DISSOLUTION OF THE PARTY. 285 



fancy, my kinsman says, the ear will trace modulations 

 almost extending to infinity. These birds, during severe 

 frosts and snow-storms, are easily surprised and shot; and 

 the skins, when carefully stripped off, will well repay the 

 shooter for his trouble. 



To enumerate the varieties of the duck tribe that an incle- 

 ment winter brings to these shores, would be difficult. I 

 have already noticed the Pintail, and the Golden-eye upon the 

 estuary. Widgeons come here in immense flocks ; and that 

 beautiful bird the teal, the smallest and most delicate of the 

 whole species, is found for the remainder of the season on 

 loughs and rivers in abundance. The Grebe and Tringa 

 tribes furnish numerous and interesting varieties; and an 

 ornithologist, as well as a sportsman, would have here an 

 ample field, could he but set the season at defiance, and pass 

 his winter on this exposed and stormy coast. 



But the note of dissolution of our happy party has sounded. 

 The Colonel, having divers premonitory twinges, has named 

 an early day for his departure. To be caught by the gout 

 here, would be a hazardous experiment; and the portmanteau, 

 whose captivity was likely to occasion such desperate results, 

 is again packed and confided to Andy Bawn. But the com- 

 mander's baggage is not to be exposed to a second interrup- 

 tion. The attempt was fatal to Mr. Burke ; for, emboldened 

 by the feud which his unadvised aggression created between 

 my kinsman and this modern Cacus, the Sweenies* seized the 

 opportunity, and the outlaw was arrested in a whisky-house, 

 tried, and escaped by a miracle from being hanged, but was, 

 alas ! consigned to Australasia for the course of his natural 

 life 



To do Mr. Burke justice, he left his native soil with regret. 

 Finding all chance of commuted punishment over, he endea- 

 voured to obtain his liberty by an ingenious plan to strangle 

 the turnkeys, and emancipate all and every victim of judicial 

 tyranny who pleased to accept his freedom. He did, poor 

 man, make an excellent offer to choke a jailer but fortune 

 frowned upon the attempt ; the half-throttled janitor was 



* This numerous clan derive their origin from a northman. They 

 are, I know not with what justice, reckoned a treacherous and vindictive 

 trihe, and a feud with them is consequently held to be a dangerous 

 affair. 



