Ward & Lock's descriptive and pictorial guide to the Isle of Man ...

130 Guide to the Isle of Man.in aome parts eighteen feet thick. Here, according to localhietory, was a strong military position, which the Manxmenfound to bo valuable in the disturbed times wheninvasion and piracy were fashionable recreations, and theIrish were rather troublesome nciglibours. The fort didnot, however, always afford protection, for we find it recordedthat in May, 131G, one Richard Mandeville and astrong following of Irish adventurers invaded the island anddemanded supplies of provisions, cattle, and money. Thesebeing relused, the freebooters made a raid into the interior,the Manxmen retreating to this stronghold, from whichthey offered a front of resistance. The Irish attacked withsuch fury that the Manxmen fled in confusion, and thepirates enjoyed what the Americans call "a good time,"roaming through the country, and plundering it of everythingon which they could lay their hands. The abbey ofRushen was robbed of its treasures, and the flocks and herdsof the good monks were carried away. " After spending amonth in this pleasant manner, at their leisure digging upmuch silver, which had been buried in various places, theyfilled their vessels with their spoil and returned safe home."Geologists will scarcely fail to notice that on the northeasternside of the mountain is an immense mass of granite,locally known as Granite Mount. There is nothing uncommonin that ; but when it is found that blocks of this granite havesomehow been deposited on the top of South Barrule, atleast eight hundred feet above the mass of the gi-anite formation,and that boulders of the same rock and of granite maybe traced continuously for about two miles along the ridgeof what is locally known as the Round Table, to the top ofCronk-na-Irey-Lhaa, geologists may be justified in exercisinga little curiosity. These gentle men do not, as a rule,believe in fairy and other legends, however poetical ; so, ifwe were to tell our scientific friends that in old times twothree-legged Manx giants quarrelled, and threw stones ateach other, or had a hurling match with granite boulders,our explanation would probably be received in a mannernot complimentary to our veracity, and a more satisfactorysolution would be sought for. The late Mr. CharlesDarwin was of opinion that the whole island sank down inthe sea in the Glacial period, and that blocks of granite,frozen into ice-floes, were deposited at different heights, andwhen the land re-emerged, of course the granite blocks andboulders emerged with it. In connexion with this subjectwe may quote a sentence from the Rev. J. Gumming, who