The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-05-15
PIRATES COAL
CALLS TOURISTS
Isle of Man Once Shuttle
cock in Hands of War
ring Nations.

Washington.-The Isle of Man,
tiny goal Of many an ancient con-
queror's fleet, is still open to inva-
sion, but from much more well
come source.
Whether flaxen-haired Manx girls
are the attraction, as was said to
have been the case with ship
wrecked sailors OF the Spanish Ar
mazda, or the islands friendly eli
mate and fertile fields, which Vik-
ings fought for. Is hard to say.
Anyway, half a million English,
Scotch and Irish holiday makers
flock annually to this ancient iii
island,'" says a bulletin from the
National Geographic society.
Five oId-Time Kingdoms.
ION bright, clear days from Snae-
fell, the isles highest mountain, five
old-time Kingdoms are visible. The
Isle Of Man, a kingdom itself for
many centuries, is conferred in the
busy Irish sea within easy reach
Of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and
England.
For almost a millennium Mona,
as Caesar called it, was a shuttle
cock in the hands of warning ma
lions and feudal lords instead of
vacatiOnists. First, the Irish con-
quered the miniature kingdom, then
the Morse descended in their Vik-
ing boats, next the Scotch feudal
chiefs and finally the English, King
Orry, the Viking, is perhaps best
remembered. 1t was he, first of
the long Morse dynasty, who insti-
tuted the Tynwald Court and House
Of Keys, still in existence as part
of the government Of the Isle of
Man.
Peculiar animals and strange
fowl roam the heath-covered moOrs
Of Mona. Tailless cats and rump-
less chickens are celebrated prod
ucts. These original felines are said
to have been other offcasts from the
Spanish Armada! While many of
the cats are born with this curious
deformity, sometimes Manx natives
satisfy unsuspecting customers by
simple docking.
Until recently, herring fishing
was the favorite occupation. Now,
it is catering to tourists. In the
old days small fleet of little boats
or 'nickeys' would sail out to the
fishing grounds. An admiral and
vice admiral Of the fleet are still
appointed annually by the governor
1t is an admirars duty to lead the
fleet to sea.
1.-THE islanders believe one should
never turn herring over when once
it is placed on a plate. If you
should the mickey which caught it
will be sure to capsiZe. Honest
men are often referred to by the
remark straight as behring's back
bone
Smuggling Once Rife.
Smuggling was the chief trade
and means of livelihood in the
Eighteenth century. So profitable
did it become, that even fishing and
farming were neglected.
"The Isle of man is like a bit
Of Scotland transplanted. There
are rolling hills and fiat moors pur-
pied by heather, deep glens green
and gold with ferns and gorse,
scraggy mountain peaks, and rugged
coast rising abruptly in places 400
feet from the water. During Au-
gust the moors and glens are golden
with gorse blossoms and the air is
scented by perfume sweeter than
that of lady's boudoir. A gentle
humming noise or undertone is
simply the buzzing of bees and the
cracking of the gorse as the pods
open in the hot sun.
"Visitors historically minded find
many treasures and places of in
terest in Mona. Grim feudal cas-
ties associated with the Stanleys.
who as the earls of Derby ruled the
island for $50 years, abound, and
also ruined abbeys, attesting to the
power of the church in bygone days.
Quaint matched houses, some of
which were once without chimneys
because of luxury tax on this now
essential part of the home, still re-
main in hidden, unfrequented
spots"