cottage, whose milk-white walls, form an enlivening contrast with the shadowing green, reflected from the oak and lofty pine, rising like the undulating wave to the mountain's top. Descending from the craggy steep, I made haste to cross the "narrowed water's point."

The boats on this ferry, though rudely formed, are safe, and not incommodious for the conveyance of man and horse. I found it difficult, however, to procure one; but that difficulty proceeded from a circumstance which was peculiarly favourable to my situation. The opposite side of the ferry was the estate of a gentleman of some notoriety; he had been an early liberal, and his name is recorded as an original member of the Northern Whig Club, in the same column with that of his countryman Lord Castlereagh, celebrating in the town of Belfast "The glorious era of the French revolution," and crowning the night with libations to " Our Sovereign Lord the People." A few short years, however, had accomplished a no less extraordinary revolution in the political sentiments of both. One had become a minister of state, the other had arrived to the high distinction of captain-commandant of a yeomanry corps! Happily for my security, the captain and his corps were now at church, supplicating the God of union

and peace to distract the councils that bade France be free, and scatter the arms that threatened the expulsion of despotism from Europe. Our virtuous government had decreed this a day of solemn thanksgiving; the yeomanry had been early on parade, and their pious captain had withdrawn the guard from the ferry side, that all might do honour to that formula of prayer, which the zeal of the church and the wisdom of the state had promulgated. All was silent-the village was hushed-I passed: "This," said I, "is truly truly a day of grace; torture has been suspended for an hour."

Had not Providence favoured me at this critical moment, in all human probability I should not have survived to report the occurrence. I was unconscious of the ferry at any time being guarded. I had remained some time on the shore, in fretful impatience, hailing a boat; and surprised at the caution with which the ferryman proceeded, it was only then I learned the situation of affairs on the opposite side. I had no alternative but to proceed. As I approached the ferry from the Leinster side, the town of Newry lay some miles before me, inclining to the left; between the town and the ferry there was no passage, the intervening space being occupied by the river and canal. The bay of

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Carlingford was on my right, and necessity compelled the adoption of the middle course. me it proved fortunate.

The religious rites of the day had terminated, when the next after me in succession, the humane and kind-hearted Black, crossed the ferry. He had scarcely pressed the shore, when he was rudely seized, suspended by the neck, and though life was not extinguished, he experienced all the terrors and the pains of death. This was a species of punishment so generally practised throughout Ireland, and in which the executioner became so expert, that he prided himself in his knowledge of the extent of human suffering; distinguishing the precise point when the soul, just winged for its flight to a more peaceful world, might yet be detained, by the suspension of animal torture. Merciful Heaven! what refinement in the science of human suffering! Poor Black had given no offence -he had done no wrong-but his benevolent heart was suspected of sympathising in the miseries of his country.

CHAPTER XVII.

Local state of Ulster-Early organization-Subsequent cause of supineness-Yeomanry corps.

ULSTER, though first in organization and mature in all her arrangements, had as yet made no movement for the field. The fire of the south was wanting, to animate the colder regions of the north; but the spark, though latent, was not extinct.

Ulster had long been regarded by the Irish government with a jealous eye-her moral situation gave a political ascendancy to her decisions, which were usually stamped with a freedom and boldness, becoming the importance of her station and the lettered mind of her independent and wealthy population. To Ulster the other provinces looked with respect; she was the centre of that union which she had so strenuously recommended; and as the early advocate of freedom, and the school of political science, her movements were regarded with more than ordinary concern. But her apparent supineness in the general cause had damped

the enthusiasm of those who wished to model their line of action by the parent stock.

The most forward in promoting the union in Ulster had been the first to arrest the attention of an active administration; and the leaders, who from the attachment or confidence of the people were designated by the name, were generally removed from the scene where that attachment or confidence could be most efficiently employed. Many were at this moment inhaling the noxious damps of the dungeon, or crowded in the tender's pestilential hold. Some had found shelter from persecution in foreign ranks; whilst others, "who wanted nerve for the fight," became recreant to the cause, and changed the standard of union for the ensign of power.

The organization of the union in Ulster had been pursued with a minuteness and technicality of system, in which the other provinces were somewhat deficient: but that very system proved more injurious to her views; while the want of organization favoured the promptness of action which distinguished the counties less familiar with its forms. Confidence in her strength, had lulled Ulster into security; and that security was followed by supineness, which wasted by degrees her energy and fire.