!

:

nerally swim pretty close to the shore, that they may not miss their port; and the fishermen, who are well aware of this coasting voyage of the salmon, take care to project their nets at such places as may be most convenient for intercepting them in their course.

It so happens that Carrick-a-rede is the only place on this abrupt coast which is suited for the purpose. Here then, or no where, must be the fishery; but how to get at the rock is the question. A chasm full sixty feet in breadth, and of a depth frightful to look at, separates it from the adjacent land, in the bottom of which the sea breaks with an uninterrupted roar over the rocks; the island itself is inaccessible on every side except one spot, where under the shelter of an impending rock, a luxuriant herbage flourishes; but the wildness of the coast, and the turbulence of the sea, make it very difficult to land here.

In this perplexity there is really no resource, except in attempting to throw a bridge of ropes from the main land to the island, which accordingly the fishermen every year accomplish* in a very singular manner: two strong cables are extended across the gulf by an expert climber, and fastened firmly into iron rings mortised into the rock on both sides; between these ropes a number of boards, about a foot in breadth, are laid in succession, supported at intervals by cross cords; and thus the pathway is formed, which, though broad enough to bear a man's foot with tolerable convenience, does by no means hide from view the pointed rocks, and raging sea beneath, which in this situation exhibit the fatal effects of a fall, in very strong colouring: while the swingings and undulations of the bridge itself, and of the hand rope, which no degree of tension can prevent in so great a length, suggest no very comfortable feelings to persons of weak nerves. Upon the whole, it is a beautiful bridge in the scenery of a landscape, but a frightful one in real life.

The mode of fishing on this coast is different from any I have seen, perhaps it may be new to you:

The net is projected directly outward from the shore, with a slight bend, forming a bosom in that direction in which the salmon come: from the remote extremity a rope is brought obliquely to another part of the shore, by which the net may be swept round at pleasure, and drawn to the land; a heap of small stones is then prepared for each person: all things being ready, soon as the watchman perceives the fish advancing to the net, he gives the watch-word : † immediately some of the fishermen seize the oblique rope, by which the net is bent round to inclose the salmon, while the rest keep up an incessant cannonade with their ammunition of stones, to prevent the retreat of the fish till the net has been completely pulled round them; after which they all join forces, and drag the net and fish quietly to the rocks.

The salmon fisheries on the sea-coast, and in the rivers of the north of Ireland, have sometimes been very productive, affording a valuable cargo for the Italian markets during the time of Lent: the abundance of fish may in some measure be inferred from hence, that fourteen hundred salmon (as I am informed) have been taken in the river Bann at once hauling the net; and what is almost equally remarkable, near one thousand were caught at the succeeding haul. At present, however, the fisheries are but scanty, and it is the prevailing opinion, that too great success of the river fisheries has undone them, by destroying the mother salmon, which should be allowed free passage through the rivers to cast their spawn.

Now that I am got upon the subject of fishing, let me tell you of an amusing instance of sagacity which I had an opportunity of seeing a short time ago, in a water-dog of this country, who had become a most excellent fisher :

In riding from Portrush to the Giant's Causeway with some company, we had occasion to ford the river Bush, near the sea; and as the fishermen were going to haul their net, we stopped to see their success: As soon as the dog perceived the men to move, he instantly ran down the river of his own accord, and took post in the middle of it, on some shallows where he could occasionally run or swim, and in this position he placed himself, with all the eagerness and attention so strongly observable in a pointer dog, who sets his game: We were for some time at a loss to apprehend his scheme, but the event satisfied us, and amply justified the prudence of the animal; for the fish, when they feel the net, always endeavour to make directly out to sea. Accordingly one of the salmon, escaping from the net, rushed down the stream with great velocity, toward the ford, where the dog stood to receive him at an advantage. A very diverting chase now commenced, in which, from the shallowness of the water, we could discern the whole track of the fish, with all its rapid turnings and windings. After a smart pursuit the dog found himself left considerably behind, in consequence of the water deepening, by which he had been reduced to the necessity of swimming. But instead of following . this desperate game any longer, he readily gave it over, and ran with all his speed directly down the river, till he was sure of being again sea-ward of the salmon, where he took post as before in his pointer's attitude. Here the fish a second time met him, and a fresh pursuit ensued, in which, after various attempts the salmon at last made its way out to the sea, notwithstanding all the ingenious and vigorous exertions of its pursuer.

Though the dog did not succeed at this time, yet I was informed that it was no unusual thing for him to run down his game; and the fishermen assured me that he was of very great advantage to them, by turning the salmon toward the net; in which point of view his efforts in some measure corresponded with the cannonade of stones which I mentioned at Carrick-a-rede.

