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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 20, 5 September 1884, Page 25

A conespondent informs us that a really interesting relic of the past, one of those curious canoes of ancient Ireland, lies at present in shallow water close to the^hpre of Lough Bnnel. It was raised from its original resting place new the island of Chro Inis by a sturdy boatman of tho locality. Students of Irish hUtory will" remember that in this island sleep the remains of the last great monarch of Ireland, Malachi Mor, thu winner of the " collar of gold." This fact, in itself, increa ie 3i e3 the interest attaching to the present discovery, and should urg« on the Royal Irish Academy the desirability of securing the treasure. Of these antique boats, each hewn from a single beam, very little definite knowledge is attainable, not even a single line treatine of the subject to be found in the R. I. Academy. The holes in the bottom would suggest the theory that sail poles were used at the far back period to which these boats must have belonged. Most piobably this was the bronze period, the oaken skiffs being all shaped and scooped most regularly. We hope this strange relic will be safely preserved, and we would suggest that its full length of 33 feet l>e kept intact, instead of cutting it into sections like those already in the vaults of the Academy. — Dublin Freeman, July o. The Ameer of Afghanistan is btill living the sort of life which seems to be more or less the fashion with monarchs in his country. He does a great deal of fighting with rebellious tribes on all sides of him, relieving the monotony by occasionally plundering a rich subject on some pretext or other. The synod he convened on the vexed question of tobacco smoking seems to have met and the assembled doctors of the faith must have given the verdict in favour of the weed , for we hear that the worthy Ameer has fined some seventy or eighty moullahs for preaching against its use Bat the Afghan prince ha* more weighty cares for which he is in lebted to the enterprising Muscovite. Russian traders have made their way into his dominions from Merv and his soul is perplexed thereat. It has been moved in another way by presents of gold vessels and other costly offerings, which however have not diflmed his fears. He feels uneasy about Herat and in making constant additions to the garrison there. — Bomhay Catholic Emmincr.