Lakes of Kitlarney. 413 



resorted to, may furnish some suggestion for 

 the purpose ; as in wet seasons, which fre- 

 quently occur, there can be no access to 

 the upper lake, and many parties must be 

 deprived of seeing the most interesting part of 

 the whole* 



As we were about to set off, an eight oared 

 barge of Lord Kenmare's arrived, with every 

 aid for effecting the passage, which took up 

 above an hour, and was not unattended with 

 some risk to the men. The difficulties we had 

 encountered, as is usual, enhanced the value of 

 the promised pleasure, and never were the ex- 

 pectations of mortals higher raised or more en- 

 thusiastically felt. We had to pass for two 

 miles up a narrow rapid river, whose rushy 

 sides, with the flat, boggy ground between the 

 mountains, were by no means consonant to the 

 high ideas we had formed of the approach to 

 the upper lake. As a foil, however, nothing 

 of contrast could be more effectually dis- 

 posed. 



Eagle's Nest first arrests the attention, and 

 may be considered as the guardian genius of 

 the upper lake hence commences the fairy 

 ground. Eagle's Crag is a perpendicular 

 pyramidical rock, rising from a narrow base to 



