COTTIERS — DROMAGH. N^jCAft05 





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conducted farmers of the union, which is a monstrous 

 hardship. So wretched are many of these people, that 

 a poor boy, whom we saw gleaning in a potato field, 

 had secured from his forenoon's toil only about two 

 handfuls of half-rotten potatoes. He was starving, 

 and came running like a hungry dog ; and I fear no 

 care in the workhouse now can bring that poor ne- 

 glected creature through. He said he would go to it 

 next day, but the repugnance to the workhouse is uni- 

 versal. Anything will be endured, short of absolute 

 and continued want, rather than enter its imposing 

 gates. 



Proceeding on to the Blackwater river, I walked 

 with Mr Leader along a tract of excellent holm land 

 on its banks, passing some first-rate green crops, tur- 

 nips and mangold, on one of Mr Nicholas Leader's 

 farms. We soon reached an extensive flour-mill, where 

 the grain of the surrounding district is bought and 

 manufactured. 



Next morning I accompanied Mr Nicholas Leader to 

 his farms at Dromagh, one of the ancient castles of the 

 O'Keefes, now converted into a comfortable farmyard. 

 Mr Leader keeps a dairy stock, rearing and feeding off 

 their produce. His stock and green crops were well 

 managed. As to the cheapness of labour in this coun- 

 try, I saw here a proof that low wages and cheap labour 

 are not synonymous terms. Two men, at 8d. a-day 

 each, were employed to feed 32 cattle, cutting their tur- 

 nips and cleaning the feeding-houses, &c. In Scotland 

 one man would do the whole with ease. Hay, by task- 

 work, costs 3s. 6d. an Irish acre for mowing. It could 