During the whole of the chase this sagacious animal seemed plainly to have two objects in view; one to seize his game, if possible, and the other, to drive it toward the net when the former failed; each of which he managed with a degree of address and ingenuity extremely interesting and amazing.

It is somewhat unaccountable that mankind should look with so much horror and disgust on any remote similitude, which some of the brute creation bear to the human person and features, and yet dwell with pleasure on much nearer approaches toward their prerogative faculty of reason. At least thus much I am certain of, that we saw the exertions of this creature with infinite delight, and our regard for him seemed to increase in proportion as our idea of his excellence increased. Perhaps it may be, that a consciousness of decided superiority in the latter case, makes us observe the igenuity of lower animals, without the allay of any uneasiness from an apprehension of rivalship.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER V.

Portrush, August 6.

YOU would hardly believe how little remains of Irish history, language, or customs, are to be traced in this part of the country: the revolutions which it has undergone, in consequence of forfeitures to the English, and the encroachments of the Scots, have overturned every remnant of its original state.

During the time that the English were endeavouring to extend their pale, in every direction from the metropolis of the kingdom, over a desperate but disunited enemy, the Scottish clan of Mac Donalds, who by an intermarriage had got footing in Ireland, began their ravages on the northern coast of Antrim; and by the powerful support which they received from Cantire, and the western isles of Scotland, established their dominion over a tract of country nearly forty miles in length.

As the people of those days generally followed the fortune of their chief, the greater part of the native Irish who survived these bloody scenes, transplanted themselves elsewhere, while the Scots remained peaceable possessors of the field: hence the old traditions and customs of the country were entirely lost; and the few who speak the Celtic language at all use a kind of mixed dialect, called here Scotch Irish, which is but imperfectly understood by the natives of either country.

The present possessors are in general an industrious thrifty race of people. They have a great deal of substantial civility, without much courtesy to relieve it, and set it off to the best advantage. The bold ideas of rights and privileges, which seem inseparable from their Presbyterian church, renders them apt to be ungracious and litigious in their dealings. On the whole, the middling and lower ranks of people in this quarter of the kingdom, are a valuable part of the community: but one must estimate their worth as a miner does his ore, rather by its weight than its splendor.

There are three or four old castles along the coast, situated in places extremely difficult of access, but their early histories are for the greater part lost. The most remarkable of these is the castle of Dunluce, which is at present in the possession of the Antrim family. It is situated in a singular manner on an isolated abrupt rock, which projects into the sea, and seems as it were split off from the terra firma. Over the intermediate chasm lies the only approach to the castle, along a narrow wall, which has been built somewhat like a bridge, from the rock to the adjoining land; and this circumstance must have rendered it almost impregnable before the invention of artillery. It appears, however, that there was originally another narrow wall, which ran across the chasm, parallel to the former, and that by laying boards over these, an easy passage might occasionally be made for the benefit of the garrison.

The walls of this castle are built of columnar basaltes, many joints of which are placed in such a manner as to shew their polygon sections; and in one of the windows of the north side, the architect has contrived to splay off the wall neatly enough, by making use of the joints of a pillar whose angle was sufficiently obtuse to suit his purpose.

The original lord of this castle and its territories, was an Irish chief, called Mac Quillan, of whom little is known, except that, like most of his countrymen, he was hospitable, brave, and improvident; unwarily allowing the Scots to grow in strength, until they contrived to beat him out of all his possessions.

In the course of my expeditions through this country, I met with an old manuscript account of the settlement of the Scotch here, of which I shall give you a short extract. It will serve in a good measure to shew the barbarous state of the inhabitants in the sixteenth century, and the manner in which property was so readily transferred from one

master to another.

The manuscript is in the hands of the Mac Donalds, and therefore most likely speaks rather in their favour.

"About the year 1580, col. Mac Donald came with a parcel of men from Cantire to Ireland, to assist Tyrconnel against great O'Neal, with whom he was then at "In passing through the Root * of the county of Antrim, he was civilly received and hospitably entertained by Mac Quillan, who was then lord and master of the

Root.

"At that time there was a war between Mac Quillan and the men beyond the river Bann; for the custom of this people was to rob from every one, and the strongest party carried it, be it right or wrong.

"On the day when col. Mac Donald was taking his departure to proceed on his journey to Tyrconnell, Mac Quillan, who was not equal in war to his savage neighbours, called together his militia, or gallogloghs, to revenge his affronts over the Bann; and Mac Donald, thinking it uncivil not to offer his service that day to Mac Quillan, after having been so kindly treated, sent one of his gentlemen with an offer of his service in the field.

" Mac Quillan was right well pleased with the offer, and declared it to be a perpetual obligation to him and his posterity. So Mac Quillan and the Highlanders went against the enemy, and where there was a cow taken from Mac Quillan's people before, there were two restored back: after which Mac Quillan and col. Mac Donald returned back with a great prey, and without the loss of a man.

