Vernon Parish Democrat., 1919-11-29

But the bogs, to the eyes of a stranger
looked bleak, one must confess.
Every mile of the way beyond Killorg
lin we had not been out of sight Of
those sombre brown scars which mark
where the apparently exhaustless peat
is being cut and now, between Cahir
civeen and Waterville these peat ex-
cavations were almost continuous. Be
hind the bogs rose long, empty hills,
grey with powders or tinted here and
there with the purple of bell heather.
For some miles now we had been out
of sight of the sea; but, descending
a slope we came in view of it again,
and of the jolly little town of Water
ville situated so sweetly on Ballins-
kelligs bay, with the famous fresh
water Lough Currane lying a mere 200
yards or 300 yards inland. Waterville
has its terrace of pink villas, housing
the cable staff; but it also owns a few
hotels, and at one of these we were
excellently>housed Irish hotels not be-
ing all they might be, one is glad to
find really satisfactory one, and
moderate withal. Some of our party
who paused to patronize the salmon
and sea-trout fishing on Lough Cur
rane We're enthusiastic in their unan-
imous decision to return and make
lbnger sojourn. The Tough, certainly
is one of the most beautiful l have
ever had the fortune to behold. Our car,
on the good advice of the hotel pro-
prietor, turned aside and explored the
valley in which the Tough lies, going
as far as that dreamy tarn known as
Coppal lake. Fishers who Ply their
craft in such scenery are indeed to
be envied.
Some Glorious Scenery.
But the best was yet in store for
us. Returning to the main road and
leaving pleasant Waterville in our
rear, we began the ascent of the Coo
makista pass, Now, the Coomakista
pass, hereby announce to those who
have not heard of it before, is one
of the most glorious stretches of sea
and mountain scenery in Europe.
know the Corniche on the Riviera,
have motored the new Italian roads
above the Venetian plain, and also
between Valona and Santi Quaranta
in Albania, and 1 can seriously assert
that the view which abruptly unfolded
before us at the summit of CoOma-
kista, though slightly smaller in size
than the celebrated ones I have men
toned, beats them all for sheer love
liness and in the subtlety of what
artists would call it's composition.
Before us lay Darrynane bay, with
It's complicated contours, its endless
islands round which the Atlantic roll
ers were creaming, it's delicious cOves
of yellow sands, it's huge woods, its
grand encircling rocks and broken SKYE
line. The car drew up without any
order being given to our chauffeur. 1t
was as though he felt that this tribute
must be made to the extraordinary
vision which had burst on us in this
dramatic fashion. We stayed silent, by
the stone dixie which fenced us from
the deep declivity, and gazed and
gazed. It all seemed too exquisite to be
true. And Darrynane,1 when at last
we came to it-for we all agreed, now,
that we must leave the main high
road and look more closely at this
wonderful Darrynane-was like place
in a fairy story. Just one small inn
embowered in flowers (for the slope
is southerly, and we are on the Gulf
stream)-and no other houses except
one that of the Liberator O'Connell's
family; and, spread out, as smooth as
velvet, sheltered sands for bathers (if
any should GOMEZ; aud rocks with
pools of waving seaweed and anem-
ones; and deep cOves in which bass
and pollock could be caught in scores
by the merest tyro; and, to crown all
magnificent lobster tea at the inn
aforementioned. Well, well! To think
that Darrynane, sleepy and bewitch
ing, exists on the same planet as Pad.
dingtOnl