The remains of the once beautiful edifice "Mucruss Abbey" is well worth seeing, as the ravages of death, which were once too prominent, have been cleared away by the humane Mr. Herbert, so that there may be a close inspection made of the ruins; the architecture of the eastern window is admirable; and the extraordinary "yew tree" growing in the centre of the ancient cloisters and over-spreading its walls is curious in the extreme, in the fork of the yew, above the great trunk, there is a kind of unctuous gum constantly flowing down, which is said by the peasantry that "the yew is shedding tears for the fate of the abbey."
The Salmon flies to suit the Lakes, are Nos. 2, 4, 5, and 6, 8 and 9 the two at the bottom of the plate with "picker," and No. 4 plate on Salmon hooks, the paintings of which are exact to the models. The three latter flies are, first, a cinnamon-brown body, brown wings, and brown red hackle, mixed tail; second, a jointed body fly of blue and green, gaudy mixed wing, topping in the tail—this fly may be used in very rough water, and the brown one with a nice ripple and grey cloud; the No. 4 fly on Salmon hooks, is mallard wings, fiery brown body ribbed with gold, brown red hackle, hook No. 6, B, CC, and a yellow and red mixed tail. The Dun Salmon Fly, No 6, and the one above it, No 5, are favourite killers in the lakes and river.
My advise is, that my friends (I call every angler who reads this book a friend), should beware of the "mountain dew"[C] and goat's milk, sold by the damsels of Killarney, in the vicinity of Brickeen Bridge, and the Eagle's nest; they are harmless and cleanly creatures, but their importunity to taste their goat's milk is teasing—buy their goat's milk, but reject their "dew," gentle fishers.
The river "Lane," which issues out of the Lower Lake, as it is now preserved by the inn keepers, is a capital stream for salmon and sea trout fishing; about four miles from Killarney, at the Bridge leading to "Dunloe Gap," is a good place to begin to fish, either up or down the river; the trout in both lakes and river are as yellow as gold when taken out of the water, they are spotted over with beautiful brown-red marks, and are very handsome to look at.
The Trout Flies in the list will be found excellent for the lakes and river. A grouse hackle, with orange silk body, and a little strip of grey partridge tail for wings—this with the ant brown, hare's ear, and amber fly; the red dun, caperer, wren and cuckoo hackle, and duns of various shades and size, ribbed with silver. The land-rail fly, brown-red hackle, and ash fox, an orange body with black hackle from the tail up, and starling wings. The silver dun, with grey mallard wings, mixed with the wing of the bunting lark, ribbed with silver, and tail of the hackle fibres, the body yellow dun—this is a great favourite made of sea-trout size for the river, and large for salmon in the lakes. The sand and cinnamon flies are also good, and the red spinner; the winged larva is an excellent fly below the Bridge, allowed to sink a little beneath the surface when fished with, grilse and sea-trout will take it.
The river Lane is remarkable for its firm footing along the banks, and no where obstructed by trees, it is the most pleasant place I ever saw for fishing, combined with wild and fanciful scenery.
FOOTNOTE:
[C] Whiskey—Oh! whiskey, whiskey,—cruel whiskey, you are the cause of poor Pat's giant poverty, you have rushed in upon him like one armed. Oh! thou accursed evil spirit.