210 LOUGH DERG. 



drop in during the day, it was argued that 

 a little waiting on the shore would prove a 

 very salutary exercise of patience, and an 

 excellent preliminary to the more serious 

 business of Purgatory. 



Although the Parson had caught fish on 

 the lake — as, indeed, there were few lakes 

 or rivers in those parts in which he had not 

 caught fish — it so happened that neither he 

 nor any other of the party had ever landed 

 on the Island of Purgatory, and considerable 

 curiosity was evinced as they approached it. 



This curiosity, however laudable, was not 

 destined to be gratified, because, though 

 strangers are very readily admitted, yet 

 every exercise is immediately put a stop to 

 the moment they approach the island. 



There was, however, no sort of difficulty 

 made in showing everything that was to be 

 seen, but really that everything amounted to 

 very little indeed. Two or three lodging- 

 houses for the priests on duty, the servants, 

 and the boatmen, without the smallest preten- 

 sions to architecture ; three churches, of the 

 roughest and rudest possible construction ; a 

 bare room, which was called the prison — 

 and which, indeed, did look something like 



