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 , the ants soon reappeared in as great numbers as before; and the island would probably have continued subject to this scourge, had it not been for the occurrence of the great hurricane of 1780, which at once cleared all the islands of this dreadful pest, by which the sugar-cane plantations had been threatened with total ruin.

ANTRIM, a maritime County of Ireland, in the province of Ulster, situate in the northern extremity of the Island. It presents a considerable line of coast to the Northern Ocean, and to the Irish Channel. By the former it is bounded to the north, and by the latter to the east. Carrickfergus Bay, and the river Lagan, on the south-east, divide it from the County of Down as far to the south as Spencer’s Bridge. To the south-west it has the same County, which, running to a point, meets Lough Neagh at Shanport. The winding shores of Lough Neagh and Lough Beg form its boundaries on the west, as far as the point where it meets the river Bann; whence this river, taking a northern course, inclining to the west, separates Antrim from Londonderry.

This County lies between 54° 26′, and 55° 12′ 16″ north latitude. Its greatest length from Bangorehead north, to Spencer’s Bridge south, is about 56 English miles; and its greatest breadth, from the Gobbins cast, to Island Reagh Toome west, about 30 miles. Its area comprises 972 square miles, or 622,059 English acres. It contains eight Baronies,—Dunbra, Carey, Killconeray, Glenarm, Toome, Antrim, Belfast, Massarene. All of these, except Killconeray and Carey, are subdivided into half Baronies, called upper and lower. There are also smaller divisions into Constablewicks and Town-lands. As nearly all the names of the Town-lands are Irish, and expressive of the qualities of the land, or of some other local circumstance, it is probable that this subdivision is of very ancient date. Ploughlands were instituted in the reign of Philip and Mary, but this division is now quite laid aside. The number of parishes is seventy-seven. The chief towns in this County are Antrim, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Lisburn, Ballimena, and Ballimoney. It returns five members to Parliament, viz. two for the Shire, and one for each of the three principal towns, Belfast, Carrickfergus, and Lisburn. The assizes, elections, &c. are held at Carrickfergus, and the quarter-sessions at Antrim. The Bishopric of Connor comprehends the whole County, except the parish of Aghalee or Soldierstown, in the Barony of Massarene, which is in the Diocese of Dromore, and the parish or grange of Ballicullen, which belongs to the Diocese of Derry.

The interior of the County, on the eastern side, is mountainous, destitute of plantations, and abounding in bogs. This character also, in a great degree, applies to the northern side. The Baronies of Belfast and Massarene are the most level and fruitful. That remarkable range of basaltic pillars, called the Giant's Causeway, on the northern coast of Antrim, is described in the original work, under the head . The principal mountains are Devis, near Belfast; Slenish, towards the middle; and Knocklayd, in the northern part of the County.

Besides basalt, limestone, gypsum, coals, fossil-wood, or woodcoal, sandstone, &c. are found. The fossil-wood, or woodcoal, in most places, is covered with columns of basalt, and is curious, as explanatory of the origin of coal. Notwithstanding the compressed state in which it is found, the bark and knots are quite distinct, and the rings, denoting the annual growth of the wood, may be counted. In some instances, the roots of the trees may be traced. Of the only two coal-mines which are wrought in the province of Ulster, there is one in Antrim, at Ballycastle. The coals are bituminous, and of a bad quality; a great part of them are exported.

The rivers of this County are very numerous, but in general small. The most considerable are the lower Bann, which discharges the waters of Lough Neagh into the sea; and the Lagan, which falls into the ocean near Belfast. Lough Neagh, belonging more properly to the County of Armagh, will be described under. It may be proper, however, to notice in this place, that of the two Islands in this expanse of water, Ram Island, from its contiguity to Antrim, is considered as belonging to that County.

Rathlin Island lies off the northern coast of this County, opposite to Ballycastle. It is about five miles in length, and about three quarters of a mile in breadth. The number of its inhabitants is about 12,000. It is celebrated as having afforded a place of refuge to Robert Bruce.

No regular and accurate accounts of the climate of Antrim have been kept, except at Belfast; and from these it appears, that less rain falls here than is generally supposed; the annual fall of rain, on an average of six complete years, being only 24.700 inches. The prevalent wind is the south-west. The greatest height of the barometer between the years 1796 and 1809, was 31 inches; the lowest 28 inches. The greatest height of the thermometer, during that period, was 78°.80; the lowest 25. The mean temperature of the northern coast of Antrim, near the town of Ballycastle, in latitude 55.12, as observed in the year 1788, by means of copious springs flowing from limestone soil, was 48°.

The estates in Antrim are in general freehold, being either immediate grants from the Crown, or held under those grants. The exceptions are the properties under the See of Connor. Some of the estates are very large. The Marquis of Hertford, and the Antrim family, possess the fee of the major part of the County. The former has 64,000 green acres, that is, land capable of tillage, independently of bog and mountain. Most of the Antrim estate is let on perpetuity, in farms worth L. 2000 or L. 3000 per annum. The other great proprietors are the Marquis of Donegal, Lord Templeton, and Lord O’Neil. The estate of Lord Templeton, however, is only leasehold under the Marquis of Donegal, who lets his land for 61 years and a life, but renews at the end of a few years for a fine. By a return to the House of Commons, 7th of February 1816, the number of persons who have registered freeholds in this county, between the 20th February 1807 and the 21st of February 1815, of the value of forty shillings, was 8074; of the value of L. 20, 152; and of the value of L. 50, 227.

The farms in Antrim are in general very small;