Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-01-13
KELP GATHERERS.
THE IRISH PEOPLE WHO DWELL ON
THE ISLAND OF MYNlSH.


Rude Cabins Which q Rude and Untutor-
ed Folk Call Honae-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 IL 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
ton 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 hay for nackerel or to fetch
a r 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 a short cut
across country from one point to ancth
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 puzzling 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 "cot-
tage'' calls up in the English sense some
bright and picturesque surroundings and
some appearance Of comfort these cot
tages CT 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, and 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 payements with muddy interstices
and calculated to retain every kind of
fifth and sibbolli il IL atom 1t would be al
most impossible to sweep these-foors
clean even if there existed the will to
do it
II 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 a window that will open.
As far as accommodation is concerned,
there are only two rooms on the ground
floor-one to be used as q kitchen and
sitting ROOM the other to sleep in,-no
matter the number Of the family party
Sometimes there is kind Of loft over
head on the kitchen, where some of the
occupants c;.n sleep. Outside there is nc
pigsty or coWsheti or any other office
which We are accustomed to connect
with the ideas Of comfort and decency
Ii cold and rough weather the pig and
even tie COW are admitted to the hospi-
t;lity CT tbs hearth. and this accounts
for their very friendly and sociable
character. As lars Us 'rint' Is con
ceriie.,,, s!1e !.ajfs,r cannot complain
sce,:tj :: X, 10 Is d Judicial ''rint' aud be
e;5Hn"t be 55uyts;I, 10 matter how be
iI.1r, ~ -ol,5, Us tine rent IS paid
S;l,.s,5i...a5 i k:Ipar has 4 right tC
Z c.,::'.ii.,3: :.;l]Glniug and can run few
ak tl.a>d sheep and some Of the black
-.,g.,e Il rla forutry AID whenever he
. III :; l.csitICln to savo money iia prefer;
% i.lj il IL 49, - rather than to commit il
% the keeping OF Il savings bank. Here
and there Oh the island you may chance
sicross Il little circle OF stone in retired
NOOK. Yea need not puzzle long over il
as If 1t were some archaeological find,
i0l Il L. simply the foundation of kelE
:s.siCi, ti4i.t has Leen piled up inside it,
and tie calclned appearance Of the
stos!es. together with the ashes around
them, will immediately reveal its use tC
you. Far away along the windings OF
some distant cove you will often see the
smoke Of these kelp fires rolling heavily
out to SCI, and the kelp stacks them
selves are arlouS the common objects OF
the seashore. with the long trailing kelI
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 1000.
kelp is, indeed, the main source OF
their wealth, and many a voyage has to
be taken before a ton Of kelp is procured.
The weed burlis down 10 viscOus, ge-
latinous mass under the action of the fire
and then cooIs down to hard and rugged
blocks The helpers live Oh fish, milk,
tea. bread and eggs chiefly, but seldom
on butchers meat and bacon, for the
pig is really the ''jintleman that pays
the rint - Still. i'll spite Of harEid!sct'ips
the Helpers are strong and healthy men.
They would make splendid recruits fo1
the navy, but if they leave their native
rocks they find their way to the United
States or our colonies. st. James Ga
zette.
After the ElopeneEt.
Artie-Darling, you have no idea
how anxious L was while you were
coming down the rope ladder | was SO