278 THE BEAL-FIRE. 



must have been for many leagues discernible. I broke my 

 cousin's musing, to ask what it was. 



"That, my friend, is one of our ancient customs; that is- 

 our leal-fire. It is lighted to notify that a death has oc- 

 curred, and ere long you will see it answered by some of our 

 friends and kindred. Poor old man ! none deserved it better, 

 for he would have attended religiously to such observances, 

 had any of my family preceded him to the grave. He lighted 

 my father's beal-fire, and possibly kindled that of my grand- 

 sire; old John has probably performed the ceremony for him: 

 thus the kindlier offices are continued, and ( thus runs the 

 word away/ Who," and he stopped, evidently embarrassed 

 at some passing thought " Who shall say that the ceremo- 

 nial bestowed upon the wandering otter-killer may not be 

 refused to the last descendant of a line of centuries !" 



I would have interrupted these melancholy forebodings, but 

 just then, from the lofty brow of an inland hill which I had 

 frequently observed before, a light appeared, first faintly 

 struggling, but presently reddening to the sight; and two 

 fires in Achil, in a time of incredible briefness, flung their 

 deep glow across the waters, and, as I afterwards remarked, 

 were repeated for miles along the coast and high grounds. 



The rapidity with which the beal-fire was replied to, 

 evidently pleased my kinsman's family vanity ; and with 

 higher spirits, we watched the lights tremble in the windows 

 of the Lodge, until these stellce minores directed our voyage 

 to its termination. 



The Colonel and his companion were waiting for us on the 

 the pier ; they insisted on adding to our supper some of the 

 fish which we had brought home and while this was being 

 done, my cousin and myself entered the wake, to pay our last 

 duties to the departed otter-killer. 



To give additional eclat to his funeral rites, the corpse had 

 been removed to the barn, which, from its unusual size, was 

 well-fitted to admit the numerous mourners who would attend 

 the ceremony. Upon a rude bier the old man rested, and the 

 trap and fishing-rod were, by a fancy of Hennessey, placed 

 above his head. The barn was filled, but immediate room 

 was made for the master and his company. I have seen the 

 corpse when carefully arranged ; when the collapsing features 

 were artificially moulded, to imitate a tranquillity that bad 



