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CHAPTEE XY. 



WESTWARD HO ! 



What appearance the coast of Ireland presented when 

 I approached it for the first time I cannot say. I was 

 on my way to Cork to receive despatches consequent 

 on the Trent affair, which were anxiously expected 

 from the British Minister at Washington. 



It was seven o'clock in the morning, and I had not 

 then made the valuable discovery that a prone 

 position in the paddle-box cabin, at right angles to 

 the steamer's course, was the finest preventive of sea- 

 sickness ; at least, I have since found it so in making 

 for the hospitable shores of the Sister Island. 



AVe had moored alongside the Carlisle pier, in 

 Kingstown Harbour, before the chance of beholding 

 the beauties of fche Irish coast had occurred to me. 



In later years, when the opportunity presented 

 itself of crossing the Irish Sea, I went Westward 

 always by the day mail-packet. Then, in fine weather, 

 and especially in the summer time, almost invariably, 

 when we had passed the Kish, I enjoyed the sight 

 of the sun setting behind the Wicklow mountains. 



