THE COMPANY DISPERSED. 213 



If it's a congregation ye want, ye shall have a decent one 

 to-morrow, and lave that to me ; and now we'll take our 

 drink, and not matter the bishop a fig.' 



" Well, next day, sure enough, down comes the bishop, 

 and a great retinue along with him ; and there was Mr. Carson 

 ready to receive him. f l hear/ says the bishop, mighty 

 stately, ' that you have no congregation/ ' In faith, your 

 holiness,' says he, 'you'll be soon able to tell that,' and in 

 he walks him to the church, and there were sitting threescore 

 well-dressed men and women, and all of them as devout as if 

 they were going to be anointed ; for that blessed morning, 

 Father Patt whipped mass over before ye had time to bless 

 yourself, and the clanest of the flock was before the bishop in 

 the church, and ready for his holiness. To see that all 

 behaved properly, Father Patt had hardly put off the vest- 

 ment, till he slipped on a cota more,* and there he sat in a 

 back sate like any other of the congregation. I was near the 

 bishop's reverence ; he was seated in an arm-chair belonging 

 to the priest, 'Come here, Mr. Carson,' says he; 'some 

 enemy of yours,' said the sweet old gentleman, 'wanted to 

 injure you with me. But I am now fully satisfied.' And 

 turning to the dane, 'By this book !' says he, ' I didn't see a 

 claner congregation this month of Sundays !' " 



"He said no such thing" exclaimed my kinsman, who, tired 

 with the prolixity of the otter-killer, had interrupted the 

 finale of the tale. " How dare you, Antony, put such unca- 

 nonical and ungentlemanly language in the mouth of the 

 sweet old man ? Here, John, clear the kitchen. Out with 

 the piper, and chuck the keg after him. We'll disperse this 

 congregation ; and they may dance outside if they please, 

 while pipes and poteen stand them. And now ventilate the 

 cabin, open door and window, and sling our hammocks as 

 soon as possible." 



Agreeably to this mandate, the kitchen company were 

 ejected with scanty ceremony ; the Colonel and the Priest 

 retired to their respective beds with wonderful steadiness : 

 while we took possession of our marquee, which, under 

 existing circumstances, was Paradise itself compared with the 

 cabin, which smoking, drinking, and cooking, had rendered 

 everything but agreeable. 



* Anglice, a great-coat. 



