Wednesday.
Derry is situated of a steep hill formed by a Turn in the River Foile, which half surrounds it, and washes the suburbs for a great way; it is here so great a River that they have not yet made a Bridge over it.
It so [happens] that there is no getting into the place from Colrain but by Boat, of which there are one or two constantly in use. However, the Town spreads, so that there are a few good houses got on Colrain side the River.
Derry is a good, Large, Compact, well-built Town. The old houses have Suffered much by the Siege of it, as well as ye Inhabitants by the Famine caused there. Yet I am assured, by Persons then in the Town, that this much talked of Siege ammounted to no more than a firm blockade. The Irish army Lay Incamped on opposite Hills at one side, while a Boom stretched across the River hindred help from abroad. Neither do I hear that [there] were ever any regular aproaches made but once, when they took a Small height, which indeed commands the Town at the side called Wind Mill hill; and even this they had not in possession, but were repulsed in 6 hours' time. However, the Artificial strength of this place is so litle, the Wall and Ditch so old and out of repair, and so ill provided with Artillery, rather in a worse condition than Galway or Lymerick, that I could scarce believe any Army could appear before it without reducing it. As to ye Famine, upon enquiry they tell me that there were Indeed no provisions to be bought or gotten in the Town for a Considerable time, so that all the Strangers who had come in to take Sanctuary there, were reduced to miserable difficulties; but the settled people of the Town, who foresaw things, and had opportunities of Laying Stores in beforehand, were in a much more Easy Condition. The compactness of this Town and Colrain I take to be owing to their having been built at once by the Londoners. They have a handsome, well-adorned Cathedral Church here, built on the Ruins of their old Cittadel; a good, handsome Town House, built by King William and Queen Mary; and also a handsome Large Free School, with a good house for the Master, and a Large Chamber above for a Library. This is now building; when Finished, the Books will be placed in't, which are a Collection of Divinity and Cannon Law Books, with some History, given by William, Late Lord Bishope of Derry, now Bishope of Dublin. The Houses are many of them good, new-built houses. Since the Siege, however, it does not seem to be a place of much business, Riches, or Trade. Severall of the Inhabitants have several litle pretty Improvements near the Town, particularly the Dean of Derry. Dean Bolton shewed me a place of his called [space left blank], about two miles from Town, which is pretty enough, and lyes halfway to Culmore Fort, which we went to view, or rather its Ruins, being entirely rased; in the Rubbish there are yet two or three pieces of Cannon. This Fort stood on the Banks of the River, nearer the sea than Derry, at a narrow part, so as to command the Passage. The Boome was stretched very near this place, nearer the Town, under the Cannon of the Fort; however, they found means to break thro' it, and thereby Relieved the besieged. We Lay in Derry at Mr. Norman's, an Ingenious man, An Alderman of the Town, and were Civilly Entertained at the Bishope's and Dean's. We Stayed here till Thursday.