4(3 SPRINGS, RIVERS, CANALS, LAKES, 



And hearts resolv*d, and hands prepared 

 The blessings they enjoy to guard ! 



IRELAND abounds more in lakes, or as they were formerly called, 

 loughs^ than perhaps any other country of the same extent ; and 

 especially the provinces of Ulster and Connaught, m which they 

 are more frequent liian in the other provinces of the kingdom. 

 They are usually classed under two denomiua tions ; fresh-water 

 lakes, which have no access of the tide, o-r mixture with the sea, 

 and salt lakes, into which the tide flows, and which may more pro- 

 perly be called inlets of the sea. 



Of the fresh-water lakes, one of the most extraordinary is Lough' 

 lene, in the county of Kerry, which is remarkable for its singular 

 beauties. It is about six miles in length, and, at a medium, near 

 half as much in breadth ; and is interspersed with a variety of 

 beautiful islands, many of them rich in herbage, and well inhabit, 

 ed. Eagles and ospreys are here in great numbers, and the inlands 

 and rocks in and around the lake are adorned with groves of the 

 arbutus, which is frequently four feet and an half in circumfcr. 

 ence, and nine or ten yards high. 



Lough-erne and Lovgh-ncagh are by much the largest lakes in 

 Ireland. The former is divided into two branches, the upper and 

 lower, which are separated by the water being contracted into the 

 compass of a considerable river for some miles, after which, en. 

 larginj; itself, it forms the lower lake. This lough, in both its 

 branches, takes its source through the whole length of the county 

 of Fermaunagh, from the south-east point to the north. west, nearly 

 divkling it into two equal parts. It abounds with a great variety 

 of fishes, as pike of a prodigious size, large bream, roach, eels, 

 and trout ; but it is chiefly valued for its salmon. 



Lough.neagh is somewhat of a square form, but indented on 

 every side. It is esteemed the largest lake in Ireland, and is 

 exceeded by few in Europe, bcii'g twenty miles long from the 

 north-west point to the south-east, near fifteen miles from the north- 

 east to the south. west, and ten or twelve broad at a medium. 

 Lough neagh communicates its benefits to five counties, Armagh, 

 Tyrone, Londonderry, Antrim, and Down ; the latter of which it 

 only touches by a small point on the south-east side. It receives 



