LIFE IN IRELAND 131 



CHAPTER XI 



Continuation of a coal-porter's wedding — A pump and a ferry- 

 boat — Scene at Poll Katalane's — Monkey's allowance 

 served out — End of the wedding — A mistake in the bedding — 

 Captain Gkammachrke in a car with a litter of pigs— Brian 

 BoRu's strange bed-fellows — Pat Mooney's remarks upon 

 Dublin Castle — A trip to the Phoenix Park — A cold collation 

 of hot meats— Visit to the canal basin, and a boat-race for a 

 cow — Brian Boru proclaimed the winner. 



ON the top of the pump — (you must have seen the 

 pump if you were ever at the custom-house, 

 because, when you step out of the ferry-boat you run 

 your head right against it) — on the top of the pump a 

 young gossoon sat straddle legs, holding a pole with 

 a coal-sack depending from its end, in which were 

 enclosed a fraternity of cats, who had just space 

 sufficient to pop out their heads and catterwaul most 

 gloriously. The bride and bridegroom rode cheek by 

 jowl, and received the drops of stalrinky handed to 

 them on every side most gracelessly. In the uniform 

 of the coal-porters, two heroes rode on each side of 

 the married pair, like supporters to the King's coat 

 of arms ; one suspended a huge pair of horns upon a 

 wooden sceptre ; the other bore a pair of worn-out 

 leather breeches, with silken strings to the waistband. 



