35 8 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



some times of the Revolution, and Colonel Crichton, the 

 ancestor of the present noble lord, rendered a good account of 

 himself and his castle to the new king he had chosen to serve. 

 Old Crom sustained its reputation upon the visit of the Club, 

 for it was assailed at every angle by photographers and sketchers, 

 yet never yielded an inch, but maintained its own with an 

 equanimity that was marvellous. 



After a couple of hours spent at Crom in lunching and other 

 profitable employments, the good s.s. "Belturbet" was boarded 

 at a little jetty, consisting of a few stones and two planks, and 

 a start was made down the upper lough for Enniskillen. The 

 sun had unfortunately ceased to shine, and a cold wind had 

 arisen, which rendered wraps very desirable. Our skipper lost 

 no time, and there was plenty of talent on board in the shape 

 of three Sligo fiddlers and a large party of local young men and 

 maidens, who turned the small forecastle into a dancing saloon, 

 where an Irish jig was performed to perfection by some true- 

 hearted sons of old Ireland, so that with the gaiety on board 

 and the pleasing landscape, varied at every turn by wooded 

 islands and branching loughs, the cold wind was scarcely felt in 

 the enjoyment of the novelty of the situation. Belleisle and 

 Clean-Inis were soon observed, and about six o'clock the two 

 towers of the old castle of the Maguires, lords of Fermanagh, 

 were passed, and Enniskillen reached, when there was no delay 

 in getting into the Imperial and Royal Hotels, where good 

 dinners were made doubly enjoyable by the appetites rendered 

 sharp by the first day's sail on the pleasant waters of Lough 

 Erne. 



The party was early astir on Thursday morning, and many an 

 anxious glance was cast up to the clouds to foretell the weather 

 if possible. The fondest hopes were, however, more than realised 

 by the perfect day that was enjoyed. The "Belturbet" was 

 specially chartered for a day's steaming on the lower lake, and 

 at nine o'clock all were on board and a start made for the Holy 

 Island of Devenish (Dabhinis), whilst a flood of sunshine lighted 

 up the good old town of Enniskillen, revealing the beauties of the 



