22 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



CHAPTER IV. 



IT was noon when I arose, and the inmates of the Mitre 

 were still in exquisite confusion. Breakfast, after much 

 delay, was provided by the agency of the housemaid. 

 She apologised for the non-attendance of the waiter, 

 at present a patient in the Infirmary ; he having, in the 

 course of the entertainment, been ejected from the 

 window by a pleasant gentleman of Loughrea. 



Anxious to be off as soon as possible, I ordered the 

 horses to ; but an unforeseen difficulty occurred in 

 removing my luggage to the carriage, as the door 

 was blocked up four deep by a gang of beggars. 

 With relation to the sizes of their respective places, 

 the lazaroni of Naples are far out-numbered by the 

 mendicants of Tuam. A trace broke at starting, and 

 thus enabled me to form a pretty correct idea of this 

 multitude. I reckoned to fifty-seven, and then became 

 confused. Although beset on every side, I was proof 

 against importunity, and refused parting with a sixpence. 

 Cursing was next tried ; and to the curious in that 

 accomplishment, I would suggest a week's residence 

 at the Mitre. One boy, a cripple in a dish, excelled 

 the united talent of the remainder. English and Irish 

 epithets were with him " common as household words " ; 

 he used both languages with surpassing fluency, and there 

 was an originality of conception in his style of execra- 

 tion which was what the Cockneys call most refreshing. 

 This precocious prodigy could not be much above 

 fifteen ; and, if he lives, will, in this peculiar depart- 

 ment of national eloquence, be without a parallel. I 

 have " erst while " passed through Billingsgate, when 



