The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-19
WAKEMAN'SW ANDERINGS
INTERESTING FEATURES OF A
TRAMP THROUGH CORNWALL.


eide Incidents and Homeside Scenes.
(COpyright0
TRURO, CORNWALL, June 3.-Almost
until to-day as time is measured, Corn wall
has been to the remainder of England a
veritable terra incognitd. "West Barbary"
it was CONTEMPORARY called to describe its
uncsnniness. its supposed ignorance and its
popularity accredited semi barbarism. What
weird and desolate Connamara, in Ireland's
wild west, is and has always been to the
Green Isle, this SCARED and ragged PENN
sula has been to England.
OF its 100000 souls, one-tenth, from youth
to death, in darkness pick and blast in shift
and drift beneath its wind swept moors.
Until century since distinct language,
the Cornubian Celtic, was spoken, taught
and preached. To-day in some of the larger
towns "the purest English spoken" is said
to prevail; but again to-day not a league
from these towns, among fisher folks, miners
and peasants, an ordinary Englishnan or
American can scarcely understand a word
uttered. Yet here are life and scenes OF the
greatest fascination; both life and soens of
simplicity, beauty and grandeur while ro-
nance and legend glow wondrously In every
tor, combe and stream; romance and legend
the oldest and most winsome in ali England.
Here lived, or were born to deafness le-
gend Arthur, Launcelot and Guinevere.
and the brave old round table knights
1t is curious shaped bit of land, this
rugged old Cornwall. Its geographic con
tour suggests the strange silhouette of some
couchant gigantic mastiff, or huge wild
beast. 1t is easy to see in its southernmost
outreaching its two powerful fore feet. In
its northern coast line will be found its
bra. Cd anH hrietlip0 Tu
northern projection will be seen an erect
and defiant tail In its eastern Devonshire
boundary are its massive Launches and
hind feet wedged against the eternal granite
Of Devon. And its furthermost sea-sput
ocean-batting promontory 10 the open
mouth of the stone Ieviashan, set savagely
H toward the seething Scilly isles, forever
lashed with spume and fume of Its intermin-
able battles with the Atlantic.
Were you to stand, as l have done on
Il Hensbarrow. one Of its drear and highest
peaks, you could see smiling Devon to the
Il east; almost Lands End, Its farthest west
h ward wall; to Lizard Head, it's remotsst
southern headlsnd; across its entire reach Of
Il hills and moorlands, far out upon st.
Georges channel to the northwest; and over
the white sails Of fisher and coaster to the
southeast even TO the dim cone OF that most
wonderous of all mariners beacons, the
/ splendid Eddvstone light house.
4 buG Sbduuluk On IudG bpOb LlbLlS 9lS0 bnRu
apparent desolation meets the eye The
moorlands stretch dolorously as if in bound
less loneliness. The tors or hills are bleak
and bare. The whole face of nature seems
torn and SCARED, ss if by tremendous ele.
mental struggles. Yet ell these caverns and
Ohasms which disflgure IL were made by the
4 hand of man. Its granite, shals and slate
hide copper, tin and iron. For more than
5000 years its surface has been cleft and its
depths gored and bored until its face is
pitted as If with extinct volcanoes, whose
bases were honsycombed, sometimes to a
miles depth, and, often laterally 80 far out
ward beneath the ocean, that its very she'll
was cracked and broken, until. TO prevent
the sea dropping through, the bottom was
stuffed and plugged aud soldered like q
leaky old basin.
This is what you will see and feel and
know among the downs and tors along the
rocky backbone of Cornwall But along
the north coast, In summer, and every where
upon the south coast in summer and nearly
all winter, are never-ending surprises Of
scenic beauty. Indeed, the entire south
English and Irish coasts are almost semi
tr0pic lands. Seml-tropio bits of land
surely can be found, for 1 have seen at
Bournemouth. at Torquay and at Plymouth.
in England, at Truro, Falmouth and Pen
zauoe, in Cornwall, and at Youghal. along
side Sir Walter Raleigh's old home, In Ire
land roses in full bloom aud mxuriantly
tolisged myrtle out of doors in midwiuter.
Along the way I am leisurely tramping,
with the English channel nearly always in
sight, are innumerable Cornish valleys of
slumberous beauty. Tiny burns and combes
are cut through the walls by the sea.
through every one limpid streams go sing
Ing and tum5ling to the ocean. Along the
valley sides are white hamlets, or the quaint
old homes, the rich acres and the seok herds
OF the thrifty farmers of Cornwall.
Tramp these coast roads but mile, and
you will suddenly stumble upon these lovely
VaIes-the stream, the farms half hidden by
generous foliage dotting the sides fer up the
comoe as eye can reach; here a rumbling
old mill; there q Nesting church; below
you quaint old village; beyond, the tiny
hayea, skirted by the homes OF fish
ers, and specked by odd old
hsheTs' craft; further a tide blowing up be-
tween massive haven walls, or stretch OF
toW-tlde rock and drift; and at last the
bright blue sea. Beautiful scenes are these
ior the eye and heart-mind to dwell upon;
hardly to be found ia such number and win.
someneSs anywhere else upon England's
coast.
Just before you pass from Devonshire
INTO Cornwall you will find most intense the
English suspicion that Cornish folk are q
sort Of barbarians. The landlord of the little
nm where lodged in Plymouth. though ad-
uniting that he had never crossed the
aIhar, commlseratngly ventured the
sympathetic remark that he'd be blessed If
Le wouldn't prefer Whitechapel to Corn
wall
Wy, n them Cousin jacks knows nowt
put tin" he added with flourish. mig
gar blood in 'em too, they do say. Black as
plE mouth, 'alf on 'em. An blessed if
oull get nowt t'eat better m 'cgtfans n
taggans, from Saltash t. Lands Hend."
Ills words were true as to the dark COM
piexions of most of the Cornish people. In
miles distance of Devonshire you are
eAong another race of men than the fair
1ceo phlegmatio English. Faces are every
uefe seen of a distinct eastern type; and
eIy eastern blood, whether jewish, from
Jewish mine owners of ]. 900 years ago, or
1oih the Phunician traders Of an earlier
ErIoo, Is still rich in Cornish veins. 1t gives
re and there the waxeu olive skin, almost
!Versally the glossy black curling hair
uark eyes, and statures short, compact
NO people in the world are more clannish
more resent encroachment by marriage
~ social and business affairs than the
nsh. Their olden language, supersti-
As and traditions are all Celtic. They are
@assloned, impulsive and excitable, as are
CeiVs; but they possess a dumb patience,
IL. aggressive defensiveness against inno-
80 and an humble and steadfast thrift
80 reveals something like the Jewish