SECTION III.

MAGILLICUDDY's reeks are generally supposed to be the most lofty mountains in Ireland; although their exact height does not appear to have been ascertained. The celebrated Mr. Kirwan made several barometrical observations both on them and on other mountains in the vicinity of Killarney; from which he concluded, as he informed me, that the reeks were at least three thousand feet in height: but at the same time he added, that his experiments were not sufficiently numerous fully to satisfy his own mind on the subject. A gentleman resident near Killarney gave me from memory a computation of their height, derived from a different source; according to which, their most elevated point was only one hundred and fifty feet lower than Snowdon. The latter mountain is somewhat less than six hundred fathoms high; pursuant to the most generally received calculation, three thousand five hundred and sixty-eight feet. This measurement, therefore, would leave the height of the reeks at three thousand four hundred and eighteen feet, which rather exceeds what Mr. Kirwan supposed it to be: I suspect, however, that that gentleman did not direct his observations to the most lofty point. He told me it was his practice to remain below, on one of the islands in the lake, whilst his assistant ascended the mountain;

and that they corresponded from time to time by means of signals and telescopes. Now on Gheraun-tuel, the highest peak, this would have been impracticable, as no part of it is visible from the lake. I should suppose that this mountain rises at least two hundred feet above the other peaks; but its superior height is not generally known to the people around Killarney.

Being in company with some friends, who, like myself, were desirous of ascending the most lofty mountain in the country, we procured guides for that purpose; and, under their direction, crossed the lower lake to Benson's point, where we landed. From this place we proceeded to Dunloh-gap, and, having advanced into it to the distance of half a mile, began to ascend the mountain on our right hand. It proved extremely difficult of access, and in many parts so steep, that without the aid of the sapling oaks which spring from their fissures, it would have been impossible to scale the rocks. On the summit of this mountain we found an extensive tract of ground, less encumbered with rocks than the valley below, and covered as far as the eye could see with heath and coarse grass, on which innumerable herds of cattle were fed. Beyond it appeared another mountain extremely rugged, which we reached at the end of two hours. The ascent was not steep; but it was laborious and tedious, owing to the immense heaps of loose stones in some places, and the deep rents in the rocks in others; which last could not be passed without the utmost caution. Along this part of the route the only animals we observed were eagles, of which numbers hovered above us, as if alarmed at the invasion of their lofty solitudes : at one moment we counted no less than twelve of them within gun-shot reach.

The craggy tops of the reeks appeared on reaching the summit of this latter mountain; and after walking for about an hour

over a rugged way, nearly similar to that which we had already traversed, we gained one of their loftiest pinnacles.

It is scarcely possible to convey an idea of the sublime view which was now unfolded to our eyes. On each side lay a vast precipice, beyond which arose other immense mountains: still further on we saw the Atlantic ocean bounding the horizon for a great distance; and, in the opposite direction, a wide expanse of the inland country, watered by innumerable rivers and lakes, among which that of Killarney was only conspicuous for its superior extent. One of the mountains before us, which was Gheraun-tuel, seemed to be still more elevated than that which we had ascended; but the guides persisted in assuring us that the appearance was deceptive; and that, if we had reached its summit, the point on which we then stood would appear to be much the highest. The intervening precipices were impassable: as it was out of our power, therefore, to make the trial, we were satisfied to receive this intelligence as conviction; and perhaps, if the truth had been confessed, none of us, after so much fa-tigue, were willing to entertain a doubt that we had not attained the object of our laborious undertaking.

The mountain which we had ascended resembled the shape of a wedge, and at the summit presented a long craggy ridge, so narrow that, whilst we continued on the same rocks, we could look into the depths of the precipices at either side; or drop into them pebbles from each hand at the same moment. Its narrowness was attributable to the hard siliceous rocks at the top being seated on sloping layers or strata of soft argillaceous schistus and sandstone, which are both liable to decomposition; so that, as these substances are mouldered by the incessant action of the mists and vapours which prevail in these high regions of the air, the superincumbent hard rocks lose their support, and roll down

the mountain; thus leaving the summit in a sharp rugged state. We found several of the large siliceous rocks, which had been once firmly bedded in the schistus and sandstone, very nearly undermined, and apparently ready to fall at the first violent concussion. Fortunately there are no habitations within their reach, or the mischief to be apprehended from their descent would be truly alarming. From the guides who accompanied us we learned, that large masses of rocks frequently rolled down the mountain, after the snow began to dissolve. Their effect was described as extremely awful; whole herds of cattle being sometimes overwhelmed by their fall. From these circumstances it is obvious that the height of the reeks must be gradually decreasing.

During our progress we overturned several loose stones, on the edge of the precipice, where no danger was to be apprehended from their fall. In their course downwards they carried with them many of larger size; and presently we could distinguish a huge heap in motion at a vast distance below us. It was at first a source of surprise that no noise was heard from the mu̟tual concussions of these ponderous masses, when they could so plainly be perceived tumbling down the sides of the mountain; but in a few seconds it was dispelled by a sudden and tremendous crash like the roar of thunder, which was echoed for a long time from mountain to mountain; and after the sound had gradually died away in the upper regions, it a second time burst from the depths of the abyss.

The large rocks of this mountain are formed of a gray siliceous stone, similar to that found on the banks of the lake; and they are commonly intersected by thick veins of quartz in the interstices we found some beautiful groups of small rock crystals, in hexaëdral prisms. Large and brilliant pieces of the same