to the top of Errigal. He may have a car to the foot of the mountain, about six miles from the hotel; and, as Errigal rises rapidly, the ascent may be made in two hours. The path is in great part over a shingly surface, consisting mainly of loose stones, of a pure white colour, which make this beautiful sugar-loaf look from the distance like a snow-capped Alp, to which circumstance, probably, it owes its name, which may mean "The White Peak." The footing is not exactly precarious; but there is need of caution near the top, where the acclivity narrows to an edge, with yawning depths on either side. When you have reached the summit, which is only a few feet across, you command a prospect of land and sea such as might satisfy an eagle's circle of vision. "Oh for a clear day!" Looking downward you feel yourself circled by abysses so deep, so silent, that it takes you a time to realize that your watch-tower is built on a solid foundation. To the south, over against you, rises Slieve Snaght, seeming so near that you fancy you could step on it, and linked to it are the summits of the Derryveagh range, a savage region, bare and desolate; and close behind, a throng of mountain tops, receding in a tumultuous sea, southward still, as far as Benbulben and the other ranges of northern Connaught. And with these are linked the forms of many mountains of the counties of Tyrone

and Derry, crowding the horizon away to the distant Knocklayde in the north-east of Antrim; more to the north are seen the hills of Caledonia looming afar off,

"Like the bright confines of another world.”*

Then a low azure ridge cuts even against the sky : there is no mistaking it; it is the ocean, and your eyes come quickly homeward over its unbroken field till they rest on the headlands of Inishowen and Fanad, and the shores of Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly, and the broken coast of Mulroy, and, nearer still, the solitary Torry. The western coast lies at your feet. Beneath is Gweedore spread out like a leaf, and the sixteen quarter lands of Rosses, a rocky region, where, from the multitude of its lakelets, one would imagine land and water were left still commingled in original chaos, and then an array of islands, the chief of which are Gola, and Owey, and Cruit, and Arran, which looks a mountain from the plain below; but, seen from this lofty peak, it lies a stretch of quiet lowland. Inland, you peep into a thousand and one valleys that have in this mountain-the symbol of a higher unity-a common friend and centre through whom they hold communion with each other. An impressive spec

* Wordsworth.

M

tacle truly, the whole of the wide circle visible from this pinnacle! and, if it shows not "the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them," it speaks a higher revelation ;—it reveals the Infinite, and surely inspires sober thought and deepest reverence.

II. EXCURSION TO DUNGLOE.

This excursion has been traced above, under Excursion from Dungloe to Gweedore.*

GWEEDORE TO DUNFANAGHY AND LETTERKENNY.

Leaving the Gweedore Hotel the road for some seven or eight miles traverses a wild and desolate moorland, with Errigal on the right, and on the left Bloody Foreland, a bold headland (1000 feet) stretching away into the sea, and distinguished by one of those martello towers which abound on the northwest coast of Donegal. After crossing the Tullughobegly river, green fields and little hamlets begin to enliven the landscape. Bedlam is a characteristic bit of a village, beyond which is the Catholic Chapel, and near it, conspicuous in a field above, is the pretty and hospitable residence of the parish priest (Rev. H. M'Fadden.) A little farther on, passing the Protestant rectory, charmingly situated at the * Page 152.

head of Ballyness Bay, north of which is a group of islands, viz., Innishbofin, Inishdooey, and Inishbeg, you arrive at

FALCARRAGH, or Cross Roads, a small village occupying an exposed situation on the northern coast, and commanding a fine view of the mountains inland. The geologist may find interesting occupation in exploring the tideways to the north-west, as there are striking indications of a subsidence of the coast in that quarter. Lying out by itself in the midst of the vast blue field of ocean, Torry Island, its rocks rising tower-like from the waves, fixes itself on the attention of the traveller. Falcarragh is a good point from whence to make excursions to Muckish mountain, and to Torry, for which excursions Dunfanaghy also may be made a convenient starting point.

I. EXCURSION TO MUCKISH.

Beyond Falcarragh a road branches off to the right, running up to Muckish Gap, which is the easiest approach to Muckish (Pig's Back), a mountain that will well repay the tourist for the cursion. The ascent is fatiguing. structure consists of a very thin granular quartz, and silver-white mica. At the height of 500 feet is an extensive bed of white quartz sand, in very minute grains, which has been

trouble of an ex"The geological slaty mica, and

exported to the glass-works of Dumbarton, being considered an excellent material." The summit, which looks a sharp linear ridge from the distance, is a flat stretch, well covered with moss and peculiar grasses, amongst which the pretty saxifrage (London Pride) abounds. The view is wondrous fine of earth and ocean, but as it is pretty nearly the same as that seen from Errigal's lofty summit, it is only necessary here to note, in addition to the outline traced from that point, that the shores of Sheephaven are now under your feet.

II. EXCURSION TO TORRY ISLAND.

Torry † is some eight miles distant from the coast. It is a desolate island, nearly three miles in length, very narrow, and affording but a very small area capable of producing crop of any kind. "The rock scenery of its coast is very fine and characteristic. Porphyritic syenite appears to be the geological structure." But its chiefest attractions are for the antiquary. In remote pagan times, it was one of the main strongholds of the Fomorians, one of whose chiefs erected a tower on a cliff at the eastern extremity of the island, called Tor-Connaing, celebrated in our pre-Christian annals as

* Giescke.

+ Sometimes written Tory, Torree, Torry, Innis-Torry. + Murray.