IRELAND. 



271 



hot 



.1 r. 



sheltered, and has sufficient depth of water for the 

 largest ships. 



The province of L'lster comprehends four maritime 

 counties, and has a sea-coa-t of 1<X> leagues. Point 

 Cranfield makes the east tide of Carlingfurd Bay, and 

 from this place to Belachaneir, along the mountainous 

 country of Motirne, there are only a few creeks, capa- 

 ble of receiving nothing larger than fishing boats. 

 The bay of Dundnim lies between that and St John's 

 Point, which is six miles broad, but shallow, and lull 

 of shoal-; there i* also an inner bay. but this, though 

 convenient and safe, is rendered of little use, on ac- 

 count of the shallow nets of the outer bay. The fore- 

 land of Point St. John, the ltatnr,ium I'romunlonum 

 of Ptolemy, lies a mile to the south of port St. Anne. 

 The land now stretches to the north-east for five miles, 

 till we reach Killard Point, which is the south-west 

 extremity of Strangtbrd Bay ; the other extremity is 

 ( jiiinliti Point. Strangford bay is an inlet, five mile* 

 and a half long, and a mile broad ; the sea runs 

 through it with great rapidity. This bay opens into 

 the great sea, Lough Conne, or Lough of Strangford, 

 which rum directly north up to Newton, and send* a 

 small branch to the west, on which stands Downpa- 

 trick. Ixnigh Strangford is a basin, fifteen miles long 

 and five broad ; in it there are 54 island*. This is the 

 largest salt-water lough in Ireland. From Point St. 

 Quintin to Bryal Point, the land runs north-east, but 

 from the latter to Donaghadee it runs north, with a 

 little inclination to the west, and a very dangerous 

 coast all the way, the shore being lined with great 

 rocks. 



Bdfwt Loch, or the Bay of Carrickfergus, divide* 

 the counties of Down and Antrim ; it is three league* 

 wide at it* entrance, ia easy of ace***, and well shelter- 

 ed. Noutheed form* the south point of the entrance, 

 of which lie the Copland island*, three in number. 



The north coast of Antrim i* the most intemting 

 in Ireland, both to the geographer and the geologist : 

 it* geotMTJ will be considered afterwards, at iirnnit 

 we dull merely attend to its geography. Two league* 

 north from Canickfergus lie* the small port of Old- 

 field ; beyond this there is a bold coast and safe ancho- 

 rage, to the height of Fairtand Point. This promontory, 

 and that of Bengore, constitute the leading features of 

 this whole coast ; they stand at the distance of eight 

 milea from each other, both fanned on an extensive 

 scale, both abrupt toward* the sea. The former lies 

 about *even mite* to the west of Ballycastle, and ap- 

 pear*, when viewed from aea at a distance, to be an ex 

 ning out from the coast a consi- 

 rhen examined, it is found to be 

 up of a number of leaser cape* and bays, each 

 distinguished by name, the whole forming the heed 

 land of Bengore. The meet perfect of these cape* is 

 called Pleaskin. The mean height of the coast near 

 here ia about 1000 feet, while the surface of Lough 

 Neagh, situated in the midst of this pert of Ireland, ia 

 net elevated more than 90 feet above the ocean. The 

 total height of the cliff of Cape Pleaakin, from the sum- 

 mit to the base, U 37* feet Fan-head, the north-east 

 cape; of Ireland, the HiAogdiim Promotion** of Pto- 

 lemy, ia elevated more than 500 feet above the sea, and 

 form* the aaaUrn extremity of Ballycastle Bay. " It 

 presents to view a vast mas* of rude oulumnary atone*, 

 mmi.pt them exceeding 200 feet in length ; and at 

 the beae of those gigantic columns, lie* a wild waste of 

 natural rain*,' of an enormous size, which, in the course 

 of age*, have been tumbled down from their found*, 



pamr*, wimi nvwcu irom 



tensive land-head, running 

 derable-lencth ; but, when 

 madr up of a number of V 



tion, by storms, or some powerful ojierations of nature. Statistics. 



