CHAPTER XXIV 



Mongan's Hotel, Carna We fish with St Anthony 



WE found Mongan's Hotel, Carna, a very comfort- 

 able place, and the host and hostess all anxiety that 

 their guests' stay might be enjoyable. This was 

 demonstrated in many ways ; and they were much 

 aided in their efforts by having at their dis- 

 posal 60,000 acres of shooting, white and brown 

 trout fishing in rivers and lakes, boats to row or 

 sail for sea fishing, the free use of their new 

 yacht, Mayflower and, in addition to all this, 

 cars well horsed at a nominal charge per day or 

 hour. 



Lack of rain had rather spoilt the fun for trout- 

 fishers here as it did all over Scotland and Ireland 

 that season. There were four enthusiasts still 

 remaining when we arrived two ladies and their 

 brothers who, in spite of their sorry chances, 

 started each morning full of cheery talk of what 

 might or might not happen before the day was 

 done. They were accompanied by their mother, 

 and, as close behind as she could keep, but quite 

 detached, a sister of their mother followed. The 

 sweet simplicity of lengthened spinsterhood had not 

 given this maiden aunt the advantages over her 

 sister, who had borne the troubles of motherhood, 

 that some might have expected. The extreme 

 contrary seemed the case, for she lagged behind on 



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