PLAINS OF MAYO. 21 



overflow of Lough. Mask disappears through a subterra- 

 nean passage in the cavernous limestone, from which, 

 after flowing underground for upwards of two miles, it 

 is discharged at Cong. The situation of this little town, 

 with its old ivied abbey, near to the walls of which 

 flows this beautiful crystal river, expanding as it goes 

 into an arm of Lough Corrib, with the wooded demesne 

 of Ashford on the opposite bank of the stream, and the 

 setting sun casting its golden light over the mountains 

 of Connemara, is strikingly picturesque. This is likely 

 to become a favourite resort, when steamers ply on 

 Lough Corrib from Galway, which they are expected to 

 do in the course of a year or two. The climate is very 

 mild. Wheat of fine quality is produced here, and 

 myrtles flourish in the open air. 



On the morning of 10th October, accompanied by 

 Mr Elwood, I left Hollymount on my way to Castlebar, 

 passing near Lord Oranmore's at Castlemagarret, a fine 

 wooded demesne of 900 acres, all in grass. We visited 

 the estate of General Sir Robert Arbuthnot, who is 

 carrying out a judicious system of improvement by 

 draining and green crops. After calling at the residence 

 of Mr Lambert, a neighbouring proprietor and extensive 

 stock farmer, we came on through a somewhat elevated 

 district for a mile or two, when, again descending to a 

 lower level, we soon reached the plains of Mayo. These 

 extend for some miles, and are fine gently sloping lands, 

 with no impediment to husbandry, but everything to 

 encourage exertion. In some places they are still 

 untouched by the plough, in others they have gone 



