The Irish standard., 1907-11-16

souvenir. The Giants Causeway is not
an arrangement to be lightly disposed
OF. 1t is a larger equation than the
Palisades on the Hudson or the Pyra-
mids of Egypt. 1t is a portion of vast
basaltic formation which extends from
the northeastern end of Ireland across
to the southwestern side of Scotland,
passing under the waters Of the Irish
Sea. and penetrating the seas floor to
an unknown depth. On the shores the
columns sink to depth Of about seven
hundred feet. while they show above
the sea level in heights ranging from a
yard or two to thirty or forty feet IL
is on the island of Staffa, not far from
Iona, that the formation reappears OH
the Scottish side. The pillars form there
a majestic cavern extending far inland,
through which the sea thunders In
mighty harmony everlastinEly. A
similar cavern, though not so 'well
known to tourists, exists on the Irish
side. The approach to it is at times
unpleasant, IL not dangerous, by reason
of the roughness of the swell; but we
can assure those who brave it that
they will be we'll repaid, as we were,
many years ago, when they are
borne in on the crest of a huge wave
beyond the cavern's hidden Intel. So
weird scene as meets the eye in that
great terraqueous chamber of the
giants is not to be met anywhere else,
save In the Cyclopean caves of the
Mediterranean coast. The echoes arc
wonderful when the guides blow on a
cornet or fire OH pistols, and when they
light up the scene with magnesium or
limelight the effect is overpoweringly
awesome, reminding one Of the myth.
cal pictures Of the Stygian ferry and
the ghostly boatman in the realms Of
Pluto. Several other islands on tho
Scottish coast likewise belong to the
basaltic measures, but Fingal's Cave, in
Staffa. is the best specimen Of this
wonderful caprice of Mother Nature,
displaying itself in strictly geometrical
and mathematical lines and angles.
Nearly all the columns are either
pentagonal or sexagonal, and they are
built UP in Joints like bamboo cane,
just as a mason lays his blocks one
above the other in precise and plumb
tested order. The wild grandeur of the
Causeway and Fingals Cave has struck
the chord Of ssmany a harp. including
those of Scott and Wordsworth.
The Celtic Imagination sought for
no geological reason for the existence
of the great basaltic pillar temples. In
ireland it was the hero, Fionn, or Finn
McCool, as he - popularity referred to;
who made the Causeway as a pathway
over the sea he was giant, and hence
the name. "'Causeway" is connected
with the French "chaussee"-meaning
q raised path or bank. The whole
region is redolent of the traditions of
the mighty heroes, Fionn and Cuchul-
lin. At the Causeway you behold tho
Giants Chair" and a little distance
away, at Rosreyor. in County Down,
you climb the mountain to behold tho
Clochmore, the great oblong stone
which no flung, one day across CARING
ford Lough, just to show a Scotch
giant who came over to see him what
he could do in the way Of putting the
stone." These things are part and par
eel of the great Ireland of the heroic
and beautiful age; the glamor Of de-
parted glory surrounds them like a
nimbus. No mercenary spoiler should
be suffered to lay desecrating hand
on the ghostly but distinguishable
temple Of the past-the solemn VAL
halla where repose the vanished heroes
of the Gaelic epics and immemorial
melodies.