DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 185 



In spite of such woeful dissipation we were at 

 Broadstone Station next morning in time for the 

 seven a.m. Midland Great Western Limited Mail 

 for Achill, whence we were to talce a car for Dugort 

 for a stay of two days, and then start on our tour 

 of the coast and islands of Connemara. 



It was a prefect Autumn morning when we settled 

 ourselves in corner seats of a comfortable carriage 

 for a look just once again at the many places we 

 should pass where I had fished or shot. The train was^ 

 in the best of humours and, Irish-like, desired to show 

 that it had capacities of a high order; when it slowed 

 it seemed to say, 'Now look at this and look at that; 

 have you seen their like in all your travels?' At 

 Mullingar it made a stay which gave me time to tell 

 my companion that the rivers and lakes near would 

 need a month to test, and of a splendid time of great 

 success that I once spent there. As the train was 

 starting, an aged man offered me a bunch of withered 

 yellow grapes : 'Sixpence, yer honour, and it's every- 

 body that's calling for thim, and the train in a divil 

 of a hurry.' 



Our next stop was at Athlone. Need I say more 

 than that it is on the Shannon? Is there any other 

 name that conjures up such varied possibiUties ? I 

 think not, unless it be the sea. 



Castlerea, Claremorris, and Castlebar are worth 

 a stay, and so is Westport, but I must hurry on to 

 Achill, and from there to our journey's end, that i 

 may have space to tell you of recent doings with rod 

 and line. 



Dugort was reached just before the dinner-hour, 

 and gathered in the lobby, waiting the call, was quite 

 a httle crowd. Conspicuous among the number was 

 Boniface himself, who welcomed us, and then gave 

 instructions as to the disposal of our baggage, including 

 our rod box, which, when laid beside the others, seemed 

 to gain in size, and attracted much attention. 



