Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752 (Author: Richard Pococke)

entry 28

On the 22d. Mr. Orphilts went with me a mile to Mr. MacSuine's, where I set out with two hired men and horses to carry my provisions, as well as to show me the way; there are no more gentlemen to the west nor to the south for near thirty miles, till one comes to Eniskeel: Mr. Orphilt accompanied me some way farther, but whilst I was waiting in the last place, a large Eagle flew directly over the yard and the fowl came all running towards us, and making a noise, from which I judged that they were alarmed by the noise of the eagle's wings when he flies.


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They have in these parts two doors to their cabins, keeping one only open on the side that is not expos'd to the wind, as they have no light commonly, but by the door. In all these parts the drinking of Whisky very much prevails, they call it in Irish Usquebaugh, which is I suppose the general name for Spirits, as Arraki is in the east, so the eastern Spirit is called Arrack, as the spirit for which Ireland is famous is called Usquebaugh. Whiskey is made of Barley, they also distill it from water press'd from potatoes after they are boiled to a mash, which they ferment with barme; they have a notion here that it is the wholsomest of spirits; tho' I have reason to think it is the worst of that kind; and has tended very much to debauch and corrupt the common people. We passed by a hamlet called Ballinascagh, where there is a very large stone of Granite so equally poised, that a man putting his shoulder to it, moves it very easily, after the manner of the rocking stones in Cornwall. I here saw the machine for twisting straw ropes, which has been thought to have been one of the Egyptian Hieroglyphics, in honour of the person who invented it, it is in this shape the straw is fixed to the top, it is held at the bottom and turn'd round there being a swivel at p. this instrument they call in Irish Corhougan.

Going on farther I saw stones set up an end, seeming to be of that kind of monument which is seen in Cornwall and Wales call'd the Cromlech, of a large stone laid on three or four stones and are called ——. For three miles we went through a very rough road over the hill called Crocheniniary, having Morass to the south full of little loughs and a rivlet to the west, which falls into the sea at Clanashour Bay where there is a village. I observed at the top of the hill we passed some of the Grey Granite


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extending from east to west mostly in two lines, which probably is the top of some bed of Granite, there being no other pieces about the hill, which rises much higher to the north: A mile further we saw a bay called Olignio, where there were some Cottages bordering on the bog, which we passed with some difficulty; being now come to the western shore; and having turn'd our faces to the south, we had another hill to the north called Culsolich, which is the hill that makes the north west point, we came to Bolileneu, where I sat down by a river and dined, having passed these bogs; some poor came about me and I bless God Almighty that I had to feed them! The Irish Grace was said. Raghnakoude nrahan, agles da jesk ring Dieu erna Koub Mille; diring Dieu rockown re dering ren en ring er argoud, agus er argoron.37 In English thus, God blessed the five loaves and the two fishes and divided them among the five thousand; may the blessing of the Great King who made this distribution descend on us and our provision.

We went on half a mile to Glashau, here I observed a sort of ash coloured Granite, of which all the rocks are to the sea; and then travelled between sandy banks a quarter of a mile to Carig and about two miles to Logniau and a mile further to Makery Clogher, in half a mile came to a river and in a mile to Nickart Wullery, where I proposed to cross over the river Slady on the strand in a Curragh and to swim my horses. A Curragh is a very extraordinary boat, about seven feet long and three feet and a half wide, and about two feet and a half deep in this shape it is made of strong wicker, covered over with the raw hide of a horse or bullock. It is set up an end on the frame which is continued on each side as at .a .a in order to dry it when


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they take it out of the water, as they always do; I saw a woman carrying one to a Lough and two children following her, she paddled it along at the head, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, and when a puff of wind came she held up her gown for a sail. We cried out to her Brahaskin (well done) and she answered Maugiliore (well enough). The horse that swims at the end of these is held with a bridle by one in the boat. The tide was come in too far so I took my lodging in a cabin at the village, where the farmer told me I was the first that ever eat of his own provision in his house.