132 EEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 



Pen souviens tu, mon cher Dick, of these our 

 pastimes in those days of yore, whicli I believe 

 we both thought the happiest of our lives ? 

 The last time we met you were in civilized 

 society ; you were quartered on the Curragh of 

 Kildare; your occupation, providing for the 

 defences of that noble camp, erecting sheds 

 for troopers; doing your work well, there as 

 everywhere, and respected by all. But you 

 found something to do there too. I remember 

 we went after some imaginary snipes on the 

 bog of Allen ; I don't think there was a fish 

 within miles. But you took to hunting, you 

 dog — and that makes up for a great deal — and 

 you tried Kildare and went well. Do you 

 remember the day you were going so well — a 

 little bit too close, perhaps, for you even got 

 jealous — and we took a pull round the crest of 

 the hill so as not to be blown up, when the 

 hounds got hid from our sight for a moment 

 round the hill, and we never saw them again ? 

 How savage you were ! and I don't wonder, 

 for it is hard to err with the best intentions. 

 Do you remember that day in the park, when 

 we passed so many hours watching that stag 

 near the loch, when the beast would come upon 

 us instead of our going to him, and to get out 

 of sight we had to take the soil and get into 



