CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS. 



the surface of the bogs, is tinctured by the reddish black colour of 

 the turf; and when a shower comes that makes these pits overflow, 

 the water that runs over tinctures all it meets, and gives both its 

 colour and stink to many of the rivers. 



The natives however had formerly some advantage from the 

 woodland bogs ; as b\ them they were preserved from the conquest 

 of the English ; and probably a little remembrance of this makes 

 ti em still build near them : it was then an advantage tc them to 

 have their country impassable, and the fewer strangers came near 

 them, they lived the easier; for they had no inns, every house 

 where you came was jour inn ; and you said no more, but put off 

 your brogues and sat down by the fire; and still the natural Irish 

 hate to mend high-ways, and will often shut them up, and 

 change them, being unwilling strangers should come and burthen 

 them. Though they are very inconvenient, yet ihey are of some 

 use ; for most persons have their fuel from them, Turf is ac- 

 counted a tolerably sweet fire ; and having very impoliticly dc. 

 strojed our wood, and not as yet found stone coal, except in few 

 places, we could hardly live without some bogs ; when the turf is 

 charred, it serves to work iron, and even to make it a bloomery or 

 iron-work : turf charred I reckon the sweetest and wholesomest fire 

 that can be ; fitter for a chamber, and for consumptive people, than 

 either wood, stone coal, or charcoal. 



Turf-bogs preserve things a long time : a corpse will lie entile in 

 one for several years ; also trees are found sound and entire in them, 

 and even birch and alder that are very subject to rot; such trees 

 burn very well, and serve for torches in the night. 



All the inconveniences of the bogs may be remedied, and may be 

 made useful by draining them ; and all or mest of them have a suf- 

 ficient fall for that purpose. The great objection against them is 

 the expence, and it is commonly thought that it would cost much 

 more than would purchase an equal piece of good ground ; for ail 

 acre of good land in most parts of Ireland is about four shillings per 

 annum, and the purchase fourteen or fifteen years, so that three 

 pounds will purchase an acie of good land ; and it is very doubtful 

 whether that sum will reduce a bog ; but this is far from the fact, 

 as most bogs would well reward the expense of draining them. 



As to loughs or lakes, the natural improvement of them, is first to 

 drain them as low as possible; and then turn the residue of the wa- 



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