they do not reckon the flax hurt by standing for seed. Their own flax is much better than the imported.

This country is in general beautiful, but particularly so about the streights that lead into Strangford Loch. From Mr. Savage's door the view has great variety. To the left are tracts of hilly grounds, between which the sea appears, and the vast chain of mountains in the Isle of Man distinctly seen. In front the hills rise in a beautiful outline, and a round hill projects like a promontory into the streight, and under it the town amidst groups of trees; the scene is cheerful of itself, but rendered doubly so by the ships and herring-boats sailing in and out. To the right the view is crowned by the mountains of Mourne, which, wherever seen, are of a character peculiarly bold, and even terrific. The shores of the loch behind Mr. Savage's are bold ground, abounding with numerous pleasing landscapes; the opposite coast, consisting of the woods and improvements of Castle-Ward, is a fine scenery.

Called at lord Bangor's at Castle-Ward, to deliver a letter of recommendation, but unfortunately he was on a sailing party to England; walked through the woods, &c. The house was built by the present lord. It is a very handsome edifice with two principal fronts, but not of the same architecture, for the one is Gothic, and the other Gre. cian. From the temple is a fine wooded scene; you look down on a glen of wood, with a winding hill quite covered with it, and which breaks the view of a large bay: over it appears the peninsula of Strangford, which consists of inclosures and wood. To the right, the bay is bounded by a fine grove, which projects into it. A ship at anchor added much. The house well situated above several rising woods, the whole scene a fine one. I remarked in lord Bangor's domains, a fine field of turnips, but unhoed. There were some cabbages also.

Belfast, is a very well built town of brick, they having no stone quarry in the neighbourhood. The streets are broad and straight, and the inhabitants, amounting to about fifteen thousand, make it appear lively and busy. The public buildings are not numerous or very striking, but over the exchange lord Donnegal is building an assembly room, sixty feet long, by thirty broad, and twenty-four high; a very elegant room. A card room adjoining, thirty by twenty-two, and twenty-two high; a tea room of the same size. His lordship is also building a new church, which is one of the lightest and most pleasing I have any where scen: it is seventy-four by fifty-four, and thirty high to the cornice; the aisles separated by a double row of columns; nothing can be lighter or more pleasing. The town belongs entirely to his lordship. Rent of it 20001. a year. His estate extends from Drumbridge, near Lisburne to Larne, twenty miles in a right line, and is ten broad. His royalties are great, containing the whole of LochNeagh, which is I suppose the greatest of any subject in Europe. His eel fishery at Tome, and Port-New, on the river Ban, lets for 5001. a year; and all the fisheries are his to the leap at Colraine. The estate is supposed to be 31,0001. a year, the greatest at present in Ireland. Innishoen in Donnegal is his, and is 11,0001. of it. In Antrim, lord Antrim's is the most extensive property, being four baronies, and one hundred and seThe rent 80001. a year, but re-let for 64,0001. a year, by

venty-three thousand acres.

tenants that have perpetuities, perhaps the cruelest instance in the world of carelessness for the interests of posterity. The present lord's father granted those leases.

I was informed that Mr. Isaac, near Belfast, had four acres, Irish measure, of strong clay land not broken up for many years, which being amply manured with linne rubs. bish and sea shells, and fallowed, was sown with wheat, and yielded 871. 95. at 9s. to 12s. per cwt. Also that Mr. Whitley, of Ballinderry, near Lisburne, a tenant of lord Hertford's has rarely any wheat that does not yield him eighteen pounds an acre. lage of the neighbourhood for ten miles round is doubled in a few years. Shall export

The til

one thousand tons of corn this year from Belfast, most of it to the West Indies, particularly oats.

August 1, to Arthur Buntin's, esq. near Belfast; the soil a stiff clay; lets at old rents 10s. new one 18s. the town parks of that place 30s. to 70s. ten miles round it 10s. to 20s. average 13s. A great deal of flax sown, every countryman having a little, always on potatoe land, and one ploughing: they usually sow each family a bushel of seed. Those who have no land pay the farmers 20s. rent for the land a bushel of seed sows, and always on potatoe land. They plant many more potatoes than they eat, to supply the market at Belfast; manure for them with all their dung, and some of them mix dung, earth, and lime, and this is found to do better. There is much alabaster near the town, which is used for stucco plaister; sells from 11. 1s. to 25s. a ton.

