ON THE MOORS. 185 



of uncivilized society, and either mark the scene of 

 murder, or the place where a corpse has been rested in 

 the progress of a funeral. These tumuli are numerous 

 and many a wild and fearful record of former violence 

 is associated with them. The greater portion of these 

 cairns record loss of life, consequent upon drunkenness ; 

 and the stone, at present, appears as fatal as the middoge 

 in former days. This weapon, I believe, was almost 

 confined to the west of Ireland, and at this time is rarely 

 met with. Yet, some centuries back it was as con- 

 stantly borne by the Milesians as the dirk in the High- 

 lands and the stiletto in Italy. All the legendary tales 

 of blood usually employ it as the means of violence ; 

 and old Antony says that in his youth the old people 

 shuddered when they named it. I never saw but one ; 

 it was a broad-bladed dagger, about fifteen inches long, 

 of clumsy workmanship, and hafted with a piece of deer's 

 horn. From the formidable figure the middoge cuts in 

 ancient chronicles, the temper of the blade was supposed 

 to be superior to any weapon forged in these degenerate 

 days ; and I heard an old man assert that he had seen 

 one, which, when held up and let fall perpendicularly, 

 but a few feet, would pierce through three half-crown 

 pieces Credat Judteus ! This interesting and valuable 

 implement, according to his account, was lost " during 

 the French," that is, at the period of the French invasion 

 in '98. 



We left our horses at the old bridge of Ballyveeney, 

 and proceeded to make an extensive circle of the moors, 

 skirting, as we went along, the bases of the ridge of 

 hills which shuts out Erris from the interior. 



It was eleven o'clock when the dogs were uncoupled. 

 The breeze was brisk and warm, and the ground was 



