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pieces of carved stone-work scattered through the gardens attest 

 the former extent of the Castle. 



Proceeding through the town, a pause was made at the site of 

 the house where Sir Hans Sloane was born, whose extensive 

 natural history collections formed the nucleus of the now enor- 

 mous establishment of the British Museum. The house was 

 rebuilt some ten years ago ; and of the original dwelling only 

 the keystone remains, built into the lintel over the present door- 

 way — a block of Castle-Espie limestone, bearing the inscription 

 11 1637. G. S., M. W. M The photographers having obtained a 

 permanent memento of this interesting relic, the party next 

 proceeded to the quay, where two fine sailing boats lay ready, 

 and, the embarkation being effected, a light south-easterly 

 breeze bore them out upon the calm surface of Strangford 

 Lough, and a course was shaped northward towards Dunnaneile 

 Island. This island is conspicuous among the myriad islets of 

 Strangford Lough for the huge mound that occupies a large part 

 of its surface. This rath, which is apparently partly natural and 

 partly artificial, is of large dimensions, but in its present condi- 

 tion rather shapeless. Here, according to tradition, the kings 

 of Ulster kept the hostages obtained by their valour and might 

 from other nations — a safe prison surely, if somewhat bleak and 

 inhospitable. Certain it is that the island was inhabited in 

 early times, as shown by the layer of blackish earth, charged 

 with fragments of bones and shells, exposed on the face of the 

 steep bank, some forty feet above high water mark, where the 

 sea has eaten into the side of the mound. The bones obtained 

 were too fragmentary to admit of an opinion being formed as to 

 whether they were human or not ; the shells were of species 

 still abundant in the lough, and which might have been used as 

 food, or bait for fishing lines. While some members examined 

 these traces of human occupation, others busied themselves col- 

 lecting moths, insects, seaweeds, and terrestrial plants. Of the 

 latter, fine specimens of one species which is rare locally, the 

 sea-beet {Beta maritima), were obtained. It was the ornitho- 

 logists, however, that carried off the honours on the island. A 



