Page images
PDF
EPUB

nicate a happy, but changeful glory to some selected scene; but the whole panoramato convey a suitable representation of it-to impress upon the mind an adequate idea of this singular glen, the pencil, the pallet, as well as the pen, must fail. But, reader, take what I can give-and perhaps the only thing I can give, will be a longing desire of in specting this beautiful valley with your own

eyes.

I ascended a pathway, accompanied by one who had a painter's eye, a poet's mind, and a heart so harmonized as to be ever ready to rise from the contemplation of nature to look up to nature's God, and say

"These are THY glorious works, Parent of Good!"

[ocr errors]

We proceeded through woods of oak, birch, holly, arbutus-here ascending precipitous rocks, to gain a bird's-eye view of all around --again we sank into a deep dargle, through which, darkly and far beneath, a river forced its noisy and petulant channel ;--again we advanced where the rocks and precipices re

ceded from the stream, and a lovely sunny meadow expanded itself, through which the waters glided, silently and slowly kissing the flowery banks; and all was still,-except that here a heron rose with broad and heavy wing, and shrieked as he ascended from his solitude and there the water-hen gave forth its scolding note, as it plashed across the placid pool--and from under the fringing alder the sudden trout rising, and springing at the May fly, broke the translucent and glassy surface, with all its reflected images, into shivering and expanding undulations. Immediately around us were enclosing hills, in one place mantled with thick woods, and in another bare, grey, and craggy, except that a yew spread its palmated arms out of this chasm, or an arbutus flung its red rough branches over that precipice, and again the ivy clinging close round that overhanging stratum of rock, seemed to be its only support, binding it up from tumbling in mighty ruin below. Then all around, in the distant, but well-defined circle, were the serrated

66

mountains of every size, shape, and elevation; and to the right, where the mountain formed what is called a gorge, but which the Irish language expresses by a word signifying "a lovely lap;" extended a deep dark valley that seemed to cleave into the very heart of the mountain chain, and which, from where we stood, appeared to have no end to its extent, or bottom to its depth. The sun that had now passed its meridian, was casting its evening rays on the south-eastern face of this immense chasm, which was as perpendicular as a wall formed by the line of an artist's plummet: and still this abyss, though two miles off, (as my conductor informed me,) from the clearness of the atmosphere, appeared so near and fine in its outlines, that while the bottom was cast into the indistinct gloom of its own depth, its upper parts, open to the evening light, sparkled in the sun, and presented the very ledge on which eagles for centuries had formed their nests, and reared their young, unapproachable by the common arts or enterprise of man.

Walking thus for about a mile, we came to Lord Bantry's cottage-a cottage ornée I leave to capability men to describe; suffice it to say that its site is well chosen, and all the abundant facilities of the place taken advantage of. It stands in an island formed by a mountain-stream, and you approach over a bridge made from the main-mast of one of the French ships of the line, that attempted to land invaders on the coast in 1796, and in the repelling of which Lord B. and his brother were eminently instrumental. The proprietor of this delightful spot does well in protecting all the wild animals and game, that would in the coure of nature people such rocks and woods; the pheasant, the grouse, the partridge—the hare, rabbit, marten, squirrel-range secure here, undisturbed by the gun of the sportsman. A shower of rain drove us to seek shelter in the hut of the man who looks after the pheasants. He was alone; and with all the civility that never deserts an Irishman, he welcomed us in God's name, and produced stools, which

he took care to wipe with his great coat before he permitted us to sit on them. On inquiring from him why he was alone, and where were his family; he said they were all gone to Watch Mass, (it was the Saturday before Easter-day.) "And what is the Watch Mass ?" he could not tell. "And what day was yesterday?" he could not tell. "And what day will to-morrow be?" he could not tell. "What! cannot you tell me why yesterday has been called Good Friday, and to-morrow Easter Sunday ?" "No!" Turning to my companion, I was moved to observe with great emphasis, how deplorable it was to see men, otherwise so intelligent, so awfully ignorant concerning matters connected with religion. "Not so fast with your judgment, my good Sir," said my friend; "what if you prove very much mistaken in this instance concerning the knowledge of this man: recollect you are now speaking to him in a foreign tongue. Come now, I understand enough of Irish to try his mind in his native dialect." Accordingly he did so; and it was

« PreviousContinue »