Morning journal and courier., 1893-02-11

wards of one hundred and eighty feet
 above the sea-level to have been dashed upon 1t.
 A determination to land upon and scale
 Great Skellig rock is more easily formed
 than is the project performed; for certain destruction attends attempted landing, save when old ocean may be caught nap ping and for a few hours quite at rest. Every day for nearly & week, with Kerry fisherman friend, arose before day and trsmped to the cliffs below Port Msges for forecast of wind, weather and sea Al last a propitious day came. With my friend and three of his hardy companions we set forth in strong open boat with the outgoing tide from the tiny pier of the port, and without stroke of oar were soon sweeping through the southern entrance of the harbor of Valent,a
 The sea wss perfectly calm as we left the channel, save where imperceptible distant swells, msssing upon the half hidden ledge that protects the hsrbOr entrance, flung glittering spume and spray landwsrd be- hind us. Over to the west Bray Head rose precipitously one thousand feet out of the water. Beyond this innumersble fishers sails blended like 6 huge on coming surge at the edge of the horizon. To the left grim headlsnds stretched away in dark projections to far Bolus Head; and the long, regular stroke of the oars soon sped us past Pufiu leland. In an hour and half we were alongside Lemon leland iy- ing like some sleeping half hidden monster to our right; and in two hours time we had come abreast of Little Skellig. Here We were favored with 6 character istic sight. This island is the only one of the Irish coast where the pufin hsunts and breeds in countless numbers Taking advantage of the placid sea, perhaps three score coastwise folk were here eesking these fowl within the Assures and clefts of the crags. Many aerial battles between
 men slung with ropes from dangerous heights and the birds they were msrci- lessly seeking were seen in progress ss We passed. The eggs aud flesh of the putin are eaten; their feathers are dried and sold; and a trifipg traffic is carried on in pickled, or cured, puffns, which are exchanged for potatoes and meal with the country folk of the Iveragh wilds.
 At last the Great Skellig was reached, and We made landing without difficult ty at the only spot upon which foot can be set from the sea 1 begged the boat men to climb the crsgs with me, but they shook their heads grsvely and rs- fused The reason for this, as related by my fisher friend who consented 10 accompany me, was on account of cer- tain portentious superstitions the psassn- try and fishermen tensciously hold regard ing the spot. The only human beings now living upon Great Sksllig are those having charge of the lighthouse.
 But more than & thousand years ago hundreds, if not thousands, passed their lives in religious devotions upon this wild ses-mountsin; for this place was then the St. Michsel's Mount of Ireland. It's history was luminous even in the earliest days or Christianity in Erin. A majestic monastery once stood in the It. tie valley between the two lofty peaks of the island. From the single landing place six hundred and twenty stone steps, many portions of which remsin, led to the monastery, the great cashel, the orsto- ries, the stons cells, the ancient burial place, and many uurecorded structures which the iocsloulabls tOil and zsalous consecration of remote age grouped within this sscred spot Easily traced remains of nearly sll these structures still exist; and fragments of gigantic crosses here and there push through the strange debris, whoss contemplation can not but sent thrill through the least impressive heart
 Far, far Abnve this tens of thousands of pilgrims in the intervening centuries have climbad Near tine top of the highest ping nacls ore nlst squeeHs through a mar row oriics ca!l.d th-, Needles Eye, In order to follow their old-n painful wsy. Just beyond this is narrow ridge or saddle uf solI ruck. Ons must get sstride this and work along with legs and hands until an ascending shelving rock Is reached The danger here Is terrible One fslse movement snd you aIe plunged hesd!ong into the tea from either side. Frou this to the highest point any fairly sure footed msn rBsy pass securely to the slender ystd-p ids summit, along which are found iuiely seulptured crcss- ca or stations.
 I have been in some eerie spots in my travs!., but never before have I stood where such senss of sublimity mingled with awe inspiring iueecuGity possessed me. On three sides you look down x black, straight llue of over seven hundred feet into the ucshD. FeIiDd and below you are the s1l-n1 rIii:1s If rsG,otr ages. Far tn the north aud ra-s is the weird, ses walled coast Your own land is two thou send Inil' 8 beyond those white specks of isher-bcsss to the wet Around and | above you gre only the pslpahle clouds | and gh0siiy whistle of darting sea birds wing. The solemn grandeur and awful | impressivereas of the place are appalling. The decent was more dangerous than | the climbing; but We accomplished it safe | ly, re-enteTed the bost and made for Port | Msgee. I never wish to zee Great Skellig | sgeiu-nnless from the deck of sn Allan | tic steamer, when a sight of it ss the fret glimpse of Europe Is occasionally had; and
 as we rounded the reef into the safer chan
 nel, while night was softly descending, and
 the lights from a thousand msckerel-fsh-
 ers' boats glesmed slopg the western horiL-
 on, turned with & sigh of relief from | this tremendous and desolsts terror of the | deep, to welcoming land, as from come
 hideous phantom of unhappy dreams. Valletta, the chief city of Malts, is nsv-
 CT silent save in the early morning hours. Then it is like & city of the dead; but sl- | ways sweet and cool and vinsoms. At
 that time if you are abroad alone, the si-
 lent churches. the huge suberges, the tre-
 mendous rampsrts, the vast archways, the
 dim porticoes and the shsdowy balconies
 seem to whisper anew their tales of TO-
 nance old, their mysteries of chivalrous
 and knightly days.
 But soon from this patio, frem that mar | row thoroughfare, another silent srchway,
 from huge barred doors that open and
 close wiih a startling click, come funeral
 forms clad in sonlber blsck They glide
 along with bowed hs.ds. Their advent
 once so great that you are filled with sur
 priss and disnsy. But these do not re- main.
 For a soft and delicate hand, ss if by
 accident, with 6 swift motion changes the