30 NEWPORT. 



turnips, which thej were mixing with their potatoes to 

 make the latter go farther as food. When the potatoes 

 are done, they will mix the turnips with a little Indian 

 meal, with which food they hope to manage to " make 

 out life" during the winter. This is an instance of 

 relief laid out in a reproductive manner, and the cost of 

 management did not exceed 2 per cent on the expendi- 

 ture ; but this of course arose from the gratuitous services 

 of the gentlemen forming the committee. Surely such 

 deeds of benevolence are worthy of record, and none 

 may grudge the honour that is due to the truly Christian 

 philanthropy of the good Fathers Curley and Ger- 

 raghty. If more of our Christian ministers were 

 actuated by the same spirit, we should have fewer 

 scoffers at religion. 



From Castlebar to Newport the road is not very 

 interesting. The latter is a clean little town, situated 

 on the side of a wooded river, which here falls into the 

 sea at the head of Clew Bay. The principal proprie- 

 tor of this place and the adjoining country is Sir 

 Richard O'Donnell, Bart., whose hospitable mansion, 

 immediately adjoining the town, I reached on 11th 

 October. Next morning I accompanied him on a walk 

 over part of his estate. He offers 5000 acres, lying 

 together, the nearest point within a mile of Newport, 

 part of it on a lease for 200 years, the rest three lives, 

 or thirty-one years, at an annual rent of 2s. 2d. per 

 acre, besides the rates. The land is all situated at a 

 low elevation, ranging from 30 to 60 or 80 feet above 

 sea-level. Half of it is said to be capable of regular 

 cultivation ; the rest is fair pasture for Highland cattle, 



