82

RETURN TO KILLARNEY.

returned across the moonlit lake to Turk Cottage, where we partook of refreshments, and drove back to Killarney, after a most agreeable day's excursion.

CHAPTER IV.

Excursion into Iveragh

Lough and River Carra - Dingle Bay - Cahir Civeen-Iveragh Fair-Waterville - Lough Currane-The Skellings.

DURING the night that succeeded this excursion, and the next morning, it rained in torrents, which only confirmed my previous resolution of going into Iveragh, as I was aware my chance of sport would be much increased by the floods that might be expected in all the mountain streams. It was not until two o'clock in the afternoon that the storm would allow me to start, when, leaving all my heavy baggage at Killarney, I set out with the intention of making a fortnight's tour of the coast of Kerry and Cork, as far as Bantry.

84

EXCURSION TO IVERAGH.

The Barony of Iveragh, which comprises the mountain district between the Bays of Dingle and Kenmare, is very little visited. But, from what scanty information I could collect, as well as from what I had seen of it from the top of Carrân Tual, I was convinced it must contain much grand scenery, as well as interesting manners, while the fact of its being so little known, although so near a place of such resort as Killarney, was a still further inducement to penetrate its wilds.

I had wished to make my first halt at Cahir Civeen, the capital of Iveragh, and distant from Killarney about twenty-eight miles; but, being prevented by the weather from starting until a late hour, I made up my mind to stop at the small inn, (kept by a man of the name of Wailes) rather more than halfway.

It still continued to rain so hard that I was compelled to close all the leathern curtains of my vehicle; and I therefore cannot give a very accurate description of the scenery. The first

half of the road was the same that I had passed in going to Carrân Tual; and, from what I could see of the latter part, there was a fine, continued range of mountains to my left, and occasional glimpses of Dingle Bay to my right. I was heartily glad, when, at the end of four hours, the machine stopped, and I was told I had arrived at my journey's end. Wailes's Inn is a slated house, wholly on the ground floor, with a single bed-room and a parlour for a stranger; but I believe it is going to be enlarged. There was, at any rate, as much accommodation as I wanted; and in those main ingredients of a traveller's confort- cleanliness and attention I had reason to be more than satisfied.

Wailes himself is all the way from Essex; and most singularly did his strong provincial accent fall upon my ear, so long accustomed to the soft, and (to my taste) harmonious Milesian pronunciation. He originally came over for the purpose of superintending some embankments on a large scale; but, having married a

86

LOUGH AND RIVER CARRA.

woman of the country, he was afterwards persuaded to remain, and is become a sort of landbailiff to Lord Headley. Yet, though he has now been thirteen years here, and has from one hundred to two hundred labourers constantly under him, who mostly speak nothing but Erse, he himself is totally ignorant of the Irish language. He is, in fact, a thorough, downright, honest John Bull, with the most amusing contempt for all the blarney and humbug he meets with amongst this people. Finding that Lough Carra was only about two miles from his house, and the river that flows out of it not half so far, I agreed to remain the next day, as I thought it very probable the late rains might have induced some salmon and sea-trout to run up. Accordingly, after breakfast, I sallied forth to the River Carra, accompanied by the youngest disciple of old Izaak that was ever recommended to me as guide and assistant. He was only thirteen or fourteen years old, and scarcely looked so much. His name was Cornelius