at the arms and circular head of the cross, which bear representations of the last judgment. The ring or circle by which the shaft and arms are connected, and which is supposed to be emblematic of eternity, is enriched by designs of great merit in Celtic style. These, however, as well as the work over the carving of the Saviour, are greatly weather-worn. Of the latter, it can only be said that it represented a group of human figures. The western face of the cross is equally profuse in decoration. At the base we discover a fine example of interlacing lines and knots, surmounted by a group of three human figures, engaged, it would appear, in consultation. Above these is a nondescript animal, surmounted by a second group of figures, one of which, on the right-hand side, appears to be armed with a sword, and about to seize or attack the central figure. The hands of the figure to the left are raised, as if in the act of supplication or prayer. In all probability this design. refers to some passage in the early history of the place which is no longer remembered-some scene of outrage in which Scandinavian pirates were the assailants. The next panel contains two seated figures, one of which holds something upon its lap, which, judging from a somewhat similar but well-preserved sculpture upon a cross at Monasterboice, we may conclude to be intended for the infant Saviour. The head of the cross represents the crucifixion, with the sponge and spear bearers, the latter of unusually small size. Here, also, in the arms and circle are exquisite carvings in the Irish style of ornamentation. The sides or edges of the cross are richly worked in chaste patterns, some of which interlace, while others are of the "divergent spiral" class. The latter form of ornament, after having been in use in Ireland during several centuries, is known to have given place to a more modern style, as early at least as the beginning of the eleventh century. Upon comparing the Drumcliff cross with other works of its class at Clonmacnoise and Monasterboice, the dates of which have been ascertained, we must arrive at the conclusion that its age is the early part of the tenth century.

In the twelfth century, Irish decorative Christian art was at its highest degree of excellence, as the character of many

works still remaining sufficiently testifies. After that period, Irish art is almost altogether lost sight of. "The progressive decline," writes Petrie, "of the fine arts in Ireland from the end of the twelfth century, is as yet an unwritten chapter in the history of our country. Nevertheless, there are few circumstances in our annals that more strongly depict the debasement which it was the unhappy fate of Ireland to have suffered in those troubled times, or that more strikingly indicate the indissoluble connexion which ever exists between the cultivation of the fine arts and the civilization, greatness, and happiness of a people. If in such a state of barbarism as Ireland was then reduced to, genius had arisen, it would have died like a flower of the desert unnoticed and unknown; for it was not the warrior's rude and bloody hand that could preserve and cherish it, nor yet his ruder mind that could appreciate its excellence and beauty; the seed should be wafted to some more genial clime before it could be nurtured into vigour." We have been precise in our description of Drumcliff cross, as it is the only wellpreserved decorated relic of its kind still remaining in the north-west, and as it fully illustrates the beautiful fragment which we shall have occasion to notice at Boho in our Fourth Excursion. A perfectly plain cross, standing about 10 feet in height, may be seen near Mr. Dixon's house, at Tullaghan, less than two miles from Bundoran. In the same neighbourhood, near Bundroose bridge, are some pillar stones and the remains of two circles. Most of our readers, after a days' journeying along the wild Atlantic cliffs, will be inclined to return either to Bundoran or to Ballyshannon, there to rest for the night. And so concludes our third trip, for the accomplishment of which at least two days will be required. We are not writing for "business men," to whom "time is money," but rather for those who have set out fully determined to enjoy themselves in the contemplation of the beautiful or grand in Nature, or in the investigation of remains of various classes, most of which were hoar with antiquity ere yet one stone of Westminster Abbey-as that noble pile at present stands--had been set upon another!

FOURTH EXCURSION.

MONEA-DERRYGONNELLY-KNOCKMORE CLIFFS AND CAVESNOON'S HOLE-AND RETURN BY THE CAVES OF BOHO.

THIS will be strictly an inland trip, and may be accomplished on cars, which can be hired at a reasonable rate at any of the hotels in Enniskillen.

