2^4 



A YEAR OF LIBERTY : OE, 



Whilst tlins gazing far over mainland and sea, we stood about 

 midway up the steep side of Slieve More, which, rose immediately- 

 above the village of Dugurth. The poor nag that brought us from 

 Newport^ now patiently undergoing a minimum amount of grooming, 

 seemed close to us ; the ducks that waddled up the street, the 

 ragged urchins that sprawled in the sand, appeared almost within 

 arm's length ; the lichens on the thatch, the curraghs on the beach, 

 the rough fishing gear on the stones, were plainly visible, and gave 

 a living interest to a scene otherwise sufficiently solitary and desolate. 

 The heather on the sea face of Slieve More was exactly as poor 

 Maxwell described it, "short and stunted," yet it made a delicious 

 carpet for our feet as we walked over the finest cliff scenery in 

 Britain. 



Below, many a narrow and dangerous path led down to the black 

 and slippery rocks, on which, notwithstanding the profound calm 

 that prevailed, a great green roller would at uncertain intervals break, 

 sweeping over the ledges with irresistible force ; yet, in the midst of 

 such seeming danger, many a man and boy sat calmly fishing for 

 lythe, glashens, or cuddings, happily oblivious of the many tales 

 that could be told of those whom some treacherous wave in an 

 unlooked for moment bore from time to eternity. 



There was a delicious coolness in the light currents of air playing 

 ever and anon over the side of the mountain, that mado fatigue out 

 of the question . so we walked on stoutly, and presently halted above 

 Lough-na-Kerogh ; at least such seemed to be the pronunciation to 

 my Saxon ears. There, on a low ledge of rocks, were a pair of 

 ospreys, calmly viewing themselves in the blue and unruffled mirror. 

 So dignified and composed were their motions that we had time to 

 note distinctly their appearance and attitude before they spread their 

 strong wings and sailed away in all the might and majesty of power. 

 It has already been said that Achil presents some of the finest coast 

 scenery in the kingdom ; and this, as we continued to ascend, grew 

 more grand and striking till it attained its culminating point at Keel. 

 Here the whole side of the mountain, which seemed to have been 

 rent assunder in some convulsion of nature, constituted a precipice 



