SALMON ANGLlNa IN IRELAND. 69 



and very disagreeable peculiarity the horns are the tenderest part. 

 I do not believe, on my honour, a tiger could digest beef such as 

 that pleasant town produces. 



The ladies of course in a hurry stepped into the punt, and were 

 incontinently sculled on board ; then the beef, bottles, and skipper 

 pushed off. 



How beautiful the graceful little schooner looked, as she lay at 

 anchor ; her long sharp wave bow cleaving the green swells as they 

 rolled towards the strand. The mainsail was set a few pulls at 

 the hawser "She's over the kedge, sir." " Up with the jib, then." 

 The main sheet is eased off, the fore sheet hauled to windward, her 

 head pays off ; in comes the anchor, and the little craft gathers way ; 

 the thickening eddies at her heel show increasing speed, and, with 

 the foresail set, she bounded close-hauled down the sound of the 

 Skenies, at a good eight knots and something over. 



A boy just out of school, a bird in full song, are held to be 

 emblems of happiness ; but neither bird nor boy was half so joyous 

 as the skipper. The very touch of the tiller seemed like the kindly 

 greeting of a friend ; with childish pleasure his eye ran over the 

 snowy canvas, noted the spars, and the rigging tight and true ; then 

 watched the foam which marked her path, as his favourite, bowing 

 easily to eveiy freshening gust, sped along like an an*ow. The 

 strand (whose old brown face the playful waves are decking with a 

 snowy beard) is past. Tliere are the chalky cliffs " the white 

 rocks" full of galleries, halls, and pillared chambers, into which 

 the breakers, like lusty revellers, are reeling, to shout and sing the 

 livelong night. 



As we open '* our bay" the cottage is hailed with a shout ; in two 

 stretches the little Pet gained her moorings ; one touch of the helm, 

 and her head is in the wind ; down come the sails ; her way lessens 

 and lessens ; and then she is at rest under our windows. 



I now found time to ask the chief mate about our fishing 

 prospects. " There were lots of fish in the river," he said, "but the 

 present warm bright weather precluded all chance of catching 

 them ; the glass and barometer, too, were very high, and promised 



