146 A GARDEN DIARY 



opinion of the bulk of the people really is. In- 

 vaders, especially French ones, are historically 

 dear to their hearts, but the thing has been 

 sprung upon them this time with rather uncom- 

 fortable rapidity, and there is something extremely 

 sickening, so everybody admits, about the smell 

 of burning roofs. 



Immediately upon landing, the enemy estab- 

 lished their headquarters, with no little strategical 

 discretion, in a naturally defensible position upon 

 the Wicklow Hills, from which point they are 

 cheerfully engaged in sending out raiding parties 

 over the whole of the adjacent country. The 

 portion of Kildare nearest Wicklow has already 

 been overrun, and most of its villages burnt, 

 despite their nearness to the Curragh ; Naas and 

 Sallins are reported as likely to be the next 

 assailed. The suddenness of the catastrophe has 

 strained the military resources almost to breaking 

 point, and the soldiers are forced to be kept 

 together, not only to defend the approaches to 

 the metropolis, but also in the hope of being able 

 to bring on a general engagement in some more 

 hopeful position than against the fortified camp 

 in Wicklow. The result is that, beyond a limited 

 number of constabulary, the general in command 

 of the district is unable to spare a man for the 

 protection of the smaller places. 



Before that harassed and overdriven officer 

 there suddenly appears the Civilian ! How 



