from 14 to 37 feet in breadth: their height is from 20 to 25 feet, and at the lowest part 14. At present there are six entrances; but when the walls were built, in 1614, and during the siege, there were only four."

The streets are well lighted and paved, and the town is extremely well supplied with water, brought from a considerable distance in metal pipes over the bridge. There are several fine edifices within the city and its vicinity; viz. the cathedral, the bishop's palace, the courthouse, the county gaol, the exchange, the custom house, the infirmary, and the diocesan school-house. A commodious news-room has lately been erected in a convenient part of the city, where many of the English, Scotch, and Irish papers are taken, together with a variety of other periodicals; and the members, with a liberality highly characteristic of the country, allow strangers to participate in the pleasure of reading them.

A finely-executed column is now erecting upon the walls, by voluntary contribution, to commemorate the glorious resistance made by the citizens of Londonderry against the besieging

army of King James II., which, when completed, will no doubt be at once an ornament to the city and the pride of its inhabitants.

The scenery from the walls is various and beautiful: Lough Foyle and the Inishowen Mountains form a picturesque part of it. "The harbour is deep and tolerably secure, as the sand-banks at the mouth of the Foyle do not obstruct the navigation, there being at all times of the tide 14 fathom of water in the channel. An extensive commercial intercourse exists between this city and America, the West-Indies, &c., &c."

One of the entrances to the cathedral-yard is from the wall. The cathedral is a noble Gothic structure: its lofty square tower, containing ten fine-toned bells, is surmounted by a beautiful spire. In 1822 it was new roofed, and its exterior and interior repairs cost the bishop two thousand pounds. When the old roof was removed, fragments of bombs were found in it, which had been lodged there during the siege in 1689. These fragments were as precious relics of

collected and preserved

that memorable epoch. The inhabitants are

proud, and justly so, of their city's having sustained a vigorous siege against James the Second's numerous forces, which continued from December 7th 1688, until the 1st of August in the following year. During a part of the time that unhappy Prince conducted the siege in person.

I have this evening been presented with a work entitled "Derriana, or a History of the Siege of Londonderry ;" and as it gives a minute account of a most eventful period in the annals of this city, a short abridgement of it, appended to this Diary, may not be uninteresting to the reader.

CHAPTER III.

Londonderry Market-The Shambles-The Fish Market-Excellence of Irish Butter-Visit the Bishop's Palace-His Lordship's Evening Parties- His Character as a Guardian of the Interests of the City-Village of Muff-Seat of Admiral Hart, the Governor of Culmore Fort-Divine Service at the Cathedral-Reflections thereon-Walk to the Casseno, a Building in the vicinity of the City-Evening Service at the Cathedral.

August 11.-THIS morning we went out to look at the market. I was glad to see a number of the country people assembled, as it gave me an opportunity of observing their general appearance, their manner of vending their commodities, and also of gaining some information respecting their price and quality.

The women, who compose the majority of the market, are generally tall and well proportioned; but we look in vain for the plump figure and comely fairness that so eminently distinguish the market-going community in

England. Their complexions are tinged by the smoke of their cabins, and their dark keen eyes twinkle upon the purchasers with a shrewd laughing expression, as if they were ever upon the alert to take advantage of ignorance or want of judgment. At the same time, many of them are soliciting for custom as an act of charity.

The shambles are well supplied; but the meat is generally small, and not very nicely ordered; particularly the mutton, which in appearance approaches to meagreness; yet as an article of food, I have seldom tasted its equal in flavour and quality. This excellence is attributed to their sheep being fed upon the mountains. The fish-market is admirable: salmon and trout are in high season; and, in my opinion, they stand first upon the list of northern luxuries. At the commencement of the season, salmon is as high as one shilling per pound; but as it advances, the price gradually diminishes to three-pence or fourpence and that is the standard just now. Oysters are brought to market in the muddy state in which they are taken from the bed: