82 A YEAR OF LIBERTY ; OR, 



I remember perfectly my companion telling me that in the previous 

 season a trout weighing 311b. had been sent as an offering to Shunes 

 Castle. It is hardly necessary to say this nice little lot had been 

 netted for the Belfast market. 



To-day the lake was without a ripple ; the highlands of the 

 opposite coast looked as mountains look from the sea, faint and far 

 off ; and well they might, for this vast sheet of water is two or three 

 and twenty miles long, and nearly half as much in breadth. It is 

 said to be little less than the Lake of Geneva, and with this excep- 

 tion is only exceeded in Europe by Ladoga in Eussia, and Vener in 

 Sweden. 



The shores, though flat, looked very lovely in the misty light of a 

 scorching sun. The rich woods of Lord Massereene, and the 

 grounds of Shunes Castle, were all in keeping with the scene, so 

 peaceful, that it seemed like an idle legend to tell how the good old 

 earl, shot to death by the rebels, was borne through these grounds 

 to take a last brief possession of all that an hour before was his. So 

 we chatted and floated lazily along, our boatmen taking their time, 

 like the ducks and coots, who hardly thought it worth while to 

 hurry themselves on our account. 



Our host at the O'Neil Arms, well skilled in the gentle craft, 

 gave a cheering account of our prospects ; engaged Edward Mac 

 Ilroy as the best guide ; and added, that if we did not kill 201b. on 

 Monday, we ought so to do. With the fly, the largest fish are of 

 course rarely attainable ; the troll would, I feel sure, reveal greater 

 mysteries. 



Mr. Mac Ilroy was punctual as the clock, and discoursed at length 

 on the merits of the cross line at say." ' Wasn't there room for 

 all ? and shure, gintlemen here should do as they plased." Had he 

 affirmed there were whales in this Mediterranean, perhaps I might 

 have believed him ; at all events, the space was large enough. 



The usual style of lake angling was the order of the day a pair 

 of flies, sometimes three claret, fiery-brown, orange, black and 

 olive ; quite the ordinary mode of doing business. 



The breakwater was first to be tried, and as there was plenty of 



