ing coats of arms, and others beautifully | neighbourhood, who had come to market, carved with fantastic devices. Many and so filled the narrow streets, that it of the houses are very old; the most was with difficulty the coach passed conspicuous among them, and on which through. The river Feargus flows by the quaint carvings are in an excellent this town, and falls into the Shannon. state of preservation, is "Lynch's Cas- We crossed the former at Clare, once tle," in Lombard-street, formerly in- the capital of the county, but now conhabited by the mayor of Galway, who, sisting of only a few houses. There is a Brutus-like, condemned his own son to castle at the foot of the bridge, used as a death for murder, and hanged him with barrack for soldiers. On the left of the his own hands from the window of his road we pursued after we had left Clare, house, when he saw that the populace are the remains of Quin Abbey. It must were preparing to rescue him, as he have been a magnificent edifice when passed to the usual place of execution. in its glory, being built of black marble. There are some remains of the ancient Its founder is said to have been made a wall of the town; the most perfect is prince by the then reigning pope. A little in the garden of the hotel where I further on, the road passed over a rising stayed. The waters of Lough Corrib ground, and gave us the first view of the empty themselves into the bay, and a king of island rivers, the Shannon. This, finer sight of the kind cannot be con- at intervals, kept forming a part of the ceived than that which presents itself to prospect, until, after crossing a narrow the spectator, standing on the old bridge, tributary to the river, near the foot of and looking in the direction of the rapids. Cratloe Castle, we entered the county of A splendid new bridge of stone crosses Limerick. The city lay before us, in the the river higher up near the gaol, con- midst of a plain, through which the necting it with the court-house on the Shannon rolls his glorious waters. This opposite side of the stream, a fine build- we soon crossed, over a magnificent ing, with a portico of four doric columns. bridge, that leads into the centre of the There is a most curious part of the town modern part of the city. called the Claddagh, inhabited by fishermen, who are banded together in a community, under the direction of one of their number, whom they designate as a "king," and who administers among them certain laws, to which they are all bound to yield obedience. They never seek for the settlement of their disputes at any other tribunal. Their number, including their families, amounts to several thousands. They will not suffer strangers to reside among them.

Galway is one of the most populous towns in Ireland. Its situation on the north side of the bay, which forms one of the finest harbours on the shores of the Atlantic, is very favourable to trade; and if the intended connexion of Galway with the eastern part of Ireland, by means of a railway, be carried into effect, it will increase in importance and wealth. The new docks here are good, having water for vessels of five hundred tons, and a very fine quay.

I left Galway by the Limerick mail, which runs through Gort and Ennis. The country near the former town is very beautiful. Lord Gort has a seat about three miles distant from it, with entrance lodges close by the high road. Ennis is the county town of Clare. It was alive to-day with villagers from the

Limerick is one of the most celebrated places in Ireland; with its history are connected some of the most stirring military and political events. In the ninth century it was inhabited by the Danes, and subsequently by the Irish, when it became the capital of the province, and the residence of the kings of North Munster. It continually changed masters during the struggles connected with the English invasion, until at length it submitted to the Saxon rule. In the parliamentary war it resisted the attempt of Ireton to gain possession, until treachery effected what skill and valour could not accomplish. William III. was defeated before the walls, and obliged to raise the siege; although afterwards the city surrendered to general Ginckle. The castle, that owed its erection to king John, and which still bears his name, was a place of immense strength, as its present condition testifies. It stands at the foot of Thomond-bridge; at the Clare end of which there still exists "the treaty-stone," on which, as its name imports, the treaty of surrender in 1691 was signed. The old part of the city near the castle is very low and dirty; the new part, running westward, is composed of fine buildings and noble streets, equal to anything I saw in Ireland. The cathedral,

both within and without, is very un- | lakes, returning to Limerick by land. interesting. The most pleasing sight was an exceedingly large congregation, which on the sabbath afternoon I saw gathered within its walls. My English | notions of the Lord's day were however fearfully shocked, by the way in which some of the people of Limerick closed the day. After the evening service, I had returned to the house of the amiable family with whom, for a few days, I was located, and was speaking with some of the younger branches on the importance of early dedication to God, when our conversation was interrupted by the distant shouts of an immense concourse of people mingled with the roll of drums, and the sound of martial music. At first I was startled, imagining that some disturbance had taken place, and that the military had been called out; but it proved to be a procession of the members of the Temperance Society, with one of the brass bands, which father Mathew had patronised. They had been some eight or ten miles from Limerick to a meeting, and were now on their return, marching through the streets with colours flying, and the band playing most intemperately; while the tramp of the feet of several thousands of persons, men, women, and children; the mingling in harsh dissonance of the shouts of the men, with the shrill cry of females, and the ringing laughter of boys, made the whole appear a scene of mad confusion and folly. And such is too often the kind of close which in Ireland is given to the sabbath. Alas! the great mass of the people know not what they do: and their professed teachers do not care, or know how, to instruct them. Their souls are perishing, and but little of the balm of Gilead is borne to them. Few physicians attempt in earnest to heal them of their malady. "How long, O Lord, holy and true!"

Limerick has a large export trade in provisions, which gives employment to a good number of hands. There are some lace manufactories here, the products of which are much esteemed; being regarded as equal, if not superior to any that is made in England or on the

continent.

