1872 INSPECTING TOUR IN IRELAND 319 



in London in a dismantled state. ... So here we are ! 

 At Dublin I transacted a deal of business, saw some 

 marvellous antiquities at the Irish Academy, and then 

 with my colleague Mr. Hull, Director for Ireland, we 

 started for Dundalk, where besides seeing the geology, 

 we visited Cuchullin s Rath and saw the grave of Fin 

 M Coul ; worked our way to Newry ; from Newry to 

 Warrenpoint, and joined there a fine young fellow 

 called Traill, one of the Survey. He looks something 

 like what I did when I joined the Survey, only he 

 is much handsomer, sings a great deal better, but 

 cannot jump so high. We saw the Carlingford country 

 and all the Mourne Mountains, and progressed to 

 Newcastle, staying two or three days at each place. 

 We were out on the mountains or on the sea-cliffs every 

 day, and have been battered by equinoxial gales from 

 every point of the compass. ... I do not expect to 

 be home for a fortnight or three weeks, for by easy 

 stages I have to continue this royal progress till 

 we get to Galway, and then back across the great 

 central plain of Ireland to Dublin. 



The Irish trouble to which I alluded has lost me 

 three weeks, otherwise I proposed going to Germany, 

 and perhaps taking Ella with me. But I begin now 

 to see that it will be too late for this year. I have 

 such a pretty problem in my mind, if I could only 



tackle it. 



FLORENCE COURT, $th October 1872. 



MY DEAR GEIKIE I got your letter last night on 

 our arrival here, Hull and self. I have been making 

 a grand round with Hull for more than a fortnight. . . . 

 Here at Lord Enniskillen s we stay till Monday. I 

 have learned a great deal about Irish geology and 

 physical geography previously to me unknown. John 



