The record-union., 1892-12-10
Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright, 1921

Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright, 1921
RAMSEY, Isle Of Man, Nov 26, 1892.
You will always have the Isle of Man
clearest as a series of charming pictures
in your memory after you have sailed
around the island. 1t is only a little
journey of seventy-fve or eighty miles.
The steamers bring you from Douglas to
Douglas again in only six hours time.
Pleasanter still is it to engage smart
little craft and alone or with friends idle
along at will with wind or tide, gaining
much Manx color and feeling from your
grave and serious skipper's tales, and
coming close to the fisher life of the
countless half hid coves and bays.
Beside, in this way with good marine
glass you can scan every foot of Manx-
land. There is nowhere a greater dis
tance than six or seven miles from high
est mountain peak to edge of circling sea.
The beautiful typographical configuration
OF the island is thus made memorable.
From mile or two at sea, off Douglas,
which shines from its crescent bay with
almost the brilliancy of Naples, the chief
mountain range shows at its best. 1t ex-
tends three-fourths of the islands length,
almost as centrally as a line could be
drawn.
And everyone of these pleasant Manx
mountains is in full view. THERE'S South
Barruie, the southernmost. Then comes
the Cairn and Greeba. Between these is
the great valley pass leading from Doug
las, the maritime eastern capital of Man,
TO ancient Peel, its western port, fine
old fishing town, reminding of Cornish
1T. Ives. a flood Of light seems to break
aal H. i,
Between the Cairn and Greeba is the
famous ManX Mecca Of Druidic origin,
IynwaId Mount, where all the laws OF
Mainland are still annually proclaimed
Golden, Sartfel and BENNY Phott
group closely to the north, and then
comes Snaeiell, mountain monarch of
ManXIand, his only northern rival, giant
North Barrule, which breaks into savage
MaughOld Head, by pleasant Ramsey
bay. 1t IS a strange feeling that you can
see half the homes of the entire Manx
nation at glance. From the top of
Snaeieu you can see them all. Besides,
from the same place You can look far into
Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.
Coasting to the north, the ever chang
ing panorama of mountains constantly
IN view, first comes LaXey Bay and. viii
lage, the latter at the entrance to a witch
ing glen, surrounded by noble hills
whose sides are thickly dotted with stone
4ANAAhAACA4ho lGlb ny lllt 6dIl16I lSlduu
races. Here is also found great cairn
called King Orry's grave, which tradi-
ton and din ManX history assign to the
bones of the Danish Prince who more
than a thousand years ago gave the
Manxmen freemen's rights. Older than
Orry's bones are the LaxeY mines, the
only ones Of importance in Man, which
possess the famous LaXey overshot
water-wheei, said to be the largest in the
world.
Perhaps six miles further to the north,
and your craft will be abreast of Maugh-
old Head. 1t is a weird and grand old
headland, and the vicinity has for ages
possessed a reverential awe to all seafar-
ing folk. This has been due to the
miracles wrought at its holy well, and to
the Odor of sanctity left upon the place by
st. Moughold, The latter was In his
early life a gay and wicked Irish Prince
Converted by the preaching of the good
Saint Patrick, he determined to renounce
the world. He put to sea in a wicker
boat, giving himself up to the mercy of
the winds and waves. He was driven
ashore here on the most inaccessible coast
of Man. The holy we'll or fountain burst
from the spot where he first gained
ground.
Then followed the wonderful CONVEX
sion to Christianity from paganism of the
ManX people. The very walls of the Gu
lious old St. Maughold Church were built
by this evangelist; and one OF the strang-
est and most valuable crosses in Britain,
the cross of st. Maughold, still standing
in the ancient churchyard, was erected to
commemorate the Saints deliverance
from the sea and his conversion of the
Manx people. One side of this remarkable
relic contains a carving of st. Maughold;
another of the Virgin and Child, and
later establishment on a third side de-
picts the crucitixion, to which is joined
the arms Of Mantle three bent legs,
with the brave motto, "WhicheYer way
thrown Tor cast it stands" The entire
district is a bit of Interchangeable antiquity,
bound by primitive customs, enmeShed
in the strangest superstitions. Ilustrat-
i've, the Parish Clerk is still elected by
the votes of only those parishioners who
put out smokev that is, whose habita-
uons possess chimney; and near Runic
cross by the roadside is a profane old fe-
male wool-carrier who, for cursing at the
wind, was tnrned to stone.
When Maughold Head is rounded, the
long reach OF Ramsey Bay, extending
nine miles to Point of Ayre, the north
ernmost headland of Man, gives a scene
of unsurpassed beauty and interest. The
red cliffs trace an almost vermillion
shore line between the blue OF the sea
and the shimmering gold of the upland
gOrse. At the center of the bay is the
line old town, its ancient walls and roofs
contrasting strangely with its modern
ways and facadeS. A sleepy, yet bright
old face has Ramsey; like some nodding
grandam whom hoyden children have
stolen upon in her sleep to betiower and
beribbon, and who, on waking, has as
much mischief in her glad old eyes as in
the merry hearts that made the frolic.
To the right and left, villas and villages
innumerable; and behind, but a mile or
two away, the golden gorse is blended
with the puppies and mists among the
heights of North Barrule.
In rounding the Point of Ayre vour
skipper will cease his tales and attend
closely to his little craft. 1t is a danger
Gus oceanway. The meeting of the tides
causes almost maelstrom, ''the Streen. -
or strife, contention, the Manx call it.
All around the northern coast, which is
low, from sea to sward are strange ter
races of sea cobbles; small, polished
stones as round as cannon balls. They
are constantly changing their position
from the action of the waters, and are as
treacherous to the foot as quicksands-
Between Ayre lighthouse and the north
ern base of the mountains, perhaps an
eighth of the total area of Man, is an
almost level plain. 1t is called the Cur
ragh." The most primitive of the Manx
peasantry are found here, and Celtic af-
Iinities are most pronounced. In more
than a hundred tiny hamlets like the
''auld cIachans'' of the Scottish High
lands you will find fully nine-tenths pos
sessing the Celtic appellative Bal town,
as Ballavarkish, Ballakinnag, BalIa-
heaney and the like.
All along down the west coast your in
terest will be divided between glimpses of
strange old Manx hamlets peeping from
the mountain bases where flashes of
foaming streams tremble like the gorse
tops upon the hills, with the splendid
mountain views behind and above, and