108 
THE ARAN ISLANDS. 
May, 1891. 
rocks, and fish of a better character swarm in deeper water. 
These resources are eked out by the manufacture of kelp from 
the seaweed. This is collected into heaps and left to dry. It 
is a picturesque sight to watch, on a dark night, the figures 
of men feeding the fires as it is burnt on the shore, since it is 
necessary to give it constant attention until the mass is com¬ 
pletely calcined. The kelp is a source of iodine, but the price 
realised now is much less than it was formerly. 
The islands are badly off in one respect, that is the total 
absence of bog. The whole of their fuel, peat, has to be 
brought across in boats from the Connemara shore, the boats, 
however, carrying back cargoes of limestone, of which that 
district is destitute. 
Their boats are very remarkable, being a survival of the 
ancient curragh or coracle, and are called canoes by the 
natives. They are 16 or 18 feet in length, and without keel. 
The woodwork consists of bent narrow strips of wood, both 
longitudinal and transverse. These are fastened together, and 
the bottom covered with tarred canvas instead of the hides 
formerly used. They are propelled by four oars not more 
than about four feet long 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 twenty to thirty 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 native diet consists almost entirely of fish and potatoes, 
with a little 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 never have tasted beef in 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-storeyed, 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 ; the flooring 
consisting of bare earth or the native rock. The pig, how¬ 
ever, 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 the other parts of the 
west of Ireland, and is supposed to be due to the admixture 
