VISITING ACHIL. 117 



airy motion of this " light shalloop " as she glided 

 through the water, might, to the fancy of a poet, present 

 a similitude of that imaginary bark in which the spirits 

 of departed mariners are seen flitting over the dark 

 billows beneath which their bodies rest. 



Having weathered the Ridge Point, we made a signal 

 for a rowing-boat, and one immediately came off. Our 

 boatmen, having ascertained by their landmarks that 

 they were upon clean ground, prepared to shoot their 

 spillets. We left them, taking with us our dogs and 

 attendants, and landed on a small, sandy beach. 



Having established our head- quarters in the watch- 

 house of the coast-guard, and procured an adjoining 

 cabin for the suite, we set out to look for grouse, taking 

 a westerly direction along the base of Slieve More. 

 Deceived by the false report of the villagers, we found 

 the beat we had chosen neither a pleasant nor produc- 

 tive one. The heath was short and withered, the side 

 of the mountain unsheltered, and exposed to the severe 

 and almost eternal west wind : and, with the exception 

 of a very few banks beside the water-courses, and one 

 or two natural ravines, there was not a spot in which a 

 grouse could shelter. In these hollows we generally 

 found a stager* and in one rugged dell shot three old 

 cocks. Contrary to their general caution they stood 

 the dogs well, or, from the short cover and stunted 

 heath, had the weather been wet and the birds wary, 

 it would have been almost impossible to have approached 

 them. Against running after grouse I uplift my voice. 

 If they are wild, and will not stand or sit, a commonplace 

 occurrence in wet, cold weather, I would recommend 

 gentlemen to remain at home. If circumstances bring 



* An old cock grouse which has not paired. 



