struck by the appearance of a woman of the country walking between two men,

"High kilted was she as she ga'ed o'er the lea :"

but I am too discreet to say more. She had certainly found an excellent method of making her way across a bog, but it was a century too late in its application. Our own skill in bog-trotting gained us no little credit during this excursion; "Troth then she's a good warrant for walking, and would n't stop now for walking on foot the whole way entirely." "God bless the lady then, and is n't she a fine stepper," was a compliment by no means to be disdained, either as inelegant or inexpressive; but that paid to the only gentleman in our party, was not, perhaps, quite so well turned. As our highland gillie passed from me to him, he inquired what they were saying in Irish; "Sure we were just thinking that may be the ladies walk too fast for your Honour ?"

"

LETTER XLII.

AUGUST.

OUR coast is too wild, and our weather too uncertain and tempestuous, to admit of many excursions by sea; and yet the scenery is so delightful, and the mode of conveyance comparatively so easy, as frequently to tempt us on board. It may well be called an iron-bound coast; for, beside the numerous islands of all sizes, which are surrounded by precipitous cliffs and rocky crags, the white breakers which everywhere meet the eye, tell that

"Many a rock, and many a wave,
Doth break the pilot's rest."

These islands, although they form a desirable shelter to the landsman, who would otherwise be exposed to the whole violence of the Atlantic ocean, and the Atlantic gales, yet add very considerably to the dangers of the unwary sailor. The merchant vessels being, in consequence, obliged to keep their distance, we miss the picturesque and animated effect, which their white sails would give to the scene,

and the view is only now and then enlivened by some little black fishing-boat, or the more imposing appearance of the cruizers on this station.

After such a fearful account, you must not be alarmed to hear that we ventured to embark, about ten days since, and after four-and-twenty hours' sail, found ourselves, without any perilous adventure, safely moored in the bay of Galway. The morning of our departure was overcast with a slight mizzling rain, which however soon cleared off, and we then enjoyed a lovely summer's day; so hot indeed, that we were glad for a time to take refuge in the cabin, and afterwards remained on deck till midnight, refreshed by the coolness of the evening breeze, and admiring the glow of innumerable stars with which the heavens were illuminated, After turning the point of our own headland, we coasted the island of Boffin, and soon came in sight of its harbour to the south-west, while on the opposite side we looked up the bay of Ballynakill, with a noble group of the Pins in the back ground. The harbour of Boffin is a considerable station for fishing; and I wish I could add, that this was, in consequence, a source of constant employment and emolument to its own inhabitants, and those of the neighbouring districts; but, unfortunately, this is very far from being the

case, the vessels engaged in the trade coming all either from Scotland, or the north-eastern coast of Ireland. The natives are, in fact, too poor to encounter the risk and expense attendant on the fishery; and it was only last season, that the benefit of an immense shoal of herrings, arriving unexpectedly after a lapse of some years, was almost lost to them by the very dilapidated state of their boats and tackling. Every exertion indeed is made, every nerve strained, previous to the season for taking the sun fish, but this alas ! is almost a lottery, and has; during the last few years, been particularly unsuccessful.

We were now also off the peninsula of Achris; the mainland stretching out from the bay of Ballynakill on one side, to that of Cleggan on the other, with a watch-tower on the eminence which rises over a large straggling village. This spot, instead of presenting the pleasing picture of legitimate employment, and prosperous industry, is the scene of smuggling and illicit distillation, bearing all the outward marks of that poverty and wretchedness which is so generally the lot of the poor underlings engaged in the traffic. The seigneur du village, a middle-man, is himself one of the most active and persevering agents in both branches. The following

account of a circumstance in which he was lately concerned, may perhaps amuse you.

The captain of a revenue cruizer was dining not long since at a gentleman's house, when the subject of distillation formed, as usual, a topic of conversation. The lady of the house observed how entirely it had been put down in the neighbourhood, and mentioned, as an instance, that the noted character in question had sent, that very morning, to beg for a small quantity of the artificial yeast which she was in the habit of preparing as a succedaneum for whiskey barm. This she had most willingly sent, at the same time taking the trouble to write out the receipt for his future benefit! Little more passed at the moment; the captain, keeping his own coun sel, sailed out of Ballynakill the next morning, tacked about, went into Cleggan, where he immediately discovered the column of light blue smoke, and, upon landing, seized the whole apparatus at work. How sincerely must we hope, that the late change in the legislative system may put an end to this destructive, demoralizing, warfare between the real interest of the people and their prospect of immediate advantage.

To the south of Boffin lay three small islands; off which we were becalmed during some hours, and

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