364 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



and while some, on pleasure bent, saw in this excursion only an 

 afternoon of novelty not unmixed with excitement, the majority 

 perceived and appreciated the valuable practical lesson in 

 geology which a visit to the underground regions of the mine 

 presents. Favoured with a bright sunny day, to which a couple 

 of short showers only lent piquancy, a party numbering no less 

 than eighty assembled at Carrickfergus railway station on 

 arrival of the midday train from Belfast, and took the road 

 for Duncrue. A member of the Club resident in Carrickfergus 

 pointed out to the party a remnant of the ancient embattled 

 wall of the town, which stands on the northern side of the 

 Albert Road — an interesting relic, of the existence of which most 

 of the members were not aware. This fragment appears to be 

 in a line with the much larger portion of the old wall, which 

 may be seen a few hundred yards further eastward, and the fine 

 old North Gate stands about midway between. The walls of 

 the town were built in 1608, with the assistance of the Deputy- 

 Governor (Sir Arthur Chichester), who furnished on behalf of 

 His Majesty James I. one hundred men to assist in the work, 

 the Corporation of Carrickfergus on their part engaging to find 

 " a hundred good, able, and sufficient men " "to arme, muster, 

 and keepe in readiness for the defence " of the town. 



Passing out into the open country, road was taken for the 

 salt mines, where the party were met by Mr. Pennall, one of 

 the courteous officials of the mine, and without delay the work 

 of lowering the large party, four at a time, to the bottom of the 

 shaft, a depth of 750 feet, was commenced. The time thus 

 spent afforded those waiting their turn to descend an opportunity 

 of examining the character of the rock-salt recently brought to 

 the surface, and of learning something of the history of the 

 mine. The deposit of salt was first discovered in the year 1850, 

 when borings were being carried on in the hope of finding coal 

 below the New Red Sandstone. When a depth of between 

 1,000 and 1,500 feet had been reached without result, the search 

 for coal was wisely abandoned, and mines were opened for the 

 extraction of the salt. The original mine has now been in 



