68 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I/IS. 



that any person by the eye would judge it to be wood, till it is tried. I had a 

 piece about l6 inches long, that looked as if it had been a large chip, cut out 

 of the side of an oak -block, with the bark on it; and in cutting such chips, 

 there happens generally some shakes or flaws in them, so that there will be a 

 separation of parts at one end, while they remain firm at the other, as it was in 

 this. I could have raised several of such splinters of this large chip ; and when 

 so raised, they would flap down again, like a spring. Some of those stones 

 would appear at one end as if rotten, and decayed wood; but trying it, it was 

 as much stone, as any other part. 



The lake is reputed to be 24 miles long, and 12 broad, and navigable from 

 Charlemont to Portlenoue, which is about 35 miles. It does not abound with 

 many sorts of fish, but those are very good, such as salmon, trout, pike, 

 bream, roach, eels and pollans, with which last it greatly abounds: the English 

 call them fresh water herrings, for want of another name ; for pollan is an Irish 

 name. They catch them in the summer with sieves, as they do herrings, and 

 they are a great relief to the poor, being very cheap : they are in shape and 

 size like the largest smelts, full of very large bright scales, and pleasant meat, 

 being eat fresh. These were supposed to be a fish peculiar to that lake; but I 

 find Lough Earne has the same sort, but not in so great plenty. They are 

 generally caught here in their eel-nets, running to the sea ; so that I am of 

 opinion, that they are that sort offish that is caught in the sea, or between the 

 fresh and salt-water, called shads ; and that the large ones come from the sea, 

 as the salmon does, and leave their spawn in the lough ; which, when they grow 

 large, go to the sea, and there come to their full growth. 



That there is some healing quality in the water of this lough, is certain ; but 

 whether diffused through all parts, is not known, nor pretended. There is a 

 certain bay in it, called the fishing-bay, which is about half a mile broad : it is 

 bounded by the school-lands of Dungannoi^^ has a fine sandy bottom, not a 

 pebble in it, so that a man may walk with safety and ease from the depth of his 

 ancle to his chin, on an easy declivity, at least 300 yards before he come to that 

 depth. It is in great repute for curing the evil, running sores, rheumatism, &c. 

 Many come there, having running sores, and are cured after a little time 

 Great crouds come there on Midsummer- Eve, of all sorts of sick ; even sick 

 cattle are brought, and driven into the water for their cure; and people believe 

 they receive benefit, 1 know it dries up running sores, and cures the rheuma- 

 tism, but not with once bathing, as people now use it ; and the drinking the 

 water I am told will stop the flux. I look upon it to be one of the pleasantest 

 bathing places I ever saw. 



