86 The Irish Naturalist, August, 



uncommon noise from Knockdale," which clearly is a 

 misspelling of Knocklade or Knocklayd, " the top of which 

 burst, and the discharge of burning matter and hot stones 

 from it was truly alarming, kiUing several cattle in the 

 adjoining fields ; many cabbins were thrown down and 

 several people are missing." The rest of this elaborate 

 story may now be studied in the Northern Whig. The 

 contributor says that he was led to look into the matter by 

 a reference in " the poems of Thomas Beggs, the Glen wherry 

 poet." The works of Beggs appear to be rare, and no 

 copy so far has been placed in the National Library of 

 Ireland. Mr. Foster has very kindly copied out the passage 

 referred to. It occurs in a poem of 25 pages, entitled 

 " Rathhn ; a descriptive poem, written alter a visit to 

 that island." 2nd edition. Printed by Hugh Clark and 

 Company, Corn Market, Belfast. O'Donoghue's " Poets 

 of Ireland " gives the date of publication as 1820, and that 

 of the birth of Beggs as 1789, a year after the alleged 

 eruption. 



The style of Beggs was evidently influenced by that of 

 Scott. He describes how " Duhh ni V alone, weird-like 

 Nun," was apt to utter disturbing prophecies, including in 

 her scope : — 



" Lands o'erwhelmed with watery peat 

 From black Knock-laida s bursting breast." 

 At this point he quotes in a footnote an account of the 

 eruption printed in the Hibernian Gazeteer, 1789 ; this i«i 

 given in full in the Northern Whig, Maj- 15, IQ22. Beggs 

 seems shre\^•dlv enou.eh, to have toned down the marvel in 

 his own mind to the record of a bog-burst. He adds, 

 "the. author gives his authority, but does not vouch for 

 the truth of the preceding article." 



The bibliography of the alleged eruption so far extends 

 over thirty years, during which no contradiction of the 

 story has been traced (Faulkner's Dublin Journal, May 31, 

 1788 ; Morning Post or Dublin Courier, June 12, 1788 ; 

 Hibernian Gazeteer, 1789 ; Thomas Beggs ," Rathlin," 1820). 

 It is specially remarkable that the vivid accounts of the 

 eruption should have been unknown to the Rev. Wm. 

 Hamilton, B.D. The first edition of his " Letters concerning 



