SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 143 



a moment with Killarney ; yet here, perhaps, imagination has greater 

 room to weave her pleasant spells. "Winding amidst mountains, not 

 a tenth part of it can be seen at once ; each fresh reach as it opens 

 produces something unlike that which preceded it here a cluster of 

 islets, mere fantastic rocks there some sweet and quiet spot covered 

 with emerald turf, gay with flowers, and dotted with sheep now a 

 rich flat completely hidden by a growth of luxuriant timber ; then 

 an island farm, a little world in itself, with its patch of grain, tethered 

 cow, and shaggy goat. 



In these matter of fact days the spirit of romance, banished from 

 every other comer of the empire, seems here to have found a con- 

 genial resting-place in the bosoms of the people, whence it peeps out 

 in a thousand ways ^in a passionate love of old places, old names, 

 and old burial grounds and the stranger seated in his " cot " is 

 even yet occasionally startled from his reverie as the 



Loud " Wul-wulleh " warns his distant ear. 



The next reach, perhaps, shows him a fimeral procession gliding over 

 the calm water, and the long thrilling howl breaks louder on his 

 ear as the corpse is borne along, to be laid in kindred dust, side 

 by side with the bones of those, whose actions and whose memories 

 are so "dangerously dear" to the heart of the Irish peasant. 



That part of Lough Erne south-east of Inniskillen is called the 

 upper, and that towards Beleek the lower lake. The former is 

 narrow, full of islands, rather shallow, not exceeding fifty feet in 

 any part ; whilst the latter is a much finer sheet of water, having 

 in some places a depth of from 200 to 230 feet ; but this, however, 

 in common with other lakes, is varied and irregular. The shores 

 on the southern side are bold and romantic, stretching further than 

 the eye can follow in alternate moor, moss, and mountain till 

 they join the extensive highland ranges of Cavan and Leitrim. Li 

 winter the west winds are so violent as to render the navigation of 

 the lake a source of great danger, but to-day they slept as if they 

 would never wake again, and many a beautiful cutter yacht, with all 

 sails spread, hardly owned the influence of the light and fitful air. 



