sible even when the tide is out, although a stone causeway, of
great solidity, erected for the express purpose, connects the island
with the mainland. The whole space is surrounded by double walls of
great strength and thickness; and the access to the interior, at the
time which we treat of, was only by two flights of steep and narrow
steps, divided from each other by a strong tower and guard-house; under
the former of which, there is an entrance-arch. The open space within
the walls extends to two acres, and contains many objects worthy
of antiquarian curiosity. There were besides the castle itself, two
cathedral churches, dedicated, the earlier to St. Patrick, the latter to
St. Germain; besides two smaller churches; all of which had become, even
in that day, more or less ruinous. Their decayed walls, exhibiting the
rude and massive architecture of the most remote period, were composed
of a ragged grey-stone, which formed a singular contrast with the bright
red freestone of which the window-cases, corner-stones, arches, and
other ornamental parts of the building, were composed.

Besides these four ruinous churches, the space of ground enclosed by the
massive exterior walls of Holm-Peel exhibited many other vestiges of the
olden time. There was a square mound of earth, facing, with its angles
to the points of the compass, one of those motes, as they were called,
on which, in ancient times, the northern tribes elected or recognised
their chiefs, and held their solemn popular assemblies, or _comitia_.
There was also one of those singular towers, so common in Ireland as
to have proved the favourite theme of her antiquaries; but of which the
real use and meaning seems yet to be hidden in the mist of ages. This
of Holm-Peel had been converted to the purpose of a watch-tower.
There were, besides, Runic monuments, of which legends could not be
deciphered; and later inscriptions to the memory of champions, of
whom the names only were preserved from oblivion. But tradition and
superstitious eld, still most busy where real history is silent, had
filled up the long blank of accurate information with tales of Sea-kings
and Pirates, Hebridean Chiefs and Norwegian Resolutes, who had formerly
warred against, and in defence of, this famous castle. Superstition,
too, had her tales of fairies, ghosts, and spectres--her legions of
saints and demons, of fairies and of familiar spirits, which in no
corner of the British empire are told and r