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LON
town-Limavady, and Magherafelt. The county gaol and
court-house are in Londonderry, and there are court-
houses and bridewells at each of the other sessions
towns. The local government is vested in a lieutenant,
a vice-lieutenant, 8 deputy-lieutenants, and 61 other
magistrates; besides whom there are the usual county
officers, including four coroners, one for the city, one for
the borough of Coleraine, and two for the county at large.
Of its civil jurisdiction it is remarkable that, like the
county of Middlesex, its sheriffs are those elected by the
citizens of its capital, who serve for the whole, excepting
the liberties of Coleraine: the town-clerk of Londonderry,
also, is the clerk of the peace for the county at large.
There are 19 constabulary police stations, having in the
whole a force of a stipendiary magistrate, a sub-inspec-
tor, a paymaster, 4 chief officers, 20 constables, 83 men,
and 6 horses. The District Lunatic Asylum, and County
Infirmary are in the city of Londonderry, and there are
dispensaries at Londonderry, Bellaghy,Tamlaght O’Crilly,
Port-stewart, Dungiven, Magherafelt, Maghera, Glen-
dermot, Lower-Cumber, Newtown-Limavady, Coleraine,
Killowen, Moneymore, Aghadowey, Ballynascreen, and
Garvagh, which are supported equally by Grand Jury
presentments, and by subscriptions from the Irish
Society, the London companies, the landed proprietors,
and other private individuals. For the convenience of
holding petty sessions, the county is divided into the
districts of Coleraine, Garvagh, Innisrush, Maghera,
Moneymore, Magherafelt, Kilrea, Inver, city of Lon-
donderry, Newtown-Limavady, Muff, Dungiven, and
Clady. The amount of Grand Jury presentments for the
county and city, for the year 1835, was £23,996.16. 1.,
of which £1756. 12. 7. was for the roads, bridges,
buildings, &c, of the county at large; £7464. 16. 3. for
the roads, bridges, &c., of the baronies; £8702. 11. 10.
for public buildings, charities, salaries of officers, and
incidents; £2066. 17. 6. for the police; and £4005.
17. 11. for repayment of advances made by Government.
In the military arrangements the county is included in
the northern district.
In form the county approaches to an equilateral
triangle: its greatest length is from the point of Magilli-
gan, at the mouth of Lough Foyle, nearly southward,
to the vicinity of Coagh, a distance of 32½ miles.
Although by no means distinguished for picturesque
beauty, its surface presents many varieties of form, from
the flat alluvial lands along its rivers to the wildest
mountains. The latter form its central portion, ex-
tending in various chains, covered chiefly with heath,
from near the sea-coast to the southern limit. Sawel
mountain, in the south, attains an elevation of 2236
feet; Slieve Gallion rises to the height of 1730 feet;
Carntogher, near the source of the Roe, 1521 feet;
Donald’s Hill, east of the same river, 1315 feet; Ben-
yevenagh, forming the termination of that range towards
the sea, 1260 feet; and Legavannon, between the Roe
and the Faughan, 1289 feet. Even in these wild regions
there are secluded vales, called by the inhabitants
“slacks,” in which are often found charming spots of
fertile soil and romantic scenery. The principal of
these are, Faughanvale, where there are some romantic
waterfalls; Muff-glen, which, with the beautiful glen of
the Ness, affords mountain passes from the Foyle to the
Faughan; Laughermore, between the Roe and the
Faughan, which commands various fine prospects, and
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has in its vicinity numerous traces of ancient forests;
Lissane, with some deep romantic glens; Feeny, between
the higher parts of the Roe and the Faughan, into
which several other glens open, of which the most
beautiful is Fin-glen; the neighbouring slacks of Money-
niceny and Carntogher; that of Ballyness, leading into
the wild district of Glenullen; that of Dunmore, between
Coleraine and Newtown-Limavady; and that of Druim-
na-Gullion, to the north. The most extensive and
diversified view in this part of Ireland, is that from the
summit of Benyevenagh, near the mouth of the Roe,
from which mountain the huge masses of fallen strata
form successive terraces descending to the sandy flats
bounded by Lough Foyle and the ocean.
The great natural divisions of the profitable lands are,
the rich and fertile vales of the Roe, the Faughan, the
Foyle (with the liberties of Londonderry), the Moyola,
the shores of Lough Neagh, the half valley of the Bann
(with the liberties of Coleraine), and the sea coast with
the flats of Lough Foyle. The longest of the vales open-
ing from the mountains is that of the Roe, environed
by hills appropriated as sheep walks, and in many
places having midway up their declivities a sort of
natural terrace, frequently two or three hundred yards
in breadth. To the west is the nearly parallel vale
of Faughan, which, next to those of the Roe and the
Moyola, displays, from Clondermot to the coast of
Lough Foyle, one of the most delightful tracts in the
county: a considerable portion, however, is occupied
by rough though valuable turbaries, while other parts
are clothed with natural wood: in the higher part the
scenery is frequently romantic, and in other places is
improved by round alluvial hills. The vale of the Foyle
is highly improved, and comprises the western extremity
of the county, in which stands the city of Londonderry.
The rich vale of Moyola extends from the eastern side
of the mountains of Ballynascreen, towards Lough
Neagh, being bounded on the south by Slieve Gallion.
The borders of Lough Neagh form a low tract which
presents a rich landscape, its surface being composed
partly of gentle swells, and its fertility broken only by
some extensive bogs. Around Ballinderry are con-
siderable steeps, and at Spring Hill and over the town
of Moneymore is a beautiful range of high land: beyond
this extends a rich low tract called “the Golden Vale of
Ballydawley.” Lough Neagh bounds the county for
nearly six miles, when the Bann, issuing from it, imme-
diately falls into Lough Beg, the Londonderry shore of
which is five miles in extent. The half valley of the
Bann is composed of bleak ridges or tummocks of basalt,
with a few more favoured spots near the streams, but
accompanied by a series of scattered bogs, bordering
the course of the river. These sometimes comprise
high and barren swells, with lakes and small bogs
intervening. About Tubbermore, Fort William, and
Maghaer, however, there is a pleasing and more fertile
tract; and the interior of the district bordering on the
Bann is greatly enlivened by the woody scenery around
Garvagh. The sea coast, formed by the Atlantic for
12 miles from Portrush to Magilligan point, and thence
for 16 miles by Lough Foyle, exhibits a succession of
varied and interesting scenery. Commencing with
Portrush it presents a number of creeks and inlets, of
which the most remarkable is Port-Stewart, whence to
the mouth of the Bann is a strand of great extent and