After traversing the city in all directions, my thoughts turned towards Killarney the grand attraction that had been before my imagination for many days. I at length resolved to go down the Shannon by the steamer as far as Tarbert, and thence to Tralee and the

This plan I was able to carry out. It was a most lovely day when, in company with a friend, I went on board. The waters of the Shannon looked bright and beautiful, as we glided over them;— now swelling into a glorious lake, now contracting again into a narrow channel. This is characteristic of the river, almost from its source. Between the mountains of Leitrim and Limerick, there are no less than six lakes formed by it, the chief of which are Lough Allen, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg. Westward of the city, the banks of the stream are adorned with several gentlemen's seats. On the left, rose the high rock of Carrig-o-gunnel, "the rock of the candle;" on which are the ruins of a castle, built by one of the O'Briens. From its commanding position it must have been a place of importance. It is visible in all directions for many miles. In about two hours, we passed the mouth of the river Feargus, across which lie several islands, some of them cultivated. One of the chief beauties of the splendid sheet of water which we were descending, is the diversified and picturesque islands that gem its surface. After we had passed one of these, called Foynes Isle, the steamer crossed over to the northern bank, formed by noble cliffs, covered with foliage. Here one of the sailors played a bugle, whose rich music was answered by soft and delicious echoes from the rocky shore. As we had not yet heard those marvellous sounds which are awakened from the eagle's nest at Killarney, these afforded a rich treat; and as, under the influence of the sweet subduing melody, we glided along the river, which became more and more beautiful, it needed no vast luxuriance of imagination to regard the scene as one of enchantment, However, the spell was soon broken by the debarkation at Tarbert, where we had to take the car to Tralee. This proved a sorry, jolting conveyance, whose jerkings and pitchings, with a heavy load of passengers and luggage over a bad road, soon put all poetry to flight, and brought us back again to a world of realities.

At Listowel, we changed our car. On our way thither, I soon found we were fairly in Kerry. Whatever of poverty and misery I had seen in the north and west, nothing equalled the squalid beggary of the south. Habitations, not fit for dogs or pigs to dwell in, were tenanted by human beings, half in rags; most of

them emaciated and sickly, if they were above the age of eight years; when the round and ruddy face of childhood gives place to the sharp angular features of penury and wretchedness. How they exist is, to me, a perfect mystery.

From Listowel, the road, after crossing the river Feale, winds among the mountains; and at length the Magillicuddy reeks, and all the attendant giants of this region of wildness and beauty, burst upon our view. A purple glow was upon the hills near Tralee, and on the right the waves of the Atlantic were gleaming like burnished gold, shining gloriously beneath the last rays of the descending sun. On the left were the paps of Cork, and in grand confusion, range beyond range of mountains, broken in one place in the centre of the scene by the huge gap of Dunloe. It was magnificent beyond conception. At Tralee, I found kind friends waiting to receive me, and preached to an excellent congregation.

The next morning, as had been agreed, we started early for Killarney, full of excitement and anticipations of the plea- | sure which this day's engagements were to afford. The mists yet covered the summits of the mountains that overhang Tralee, as we left the town, but gradually these vanished, and glimpses of a blue sky gave promise of a lovely day. After crossing a low range of hills, the mountains that gird Killarney became visible, half clothed with clouds that hid their lofty heads. This was especially so with Carran Tuel, the highest of the Magillicuddy reeks, and the loftiest land in Ireland. The road wound through a pretty little valley, and by the side of cultivated fields, for some miles. The summits of the Cork mountains, and of Mangerton and Torc, were bathed in sunlight, the rich woods of the latter flashing like gems, as the light winds stirred the leaves. A few minutes, and a turn in the road near a sharp descent towards the town presented to our view the bursting glories of this enchanting scene. I hardly know how to characterize the emotions of that moment. I could scarcely breathe, from the excitement which that glimpse of never-to-be-forgotten beauties awakened; and as if fearful that an audible sound might dissolve the magnificent vision, suffered no exclamation, expressive of the delicious feelings that thrilled through the soul, to escape my lips. There are occasions and places when the poverty of language to embody the emo

tions into which the heart is swelling, is deeply felt; and this appeared to be both the spot and the time. Words then would have seemed an impertinence. My breast heaved with a deep-drawn sigh, as if it I would thus relieve itself of an oppressive joy. Some less excitable reader will perhaps smile at this rhapsodical strain. Let him see Killarney as I saw it, before he condemns me.

The scene that lay stretched out before me appeared to be a vivid realization of painters' dreams, as these are delineated in the rich and elaborate pictorial illustrations of the Land of Beulah and the Delectable Mountains, which I have seen, in some splendid editions of Bunyan's immortal work. The lakes are on three sides shut in by the mountains; some of these are clothed with trees almost to the very summit: Tore especially is thus adorned. There they rise, like huge giants, guarding the sleeping beauty at their feet. I could trace the course of the waters of the lower lake for several miles, until they were hidden by the islands at the south of Glena Bay. The middle and upper lakes I could not distinguish from this spot. The large sheet of water, which is known by the name of the Lower Lake, is studded with islands of different sizes, from the bare rock up to those of several acres in extent; Ross Island being the largest, and Innisfallen the most lovely. principal ones seemed to be covered with foliage to the water's edge, and mostly, as I afterwards found, with arbutus-trees, which are here in much request, as of their wood many useful and ornamental articles are made.

The

I was not permitted long to feast my eyes with this splendid scene; for the coach, rapidly descending the hill that leads to the town, soon reached its destination. There is nothing in Killarney itself to attract the attention of the tourist; nothing to indicate the near neighbourhood of beauties and sublimities that cannot be surpassed, except a great variety of engravings in many of the shop-windows, and an unusual number of cars and ponies, and their somewhat respectably-clad drivers. These surrounded the passengers, eager to be employed in their service; and, glad to lose no time, I and my fellow-traveller speedily made arrangements for a car to the gap of Dunloe. It is usual to ride to this celebrated ravine, and, dismissing the vehicle at the entrance, walk through it; then to