Bantry to Castlemain

Mountains before me[.] Go on along a straight road, come to 4 cross roads and was at a loss how to proceed[,] whether forward or to the L[,] but seeing the water which appeared to be the head of the Bay on the L[,] I went down that way and [had walked] for some way when I found that it was the wrong road. It was now getting dark and being very much confused [I] was very uncomfortable. Repaced my steps and went along the proper road and for a very long way. It got quite dark and after walking for a long time [I] came to the Bridge over [the] Kenmare River, heard the murmuring on the distant Mountains of waterfalls which is the Mountain roar of the rock, also the waves breaking on the coast made it very awful[.] Crossed the Bridge and went up to the 4 [cross] roads[,] go to the West and come to Mr Spreads House about 7 OClock, about a mile from town[.] 14 Mile from Bantry.1 The Priest Leap not ½ way[.]

[f. 3r] NB. On Saturday (Friday) 10 October met 2 Gentlemen about 8 Miles from Bantry, who were going a shooting. Asked them how far to Bantry etc[.] Conversation ensued. What oclock etc[.] They asked me to come next morning and breakfast with them, and we parted[.]

[11 October] Saturday Saturday morning went and breakfasted with Mr Simon White. Afterwards went on the water and rowed up to Glangarriff [Glengarriff] with 8 Boatmen, fine rowers best I ever saw. Lord Bantrys2 pinnace. Went up to Mr White’s new house which is situated on Glangarriff Bay in a lovely situation. It will be soon finished. Pass by Whiddy and several islands on the way, and by an island on which [the] government have built a new fort and a martello tower at [the] entrance of Glangarriff Bay. Rode about Mr White’s grounds[,] fine subjects for the pencil. [A] Bold round Mountain [lies] opposite his House over the Bay. Beyond it is a Mountain called [the] Sugar Loaf from its high point[.] Beyond his House on the road to Bearhaven and Lord Bantrys cottage is a fine Glen with a bridge of 2 arches and a fine cascade up it a little way. Beyond is another glen and a bridge also. The rocks are very noble and grand and well wooded about here. Return from here by water to Mr White’s House near Bantry[.]

[f. 3v] Sunday [12 October] Immediately after my coming from Bantry and breakfast we started on the water and went out at low tide to Chapel Island, to see the oyster Beds and saw on the shore of it Oysters in shoals all sticking to the rocks and laying in streams on the shore, below the water, but men venture up to their knees and with hammers and pickaxes broke them up. I knocked a great many off the rocks and eat them on the spot. In the Bay a great quantity of coral is found and dragged on shore by the people for manure[.] It is got in great quantities by boats dragging for it and it is put on the land in a state of sand and makes the best possible manure. [I] Never [before] saw coral sands used so. Picked some pieces out of it[,] tolerably large. Went up to the ground which Mr White reclaimed from the sea. A large tract of about 19 Acres[,] it now produces excellent corn and grain[.] He built a wall around it and at High Water its surface is considerably below the level of the sea. When

the French were in the Bay by some unaccountable accident the wall broke and it was all covered with water[.] Boats went over it and fish were taken in it. Went on shore on Whyddy [Whiddy] Island and saw the middle battery. On top of the ditch there are about 20 24 pounders all round it[.] The fort is built at [the] top of a part of [the] island which runs to a point and their guns command the whole circle. The men who work there are covered [f. 4r] up to the middle[.] There is an immense fosse[,] a considerable draw bridge on a lever[,] the banks around it slope off to the sea. Whyddy Island [is] very uneven[.] There are 2 rises of land on it which make it very singular[.] The land is uncommon fine[.] There is a battery building at [the] E and W ends of the island. There is a stone quarry near the middle one from which it was built[,] and [a] very remarkable thing is that in the middle of the island are a fresh water and a salt water lake close to each other[.] Not far from [hence?] on the S side is a Deer park and some red Deer in it. There is an immense no. of hares in the island. Go up to the house which Mr White formerly lived in and which [the] government now rents for 200 per annum for stores[.] Beyond this on the shore is found an immense no. of sandstones of metal2 which Mr White says in the storms are in great no about then[.] The sea dashes against the rocks and bats large stones up and these fall down again and thus he thinks this ore is beaten out of the rocks or sea[,] they are washed up by the water from the Bottom[.] He could get [a] cart road up it a long time to Lord Bantry slate quarry one may get some very fine chrystals[,] hexagonal[.]3 Soon board again and row by Lord Bantrys house and [on] to the town and go home. See a very great [f. 4v] variety of shells and of fish, and a great deal of coral bits but none very great. In all the islands in this Bay at low water and on the rocks the seals[,]4 a very large beast[,] are seen laying asleep on the rocks or else in the sea rolling about and you may some times get a shot at them, but when you fire a stone all the rest drop in the water and disappear. Sea gulls [laridae,] Cormorants [Phalacrocorax carbo], diver[,]5 rabbits [common rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus] etc in plenty. Saw some wild swans [mute swan, Cygnus olor] which look very fine.