collects in some places more than in others. When very young, I was on board a Dutch vessel off the coast of Greenland, in 61 degrees of latitude, when we perceived an island of this sort. We sounded without touching the bottom. Finding sufficient water, our captain wished to approach nearer; but we were astonished that all at once it disappeared. Having a different direction we met the same appearance again. The captain desiring to know what it was, ordered them to turn half a mile backwards and forwards to observe it, and after having traversed many times without finding any real land, there arose so furious a tempest, that we expected to perish. And a calm afterwards coming on, we asked the captain why he had surveyed this island. He told us that he had heard say, that near the Pole, there are many islands, some floating, some not, that are seen from a distance, and are hard to be approached, which they say is owing to the witches who inhabit them, and destroy by storms the vessels of those who obstinately seek to land upon them ;9 that all he had heard reported and read were but fables, and that he now knew that these floating islands proceeded from the vapours raised, and afterwards attracted by the planets, which vapours the wind dispersed on approaching nearer, and that tempests usually followed these phenomena.”10 9 Vide Sir Walter Scott's Norna of the Fitful Head, in his beautiful Romance of the Pirate.-M. 10 See Note II. in Appendix.-W.M.C. I thanked him for having explained to me this imaginary land, and as I finished speaking, I saw pass a flock of black birds of the size of a thrush, of which one went at the head and another at the tail. These birds formed a kind of battalion, and went against the wind. This same Dutchman told me that when these birds passed during a calm they augured future wind.11 The 15th of the month we perceived the coast of Doublin (Dublin), embellished with small castles. We anchored near the city, leaving two large casks on the left hand, which served as marks to avoid the rocks and banks which may be in this place. The city of Deulin, or Doublin, is the capital of Ireland. It is on the east of the Island; its size equal to that of Angers.12 The quay of the harbour is very fine, but receives only small craft; large vessels remain in the roads, two miles from the city. There is no curiosity except a well which is two or three miles from the city, on the northern coast, which works miracles for the lame and the blind. So say the natives.13 There are fine buildings in Doublin; a college and many churches, amongst which is that of St. Patrick, the apostle of the coun- 11 Vide the Georgics of Virgil, lib. i. 373—392, for auguries of the weather from the flight and actions of birds. See Note III. in Appendix.-M. 12 See Note IV. in Appendix.-M. R. 13 The well mentioned is St. Dologh's, although about double this distance from Dublin. See Note V. in Appendix.-C. try. In the choir are displayed the arms of the old English knights, with their devices. I went there on Sunday to witness the ceremonial attending on the Viceroy. I saw much that was really magnificent. On leaving the church there marched before him a company of footmen, beating the drum, and with match-locks ready for action. Then followed a company of halberdiers, his body-guards, and sixty gentlemen on foot, with four noblemen well mounted, and the Viceroy in the midst upon a white Barbary horse. I followed the train in order to enter more freely into the castle; but at the door they ordered me to lay down my sword, which I would not do, saying, that being born of a condition to carry it before the king, I would rather not see the castle than part with my arms.14 A gentleman in the suite of the Viceroy seeing from my gallant bearing that I was a Frenchman, took me by the hand, saying, “Strangers shall on this occasion be more favoured than residents." And he brought me in. I replied to him that his civility equalled that of the French towards his nation, when they met them in France. Being within, I found this castle indifferently strong, without any outworks, and pretty well furnished with guns of cast metal. 14 See Note VI. in Appendix.-C. CHAP. II. I LEFT Doublin in company with Tam Neuel (Tom Neville), an Irishman, and native of Korq (Cork), and took a passport from the Viceroy of Ireland, who was then the Earl of Ormond.15 At six miles towards Limmerik (Limerick) we found a village called Fortinguesse (Fox and geese) destroyed by the war. There remained but one house, where was an English garrison. In the evening we arrived at Racoul (Rathcool),16 eighteen 15 James Butler, Marquis of Ormond, appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in November, 1643, and sworn in on the 21st of January following. He was the twelfth Earl, and was raised by Charles I. in 1642 to the dignity of Marquis, as a reward for his victory over the Irish army, commanded by Lord Montgarret at Kilrush. By Charles II. upon the day of his Coronation he was created a Duke.-Lodge's Irish Peerage, by Archdale, iv. 54.-C. 16 For Rathcool read Naas. Some circumstance (probably a good dinner), seems to have impressed the name of "Racool" strongly on our traveller's memory. Rathcool is eight Irish miles from Dublin, and he passed through it to Naas, about eight Irish miles further, and about a mile beyond which, close to the road-side, are the ruins of Jigginstown or Jugganstown Castle, which was built by Lord Strafford. See Moore's Captain Rock.-C. The vaulted basement story of Jigginstown still exists at half a mile S.E. of Naas, or nearly seventeen miles from Dublin. It was at Naas consequently, and not at Rathcool, that M. le Gouz slept the first night, but as he had passed through the latter village, the name rested on his memory without its distinct locality.-R. miles from Doublin, where I saw the house of the late Lord Strafford, Viceroy of Ireland, beheaded in London.17 This castle belongs to his brother, 18 who resides in Doublin, and guards it by forty English soldiers. Racoul is a large village nearly ruined by the wars. The second day we dined at Kilcolin Bridge (Kilcullen Bridge), where ends the English ground.19 We swam over a little river 20 with much trouble, carrying our clothes upon our heads; the Irish having broken the bridge 21 during the religious wars. All this country was laid waste,22 and we found none but 17 On Tower Hill, 12th May, 1641.-C. 18 Sir George Wentworth of Wooley, M.P. for Pontefract, (but disabled from sitting, as a malignant or royalist), third son of Sir William Wentworth, Lord Strafford's father. Sir George had been appointed General of the Forces in Ireland, by Charles I.-R. 19 The bounds settled by the articles of Cessation of 15th September, 1643, (article 3.)-[Cox, appendix xvi.] "So much of the County of Kildare as is on this side of the Liffey, where Naas is situate, and on the other side of the Liffey from Dublin westward into the County of Kildare, so far as the Rye-water at Kilcock," &c. -C. 20 The Liffey.-C. 21 The bridge, built across the Liffey, about a mile and a half north of the old town of Kilcullen, in 1319, by Maurice Jakis, Canon of Kildare, caused a town to spring up there under the denomination of Kilcullen Bridge, and the decay of the old town.-Archdale's Monas. Hib.-C. 22 In "a true relation of divers great defeats given against the Rebels in Ireland by the Earle of Ormond."-(London, printed by Robert Baker, 1642.) It is stated that on the 4th April, Ormond's army, consisting of 3000 foot and 500 horse, with five field pieces, |