In my way to Antrim, viewed the bleach-green of Mr. Thomas Sinclair; it is the completest I had seen here. I understood that the bleaching season lasted nine months, and that watering on the grass was quite left off. Mr. Sinclair himself was not at home, or I should probably have gained some intelligence that might have been useful.

Crossed the mountains by the new road to Antrim, and found them to the summits to consist of exceeding good loam, and such as would improve into good meadow. It is all thrown to the little adjoining farms, with very little or any rent paid for it. They make no other use of it than turning their cows on. Pity they do not improve; a work more profitable than any they could undertake. All the way to Antrim lands let at an average at 8s. The linen manufacture spreads over the whole country, consequently the farms are very small, being nothing but patches for the convenience of weavers.

From Antrim to Shane's Castle the road runs at the end of Loch-Neagh, commanding a noble view of it; of such an extent that the eye can see no land over it. It appears like a perfect sea, and the shore is broken sand-banks, which look so much like it, that one can hardly believe the water to be fresh. Upon my arrival at the castle, I was most agreeably saluted with four men hoeing a field of turnips round it, as a preparation for grass. These were the first turnip-hoers I have seen in Ireland, and I was more pleased than if I had seen four emperors.

The castle is beautifully situated on the lake, the windows commanding a very noble view of it; and this has the finer effect, as the woods are considerable, and form a fine accompaniment to this noble inland sea.

When

Rode from Mr. Lesly's to view the Giant's Causeway. It is certainly a very great curiosity, as an object for speculation upon the manner of its formation; whether it owes its origin to fire, and is a species of lava, or to crystallization, or to whatever cause, is a point that has employed the attention of men much more able to decide upon it than I am; and has been so often treated, that nothing I could say could be new. two bits of these basaltes are rubbed together quick, they emit a considerable scent like burnt leather. The scenery of the Causeway, nor of the adjacent mountains, is very magnificent, though the cliffs are bold; but for a considerable distance there is a strong disposition in the rocks to run into pentagonal cylinders, and even at bridge, by Mr. Lesly's, is a rock in which the same disposition is plainly visible. I believe the Causeway would have struck me more if I had not seen the prints of Staffa. Returned to Lesly-hill; and August 5th departed for Coleraine. There the right hon. Mr. Jackson assisted me with the greatest politeness in procuring the intelligence I wished about the salmon-fishery, which is the greatest in the kingdom, and viewed both fisheries above and below the town, very pleasantly situated on the river Ban. The salmon spawn in all the rivers that run into the Ban about the beginning of August, and as soon as they have done swim to the sea, where they stay till January, when they begin to return to the fresh water, and continue doing it till August, in which voyage they are taken; the nets are set in the middle of January, but by act of parliament no nets nor weirs can be kept down after the 12th of August. All the fisheries on the river Ban let at 60001. a year. From the sea to the rock above Coleraine, where the weirs are built, belongs to the London companies; the greatest part of the rest to lord Donnegal. The eel fisheries let at 1000l. a year, and the salmon fisheries at Coleraine 10001. The eels make periodical voyages, as the salmon, but instead of spawning in the fresh water, they go to the sea to spawn, and the young fry return against the stream; to enable them to do which with greater ease at the leap, straw ropes are hung in the water for them; when they return to sea they are taken: many of them weigh nine or ten pounds. The young salmon are called grawls, and grow at a rate which I should suppose scarce any fish commonly known equals; for within the year some of them will come to sixteen and eighteen pounds, but in general ten or twelve pounds: such as escape the first year's fishery are salmon; and at two years old will generally weigh twenty to twenty-five pounds. This year's fishery has proved the greatest that ever was known, and they had the largest hawl, taking 1452 salmon at one drag of one net. In the year 1758 they had 882, which was the next greatest hawl. I had the pleasure of seeing 370 drawn in at once. They have this year taken four hundred tons of fish; two hundred sold fresh at a penny and three-halfpence a pound, and two hundred salted, at 181. and 201. per ton, which are sent to London, Spain, and Italy. The fishery employs eighty men, and the expences in general calculated to equal the rent.

