The Earl of Clanricarde then asked if the town walls had been lately repaired?

The Mayor replied

"There is not much to be done to them my Lord, as last year the fortifications of the town were examined by the commissioners, who ordered Barachalla to be fortified, and to have the town walls repaired. These improvements cost £800, and orders were made by the corporation, on the 3rd and 11th of July, for this sum to be levied on the citizens, which they unanimously and cheerfully paid."

Lieutenant-General d'Usson said—

"The cannon are planted in the best possible position. I have eight guns on the Upper Citadel, near which is a strong platform, on which are six good pieces; ten are placed at the south-east corner, five on the river side, and three on the Turret that commands the bay. Some of our guns are almost useless from age, and more of them are wretchedly mounted.”

"It is a great pity," said Major Dillon, "that so many of the brass guns scattered through town are altogether useless, for in their day they were very good."

"Oh! indeed," exclaimed Colonel Burke of Tyaquin, "we have plenty of guns if we could only use them; but there are a great many ancient iron ones planted on the bank of Lough Corrib, at Menlough Castle, and if you think they are required, you had better apply in time to Sir Walter Blake."

Several matters of great importance having been arranged, the council broke up, and each retired to his appointed post, except Lord Dillon, Lieutenant-General d'Usson, Colonel Burke, and Captain Jasper Ffrench, who remained to dine with the Mayor of Galway.

"Cuthbert Fenwick was not very familiar with Galway, though so long a resident in the county. He had only been there on one other occasion, and even then had but a bad opportunity of seeing the town; so now, in order to satisfy his curiosity, he strolled out until dinner hour would have arrived. He first walked in the direction of Faheibeg (121), and was much struck with the beautiful scenery of the expansive bay, which is one of the finest in Ireland. Due west were dimly visible in the distance the Islands of Arran, so famous in olden time for their monasteries and learned men, who went forth to preach the Gospel to pagan nations, and gained for them the enviable name of the Isles of the Blessed. Before him stood Mutton Island, with its romantic old castle (122), reflected in the blue waters of the vast Atlantic; and in the distance the gigantic mountains of Thomond, whose dark peaks rose

high above the level of the sea, lending to the scene an air of picturesque grandeur, which was considerably heightened by the gentle rays of the brilliant noon-day sun. Beyond Lough Atalia, the earth-works of Cromwell's Fort were visible, and between Hare Island and Mutton Island, in the distance, could be seen the extensive wood of Ardfry, the beautiful residence of one of the leading branches of the House of Blake, and the birth-place of Sir Richard Blake, Speaker of the Supreme Council of the Confederate Catholics of Ireland assembled at Kilkenny in 1648. He was a Privy Councillor in the reign of King Charles I., Mayor of Galway in 1627, and Knight of the Shire for the county of Galway in 1639. Along the shore were several of the hardy sea-faring inhabitants of the Claddagh, dressed in comfortable white flannel jackets, blue trousers, and round woollen caps of a green colour, mending their nets. Cuthbert, addressing one of them, bade him good day, but the fisherman only shook his head, mysteriously muttering at the same time a few words which were quite unintelligible to Fenwick, who, surprised that a person residing so near the town could not speak the English language, walked on to view the Church and cemetery of St. Mary of the Hill. This ancient Dominican Friary is situated on a slight elevation near the sea shore, and is erected on the site of the older Convent of St. Mary of the Hill, a daughter of the Holy Trinity, of the Premonstratenses of Tuam, which was founded by a chieftain of the sept of O'Halloran at an early period in the history of Galway, but the exact year is now unknown. On being deserted by the nuns, the secular clergy took possession of it, and resided there for many years; but the inhabitants of the town having petitioned Pope Innocent VIII., it was granted in 1488 to the Dominican Friars of Athenry. From the commencement, this Friary was liberally supported by the rich and enterprising merchants. James Fitz-Stephen Lynch, who was Mayor of Galway in 1493, erected the choir at considerable expense. On the 9th of March, 1570, Queen Elizabeth granted part of the possessions of this house, which was then lately dissolved, to the Corporation of Galway. In 1642, Lord Forbes landed here, and having taken possession of the monastery, converted it into a barrack. Having failed in his attempt to take the town, he ruined the church, tore open the graves, and burned all the bones and coffins; after which he took shipping, and sailed from Galway. In 1652, the patriotic friars surrendered their church and monastery to the corporation, who soon after razed them to the ground, in order that they might not be converted by Cromwell's soldiers into a fortification during the long siege. There was an understanding, however, between the friars and the corporation, that on

the restoration of peace the whole should be restored at the expense of the inhabitants.

