scene, which here may be said to comprehend the entire basin of the Lower Lake in its most favourable aspect, having the advantage of the Churchhill Mountains for a background. It would be difficult to select any scene

in Ireland of greater beauty.

Passing Rockfield, the seat of Major Irwin, the Lake is observed to contract very considerably, being not more than two miles wide, but from this to Enniskillen a succession of planted islands, and the dense masses of woodland on the western shore, increase the beauty of the

scene.

From the demesne of Rosfad the view is hardly inferior to that of Castle Archdall; indeed it is an undecided point which is the more beautiful. The eye wanders through a maze of islands and over the great expansion of the Lough to the north, until the far-off shores fade away to the faintest outline on the distant horizon.

The view we have given is taken from the heights of St. Angelo, from a point of the main road on the left. As we approach Enniskillen the island of Devenish, with its Round Tower in pure preservation, and its renowned Abbey, cannot fail to attract attention, and will certainly be entitled to a visit.

The church and monastery are greatly dilapidated. The ruins of Devenish are thus described in the Parochial Survey:-" The lower church, dedicated to St. Molash, is 76 long by 21 broad, near to which is St. Molash's house, originally roofed with cut stone. The Round Tower is 82 feet high by 49 in circumference, and is also

built of cut stone, finished with a conical top, supposed to have been built in the sixth century. On the summit of

the island is the abbey, dedicated to St. Mary, in the centre of which is the belfry arch, built of black marble,

supported by four Gothic pillars, with a grand winding stairs of eighty-three steps. St. Molash's bed is a little to the north of his house. It is a stone trough, like a coffin, 6 feet long by 15 inches wide, in which people lie down to say some prayers, in hope to obtain relief from pains. The following inscription is inside the Abbey on a slab:— 'Mathæus O Duhagan hoc opus fecit-Bartholomew O Flanigan Priore de Danynis A.D. 1449."

In Mr. Petrie's elaborate work upon the Round Towers, published by Hodges and Smith, the Tower of Devenish is selected for illustration as the most perfect example in the kingdom.

One unique feature of great interest requires to be noticed. A beautifully sculptured band encircles the Tower just beneath the cornice, of which exquisitely finished drawings by Dr. Petrie are faithfully copied in the annexed woodcuts.

"In their masonic construction the Round Towers present a considerable variety: but the generality of them are built in that kind of careful masonry called spawled rubble, in which small stones, shaped by the hammer, in default of suitable stones at hand, are placed in every interstice of the larger stones, so that very little mortar appears to be intermixed in the body of the wall; and thus the outside of spawled masonry, especially, presents an almost uninterrupted surface of stone, supplementary splinters being carefully inserted in the stone of the undried wall.”—Dr. Petrie.

ENNISKILLEN,

the chief town of Fermanagh, is built upon an island, and connected with the mainland by bridges. It is rising rapidly into importance. Two railways are in progress towards it, so as to connect it with Derry, Dundalk, Belfast, and Dublin, thus constituting it an entrepôt for the produce of the counties lying west of the Lake. Already has a considerable revival of its trade taken place. The markets are well attended and abundantly supplied, and the value of agricultural produce greatly increased. The butter market is held upon Monday and Tuesday, and is one of the best in the kingdom. The quantity sold averages from £2000 to £2500 weekly. There are three branch banks, those of the Bank of Ireland, the Ulster, and Belfast Bank; and four principal hotels, the Imperial, the White Hart, M'Bride's, and Enniskillen Arms. The charges are moderate, and the accommodation tolerably good. There are two market-houses, with good storage and yards. It is a military station of much importance, and the headquarters of the district. The infantry barrack is capable of accommodating a whole regiment. There is also a small artillery barrack, and a fort at either end of the town capable of being greatly strengthened, so as to command this important pass in case of necessity. The town is not of ancient date, having been built about the year 1610. In 1689 it was rendered memorable by its gallant defence against the army of James II. Although a highly