SIGNS OF FISH. 145 



consternation this event occasions the women are 

 clamorous the men curse fluently in Irish and, from 

 the vows of eternal vengeance which are uttered against 

 the spoliator of the Colonel's wardrobe, I should imagine, 

 in case of apprehension, that the ceremony of waiting 

 till the next assizes will be dispensed with. Antony 

 " remembers the country these seventy years : many 

 a robbery happened in his time, but God stand between 

 him and evil ! to take a gentleman's property, and he 

 coming to the master ! If it was a stranger, why, there 

 would be no great harm," &c., &c. 



Fear and poteein disturb the concatenation of ideas, 

 and Andy Bawn's is anything but a lucid narrative. 

 There is a confused account of the Bridge of Bally- 

 veeney, and a dark man, and the clicking of a gun-cock. 

 Now it appears that Andy is at feud with a Mr. Burke, 

 who finished a relative of his with a turj-slane* and in 

 consequence has deemed it advisable to take to the 

 mountain until terms can be arranged with the widow. 

 Meantime, being a gentleman of active disposition, 

 he occupies his leisure hours upon the highway, and all 

 parties are unanimous in saddling him with the spolia- 

 tion of the portmanteau. I am inclined to suspect that 

 my kinsman hitherto sported deaf-adder to any rumour 

 of Burke being concealed within his territory but I 

 think now the sooner Mr. Burke levants the better. 

 There is a settled gloom upon my cousin's brow, and 

 yonder consultation with his foster-brother, my island 

 friend, bodes the present proprietor of the portmanteau 

 little good. To intercept a visitor's effects was indeed to 



" Beard the lion in his den, 

 The Douglas in his hall." 



But dinner is announced. 



* An implement used for cutting turf, and heads occasionally. 



I 



