152 ECHOES OF OLD COUNTY LIFE. 



the Tilbury and Southend Line who resided in Ireland. 

 It was the year of the great famine, and I was anxious 

 to judge for myself the real state of the famine-stricken 

 Irish people. 



I received instructions to proceed at once to Dublin, 

 with £^o in bank-notes and gold to pay my expenses, 

 and, further, always " to travel like a gentleman," to 

 hire post-horses, four if necessary — the notices were all 

 to be served by the 5th of December. 



In Limerick the evidence of the famine was very 

 apparent ; nothing could exceed the misery, starvation, 

 and wretchedness of the people. The relief works 

 were in full operation, chiefly consisting of the breaking 

 up of some of the finest roads in the world, and running 

 them even, under pretence of lowering the hills and 

 filling up the valleys ! The Government of the day 

 had defeated a statesman-like proposal of Lord George 

 Bentinck, to lay out several millions on railway works, 

 which would, by this time, have been of inestimable 

 benefit to Ireland. My tour was cut short by a letter 

 from my sisters, asking me to hurry home, as my father 

 was most dangerously ill. I therefore went through to 

 London and reported myself, handing in my account — 

 between four and five pounds left out of the fifty pounds 

 given me for expenses. I was told I need not be so 

 particular in my cash statements, and that I had better 

 keep the balance. I dined with the staff, and was then 

 requested to accompany the cashier into his office, who 

 said, " Let me see, you have been sixteen days on your 

 journey ; you are entitled to £2 2s. a day for your 

 services," and he gave me a cheque for £2,3 12s. I 



