Physical Features. 65 



a maximum depth of 102 feet off Skady Island. Much has 

 been written, much has been handed down by tradition, as 

 to the origin of this lake. Some of the tradition has formed 

 the subject of one of Moore's melodies. Many popular 

 beliefs are still extant as to the wonderful "petrifying" and 

 the medicinal powers of the waters of the lake. They are 

 suggestive if not satisfying. According to the annalists in 

 the first century of the Christian era, when Lughaidh 

 was King of Ireland — i.e., from ad. 65 to a.d. 73 — a 

 fountain burst forth and continued to flow until it filled the 

 valley now occupied by the lake. But if this valley existed 

 with a bar at its lower end, as is at present at Toome, the 

 question may be asked how it was that the depression was 

 not filled with the waters that would flow into the basin 

 from the rivers ; that is, if these present rivers still flow in 

 their ancient beds, and that the rainfall at that period 

 was not less than at present. The alternative is that the 

 depression did not exist before the reputed outflow, and 

 that the formation of the lake was caused by the sinking in 

 of the area now covered by the waters of the lake. The 

 legend is just possible so far as it deals with the statement 

 that the lake originated at this period in the history 

 of Ireland, but further than this we need not place much 

 reliance as to the cause ascribed by the tradition. It was 

 much easier for the people of that time to observe the fact 

 of the lake being formed, than for them to arrive at the 

 correct cause of its origin ; they would more readily notice 

 that the waters were covering and encroaching on their 

 valley, than that their valley was actually sinking below the 

 bar level at the north end of the lake. We may sum up 

 briefly some of the observations that have a bearing on the 

 subject. A series of large faults occur in the rocks around 

 this district, resulting in serious displacement of the strata : 

 these, however, are common all over the plateau of Antrim, 

 but need not necessarily have en used the depression in 

 which the lake occurs, though the subsidence of the land 

 may have occurred along these lines at a much later date. 



The researches of William Swanston and Clement Reid 

 are of considerable importance. These observers followed 

 up the investigations of others who had found shells 



