62 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK I. 



work for them all, put the names of a considerable num- 

 ber into a hat, and those who drew out their own names 

 formed the list of persons to be employed for the fol- 

 lowing month, at the end of which time the same lottery 

 was repeated. There are very few instances of tenants with 

 an appearance of poverty possessing anything ; and the 

 treasurer of the savings 5 bank deposed that, although, as 

 agent of many landowners, he had to receive every year 

 the rents from more than two thousand individuals, not 

 one of them ever deposited a farthing in the savings 5 bank ; 

 and that, in some instances, where industrious persons 

 have amassed sums of money, they squander it extrava- 

 gantly in celebrating the marriages of their children. 



The Commissioners visited a tract of land on the sea- 

 coast, in which the wretched cabins were wholly or par- 

 tially covered with drifting sands. All traces of the old soil 

 which the inhabitants cultivated had entirely disappeared; 

 some houses had been entered by the roof, and the inha- 

 bitants were unable to obtain permission to build houses 

 elsewhere. 



In this same barony, in addition to the excessive price 

 of land, the landlords stipulate in their leases for a certain 

 number of days' service, which the tenant must give at 

 any moment he is called upon. 



The witnesses deposed also, that the arrears of rent due 

 to the landlords give them the power of making their 

 tenants vote as they choose; and that lately the furniture, 

 etc. of many farmers has been seized, and the owners 

 driven from their land, for not having obeyed the orders of 

 the landlord. 



The foregoing evidence was confirmed by that of the 

 province of Leinster ; and it was stated, in the barony of 



