1835.] First Astronomer- Royal. 331 



all. When we were at Bennit's Bridge we were but three 

 miles distant from Kilkenny, the second place in the king- 

 dom : and hitherto we had a fair road, not easy to be 

 missed ; but now, having lost it, we had much ado to direct 

 us in the following part of our journey, which we rose 

 indifferent early in the morning (Sept. 9) to prosecute. 

 Leaving Barneschurch, we passed by Newton and Billato- 

 ben, two towns of Irish built houses; the first two, the 

 second three, miles distant from Barneschurch ; and so 

 forward to Nine-Mile House, distant some seven miles from 

 Barneschurch : thence to Clonmel, nine miles farther, where 

 we baited, having passed by some small, poor places by the 

 way, whose names I know not. Here we crossed the moun- 

 tains, which before were on our left hand ; and here only, 

 in our going, we lost our way, yet were we never far out of 

 it. It was after four o'clock in the afternoon when we left 

 Clonmel ; so that we reached that night no farther than 

 Castleton, called commonly Four-Mile Waters. And were 

 advised by a woman, with whom we rode in company, to 

 cross the waters that night, because the least plash of rain 

 would cause an extraordinary flood, by reason that the 

 waters running from off all the adjacent mountains conjoin- 

 ing, constitute this river. 



Our landlord came from Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire, and 

 was acquainted with my grandfather, Spateman : so that 

 we were, in all things, very well accommodated for our 

 acquaintance. On Sabbath morning (Sept. 10), I inquir- 

 ed where they went to church ; but was -answered that 

 their minister lived twelve miles off, and that they had no 

 sermon amongst them , except when he came to receive the 

 tithes, which was but once a year. And the woman with 

 whom we came hither told me, in a complaining manner, 

 that they had plenty enough of every thing necessary except the 

 word of God; and therewith told me that their minister 

 lived twelve miles off, at the old Assaune, and came but 

 once a year at them, as I told you afore. Considering 

 which, I thought it better to prosecute our journey on the 

 Sabbath day than to lie in the alehouse ; and so we dis- 

 charged ourselves, and went to Cappoquin, eight miles 

 farther, whither we got by noon ; and now we had fixed our 

 feet at the utmost extent of our journey forward. This is 