"Winter then drawing nigh, Mac Quillan gave col. Mac Donald an invitation to stay with him at his castle, advising him to settle himself until the spring, and quarter his men up and down the Root. This col. Mac Donald gladly accepted; and in the mean time seduced Mac Quillan's daughter, and privately married her; on which ground the Scots afterward founded their claim to Mac Quillan's territories.

"The men were quartered two and two through the Root; that is to say, one of Mac Quillan's gallogloghs and a Highlander in every tenant's house.

"It so happened that the gallogiogh, according to custom, besides his ordinary, was entitled to a meather † of milk as a privilege : this the Highlanders esteemed to be a great affront; and at last one of them asked his landlord, 'Why do you not give me milk as you give to the other?" The galloglogh immediately made answer, Would you, a Highland beggar as you are, compare yourself to me, or any of Mac Quillan's gallogloghs?'

"The poor honest tenant (who was heartily tired of them both) said 'Pray, gentlemen, I'll open the two doors, and you may go and fight it out in the fair fields, and he that has the victory let him take miik and all to himself.'

"The combat ended in the death of the galioglogh; after which (as my manuscript says) the Highlander came in again and dined heartily.

"Mac Quillan's gallogloghs immediately assembled to demand satisfaction; and in a council which was held, where the conduct of the Scots was debated, their great and dangerous power, and the disgrace arising from the seduction of Mac Quillan's_daughter, it was agreed that each galloglogh should kill his comrade Highlander by night, and their lord and master with them; but col. Mac Donald's wife discovered the plot, and told it to her husband. So the Highlanders fled in the night time, and escaped to the island of Raghery.

"From this beginning, the Mac Donalds and Mac Quillans entered on a war, and continued to worry each other for half a century, till the English power became so superior in Ireland, that both parties made an appeal to James I, who had just then ascended the throne of England.

* A term by which this north-west part of the county of Antrim is always denominated.

† A vessel commonly used by the old Irish, formed out of one solid piece of wood, and most commonly of a triangular shape.

"James had a predilection for his Scotch countryman, the Mac Donald, to whom he made over by patent four great baronies, including, along with other lands, all poor Mac Quillan's possessions. However, to save some appearance of justice, he gave to Mac Quillan a grant of the great barony of Enishowen, the old territory of O'Dogherty, and sent to him an account of the whole decision by Sir John Chichester.

"Mac Quillan was extremely mortified at his ill success, and very disconsolate at the difficulties which attended the transporting his poor people over the river Bann, and the Lough Foyle, which lay between him and his new territory. The crafty Englishman, taking advantage of his situation, by an offer of some lands which lay nearer his old dominions, persuaded him to cede his title to the barony of Enishowen. And thus the Chichesters, who afterwards obtained the title of earls of Donegall, became possessed of this great estate; and honest Mac Quillan settled himself in one far inferior to Enishowen.

"One story more (says the manuscript) of Mac Quillan. The estate he got in exchange for the barony of Enishowen was called Clanreaghurkie, * which was far inadequate to support the old hospitality of the Mac Quillans. Bury Oge Mac Quillan sold this land to one of Chichester's relations, and having got his new-granted estate into one bag, was very generous and hospitable as long as the bag lasted. And so (continues the manuscript) was the worthy Mac Quillan soon extinguished."

I should not have obtruded the account of the downfall of this Irish chief, but that it affords so good a reason for the utter obliteration of every ancient record and monument in this part of the country; and will plead my excuse for not adding somewhat to our collection of Irish antiquities.

LETTER VI.

DEAR SIR,

Portrush, August 13.

A FEW days ago, as I rode across the head-land of Bengore, a sudden shower of rain falling very heavily, compelled me to take shelter in a little cabin, which stands on a wild spot in the middle of that promontory, on a piece of land called in the Irish language Aird, from the loftiness of its situation. A well-looking young woman sat by the fireside spinning at her wheel, with a parcel of children playing round her; but, notwithstanding her industrious employment, the house bore evident marks of poverty and distress about it.

As the rain still continued, I had an opportunity of asking several questions concerning the fortunes of this poor family, the history of which forms such a simple, melancholy tale, that I cannot help repeating it to you, though methinks you will accuse me of having brought it forward very mal a-propos.

The original adventurer who settled in this solitary spot was called Adam Morning, a name which he got from some accidental circumstance, and is described by the peasants of the neighbouring hamlet as a clever fellow, and an honest man. He held his little farm, which had never before been cultivated, at the small rent of five pounds per annum, hoping soon to make it a valuable tenure by the probable effects of his industry; and on this he built the cottage which I have just mentioned, suited to his infant powers, but so contrived as to admit of an addition, whenever his success in improving this barren soil should entitle him to encrease his comforts.