148 [Proc. B.N.F.C. 



and the receding tide was just showing the ridge of the 

 natural causeway which at low-water forms a footway to the 

 island, and which looked much easier to traverse than it 

 actually proved later on. Leaving the neat coastguard 

 station on the left, the party descended to Port Muck, and 

 an old ruin on the edge of the cliff was investigated. There 

 is little left to guide one, but its formation points decidedly 

 to that of martial structure, and seems to indicate the lower 

 chambers of a small, square keep, which was once surrounded 

 by outworks of fairly considerable magnitude. One feature 

 remains which has been called a " water gate," but evidently 

 was an exit for refuse. The keep is now used as a shed for 

 wheel-cars, three of these quaint old vehicles in a picturesque 

 group being photographed by various members. Later in the 

 day the site of the old Abbey with its graveyard was visited, 

 and remains of some stone-lined graves inspected, with human 

 bones in situ, the only trace visible of a religious foundation 

 of which the late Bishop Reeves says : — '' In 1589 the Rectory 

 of Rincheven, alias Portmucke, was leased to the Earl of Kil- 

 dare as an appurtenance of the Abbey of Inch. At the foot 

 of a rock close to the shore, yet sheltered from the eastern 

 blast, stood the church of Portmuck, of which the only 

 remaining part is a portion of the east wall. The graveyard 

 was ploughed up some years ago by the holder of the sur- 

 rounding farm, and at the same time the foundations were 

 cleared away. They are stated to have been about sixty feet 

 long and twenty wide." The portion of the " east wall " 

 referred to has now also disappeared. 



The party then proceeded to the beach, and, as it was 

 low-water, the majority were enabled to walk across the 

 boulder causeway to Muck Island, not, however, without 

 various slips and falls, and consequent wet feet. Others took 

 advantage of the kindly offer of the local coastguards, who 

 placed their boat and themselves at our service, and, 

 wading in the shallow water, carried the ladies in a more or 

 less unconventional manner to the boat. When all had 

 reached the island in safety lunching groups were recorded 



