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AN ANTI-JEALOUSY WATER.

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This story Tony O'Donnell told with all the unction of perfect faith-I verily believe he placed a full reliance on the truth of what he narrated.

This well is in the highest odour of credit in this vicinity-its efficacy is notorious in sundry ways. One virtue it has for which its fame deserves to extend beyond this mountain district-good housewives use it as a sovereign and certain alexipharmic against infidelity in husbands; nothing need be done but keep a bottle of this sacred water well corked under the bed's head, and the good man of the house remains as he should be, true and faithful. A valuable well is not this? and highly to be prized this anti-jealousy water-pity it is so little known beyond these hills; even Protestant ladies are known to rely on and to experience the full efficacy of this simple remedy against a very troublesome evil. The water keeps well; it is (as emblematical of the purity it provides for) incapable of corruption; it might be forwarded to all parts of the world; and I trust that Paris and London may yet drive ample trade in and derive important advantages from this too-long neglected water. While I was there I observed sundry pilgrims going round the

holy well on their naked knees; they trudged along

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WATER, HOLY AND UNHOLY.

upon stones set in the miry puddle, and it was curious to observe the countenances of these people, as with intense eagerness and abstracted looks they proceeded repeating in low and suppressed tones sundry Paters and Aves.

There are sundry peculiar station-days, on which the crowds resorting hither are immense; hither the sick and healthy flock-the sick to obtain health, the healthy to merit grace. The resort to this blessed well not only cures complaints, but it procures marriages; and it is ascertained, much to the satisfaction of his reverence the parish priest, that after these stations, weddings are rife, and therefore approaches to this well are crowded on such occasions with the young and the healthy, the gay and the well-dressed; and as much conviviality and merry-making is mixed up here, with the superstitions of the devotioners of the church of Rome, as is usual in all quarters of the globe. There is one accompaniment to this blessed well, which is found to help the efficacy of its waters not a little, and that more especially since they have been found effectual in the cure of human maladies, I mean a snug comfortable little cabin, just under the old Rock and close to the well, in which pilgrims

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can get at a reasonable rate a drop of the "potteen;" and a dash of this elixir illegalis through a bottle has been found to further its sanative

of water,
effects in no small degree and measure.

A few days after our walk to Doune Rock, we set out on an excursion to an Alpine lake, some miles off, embosomed in the midst of wild and lofty mountains. The valley in which this lake lies is called Glen Veagh. On our way to it, we went along a road parallel to the river Lennan, and after about five miles' ride came to a very beautiful lake, out of which this river discharges itself.

CHAPTER II.

DONEGAL.

Excursion to Glen Veagh-Pass by the Lake of Garton-Church of St. Columbkill-Stone on which he was born-His Character and History— Saves a Magician from the Claws of Satan-Description of the Red Granite Formation of the County of Donegal-Rocking Stone-Glen Veagh Lake - Interesting Story of a Gauger's Abduction by the MountaineersTeague O'Gallagher-Island in Glen Veagh-Description of a Distillery of Illicit Whiskey-Description and Account of Jack M'Swine-Visit to Ards-Account of Muckish Mountain-Proceed to Horn-head-Descrip. tion of the Cliffs and Promontory of Horn-head-Amazing Assemblage of Wild Fowl-Description of the natural Phenomenon of M'Swine's Gun.

THE Lake of Garton is one of the finest of those numerous sheets of water which are interspersed through the valleys and mountains of this highland district; either in the midst of the mountains, forming the sources of rivers, or in the lowland valleys, expanding as their receptacles or reservoirs. High or low, small or large, they form interesting objects for the tourist; and I am not sure whether in this way our Irish lake may not be found as worthy of a visit as one in Cumberland, or Scotland, or even Switzerland.

The lake is of considerable extent, its shores are ornamented with some timber, and a few gentlemen's seats; a very pretty parsonage reposes in a peninsula, and to the west and south the mountains extend in

ST. COLUMBKILL.

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elevated ranges. Beyond the lake I was shown an ancient ruin, said to be a church of St. Columbkill; and a stone was described to me as a spot of peculiar sanctity, and a place of ancient veneration and worship, to which, in old times, thousands of pilgrims used to flock; but it has fallen into disuse, and Doune Well has carried away almost all its votaries. The stone, the subject of veneration, is flat, and has four holes or cavities on its surface, which are said to be the marks of the hands and knees of Ethne, the mother of Columbkill, who, large with child, was told by an old Druid, that she never would bring her son to the birth till she came and knelt on this stone. So leaving the house of her princely father, the descendant of Nial of the Nine Hostages, she traversed the mountains of Tyrconnell until she came hither, and here taken in labour, was safely delivered of the pigeon of the Church; and certainly the founder of the Culdees could not be born in a spot more befitting the wild and solitary rule that he established-the father of the Culdees could not come to the birth in a more appropriate place.

This country on every side presents memorials of Columbkill, the peculiar Saint of Tyrconnell; and

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