28 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



CHAPTER V. 



WITHOUT any adventure worthy of a place in this 

 itinerary, I reached in safety the capital of Mayo. From 

 other provincial cities, this town is distinguished in having 

 a new drop and an old gaol ; a swamp in the centre of 

 the town surrounded by an iron chain, judiciously 

 placed there, I imagine, to prevent cattle and children 

 being lost in the morass which it environs ; a court- 

 house, with a piazza and fa9ade, of an original order of 

 architecture, only known to Irish professors of the 

 art of building ; trade and manufactures are limited to 

 felt-hats and poteen whiskey ; and the only machinery 

 I could discover was the drop, aforesaid. I was informed 

 that the chapel and petty-sessions are generally crowded, 

 as is the market, upon a hanging-day. 



I was called next morning at five o'clock by the 

 waiter to proceed by the Sligo mail, although on the 

 preceding night I had taken considerable pains to persuade 

 him that my course lay westward. One hour after- 

 wards the chamber maid roused me to inquire if I had 

 any intention of proceeding to Hollymount by a hackney 

 car. To save these worthy people further trouble, I 

 arose and dressed, and, wishing to avoid a vestry to be 

 that day holden in the town, and where, in the course 

 of argument, it was believed that divers lives would 

 be lost, I took an early breakfast, and departed. 



I stopped at Newport ; it was the last cluster of 

 houses, arrogating to itself the title of a town, that I 

 should now meet with, for I had reached the ultima 

 Thule of civilised Europe and when I had given 



