The Blackpool Herald. — 1882-08-25 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

MONDAY. June 12th.—We left Cork ,at 9-20, en route for Killarney, via. Bantry. You can go to Killarney by rail ; but you miss Glengarilf and the wild moutainous scenery of County Kerry. In the same compartment was an Irish gentleman who had lived all his life in Ireland, with whom I got into conversation. He was firmly of opinion that if the Government had not passed the Coercion Acts there would have been a revolution, but he condemned the Grvernment very bitterly for their weak and vacillating policy. He further said that he had not the slightest doubt that the releasing of Parnell and the suspects caused the murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Nlr. Burke, not through the connivance of the Land League—he believed they were sincere in their denunciation of the crime —but by the ignorant turbulent Irish party, who took it as a sign of weakness on the part of the Government, and thought if they were only savage enough, they would get their demands granted them, however unjust or unreasonable they might be. We passed the house where Mr. Conner lived who evicted some tenants nearly two years since. The authorities got information that Conner's death-warraut had been signed, and he has been under police protection ever since, not venturing to walk even in his own garden, without his escort. The land in the neighbourhood of Cork is fertile, but as you approach Bantry the ground is covered with stones, y woO, ann the cottages wretched. Well-built houses at Bantry are few and far between, mostly miserable-looking cabins, and the town having a poverty stricken appearance. The scenery between Bantry and Glengariff is fine, and as you approach Glengariff it is really magnificent. To your left is Bantry Bay, flowing inland about 25 miles. In front the Sugar Loaf, the Hungry, and the other high mountains are grouped together most wildly and picturesquely, while below, in the richly wooded glen, is Glengariff. I cannot give any adequate idea of the beauties of Glengariff. It is beautiful beyond description. The most charming view is from Eccles Hotel, itself a picture. The building is low, and is completely covered with ivy and rose trees, while the hill behind the house is beautifully laid out with flowers, grottos, and conservatories,niaking a splendid background. As you walk out of the hotel and sit down on the rustic seats on the esplanade, you look on a scene never to be forgotten. In front of you is a crescent-shaped bay running in from Bantry Bay, sheltered by an island, on which is erected an old martello tower. All around are high, wild looking mountains, very bleakand bare. But here in the glen is one magnificent growth of foliage. The very hedges are covered with wild roses and woodbine, while of ferns theie are banks upon banks. Nowhere, not even at the-Killarney lakes, did I see a scene so exquisitely beautiful as at Glengariff. After dinner we had a walk through the village, which consists of a few stone huts, and passed by Cromwell's Bridge, from whence we had another fine view of the Glen. By the time we got back it was getting twilight. Everything was still and calm ; not a sound was to be heard ; not a ripple on the water, and in the hushed twillght I thought as I looked round me—" If there is a paradise on earth it is Glengariff." When I went up- . stairs I pulled up the blind and opened the window. The flowers growing outside filed the room with a delicious perfume. and it was with regret that at last turned away, loth to lose sight of one of the loveliest place I had ever seen. (To be continual.)