Cuthbert shortly after returned, and, entering the town by the gate called In-Sparra-Heir, proceeded over the West Bridge, which was built of stone, and erected in the year 1342. Having reached its centre, he passed under the Middle Gate, with its heavy winding leaves, and then through Bridge Gate; entered Bridge Gate-street, and having admired the quaint architecture of the Castle of the Blakes of Ardfry, turned to the left into Lumbard-street, in which was situated the College of Priests and Pastors, proceeded up North-street by Athy's Castle, and the fine old mansion, with its heavy, arched entrance and bow windows, which was, in the reign of Charles II., the residence of Sir Peter Ffrench. He then turned to his right into Little Gate-street at the end of which, on the right-hand corner, stood the Convent of the Society of Jesus; and, turning to his left, walked up North Gate-street, to Sir Valentine's Castle, which he passed by, and, leaving the town by the North Gate, walked across the Green, where many of the townspeople were playing at the game of bowls, though in view of the gallows on which the ghastly skull of some unfortunate criminal was spiked. The sickening sight caused Cuthbert to meditate on the nothingness of life, as he walked through Bohermore, in the centre of which was a lake, and it was, therefore, with a feeling of relief that he beheld Laght More ni hien, the emblem of man's redemption (123). After examining this ancient monument, he returned to the Mayoralty House, where he arrived just in time for dinner. In the course of the evening, he remarked to the host how surprised he was to find that a fisherman quite convenient to the town could not speak a word of English to him.

"You are not the only person who has expressed surprise at the backward condition of these people, Cuthbert," replied the Mayor; "but their manners and customs are peculiarly their own. They elect a king and an admiral from among their own people. The king, who holds office for life, assisted by the Circle of Wise Men, settles all disputes and differences that arise between them, and they never trouble our courts of law. The admiral, who is annually elected, on St. Nicholas's Day, manages all the affairs relating to the sea during the fishing seasons. When on shore, this official, though shown great respect by these strange people, bears no mark of distinction, but when at sea his boat carries a white sail, and always has a flag flying from the mast-head. They consider it a disgrace to know English, or to send their children to school; and even the Celtic dialect spoken by

them differs very much from that of the peasantry of Iar-Connaught. Though the offices of king and admiral are not hereditary, still those who fill them must be chosen from a particular family."

It was now half-past eight o'clock, and Lord Dillon arose, apologised for not being able to remain longer, and said his duties as Governor called him away. Lieutenant-General d'Usson also arose to depart, pleading that he would have to meet the Earl of Clanricarde and Lord Enniskillen in council at nine o'clock, at the house of Oliver Ffrench, in Crosse-street.

The next day was spent in making great preparations for the defence, and the hospitable Mayor invited the principal officers of the garrison to dine with him. As it was Friday, and the As it was Friday, and the company Catholic, the dishes consisted entirely of fish-the principal of which was composed of the delicious salmon, for which the celebrated Weir of Inchora More, on Galway river, was so famous from olden time. On the following morning, which was the 18th of July, the Mayor was informed that a Protestant merchant, named Shaw, and some others of the same persuasion, had escaped from the town, and that it was generally believed they were gone to the English camp at Athenry, to give information to the Commander-in-chief of what was going on in the town, and to let him know the real strength of the garrison. After breakfast, Cuthbert again walked through Galway. In several places he found the French very busy repairing the fortifications. They had already thrown up several strong works near the East Gate, and many of the citizens were engaged on the fort, at the south-east corner of the wall. Arriving in Plud-street, he examined carefully, and with interest, the strong fortification known as The Rampire, and then ascended the battlements by the stairs called Steire Naguinagh. Here several of the garrison were employed in arranging the guns along the walls, and after spending some time in conversing merrily with the soldiers, Cuthbert proceeded to the Governor's quarters, where he procured a map of the city, and then returned to the Mayoralty House, where he spent the remainder of the day in studying it, and making himself through this medium familiar with the different streets and buildings.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE SIEGE OF GALWAY.

THE whole Williamite army marched on the 17th of July, five days. after the battle of Aughrim, to Athenry, or 'Ye Citie of the Barons,' which historic old town was in ancient times the Norman capital of the province of Connaught; and though once a place of the greatest importance, at this time it consisted of only about thirty houses which were all deserted, the inhabitants having fled on hearing of the result of the battle of Aughrim, and taken refuge in the mountains of Slieve Boughta. However, though Athenry was so much reduced from what it was in olden time, it was still surrounded by a strong stone wall, and the fortifications were in a good state of preservation, having been all newly repaired on the 1st of June, 1689. The army having encamped on the plain outside the town, Baron de Ginckell, taking a strong guard with him, advanced in the direction of Galway. Not thinking it prudent to advance further, he contented himself with a very imperfect view-from a rising ground-of the city and bay. In the latter were six ships, some of which had brought provisions to the town, as they would be required for the use of the garrison during the siege. He then returned to his camp at Athenry; after inspecting which, he took up his quarters for the night in that town, and next day rode to Oranmore, which was burned a few days previously by the inhabitants of Galway. On his return to the camp he found Shaw the merchant, and the other Protestants who had accompanied him in his flight from Galway that morning, impatiently awaiting his arrival. They advised the Commander-in-chief to attack Galway without delay, and assured him that the town was not prepared to stand a siege.

Some days previously a large party of the English forces, by order of Baron de Ginckell, arrested the Right Honourable Denis Daly, of Carrownakelly, in the county of Galway, Second Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and a Privy Councillor of Ireland. This gentleman, who was in high favour with King James, was of opinion for a long time past that the cause of that sovereign was hopeless. Still, he told the Williamite Commander-in-chief that it would be nonsense for him to think of taking the city of Galway-that he would not be able to do so-and if he attempted it, he would only have to retreat with loss and dishonour, as the fortifications of the town were strong, and the whole of the Irish army