The linen manufacture is very general about Coleraine, coarse ten hundred linen. It is carried to Dublin in cars, one hundred and ten miles, at 5s. per cwt. in summer, and 7s. 6d. in winter.

From Linımavaddy to Derry there is very little uncultivated land. Within four miles of the latter, rents are from 12s. to 20s. mountains paid for but in the gross. Reached Derry at night, and waited two hours in the dark before the ferry-boat came over for

me.

August 7, in the morning, went to the bishop's palace to leave my letters of recom. mendation; for I was informed of my misfortune in his being out of the kingdom. He was upon a voyage to Staffa, and had sent home some of the stones of which it consists; they appeared perfectly to resemble in shape, colour, and smell, those of the Giant's Causeway.

August 8, left Derry, and took the road by Raphoe to the Rev. Mr. Golding's, at Clonleigh, who favoured me with much valuable information. The view of Derry, at the distance of a mile or two, is the most picturesque of any place I have seen; it seems to be built on an island of bold land rising from the river, which spreads into a fine basin at the foot of the town; the adjacent country hilly; the scene wants nothing but wood to make it a perfect landscape.

August 11, left Mount Charles, and passing through Donnegal, took the road to Ballyshannon; came presently to several beautiful landscapes, swelling hills, cultivated, with the bay flowing up among them: they want nothing but more wood, and are beautiful without it. Afterwards likewise to the left they rise in various outlines, and die away insensibly into one another. When the road leads to a full view of the bay of Donnegal, these smiling spots, above which the proud mountains rear their heads, are numerous, the hillocks of almost regular circular forms; they are very pleasing, from form, verdure, and the water breaking in their vales.

Before I got to Ballyshannon, remarked a bleach-green, which indicates weaving in the neighbourhood. Viewed the salmon-leap at Ballyshannon, which is let for 4001.

VOL. IV.

C

a year. The scenery of it is very beautiful; it is a fine fall, and the coast of the river very bold, consisting of perpendicular rocks, with grass of a beautiful verdure to the very edge: it projects in little promontories, which grow longer as they approach the sea, and open to give a fine view of the ocean. Before the fall in the middle of the river is a rocky island, on which is a curing house, instead of the turret of a ruined castle, for which it seems formed. The town prettily situated on the rising ground on each side of the river. To Sir James Caldwell's; crossing the bridge, stopped for a view of the river, which is a very fine one, and was delighted to see the salmon jump, to me an unusual sight: the water was perfectly alive with them. Rising the hill, look back on the town; the situation beautiful; the river presents a noble view. Come to Belleek, a little village, with one of the finest water-falls I remember any where to have seen ; viewed it from the bridge. The river in a very broad sheet comes from behind some wood, and breaks over a bed of rocks, not perpendicular, but shelving in various directions, and foams away under the arches; after which it grows more silent, and gives a beautiful bend under a rock, crowned by a fine bank of wood. Reached Castle Caldwell at night, where Sir James Caldwell received me with a politeness and cordiality that will make me long remember it with pleasure.

August 15, to Belleisle, the charming seat of the earl of Ross. It is an island in Loch-Earne, of two hundred Irish acres, every part of it hill, dale, and gentle declivities: it has a great deal of wood, much of which is old, and forms both deep shades and open cheerful groves. The trees hang on the slopes, and consequently shew themselves to the best advantage. All this is exceedingly pretty, but it is rendered trebly so by the situation: a reach of the lake passes before the house, which is situated near the banks among some fine woods, which give both beauty and shelter. This sheet of water, which is three miles over, is bounded in front by an island of thick wood, and by a bold circular hill, which is his lordship's deer park; this hill is backed by a considerable mountain. To the right are four or five fine clumps of dark wood; so many islands which rise boldly from the lake, the water breaks in straits between them, and forms a scene extremely picturesque. On the other side the lake stretches behind wood, in a streight which forms Belleisle. Lord Ross has made walks round the island, from which there is a considerable variety of prospect. A temple is built on a gentle hill, commanding the view of the wooded islands above-mentioned; but the most pleasing prospect of them is coming out from the grotto: they appear in an uncommon beauty; two seem to join, and the water which flows between takes the appearance of a fine bay, projecting deep into a dark wood: nothing can be more beautiful. The park hill rises above them, and the whole is backed with mountains. The home scene at your feet also is pretty; a lawn scattered with trees that forms the margin of the lake, closing gradually in a thick wood of tall trees, above the tops of which is a distant view of Cultiegh mountain, which is there seen in its proudest solemnity.

