1835.] First Astronomer- Royal. 333 



horse's grass, and give him thanks for his courtesies. But 

 he would not take anything of me : and when I urged him, 

 saying I had not deserved this civility from him, he answered 

 me I was a stranger, and he must be so to strangers. So 

 we came back to Cappoquin, discharged our host, [and] 

 departed to Clonmel that night, where we lodged at a stately 

 inn, whose master came out of Derbyshire, our county. 

 This town is one of the seats of justice in this kingdom, and 

 here all law businesses may be transacted, as at Dublin. 

 It is built after the English manner, well fortified with a 

 strong wall of limestone or marble ; which I have observed 

 in several of their demolished small castles, to be made of 

 small pieces, about as- thick again as slates, laid thick in 

 lime, which will dump any bullet. We entered over a 

 drawbridge, at which a soldier stood centinel ; a part of 

 that river, (as I remember) running under it, upon whose 

 banks it is seated. This river is both deep and broad, 

 so that the town is almost every way impregnable ; and, in 

 my mind, it is exceedingly pleasantly seated. From Cap- 

 poquin hither it is just twelve miles, but long ones. 



We departed from Clonmel (Sept. 13), and by that time 

 we had gotten some eight miles, we perceived that our horse 

 had lost a shoe. We called at Nine-Mile House, but could 

 not get a shoe. At one place (I think it was Grangymi- 

 cleare) we found a smith, to whose shop, when we came, 

 we saw nothing resembling his trade bat the hearth, bel- 

 lows, and anvil ; neither iron nor shoes ready-made to be 

 seen, so poor was the place and the people ; amongst whose 

 houses, as I remember, I saw but one with a chimney at it — 

 a certain sign there were no more English inhabitants at 

 this place. 



We travelled nine miles farther to Bennit's Bridge with- 

 out a shoe, where we baited, hoping assuredly not to miss 

 of one here ; but the smith was not at home : and because 

 it was four of the clock, we resolved to go forward to 

 Goaren, three miles forward, that night. We rode on 

 hence thither ; where, because it was late when we entered 

 our inn, we had not time to get him shod this night. 



At our entrance we met with some gentlemen going into 

 the inn, whom we followed ; and being alighted, and a little 

 refreshed, we met with Mr. Toplady, (whose faj;her was of 



