122 . 



";,r iOi M'; ; 



LETTER XL 



'T^rttf^f QtffDbno^tiJiif s-g&mo -id 



Antrim, August 21, 1813. 



TRAVELLERS have a chance of two roads 

 from Belfast to Bally Castle. The one by Car- 

 rickfergus, we were told, affords beautiful views 

 of the Lough of Belfast, and the stupendous 

 rocks near Fair-head, The principal object in 

 the other, on which we decided, although I be- 

 lieve it to be the least interesting of the two, 

 is Lough Neagh, of which we had an extensive 

 view as we ascended the Black Mountain ; as 

 also of the superb mountain scenery of the 

 county of Down, and the grand Alpine boun- 

 dary formed by the Mourne mountains. 



The Black Mountain, whose ascent is so 

 steep as to induce our ascending it on foot, is 

 covered with a miserably bad soil ; but on the 

 side of Belfast it has been reclaimed and culti- 

 vated at a great expense, and is now greatly 

 diversified with numerous white-washed cabins, 

 which, with their bleaching greens, and other 

 improvements, give it a very cheerful appear- 



