THE WEST, PAST AND PRESENT. 387 



And yet I have seen that young beauty bending beneath 

 a basket of potatoes which would have overloaded me 

 and, on one occasion, carry a strapping fellow across 

 the river, who was coming on some state affair to the 

 cabin, which, as he conceived, required him to appear 

 in the presence with dry legs. 



On the score of propriety of conduct, I would assign 

 the female peasantry of this district a high place. 

 When the habits of the country are considered, one 

 would be inclined to suspect that excessive drinking, 

 and the frequent scenes of nocturnal festivities which 

 wakes and dances present, would naturally lead to 

 much immorality. This, however, is not the case : 

 broken vows will no doubt occasionally require the 

 interference of the magistrate or the priest ; but 

 generally the lover makes the only reparation in his 

 power, and the deceived females and deserted children 

 are seldom seen in Erris. 



