her right, she ought to have
been turned to stone for being so hard
hearted, " said a lady at my elbow. Right
over there sir, you see the chimney pots
which you notice are strikingly like those
of Dunluce Castle. 1t was this fortunate
resemblance sir that saved our island
from invasion by the Spanish Armada,
which mistook these for the real ones
further along the coast, and cost them
dearly for their mistake" Here the
"wishing chair" in which every maiden
making her choice, secures the husband
she wants before a twelve. month, and so
through the long catalogue of curious
formations each invested with these oft
repeated legends Of the coast. Scarcely
less interesting and curious are the Ocean
Caverns, which can be entered on low
tide by boat. Tossed by the restless waves
which surge and beat in these dark
abodes of Neptune's imps, your sensa-
tions vary according to the condition of
your stomach. The varying colors of the
interiors of the caves are simply charming
in depth and delicacy of hue, with the
bright green tufts of Maiden s. Hair-fern
lending them additional beauty.
We had "done' every point of interest
at hand, and had just remarked to my
friend Mr.. Mailheur, that l must now
hunt up the birthplace of my friend,
when little coincidence happened that
served me very good purpose. We were
| passing booth at which small cabinets
of minerals, and local souvenirs were
sold, when an Irishman sitting on bench
in front of it, speaking to me said.
(which OF the States do you hail from
sir?" "How do you know that come
from the States at alp said l. "Ah mon
he replied, IF had dropped down on
We in America, ye would we'll know I'm
Irish. could not take me sign in, no
more can you mon." That's so I con-
fessed. Pm from Maryland said l. MARY
land" said he ! "Why me mon I've been
there" Do ye know little town twixt
Baltimore and Pniladelphy called Elk
town, where I was twelve years ago to
see my relative, a man by the name OF
Billy Falls who kept the Howard House?
tGWa1l 7 xuhu hot rpha 7
said |, surprised as we'll as gratitied to
have the question asked me on the North
coast of Ireland. Billy Falls "Why of
course know him." and it wasn't many
minutes before had around me little
crowd of Billy's old Irish friends every
man plying me with questions about him,
and his brother Hugh. To make long
| story short the man who discovered me
Laverty-and David McConehaugh an
old friend of Billy's took me to Mrs
| Francis Kane who from the beautiful
within stones throw. right in front of
US, where Billy Falls was born, and where
his father and Uncle both had lived. |
can very readily understand the attach
ment those born in the extreme North OF
Ireland cherish for it, for it is indeed
beautiful to look upon.
| Belfast to which we returned in the
evening claimed my attention the next
day until the hour for the train for the
| steamer which we took at four O'Clock.
| 1t is a beautiful city with wide and we'll