The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-16
KEEP CATERERS.
THE IRISH PEOPLE WHO DWELL ON
THE ISLAND OF MYNlSH.

Rude Cabins which "A Rude and Untutor-
ed Folk Call Home-Their Vocation Not
avery Remunerative One, but They Are
Strong and Healthy Men.
Right on the western borders of the
land, and upon the numerous islands
and peninsulas which are the common
natural features of this broken part of
the Irish coast, the kelp gatherers live.
In certain sense they seem to be an
amphibious sort of folk and draw their
sustenance. apparently always more or
less scanty and precarious, from sea and
land alike Let US picture their exist
ence for moment, such as we may see
it on the island of Mynish, not far from
Roundstone bay, off the Galway coast.
Imagine an island, about 10 miles in
circumference, connected with the main
land by kind of viaduct recently con-
structed by government, low lying and
wind swept by the numerous gales of
ocean, but crowded with a popula
tion of several hundred human beings
Every little cove or bay will have its
cluster of cottages, with their fishing
boats anchored close by, ready to run
down the bay for mackerel or to fetch
a load of kelp from the neighboring
rocks when wind and weather permit
The surface of the island itself,
which is strewn with huge granite
stones and powders, is parceled out
with the most exact and scrutiniZing
jealousy, and if you attempt short cut
er your way is blocked by continual
succession of loosely constructed stone
walls serving as partitions between an
innumerable series of diminutive plots
So intricate and pulling is the arrange
ment of these plots that you are not at
all surprised to hear that they are a
source of litigation between the owners
of the cottages, who are very fond of
invoking the law in spite of their pow
erty stricken condition
Cottages" we call them, for the sake
of courtesy, but whereas the word loot
tage" calls up in the English sense some
bright and picturesque surroundings and
some appearance of comfort these cot
tages or cabins of the kelp gatherers
suggest every kind of discomfort The
walls are built of the undressed granite
blocks picked up from the surface of
the island and loosely put together ac-
cording TO the rules of a very primitive
masonry But the roof is sometimes of
sod, ana more often of reed The absurd
contrast between the strength and sta
bility of the walls and the feeble char
acter of the roof strikes the eye immedi-
ately. The floors are of very unsatisfac-
tory character. as they are simply I'M
even pavements with muddy interstices
and calculated TO retain every kind of
filth and abomination 1t would be al
inost impossible to sweep these floors
clean even If there existed the will to
do it,
If there is any glass, it is simply NOR
tised into some little chink, and win
dow frames are unknown-partly be-
cause wood is scarce and expensive and
partly because the fisher folk do not de-
sire window that will open.
AS far as accommodation is concerned,
there are only two rooms on the ground
foor-one TO be used as a kitchen and
sitting room. the other to sleep in, no
matter the number of the family party
Sometimes there is a kind of loft over
head on the kitchen. where some of the
occupants can sleep Outside there is no
pigsty or cowshed or any other "office"
which we are accustomed to connect
with the ideas of comfort and decency
In cold and rough weather the pig and
even the cow are admitted to the hospi-
tally of the hearth, and this accounts
for their very friendly and sociable
character AS far as "rint" is con-
cerned, the helper cannot complain
greatly, as it is Judicial ''rint" and he
cannot be elected, no matter how he
lives. as long as the rent is paid.
Sometimes a helper has a right TO
a common adjoining and can run few
black faced sheep and some of the black
cattle OF the country, and whenever he
is in position TO save money he prefers
to put it in stock rather than to commit it
to the keeping of a savings bank. Here
and there on the island you may chance
across little circle of stone in retired
nook. You need not puzzle long over it
as II 1t were some archaeological find,
for it is simply the foundation of kelp
OWN 1iioe hoS DSSh piicu up
and the calcined appearance of the
stones. together with the ashes around
them, will Immediately reveal its use to
you. Far away along the windings of
some distant cove you will often see the
smoke Of these kelp fires rolling heavily
ont TO sea, and the kelp stacks them
selves are among the common objects of
the seashore, with the long trailing kelp
weed dropping down their sides These
have been won with much labor from
the deep, and the yearly wage paid to
the Mynish islanders by the kelp com.
pany is nearly $4,000.
Kelp is, indeed, the main source of
their wealth, and many a voyage has to
be taken before ton of kelp is procured
The weed burns down to viscous, ge.
latinous mass under the action of the fire
and then cools down to hard and rugged
blocks The Helpers live on fish, milk,
tea, bread and eggs chiefly, but seldom
nm hutchera' meat and bacon for tho