the ruins of a very extensive and considerable structure, which appears to have been formerly a place of great consideration.

The dignified impressions created by the objects of this day will make some pause necessary to bring the mind down to the level of common occurrences; but under no influences can mine be forgetful of the esteem and regard with which I am now compelled to say, Adieu.

J. C. C.

LETTER XVI.

Port Rush, August 25, 1813.

My mind could never have been impressed with any just notion of the immensity of Nature's powers, but for the wondrous scenes contemplated yesterday; all subordinate objects, however interesting before, became reduced and seen in a pigmy-like state; and were, for some time, considered by me as scarce worthy of observation. To this influence on my mind is to be ascribed the inattention, in my last, to the surface of the country over which we passed in our way hither from Bush Mills; but which, on reflection, is highly deserving of notice.

A little beyond Glenluce Castle, which derives much consequence by its being partly erected on a projecting rock, is the farm of Mr. Hunt, whose crops greatly invited our attention. This gentleman holds a considerable extent of land, under the Countess of An

Want of Quickset or Whitethorn Hedges. 201 trim; on which is situate the former residence of the family.

On our visit to him this morning, we did not perceive that he pursued a system differing from that in common practice, which is to take as many white crops as the soil with profit will produce; justifying an observation two hundred years ago, of the Irish being great ploughers, but little spenders of corn. The appearances here forcibly impressed us, that were the management equal to the goodness of the land, Mr. Hunt would find abundant employ for the threshing mill which he has lately erected on a good construction. The diminutive occupations and farming establishments must, however, prevent threshing mills from becoming general. We could not help lamenting the want of quickset hedges, the introduction and care of which would much improve this part of the sea coast.

Port Rush is a small neat place, with some comfortable cottages for the accommodation of sea bathers; the rocks about it are romantic, and show the convulsions to which, probably, they owe their formation. "The strand at Port Rush," observes Whitehurst," exhibits an awful wreck of the terraqueous globe, consisting altogether of immense masses of black

202

Whitehurst's Origin of Lava.

lava; so extremely replete with bladder holes, and so void of extraneous matter, that it per fectly resembles the scoria of iron, and therefore leaves not the least doubt of its being a volcanic production. The bladder holes in the lava are in part filled up with zeolite, a substance rarely found in England." The western shores of Derry and Donnegal appear from Port Rush to be bold and alpine.

grass

Our kind friend Dr. Richardson, to whom the curious are indebted for his researches amid the accumulation of wonders which pervade the Giant's Causeway, as well as the cele brity which the Fiorin has obtained among agriculturists, received us with true Irish hospitality. Zealous and warm-hearted in all his pursuits, he enters with such ardency and exaltation of ideas into whatever he undertakes, that the most cautious and phlegmatic can scarcely withhold approbation, or avoid becoming his disciples. Here were a few acres of fiorin; and though they were much overrun with other grasses, a favourable idea was entertained of the crop which was cutting for soiling. The horses appeared to be very fond of it, and were in good condition.

Mr. McNaughton, of Beardiske, is one of Dr. Richardson's firm fiorin pupils, and has a consider

Sea Sand used as a Manure.

郾

203

able breadth of that grass on a peat soil, which he first pares and burns, cleaning it by these means of all weeds, and obtaining a valuable top dressing by the ashes for the surface, after being trenched with the spade. Top dressings, or water, are requisite to ensure weighty crops, which are much injured by the intrusion of other grasses, an evil scarcely admitting of a remedy: especially in meadows, which near this place are full of fiorin, and might with some labor be made good specimens of that herbage. The soil in the neighbourhood being strong, the farmers have recourse to sea sand, and many were seen leading it into the fields; one man was driving a Scotch cart and an Irish car, he admitted without hesitation that the cart carried twice the quantity. Should this practical conviction become general, the maintenance of a considerable number of farming horses would be saved.

The nominal cheapness of labor, on this and on other occasions, accounts for its profuse application.:

The shovel, which is the implement generally used in this part of Ireland for digging in all soils, is mounted with a shaft or handle about