202 By Stream and Sea. 



How many schoolboys, I wonder, could, on the spur of 

 the moment, describe the whereabouts of the North Chan- 

 nel ? To a very learned professor yesterday, it had to be 

 explained that it has nothing to do with Arctic exploration 

 or the mysteries of the North- West Passage, that it is not 

 even a far-away corner of the German Ocean, but that it is 

 simply the narrow strait which graciously offers to passengers 

 affrighted at the thought of sea sickness the shortest possible 

 voyage from Ireland to England. It yields many obvious 

 advantages to persons compelled to hurry from this section 

 of the Sister Isle, and who at the uttermost can only steal 

 two or three days for dawdling on the march back to home 

 and duty. The sea voyage is a mere bagatelle of three 

 hours ; in itself the passage is most interesting ; it is new to 

 the majority of Englishmen ; and then, as a final argument, 

 and having that dawdling project in view, it brings under 

 your notice the southern coast of Scotland, with its numerous 

 though little-talked-of beauties. 



By this time I have pitched my tent at the clean little 

 town of Newton-Stewart, which flourishes on the western 

 boundary of the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. The river Cree, 

 tumbling over a broad weir on its descent to Wigton Bay, 

 makes melody so soothing that I half suspect it of having 

 conspired with the boulders, around which the current 

 whitens into foam, to prevent me from recalling the principal 

 features of the journey hitherwards — a bit of national 

 •jealousy which cannot, however, for a moment detract from, 

 or prevent me from recurring to, the delightful parting views 

 of the Irish coast. 



The train to Larne follows the coast of Belfast Lough so 

 close that you might, if the fancy seized you, shell old Car- 

 rickfergus Castle with a pea-shooter ; so close that you can 

 see the movement of the sea fowls' eyes on the foreshore, 



