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V.
iliirii-1i"'i“‘-'1‘ J.“ ‘ .
ANTRIM. 155
of her “charges.” ‘Va may recommend the hotel of Miss Henry in the
strongest terms, althoughrour residence there was but a brief one. The
hospitality of Sir Francis Macnaghten provided for us a home, where, while
, we were made to feel equally free to prosecute our own immediate objects,
and were under as little restraint as we could have been at “an inn,” we
had advantages and enjoymcnts such as we can scarcely sufficiently estimate,
and cannot overrate.
lVe will suppose the less fortunate tourist to be safely located under the
roof of Miss Henry-just above the rugged footway that leads down to the
Causeway. He is preparing to inspect this great marvel of Ireland-one of
the wonders of the world ; and walks to the door to ascertain if the weather is
friendly or unfriendly to the scene of grandeur he is about to examine. The
instant he shows himself, he is surrounded by-THE GUIDES! They are of
all ages and sizes, from the octogenarian to the boy who can hardly go alone;
each has some promise of a treat to be seen; and all are prepared with small
boxes of “ speciments ” of the natural productions of the neiglibourliood.’
. . The guides at the Giants‘ Cnuscwnv are quite as numerous and almost as ragged as those 85 lllllamel
and Gleudaluugh: but their clmrauler is altogether dilferent. The Kerry nnd Wicklow guides dellgln l“ le=’="’"d’
Of fays and fairies, in snatches of songs, bits of ballads, and in “ impossibilities” of all kiml5; 9l1'=l'9 is nmllillg
W0 Wild and wonderful for them-nothing too airy or fantastic; their wit and their rags mm" mgeiherl tie.’
gm“ 5911 With a jest, and bid you farewell with a tear. Nut so the northern guide’: they are’ from hell
MM Mullen-the protector of the Causeway, being so appointed by the noble family of Antrim-down to the
smallest cragsmaneto the tiny boy who hope like a young sea-bird from rock to rock, people of knouledge-.
geologists, learned in the names of stones, and conversant with stratus and basalts; stiff and steady ? -0l’59“'f‘"t
‘mi P-'"’lCl-ll<'u’-they love to be particular- they are remarkable for the exactness and minutia: of their details?
me)’ ml‘ Wllh a prufoundiuir of in-xngons and octagnns, and when they excite an exclamation of wonder, the)’
ml" S-l'mP“tlIise with it, but treat it, as rt matter of course, that you should be the astonished, and they the
“5‘0"l5ll9I‘S- Although rery superstitious, their superstitions are of a marine kind; “ml "ii 3 g'9=m‘t.'c and
‘grime "“l“"'93 U19)’ would scorn to believe in the gentler spirits of hill and valley, but they t-Il‘“"Y ’" ‘fa’
kl"?-3: Emit appearances risinv from the earth or sea, and capable of using pillars for rock-stones, and with
the breath of their nostrils tiliinrv the pipes of Fin Mnconl's organ, so that Fairhead itself is moved by the
mighty muslcu The Causeway guides are of earth-earthy; of the stone-stony; they have the lY‘)‘5“Ee‘i lwk
of p1’u"5"Pl’9l'5v “ml we )"’““.';l‘st and most ragged has a certain hill-ctation of learning “M is wry mnusingi
They “'91 ll0“"'-“'8', nttentire and oblirving. Neil Mac Mullen, be it known to all future tourist5v ‘30”5ld"5,l"'"'
self “"3 Clllef, as he is appointed careritaker of all the wonders of this wonderful 5P0i- by the “ob!” family. to
“horn it belongs, and he is very careful and intellicent. Daniel Mac William has excited Miss Henry's kind
‘y"‘l‘3ll1)', because he has a large family; we found him also very attentive, and stored with old El-3“ “I95 “f
the C"“5e“"".Y- Then young James King volunteered as guide, because his father had been a Eula“ “mi ”
the right is M5: l>y the laws of primoceniture. Almost all the guides are Mac Mullens-a H106 115 ““‘"9""“3 "5
the smlllls in London ; but Alexandezr Mac Mullen Mac Cock claims to belong to the llltlcn-“Ellie” f"‘l““7' “id
“'"9[01‘9 Seems inclined to dispute precedence with Neil Mac Mullen. He looks “P” the Vimors at Sir Francis
Maenaghten's hospitable residvnce Bushmi1ls.1muse, as In‘; mm peculiar property, and exercises his talent
‘m lmprovvisntore with Phculiar ilhsto for their amusement. There are so man)’ M” Mulieif‘ that 1:
mm‘: n“e55“"Y to distinrvuish them by some peculiar designation, as “short Mac Mullen, long ll“
M““"‘y" “red Mac Mullena" This Alennrier Mac Mullen was sumnmed Mao Cock, because lllS father
ind hi“ Peculiar talent of cr-owing so exactly like a cock, that every chanticleer in the neighbourhood thought
1‘ M"'‘‘“7 W reply to his challenge. The troop of truidcs C0“8"‘c"“9d mud my Henry‘ um look I
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