48 THE IRISH ARAN. 
by four oars of not more than about four feet in length, and two 
inches wide in the blade. They are, of course, very easily upset, 
but if properly managed will ride over the fiercest Atlantic billows. 
They are so light that they are not left on the beach, but carried 
up to the cabins. Two men balancing a canoe on their heads can 
easily run with it. I once saw 20 or 30 men starting on a fishing 
expedition one evening, the effect being most comical; the men’s 
heads being, of course, concealed, the canoes and men looked like 
a procession of long-legged crocodiles. 
The diet of the people consists almost entirely of fish and 
potatoes, with alittle milk, Indian meal, bacon, and tea. Many of 
them never taste meat from year’s end to year’s end, and although 
a sheep is occasionally killed on the island, I believe that a very 
large percentage have never tasted beefin the whole course of their 
lives ; still they seem to be hale and healthy, and many live to a 
good old age. 
The cabins are one storied, and often consist of three rooms ; 
in the living room there is always one corner devoted to the pig, 
and sometimes another to the fowls. ‘lhe flooring consists of 
bare earth or the native rock. The pig, however, is not like ours, 
but is highly educated, and knows how to behave himself, so that 
he does not interfere with the comfort of the other members of the 
family. 
The women affect highly coloured shawls and petticoats, either 
red or blue. This is the case in other parts of the West of Ireland, 
and is supposed to be due to the admixture of Spanish blood 
which exists here to a considerable extent. The woollen shawl is 
of universal utility, serving either for bonnet and umbrella, or for 
the carriage of the baby, a load of peat, etc. 
The women and children are generally barefooted, and it is 
astonishing how they run over sharply pointed rocks which are 
painful to our well-shod feet. The men nearly all wear a kind of 
mocassin made of cowhide, with the hair worn outside ; they are 
so fashioned that a single string on each side draws them tight, 
and fastens them over the top of the foot. These are called 
pampoutties, and when removed in the evening are put into a 
