Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-01-05
VAKEMAN'S WANDERlNGS
the LITTLE MANx ISLAND AND ITS
FoLK-ll.


where one at n stride May Pass from
,b, Ninot.enth to the rim Century
tcopyrishi. 1sgs. by Edgar l.. wakeman1
RAMSEY, Isle OF Man. Nov. 2G.-Nou VIII
ALWAYS have the Isle OF Man clcarest as
series Of charming pictures In your men,
orr after you have sailed around the isi"nu
1t is only a little journey Of seventy-hNe o.
eighty miles. The steamers bring you IRON
Douglas to Douglas again In only SIX hou's
time. pleasanter still Is II to ehsnse
emart little craft, ard alone or with 'r'u',uH
idle along Mt will with wind and tue ga',l
in,r much Manx color and fecllhg Ho',
yopr grave and serious skippof,s taies' anu
coming close 10 he fisher liic OF tue cOun'
less half bid coycs and bays
porides In mi. way, with n good marine
,,i,es Won can scan every squire loot OF
wnnxlaud. There is nowhere greater ule
go Ann ak or seven miles from highest
ain reak 10 edge Of circling sen. This
bcontiful typographical coniiguraticn OF
Tho Islaud is thus made memorable. From
. mile or two ut sea, OFT Douglas, which
shines from It's crescent bay with almost
tbc brillianuy OF Naples, the chief mountain
range shows at It's best. It extends three
fourtbs Of the islands length. almost a.
centrally a. n line could be drawn.
And every one Of these pleasant MnnN
mountains is IN full view. There Is South
Barrule, the southernmost. Then come,
The Cairn and Greoba Between these f.
the great valley pass leading from Douglas,
the maritime eastern capital Of Man, TO an
Gent Peol, It's western port, a fine old fish
ing town, reminding Of Cornish st. Ives.
Golden, sartfell and BENNY phott group
closely to the north, and then comes Snae.
fell. mountain monarch Of Mainland, his
Gully nurth ern rival, giant North Barruc
which breaks Into savage Maughold Head
BIZ pleasant Ramsey Bay. It is strange
feeling that you can sec half the homes Of
the entire Manx nation nj u glance. From
the top OF Snaefell you can see them all
Besides from the same place you can look
far into Ireland, Scotland, England and
Wales.
Coasting 10 the north, the ever changing
panorama OF mountains constantly In
view, first comes Laxey Bay md village.
the latter at the entrance TO n witching
glen, surrounded by noble hills, whose
AIDE. ARE ihlckly dotted with stone monu.
ments left by the earlier island races
Here 81 nlg1 found u great cairn called
King Orry's grave. which tradition ani
dim Maux history assign TO the bone, Of
the Danish prince who morn than thou.
tand years ago gave the Mnnxmen free.
mems rights. Older than Orry's bones arc
tbs Iaxcy mines, the only ones Of impor.
tance Ia Man. which possess the famous
l.axey oyershot water wheel. said to be tho
largest Ia tho world.
Perhaps six miles farther 10 the north.
and your craft will be abreast Of Maughold
Head. II isn weirl aud grand old head.
land, and the vicinity has for ages pos.
nessed a revcruntiRl awe to all scaiaring
folk This has been due 10 the miracles
wrought at its holy we'll and to the odor OF
sanctlty left upon the place by 81. Mug.
hold The latter was la his early life n
gay and wicked lr,sh prince. Converted
By the preaching Of the good St. Patrick,
he determined 10 rcnonncn the world. lie
put 70 sea in wicker boat, giving himself
up 70 the neroy Of the winds and waves.
lie was driven Ashore here on the most In.
accessible coast of Man. The holy well or
fountain burst forth from the spot whore
he first gained safe ground.
The very walls Of the curious old 81.
Maugholl Church were built 10y this
evangelist, and one Of tho strangrst and
most venerable cross in Brltain-tho
Cross Of 81. Maughold-still standing In
The ancient churchyard, was erected TO
commemorate the Saints dcliycrnnce from
the sea and his conversion Of the Manx
people One side Of this remarkable relic
contains n carving Of 81. Maughold,
nnother Of the Virgin and Child, aud u
later establishment on third side depicts
the CruolAxion, to which is Joined the
arms Of Mantle three bent legs, with the
brave motto, Whichever way thrown (or
ensD II stands" The entire district Is II
w OF Interchangeable antiquity, bound by
primitive customs, cnmcshed In the stran-
grst suporstitlons. Illustrative, the parish
clerk Is still elected by the votes OF only
those Pensioners who put out smoSe"-
that Is, whose habitationS possess chin.
poy-hnd near Runic cross 10y the road
aide is a profane old female wool carrier
who for cursing at the wind was turned
TO stone.
When Maughold Head Is rounded, tho
long reach OF Ramsey Bay, extending nine
miles to Point Of Ayrc, the northernmost
headland OF Man, gives scene OF unsur.
passed beauty and interest. Tho red cliifs
trace an almost vcrmllon shore line DO.
tween the blue Of the sea and the simmer.
Ing gold Of the upland gorse. At the cen.
Client walls and roofs contrasting strangely
with its modern ways and facades. A
sleepy yet bright old face has Ramsey,
Ike some nodding grandma whom hoydcn
Children have stolen upon In her sleep to
believer aud bcribbon, and who, ON wax.
lug, has rs much mschlef.in her glad old
eyes as is in the merry hearts that made
the frolic.
In rounding the Point Of Ayre your skip.
pei will cease his tales and attend closely
10 his little craft It is a dangerous ocean
way. The meeting OF the tides causes al.
most mnelstrom Street," or strife,
contention, the Manx call IL. All around
The northern coast, which Is low, from sea
70 sward, Are strange terraces Of sea cob.
b!es-small polished stones as round as
cannon balls, They are constantly chang
Ing their position from the action OF the
waters. and are us treacherous 10 the foot
As quicksands. Between Ayre lighthouse
AGd the northern base Of the mountains,
perhaps an oighthlof the total area Of Man,
shn almost level plain. 1t is called "'rhe
Ssurragh." The most primitive Of the
ManN peasantry are found here, and Celtic
hihnities are most pronounced. In more
fhAn hundred tiny hamlots like tho ''auld
Hhchnns' OF the Scottish Highlands you
nl,l lind fully nine'tenths possessing the
tsltio appellate Bdli(town), as Bnllayark.
ish, Ballakinnag, Ballaheaney, and tho
like.
All along down the west coast your In.
pfe.L VIII be divided between glimpses OF
strange Old Manx hamlets pecping from
.he mountain bases, where flashes II foam,
ing streams tremle like tho porsa tnps