SLIGO TOPOGRAPHY

The surface is much varied, having near the sea coast extensive plains backed by lofty mountains. The interior is hilly, with several lakes interspersed with some rivers, which, though not of great length or size, add much to the beauty of the scenery by their romantic borders and precipitous currents. The western part of the county, which stretches along the southern shore of Donegal bay, is chiefly bog, backed likewise by a range of lofty hills.

Benbulben, in the north, is not more remarkable for its great elevation than from the singularity of its shape: it forms the western extremity of a range extending from Lough Erne; its northern side is nearly perpendicular; the only access to its summit, which is a table land of some extent and covered with a rich variety of plants, is by the south. Thence to the town of Sligo the country is an extensive plain richly cultivated. Knocknaree, a mountain of considerable elevation and with an extensive base, situated on the peninsula formed by the estuaries of Sligo and Ballysadere rivers, is a very striking object in every point of view.

The Ox mountains extend along the western verge of the county into Mayo: the whole of the south is rugged and hilly, rising into the high range of the Curlews on the border of Roscommon.

There are three lakes remarkable alike for size and beauty: the most northern is Lough Gill, near the town of Sligo, on the east; it is about nine miles long and three broad, studded with islands, some of which are richly wooded, and others present an expanse of verdant meadow. Of these islands two only are inhabited, namely, Innismore, called also Church Island, from the remains of a monastic building, the cemetery of which is still used as a place of interment and where the incumbent of St. John's, on his presentation, still takes possession; and Cottage Island, so called from a beautiful modern lodge erected on it.

Besides these, there are 16 other islands, all more or less wooded. Lough Arrow, nearly of the same size as the preceding, but more irregular in its outline, and equally beautiful for the picturesque variety of its scenery, contains the three islands of Innismore, Innisbeg, and Annaghgowla: there is fine fishing in this lake in April and May. At the most southern extremity of the county, and forming part of its boundary on the side of Roscommon, is Lough Gara, equally picturesque and irregular, and also studded with islands, the chief of which are named Derrymore, Inse, Inchymore, and Inchybeg.

In the Ox mountains is Lough Calt, or the High Lake, surrounded by cliffs that seem to have been thrown up by some extraordinary convulsion of nature: the lake, which is about a mile long by half a mile in breadth, is well stocked with trout of a small size, of which it is said that, while those which feed on one side of it are peculiarly ill-flavoured and misshapen, having heads exceeding the body in size, those found in other parts are of good shape and flavour.

Two rocky islets near its centre are covered during the summer months with flocks of gulls and other aquatic birds. More northwards, in the same range of mountains, is Lough Easkey. The sea-coast is indented by numerous bays. Near the northern extremity is the harbour of Mullaghmore, where a pier, which has fifteen feet depth at high water, has been built at the expense of Lord Palmerston, for the accommodation of the fishermen.

This part of Lord Palmerston's estate is much injured by the spreading of the sand over the surface to the depth of several feet, which is attributed to the pulling up of the bent that grew along the shore. Further south is Milkhaven, an inlet of some extent, but difficult of access, and fit only for vessels of small draught; at its entrance is Carrig-na-Spaniahg, or "the Spanish rock," so called from the loss of one of the vessels of the Armada which struck upon it.

At Rinoreen Point, improperly called Gessigo, the coast expands into Sligo bay, by an opening five miles broad to its further extremity at Aughris head. On the northern side is the elevated peninsula of Raughly, connected with the sand hills on the shore by a narrow neck of land. The bay then divides into three inlets, of which that in the middle leading to Sligo is the only one of importance, the others being rocky and nearly dry at low water: the northern from the shores of which come the Lisadill oysters, is called Drumcliffe bay; the southern is the embouchure of Ballysadere river, at the entrance of which is a very profitable turbot bank.

Ballysadere river is navigable to the village, where there is as good anchorage for shipping as at Sligo: during the last three years there has been a considerable export from it of oats and oatmeal, and an import of coal. Salmon are prevented from going up this river by a ledge of rock which crosses it and forms a very fine waterfall.

The passage up to Sligo, which is five miles from the coast, is tortuous and difficult; vessels of large size must lie at the mouth, as there is only ten feet of water at the quay; they are, however, well protected by Oyster island and Coney island, which form a natural breakwater at the entrance; the former of these islands has a bed of oysters of large size but inferior in flavour to those of Lisadill.

South of Coney island is Magin's island, of small dimensions. Innismurray lies two leagues out at sea on the northern coast, rising into a precipitous cliff towards the ocean, but shelving down like steps on that towards the land: it has but one entrance, called by the inhabitants "the Hole:" a description of it is given under its own head. From Aughris head the coast takes a western direction along a rocky shore to the opening into Killala bay, and thence to the mouth of the Moy, which forms the boundary of the county, and opens into the harbours of Ballina and Killala.

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