A savage wildness characterizes this great promontory, "^^V"""' 



at the foot of which the ocean rages with uncommon 



fury. Scarcely a tingle mark of vegetation has yet 



crept over the hard rock, to diversify its colouring ; but 



one uniform greyness clothes the scene all around." 



The island of Rogherry, or Roglin, six miles from 



Fairhead, is five miles long, and three-quarters of a 



mile broad. The phenomenon of the mirage, similar 



to the fata morgana, is often observed in the strait that 



separates this island from the main. 



Returning to the Bay of Gal way, we shall now pro- Galwijr. 

 ceed to the west coast of Ireland. * Galway Bay is very 

 capacious, being six leagues wide and seven deep ; be- 

 fore it lie the South Arran islands, among which there 

 are no fewer than four passages ; these belong to the 

 county of Clare ; there are various shoals, sands, and 

 sunken rocks, especially on the north side. When the 

 wind blows from the south and south-west, a heavy 

 swell rolls into the bay of Galway. The coast to the 

 north of this bay is lined with many rock* and small 

 islets, and po*e**t* several small bays, one of the prin- 

 cipal of which is Buturby Bay ; this has a narrow en- 

 trance, but within 'is four miles long, and two broad, 

 with deep water. Conichin bay is deep at the mouth, 

 but the entrance is difficult and dangerous ; the other 

 l>.iy require no particular notice. The west point of 

 Galway is Sline-head, which is rocky and steep. To 

 the north of this head are many bays, but the coast in 

 general is lined with rocks and shoals. The counties of 

 Galway and Mayo are separated by Killery harbour. 

 The county of Mayo has a long extent of coast, fronting 

 directly towards the north, in which there are many 

 coves and bay*. Before Newport Bay, which is four 

 league* long, with many islands, and has several good 

 toad* (far the largest veasel*. lie* Clare Island. The en- 

 trance to the bay of Blacksod is four miles long ; this 

 bay is formed by the island of Achil on the south, and 

 affords a landlocked harbour. The coast, in this quar- 

 ter, is studded with islet*, of which the most con-|>i- 

 cuon* are thoee called the Stags of Broadhaven ; after 

 'ing theee, the coaH become* clear of islets, with 

 steep rocky cliffs. Killala Bay contracts into a har- 

 bour which admit" small vessel*. Sligo Bay is capaci- 

 ous, and has several good harbours and roadstead*. 

 Three leagues west from Ballykhannon, oil' the coast of 

 Sligo, lies a small island called Ennis Murry, at the 

 south end of which is a Urge rock above water, with a 

 ledge running for a great diftance from it into the sea ; 

 so that, to the south-west, the coast i* foul as far as 

 Kala point. 



The coast of Donegal i* mountainous and dreary. Donegal. 

 Doing si Bay i* six league* wide and seven deep, and 

 contain* many harbour*. On the north shore of this 

 bay another stretches into the land, called Invcr Bay. 

 From the bay of Donegal, the coast is lined with islands, 

 one group of winch is called the Rosses ; the largest of 

 this group is the island of Arranmore, nine miles in i ir- 

 camjerenee, and one mile from the main land. Sheep- 

 haven i* spacious, but exposed to the north and north- 

 east : near it is Horn i lead ; in this promontory there 

 is a remarkable cavern, with an opening to the land, 

 through which the waves force up a column of water, 

 with a noise that is said to be heard 30 miles. There 

 are some black rocks, called Ensterhull, over against 

 Enisthon, the extremity of which, Caledagh Point, is 

 the north cape of Ireland. To the west- south- west lie* 

 Lough Swilly, which is thought to be the A ngila of r**" 

 I'tolcmy : Mi one of the noblest harbour* in Europe, 



