Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-08-21
THE WELSH C0RACLE.
THE ORIGIN AND CONSTRUCTION OF
AN OLD TIME CRAFT.

method of its navigation? The case for
the antiquity of coracles is a pretty
strong one. for there is evidence of their
use by the British III the time of the Ro-
MANS but such has been the uprooting
of cherished beliefs in recent times that
few people probably would be surprised
TO hear that coracles had never been
heard of before the middle of the last
century, and thatthe first had been used
not by Noah, as the prevalent belief in
Wales is. but by one David Jones tof
locker celebrity. of LIangollen There
is much in the coracle. however. which
tavors tlie idea thaCit is primitive boat
That large wicker basket covered with
skins would float is AN idea which might
occur to man at an early stage of civ
llIZation, that it might be made big
enough to hold man, or even two, and
that 1t would be convenient for crossing
rivers, and even for floating down them.
while its Iightness would make it easily
carried up them, would merely be a de-
velopment of the first idea. We there
fore 1--WE hope not rashIy) believe in the
Welsh legend Of the antiquity of the
coracle, not going further back, however.
at present, than Roman times.
But the present coracle is, as might
be expected, development, but by no
means very advanced one; the wicker
has given place to ashen Iaths and the
skins to tarpaulin Coracles vary in
shape slightly, and also in size. There
are single and double ones-i. e., to hold
one person or two. The largest size
Of double coracie weighs about sixty
pounds; the smallest single one, per-
haps thirty pounds. The nearest thing
to it in shape that we can think of is
one Of those large walnut shells into
which Limerick gloves used to be
slowed, and which IN bygone ages were
considered suitable presents for ladies'
There is a considerable bilge, the bottom
OF the coracle being much wider than
the top; the largest and heaviest draw
only two or three inches of water; a
narrow plank is fixed across the center
for a seat
The extreme crankness Of the craft
may be inferred from the method of
getting into it; you put one leg in, sit
ting down with the same action, and
then draw the other in carefully after
10 people of some temperanents it is
somewhat exciting to know that there is
eolly piece of tarred canvas between
them and a raging flood. and that there
are rocks and fallen trees under the dis
colored water; but good coracleman
manages his boat very skillfuIly with his
SIngle paddle held in one hand and Just
as you are in the middle of the turmoil
of fearful rapid, with rocks ahead and
Oh each side, on which shipwreck seems
inevitable, a dexterous sweep of the pad
die takes you between the breakers, and,
before you can wink comfortably, you
find yourself in the pool below, gliding
along in perfect serenity.
Coracles are used in many Welsh
streams and on the Severn, but, we be-
lieve, little elsewhere in England. The
most systematic use of them, and the
longest voyages made, are on the Dee, in
the Vale Of Llangouen, the wizard
stream" Of Milton; the "holy Dee" 1.-THE
dear brother Of Severn" of Drayton, the
sacred Dee" Of Tennyson; and verify
the scenes through which the coracle
fisherman on the Dee passes are ever re-
curing scenes Of enchantment
From no position can river scenery be
so well seen as from the middle of the
stream; and when one pictures to ones
self voyage of d dozen miles along the
windings of a river in such vale as that
Of LlaBgolhen, it is easy to conceive that
lovely bits of scenery are repeated at
every turn.
Now the frail craft dashes down
rapid, the waves boiling on either side of
it; now it giides on the surface of a long,
deep. silent pool, buried in the woods,
over the tops of which the purple hills
appear. The foliage is rich beyond be-
lief, and in the spring and autumn its
varied colors give the most. charming eff
feet Cool moses deep clothe the
banks, wild flowers peep forth.
Animals are not very shy of the
coracle, trout take the fly close to it,
sandpipers fit about with the most
transparent pretense of being there only
for amusement and Of having no nest
anywhere in the neighborhood, water
ousels show their white threats and lit
tie round bodies on the rocks for a mo
ment and are gone, an occasional king
fisher flashes past. his splendid colors
glowing in the sunlight, willow wrens
hop jerkily about on the banks, and
bright eyed water voIes eye you curious
iy before they take their plunge.
Accidents rarely happen in a coracle:
Where the river is very difficult, the
man who paddles makes the fsherman
get out, and some times the ship itself is
landed and carr led past dangerous
place Formerly coracles used to be
carried for long distances on the mems
backs; now the railway has come to the
fskiermans ASST stance, and his boat goes
wit h him to tt e station nearest to his
startling point, and from thence is carried
to the river, If hole is knocked in the
bottom of the boat by a rock or the
branch of . slnken tree, the coracie man
paddles to the bank. lifts out his coracle,
lights piece of taper he always carries
with him, meEts the tar on patch of
tarpaulin ne produces from somewhere,
and sticks 1T over the hole like a large
piece Of sticking plaster; in few min
uteS it dries. and you are OIL again.
Saturday Review.
Forsoane re ason or other, references to
Saul of TaTssas are very popular in the
Massachusetts legislature; and The Bos-
ton Herald tells how John Quincy
Adams once 4a.ferred to the great apostle
as -@the gentla nan from Tarsus.
Fsa TAD to Piety.