DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 251 



we neared the island was the reverse of bright. 

 The huge waves that rolled under us hurled them- 

 selves against the rocks and the resounding roars 

 that came back were anything but promising for 

 a landing, but I so much wanted to complete the 

 trip we came to Ireland for that I determined that, 

 if we had to return, the order should come from the 

 men, who knew the possibilities, unaided by any 

 hint of mine. We had not long to wait for this. 

 There was a conference in Irish and the English 

 that resulted was: "We are sorry to disappoint 

 you, jintlemen, but there's no landing on the island 

 with this sea." A moment's thought and I asked : 

 "Could you get a landing at Inishbofin?" There 

 was another short conference and then we were told 

 that we could be landed only at the fishing harbour 

 on this side of the island. I asked: "How far 

 will that be from the hotel ?" to learn that it was not 

 more than two miles, so decided to go on there. 



We had a rough time of it but quite a com- 

 fortable landing, where idle men made so by the 

 weather outside gave willing help. I paid our 

 men quickly, as they were in a hurry to do their 

 passage home, and then turned to seek a means to 

 get our luggage to the hotel. 



The fishers' cabins formed quite an artistic 

 crescent round the sandy bay, and looked so 

 prosperous that I anticipated no difficulty in getting 

 a cart, but it was a panniered donkey that was 

 brought, whose back began to bend before half the 

 load was on it. I protested, but the owner tried to 

 reassure me, saying: " Shure and it's her way to 

 make it aisey to load her." 



"Is this the only donkey we can have?" was 