They plough all with horses three or four in a plough, and all abreast. Here let it be remarked, that they very commonly plough and harrow with their horses drawing by the tail: it is done every season. Nothing can put them beside this; and they insist that take a horse tired in traces, and put him to work by the tail, he will draw better: quite fresh again. Indignant reader! this is no jest of mine, but cruel, stubborn, barbarous truth. It is so all over Cavan.

At Clonells, near Castle-rea, lives O'Conner, the direct descendant of Roderick O'Conner, who was king of Connaught six or seven hundred years ago; there is a monument of him in Roscommon church, with his sceptre, &c. I was told as a certainty, that this family were here long before the coming of the Milesians. The possessions, formerly so great, are reduced to three or four hundred pounds a year, the family having fared in the revolutions of so many ages, much worse than the O'Niel's and O'Brien's. The common people pay him the greatest respect, and send him presents of cattle, &c. upon various occasions. They consider him as the prince of a people involved in one common ruin.

Another great family in Connaught is Macdermot, who calls himself prince of Coolavin; he lives at Coolavin, in Sligo, and though he has not above one hundred pounds a year, will not admit his children to sit down in his presence. This was certainly the case with his father, and some assured me even with the present chief. Lord Kingsborough, Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. O'Hara, Mr. Sandford, &c. came to see him, and his address was curious: "O'Hara! you are welcome; Sandford, I am glad to see your mother's son (his mother was an O'Brien :) as to the rest of ye, come in as ye can." Mr. O'Hara, of Nymphsfield, is in possession of a considerable estate in Sligo, which is the remains of great possessions they had in that country: he is one of the few descendants of the Milesian race.

To lord Kingston's, to whom I had a letter, but unfortunately for me he was at Spaw. Walked down to Longford Hill, to view the lake; it is one of the most delicious scenes I ever beheld, a lake of five miles by four, which fills the bottom of a gentle valley almost of a circular form, bounded very boldly by the mountains. Those to the left rise in a noble slope; they lower rather in front, and let in a view of Strand mountain, near Sligo, above twenty miles off. To the right, you look over a small part of a bog to a large extent of cultivated hill, with the blue mountains beyond. Were this little piece of bog planted, the view would be more complete; the hill on which you stand has a foliage of well-grown trees, which form the southern shore. You look down on six islands, all wooded, and on a fine promontory to the left, which shoots far into the lake. Nothing can be more pleasing than their uncommon variety; the first is small (Rock island) tufted with trees, under the shade of which is an ancient building, once the residence of Macdermot. The next a mixture of lawn and wood; the third, which appears to join this, is of a darker shade, yet not so thick but you can see the bright lawn under the trees. House island is one fine thick wood, which admits not a gleam of light, a contrast to the silver bosom of the lake. Church island is at a greater distance; this is also a clump, and rises boldly Rook island is of wood; it opens in the centre, and shews a lawn with a building on it. It is impossible to imagine a more pleasing and cheerful scene. Passed the chapel to Smithfield Hill, which is a fine rising ground, quite surrounded with plantations; from hence the view is changed; here the promontory appears very bold, and over its neck you see another wooded island, in a most picturesque situation. Nothing can be more picturesque than Rock island, its ruin overhung with ivy. The other islands assume fresh and varied outlines, and form upon the whole one of the most luxuriant scenes I have met with.

The views of the lake and environs are very fine as you go to Boyle; the woods unite into a large mass, and contrast the bright sheet of water with their dark shades.

The lands about Kingston are very fine, a rich, dry, yellow, sandy loam, the finest soil that I have seen in Ireland, all grass, and covered with very fine bullocks, cows, and sheep. The farms rise to five hundred acres, and are generally in divisions, parted by stone walls, for oxen, cows, young cattle, and sheep separate. Some of the lands will carry an ox and a wether per acre; rents 15s. to 20s.

Dined at Boyle, and took the road to Bailymoat; crossed an immense mountainy bog, where I stopped and made inquiries; found that it was ten miles long, and three and a half over, containing thirty-five square miles; that lime-stone quarries were around