A Sportsman at Large 05 



guide, philosopher and friend one Michael Dever. Our 

 conveyance was the ubiquitous and bumpy, jaunting car, 

 which was drawn by an archaic steed possessing the thoroughly 

 Hibernian name of Biddy. Hers was by no means a life of 

 ease, for her acquaintance with a stout blackthorn was both 

 forcible and chronic ; each " whack " being accompanied 

 by an encouraging, " Goo ahn ! " from Michael. These 

 admonitions were repeated at regular intervals of about 

 thirty seconds, being interpolated as a kind of accompani- 

 ment to the conversation which my companion kept up with 

 his passenger ; though apparently they had no visible effect 

 on the old mare, who treated both the vocal and the physical 

 appeals with studied indifference. She refused to accelerate 

 her pace, but kept jogging on without varying it one iota. 



I should imagine that she was not only deaf but pachy- 

 dermatous ! On our way we passed a big sheet of water : 

 naturally I was inquisitive. 



" Any fish in that lough, Michael ? " I asked. 



" Faith an' there is yer 'anner manny a wan. Aw, uts 

 full av monsther poike, ut is. Ye nivver see the loikes av 

 thim. So be ye hooks wan, uts loike teu pull yez out av the 

 boat an' swaller yez whole, loike a shark ! " 



" Indeed ! And pray what bait do they generally use for 

 these man-eating leviathans ? " 



" Aw, whell yer 'anner Oi don't roightly knaw, but ut's 

 a militia man in full uniform, O'im thinkin' ! " 



I was greatly impressed, and being anxious to know what 

 sort of sport we might hope to enjoy at Burrishoole, I followed 

 up my interrogations. 



" How are the grouse, Michael is there a good showing ? " 



" Indade, an' there is that, yer 'anner. Whin yez goes out 

 on the moors yez roise so manny av thim that it's sure loike 

 a cloud obscurin' the sun ! " 



" Good ! and hares ? " 



" Aw whell, sorr, yez have teu be careful as teu how yez 

 walks, fer fear uts fallin' over thim an' breakin' the neck 

 av yez, yez are." 



" Some hares ! And are there plenty of snipe in the 

 marshes ? " 



