Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09

throw of British authority. storm came
up and dispersed the fleet. When the
wind subsidized. a dense fog overspreao
Bantry' bay and the ocean. When the
air cleared, the ships were SO scattered
that each sailed away of its own &C
count and during the next fortnight one
by one they returned to the haroors OF
France. General Hoche in the Fraternlte
finally reached Rochelle. after several mar
row escapes. with his ship in a sinking
condition. Several Of the largest ships
went upon the rocks and about l.eoo
sailors and soldiers persisted. NO Frencn-
man trod upon Irish soil with the excep-
ton of a lieutenant and seven seameh
who were sent out from one Of the ships
during the fog to reconnoiter. They ran
aground and were captured by Mr. James
O'Sullivan.
Bantry Bay.
Bantry bay is a magnificent inlet twen-
ty-one miles long. with an average
breadth of four miles and an average
depth of sixty fathoms without shoal or
sandbank or any other peril to navigation.
1t is completely sheltered from the wealth
er and is considered the finest harbor IN
Ireland. 1t is the rendezvous of the Brlt.
ish North Atlantic fleet ana the nee.
| of the Channel, which come here regularly
to practice maneuvers to correct tner
| compasses and regulate their range-nno-
| ers and do light repairs. The only Town
| on the bay is a village of the same mans:
which has been described as seaport
without trade, a harbor without SHIPPING
| and a fishery without market. There
| Is convent, monastery ana IacloiS
| for the manufacture of Irish tWeeds
Adjoining the village is Bantry House'
| a stately mansion surrounded by beau
| tiful lawn and grove. which was the res,
idence of the late Earl of Bantry anu
was inherited by his nephew; Leigh Whlte
the ancient Glengariff castle, which Is
nearer the head of the bay-a large
gloomy-looking structure almost entirely
hidden by the surrounding trees. Inlrty-
bay was inherited by these two young
| men. but it is very poor land. Three
fourths of 1t is bare rock. and the entire
population upon their holdings is only
about four hundred men, women anu
children.
daughter of the late Earl of Bantry
| married Lord Ardilaun, recently created
peer who was Arthur Edward Guinness,
probably the richest man in Ireland. His
London residence is No. IL Carleton Ter
race. adjoining that of the Marquis OF
Lansdowne, who was also one OF the
largest landholders in Ireland, but has
recently disposed of his entire estate to
| his tenants under the WJadham land act.
Mrs. John w. Mackay and Lord Curzon
| are his neighbors in London. and Col. Jonn
| HAY ToSlOoQ III Tie cdIuC oloSn "hSn "a
Twas ambassador to England LORD
| Ardilaun owns several country estates In
| different parts of Ireland. including one
near Killarney upon which the famous
MuckroSs Abbey stands.
There is a hunting lodge belonging to
the late Earl Of Bantry on the otner
side of the village OF Glensarin. WIN
| about three thousand acres OF moorland
and well filled with game. 1t is now
rented by Lord Moseley. recently governor
| of one of the British colonies In Africa:
| who has retired from active service ana
| has selected a most charming place 10
enjoy his rest and leisure.
Inn of dlengariff.
But I was telling you Of the quaint
old hotel which was built "by piecemear
as the manager told me. Thackeray call
ed it that pretty Inn of Grensariff."
The central portion is modern. but the
wings are antique and lack some of the
latter-day conveniences. but after you
have been there over one night ana q Gay
you can adjust yourself very easily MT
Duke, the manager, Is so attentive and
thoughtful he makes every one feel at
home.
The walls of the dining room and sew
eral Of the corridors are covered with
old oil paintings. some good and some
bad, and all of them in ancient frames
They have been hanging under this rool
for q century, and are said to have be-
longed to the original owner OF the prop
erty. Another relic of the ancient past
is a library which has come down intact
from the original owner-several thou
sand books-many Of them rare first edi-
| tons and some of them bound richly in
fooled and gilded calf
The hotel is inclosed in a beautiful
hedge of fuchsias, which nourfsh In this
| climate, and are commonly used for hedges.
The grounds of the hotel extend over $50
L Uffh
tiful garden Of twelve acres or more. All
the vegetables, poultry, eggs and other
produce are raised on the place. and the
milk. cream and butter come from a pri-
va-e herd of cows.
Cromwell's Bridge.
There is splendid fishing. both in the
bay and in two small lakes. one hour 8
walk from the hotel; boating. swimming
and any number of beautiful walks and
drives through the woods and along the
mountain roads. The only antiquity in
the immediate neigbborhood is a pic
turesque ruin called 'Cromwelrs bridge.
ing up the glen with an escort to visit the
O'Sullivans. the citizens of Glengarif who
had heard Of the devastation he had
| created elsewhere. tore down a bridge
would turn him back. But. after much
| trouble. he and his men succeeded in
| crossing the canyon inio the village, and
| then he summoned the inhabitants and
told them that If they did not restore the
| bridge by the time he returned from his
| visit he would hang a man for every
| hours delay The bridge was ready for
him. fur they knew the auld william
| would kape hiss word"
The Bantryites a Hardy Race.
The surrounding country is sparsely set
tied by hardy. stubborn race who fish
in the winter and farm in the summer
like the people who live on the bleak New
England coast. The children herd cattle.
sheep and goats upon the mountain sides:
the pigs and poultry share the ancient
stone novels occupied by their owners;
| the women cultivate a little spot of soil
wherever they can find 1t in the crevices
among the rocks. raising few potatoes
and cabbages and look after the chickens
| and the babies. Scattered over the noun
| tain side and reached by steep but per-
| feet roads, are the roof1ess walls Of what
| once were the homes Of neighbors who
have emigrated to America. The fate Of
| those who remain seemed hopeless until
| recently. but the benevolent purposes of
| the government are Frightening the lives
and improving the condition Of many of
them.