MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS. 325
eight grains of copper, being con- iiderably more than a fourth part of pure metal of a very fine qua- lity; and the Brifto! company, to whom the proprietors of this work fold it, mull: have extrafted a great- er proportion of copper, as it is well known from the laws of at- traftion, that a large portion of ore will yield more on the a/Tay, than a fmall quantity. Lead ore hath been alfo difcovered near this lake; and the adjacent mountains all abound with iron. As to tin ore, there hath been no difcovery made yet to any purpofe ; although I do not queiiion, but it will be alfo found, for I have picked up fmall fpecimens of ore which contain fome tin, at no great diftance from this lake, and thus far are the above ancient verfes verified. O- Flaherty alfo takes notice, that pearls have been found in this lake, '* Et in eo J}agno inargarha 7nult<e reperiuntury quas pomint reges in ait- ribus fuis." But becaufe of the great depth of the lough, they are not fo frequently found in it, as in the river Lane which runs out of it. As one fide of this hke con- lifts of the above-mentioned range of formidable hills, fo the oppoute fide is adcrned with a level and beautiful country, with the town of Kil'arney, and the habitations and improvements of feveral gen- tlemen, at different diftances. But before I d-efcribe thele, it will be neceflary to mention fomewhat of the feveral iflands, which lie beau- tifully fcatteied over the lake ; as alfo of the furprifing echoes that it affords. The moll noted of thefe iflands is that of Rofs, which is rather a peninfula, being only fepa- rated by a fmall cut through a morafs, from the main land, over which is abridge. On it ftands an
ancient caflle, formerly the feat of O-Donaghoe Rofs, which hath a new barrack adjoining to it. This place hath been, for fome years part, a military garrifon, having a governor appointed for it, upon the eltablifliment. Before the caftle, are a few old difmounted iron guns, which give it fomething of the air of a fortification. The caflle had been flanked with round turrets, which, togethf'r with its fituation, rendered it a place of fome ftrength. In the wars of 1641, it furrender- ed to Ludlow, who was attended in the expedition by Lord Broghill and Sir Hardrefs Waller ; and was the lall place that held out in Munfter againft the Engliih par- liament. The greateft part of this illand is covered with wood ; and it is no difagreeable fpot, for fuch gentlemen of the army quartered here, who are fond of fifhing, hunting, or fowling. The ifland of Jnnis-fallen, is next to Rofs in quantity of land ; in it are the ruins of a very ancient religious houfe, founded by St. Finian, furnamed the Leper, who fiourillied towards the middle of the fixth century. He is the patron faint of thefe parts, and to him the cathedral of Aghadoe js alfo dedicated. The remains of this abbey are very ex- tenfive, although the walls in many places are levelled to the ground ; its fituation was extremely roman- tic and retired. Upon the difiblu- tion of religious houfes, the poffef- fions of this abbey were granted to Captain Robert Collam. This ifland contains about twelve acres, and hath feveral very pleafantcoves, agreeably wooded, for landing upon it. It yields fo great a profuficn of fweet herbai^^e, :hat the kine which arc put nc/ u to fatten, thrive fo prodigioully, that y 3 their