The solitary tourist, or parties of four, or a smaller number, may proceed by the mail-car, which leaves the Postoffice, Enniskillen, at half-past 6 A.M. to Derrygonnelly (where it arrives at 8 o'clock) or Church Hill; and if tolerably good pedestrians, may return on foot without much trouble to themselves. All persons, however, are not fond of walking, and many might prefer to return to Enniskillen by the same car, which leaves Derrygonnelly at 4 P.M. Much sight-seeing may be accomplished in the eight hours thus left at the traveller's disposal; the advantage, nevertheless, of the hired conveyance cannot be overlooked. By it, which is virtually one's own for the time, tourists may delay where they please. The mail must proceed to its destination, without stop or stay, in fair weather or in foul"for better or worse," as in matrimony. We shall therefore imagine ourselves one of a party mounted upon the farfamed Irish jaunting-car," as sung by the incomparable Vousden, on pleasure bent to a district which may be styled the Highlands of Fermanagh. Leaving the town by the West-bridge, past the Brook, past Portora gate, past Lough Galliagh, or "Hag's Lake," we arrive at Kinarla, "the head of the high or chief lake," from which an interesting distant view of the Holy Island of Devenish is attainable. Farther on, upon the left, is Lenaghan, the charming seat of Maurice C. Maude, Esq., agent to the Marquis of Ely. Upon the right is "The Graan," the residence of S. Gamble, Esq. And now we are as much in the country as if Enniskillen had disappeared by the stroke of the enchanter's wand; and a beautiful country it assuredly is, with a fore

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ground and middle-distance of hill and vale, sentineled by Belmore, "the great opening, mouth, or place," and more distant mountains, robed in gray and gloom, or manytinted, bathing in light. That the whole of this district was a favourite haunt of an early population is evinced by the appearance, upon almost every hill-top, of a rath or circular entrenchment. That these little enclosures are of extreme antiquity there can be no question, though visionary antiquarians have often attributed them to the Danes. Indeed, the general name for them amongst the people is Dane's Raths." They are supposed to be now the haunts of the "good-people," or fairies, and dreadful penalties, here and hereafter, are said to fall upon any person daring enough to till them or to utilse the rich virgin earth of which their ramparts are usually composed. It remained for Mr. G. M. Atkinson, in a paper recently read before the Historical and Archæological Society of Ireland, to clear up the mystery attending their origin, and to show that the term "Danish Rath" is a misnomer. "It is somewhat curious," writes Mr. A. G. Geoghegan, in the Journal of the society, "that this belief" (the Danish theory) "is spread over the entire island, from Malin to Carnsore-from Dundrum to Tralee. Although, as Mr. Atkinson remarks, it is absurd to suppose that the sea-kings, whose object it was to burn and destroy all habitable buildings in Ireland, not to create and erect them, had anything to do with the formation of those mounds; still, a belief so widely spread throughout the land requires some investigation. I therefore agree with Mr. Atkinson that this tradition contains the truth, although hid in the wrappings of error, and that the people referred to is not the people known in the English language as Danes, but that olden race, the Tuatha de Danaan, who in remote ages landed on our shores as conquerors and colonists. The little we know of this mysterious race strongly impresses us with the idea that they were far in advance of the natives of Ireland in civilisation and mechanical knowledge. They were hewers of stone, smelters of ore, workers in copper, bronze, and gold, burners of their dead, and so far superior to the Irish aborigines of that day that they were held by them to be a race of magicians. Wise as the Tuatha de

Danaan' is a saying still to be heard in the highlands of Donegal, in the glens of Connaught, and on the seaboard of the south-west of Ireland." We have said so much of the rath in order that the stranger to Ireland, who is supposed to accompany us, may understand the interesting character of many such works which we shall meet in the course of our inland excursions.

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About one mile and a-half from Monea, upon the Enniskillen side, we pass the ruins of Tullymargy Castle, a structure of the Cromwellian days, and once the seat of the Carleton family. All the cut stone of the building has been removed. Some arched vaults, which are still occasionally explored by dreamers of golden store supposed to be there deposited, indicate that the place was of some strength. However, we need not here delay, but had better push on to the inconsiderable village of Monea, near which stands a lofty and beautifully picturesque castle, erected by Malcolm Hamilton, Rector of Devenish and Archbishop of Cashel, who died in 1629. This castle," writes that high authority, Dr. Petrie, "like the Castle of Tully, in the same county, affords a good example of the class of castellated residences erected on the great plantation of Ulster by the British and Scottish undertakers, who are to plant their portion with English and inland Scottish tenants,' which was imposed upon them by the orders and conditions to be observed by the undertakers upon the distribution and plantation of the escheated lands in Ulster, in 1608. By this article it was provided that every undertaker of the greatest proportion of 2,000 acres shall, within two years after the date of his letters-patent, build thereupon a castle, with a strong court or bawn about it; and every undertaker of the second or middle proportion of 1,500 acres shall, within the same time, build a stone or brick house thereupon, with a strong court or bawn about it; and every undertaker of the least proportion of 1,000 acres shall, within the same time, make thereupon a strong court or bawn, at least; and all the said undertakers shall cause their tenants to build houses for themselves and their families, near the principal castle, house, or bawn, for their mutual defence or strength,'" &c.

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Monea was the castle of the middle proportion of Der