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length respectively. Across the narrowest part of the 

 intermediate channel is a ferry, connecting the western 

 road from Galway with that of Headford. In the upper 

 part of the lake are several islands, the total number of 

 which, large and small, is popularly said to be equal to the 

 number of days in the year. Many of the best of them 

 have been purchased by English gentlemen, who have 

 mansions on them, and most of whom keep a yacht, 

 which they run down to Galway for supplies. Of these 

 great western lakes Conn and Carra belong to Mayo, 

 Corib to Galway, and Mask lies between both counties. 

 The most northernly, Lough Conn, is about nine miles 

 long, by two or three in breadth. Part of its shores are 

 beautifully wooded, and where the lower and upper lakes 

 unite, the channel is crossed by a bridge of one arch, 

 called the Pontoon. The scenery is indeed magnificent. 

 Lough Carra is smaller than Lough Conn, but as a 

 sheet of water nothing could be more beautiful ; indeed, 

 everything that delights the painter's fancy may here be 

 realised. Lough Mask communicates with Lough Carra, 

 and their united waters discharge themselves by a very 

 curious subterraneous channel into Lough Corib. There 

 are no waters in the United Kingdom (with the exception 

 of the River Shannon) where larger pike are caught than 

 those taken in Loughs Mask and Corib. It seemed to 

 me that in these lakes the fish are proportioned in size 

 to the waters they inhabit. It is no unusual event for 

 pike of thirty pounds' weight to be sent to the landlords 

 by their tenants ; and fish of even fifty pounds, I am 

 informed, have frequently been caught with nets and 



