i8o 



HARD WICKE 'S S CIE NCE - G O SSIP. 



that bounds the north-west portion of Galway Bay. 

 To the N. and N.W. of the latter are a few isolated 

 abrupt hills, the most marked being the broken but 

 peaked hill of Cashel, rising out of the plain to the 

 north of Bertrabwe Bay ; while to the southward is 

 Errisbeg, the rugged hills on the west of Round- 

 stone Bay. The name of this bay is interesting, as 

 the Irish name of the place was Carrig-na-roan, or the 

 rock of the seals, from a rock near the entrance of 

 the bay formerly much frequented by these animals ; 

 the Carrig has been translated, but jvaii has been 

 corrupted into round — hence the jDresent name. 



of them being fiords ; that of Streamstown, to the north 

 of Clifden, being four or five miles long, and on an 

 average four hundred yards wide, while Killary 

 Harbour, the mearing between the cos. Galway 

 and Mayo, is over nine miles long and in general not 

 a quarter of a mile wide. The latter is most striking, 

 being for its entire length margined by abrupt hills 

 of greater or less altitude. The sketch gives some 

 idea of it ; but as it was taken from high ground 

 near the east end, in the vicinity of Leenaun, in 

 places the adjoining hills do not appear to be as high 

 as they really are. 



Fig. 150. Panoramic \ie\v of Lough Inagh, with Ben-na-BeoIa on the west, and the Maum-turk range to the east. — A, road. 



West and north of the Errisbeg liills is the 

 champaign country previously mentioned. This, 

 viewed from any of the southern peaks of Ben- 

 na-Beola, has a most peculiar aspect, studded as it 

 is with innumerable lochs and lochauns, which, in 

 connection with the archipelego to the south-east, 

 makes it nearly impossible to detect where the sea 

 ends and the mainland begins. This place can scarcely 

 be described : it must be seen to have any conception 

 of it. We have previously drawn attention to the 

 floors of the valleys being so low ; but it ouglit to be 

 mentioned, tliat if Hiar-Connaught was lowered 

 10 feet, the major portion would be under water, 

 and if 150, all the mountain-groups mentioned would 

 be disconnected islands. Besides the lakes mentioned, 

 there are others in all the principal valleys, except 

 that of iVIaum. 



As yet no mention has been made of the bays 

 that indent both the south and the east coast. Tliose 

 to the south are more or less irregular, but have 

 a tendency to run nearly north and south. Tliese 

 north and south bays, however, are connected with 

 others that cross them more or less obliquely ; thus 

 giving the sheets of water irregular outlines. On 

 the west coast the bays run nearly east and west, two 



THE ECONOMICAL PRODUCTS OF 



TLAXTS. 



No. III. 



Bv J. T. Riches. 



OPIUM. — The well-known and most important 

 drug is the inspissated juice of a plant known 

 as Papavc7' somniferiuii, Linn. 



The plant is supposed to have been originally a 

 native of tlie Levant ; it grows, however, very readily 

 in this country, but there is no doubt it has been 

 introduced at some early period. It grows about two 

 feet high, usually with a smooth stem ; leaves ob- 

 long, clasping the stem, glaucous, smooth ; flowers 

 light violet with purple centre ; capsule smooth. 

 It is cultivated in this country for the sake of its cap- 

 sules, which are known as "poppy-heads," a decoc- 

 tion of which with chamomile flowers is often used 

 for the relief of toothache and similar pains ; an ex- 

 tract is also obtained from them. There is an 

 abundance of oil contained in the seeds, which is 

 expressed and used as an article of food, often mixed, 

 it is said, with olive oil. In Greece and other places 

 the seeds themselves form an article of food. The 

 seeds of one variety are imported to this country, and 



