My Two Bays Salmon Fishing. 41 



you're sure to catch some more when the sun is sinking, 

 and your fishing book bulges out your pocket — let me take 

 that, too, and make room for the fairings ye'll be buying." 



I complied with the old lady's proposition, barring the 

 fishing book, " No, mother, not the fishing book, for 

 tackle is the only thing the Irish will steal." 



*' True for ye, there ; the boys icill steal it or coax the 

 English gintlemen out of it — and, there now — give me a 

 bit for my son, for he is a clever boy with the trout." And 

 so I sat down and had two or three tongues and crackers, 

 and even a second sip of Dan Finnigan's whisky, for I had 

 walked a long way and had had nothing but a tumbler of 

 milk and whi.Nky very early in the morning ; which, by-the- 

 bye, in default of breakfast, will carry one on for three or 

 four hours. 



It was a pretty sight seeing the people arrive on cars and 

 donkey carts, or strolling down the hill-side on foot, the 

 girls with their red or blue cloaks and hoods or shawls, 

 artfully put on, the older women in clean w^hite caps, and 

 the squii-eens with wonderful shirt collars, and frieze coats 

 with metal buttons. Some had a fowl or a duck under 

 each arm, others a basket of eggs or butter, or jars of 

 honey, and not a few drove a pig before them, or a cow or 

 horse of no great pretensions, or a donkey. I watched the 

 bartering, and observed that a good donkey was the greatest 

 subject for competition, and though I did not catch the 

 figures, the biddings went on for a long time over each 

 donkey sale. The cattle and sheep and horses were sold 

 some little way from the pleasure fair, arrd a substantial 

 class of farmers and county gentlemen, and more than one 

 London horse dealer whom I recognised, were assembled. 

 But that was dull business. 



My old lady called me to her as I was strolling back from 

 the cattle sale. " Come here, sir ; here's the prettiest Irish gii-1 



