^iif Recent a fid rapid Formation of Peat, 



most recent, the earth had been inhabited by innumerable 

 other species, and other genera, successively created and exi- 

 tinguished during a lapse of time wholly hnmeasurable, but 

 which must have comprehended millions of ages, rather than 

 of years." 



As many changes on the earth's surface involve millions 

 of ages, others are of yesterday. This has happened in 

 respect of some at least of the peat bogs in my neighbour- 

 hood. A stool {Jig- 110.) was found in my turf or peat bog; 



110 .^^^^ ' ~^ ^ 22 in. long and 



1 8 in. broad : 

 the supporters 

 are cut out of 

 solid timber of 

 thewillow kind. 

 It was found 



about 4 ft. under the surface by the turf-cutter. At Derrycaw, 

 about three miles from my residence, the workmen of Mr. 

 Bond, in sinking trenches in the bog near his house, discovered 

 the foundation of a timber house on the earth ; the mortises 

 in the door-case are stated as remarkable. Since the prepar- 

 ation of the materials for that habitation, the bog has ac- 

 cumulated to an immense height, and the Blackwater river has 

 been formed. These changes have probably been recent; 

 yet there is no report or story of the change, unless in the 

 general language of the country, which now denominates the 

 land hills, peering throughout the bogs, islands : this may 

 be metaphorical, yet it appears probable to me that it truly 

 declares they were encircled with water. But what proves 

 the late creation of our bogs or mosses, for they have both 

 these names in this country, is, the blade of a knife found in 

 the inside of a fir tree. Two sawyers, of the name of Short, 

 were employed by me about ten years ago. In the course of 

 conversation with them, they mentioned having found the 

 blade of a knife in sawing a fir tree. The account is as fol- 

 lows : — 



The Rev. Mr. Steward being promoted to Grange, he 

 was obliged to repair the dwelling-house and offices. For 

 that purpose he had some bog fir brought from his estate in 

 Tyrone. The Shorts were employed by him to saw it. In 

 cutting one log, they were arrested, and the saw damaged. 

 They then reversed the position of the tree, and proceeded 

 in their task. As they approached where they had been 

 stopped, the timber divided, and the blade of a knife dropped. 

 There was a hole in the tree, beginning at the upper end of 

 the blade, which the sawyers conjectured to have been formed 



