316 HUNTING. 



And yet I have seen that young beauty bending beneath a 

 basket of potatoes which would have overloaded me and, on 

 one occasion, carry a strapping fellow across the river, who was 

 coming on some state affair to the cabin, which, as he con- 

 ceived, required him to appear in the presence with dry legs. 

 On the score of propriety of conduct, I would assign 

 the female peasantry of this district a high place. When 

 the habits of the country are considered, one would be 

 inclined to suspect that excessive drinking, and the frequent 

 scenes of noctural festivities which wakes and dances present, 

 would naturally lead to much immorality. This, however, 

 is not the case : broken vows will no doubt occasionally 

 require the interference of the magistrate or the priest ; 

 but generally the lover makes the only reparation in his power, 

 and the deceived females and deserted children are seldom seen 

 in Erris. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



Hunting Men Horses and hounds Game Conclusion. 



IF ever a district were designed by Nature for field sports, 

 a person, from even a cursory glance upon the map, would 

 point to Mayo. Its great extent of mountain surface, 

 interspersed with bogs and morasses its numerous and 

 expansive waters and its large tracts of downs and feed- 

 ing-grounds, render it available for every purpose of the 

 sportsman ; and few species of game indigenous to Britain, 

 in their peculiar seasons, will here be sought in vain. 



As a hunting country, the plains have been justly chro- 

 nicled and the adjacent counties of Gal way and Roscom- 

 mon yield to none in the empire. The extensive sheep- 

 farms aiford superior galloping-ground and the fences, 

 though few and far between, from their size and character, 

 require a powerful horse and dashing rider. Hence, in the 

 annals of fox-hunting, the bipeds and quadrupeds of Con- 

 naught are held in due estimation ; and it has been stated, 

 without contradiction, that in their own country no men or 

 horses can compete with them. 



During the last century, the West of Ireland was cele- 



