we betook ourselves to the spot where we had left our luggage, and there we found it carefully packed in and upon the chaise that was to be our conveyance to Kilkenny. The horses were put to ('sure such a pair!') and all was ready for starting,-save the cattle. Now for the first time, hunger being postponed, we had leisure to inspect our equipage. And such an equipage! One of the horses was stoneblind and broken-winded, the other lame of at least two legs. The knees of both bore proofs of their devout practices, and both were so high in bone and low in flesh, that it seemed almost insanity to expect them to move an inch. The harness-but that defies all descriptionit was a mixture of odds and ends, made up of all sorts, from the plough to the jaunting-car, except that it could boast of nothing properly belonging to a chaise, and it was evidently in a state of rapid decay. One horse had no winkers, (and he was not the blind one,) and the winkers of the other involuntarily hung backwards, as if conscious that to a blind horse they could be of no use. What could be traced of the traces threatened to snap at the first pull; and the reins certainly would have availed nothing in case of a run-away; for they would have gone like ribands. But of this there was no danger. The only doubt was whether the horses could move at all; or, if they could, if they might not make good the words of our immortal bard, and

'Die with harness on their backs.'

The chaise itself presented a most disheartening appearance. The braces which suspended it to the springs were in a perilous condition, and seemed as if one good jolt must sever them for ever. The body hung in a position which might describe an angle of about forty-five degrees, leaning to the off or right-hand side; and, altogether, the exterior of the fabric was most uninviting to the eye. But what was our horror when we beheld the interior! Not an atom of lining graced its sides-all, all was gone-it was a cold, comfortless shell; and the cushions, such as they were, had evidently been borrowed for the occasion. When the door was opened, and this naked truth, this appalling sight, was revealed to us, we shrunk back aghast, and declared we could not travel by such a conveyance. But expostulations and remonstrance were vain; we were doomed men. The fellows about us answered all our objections with some pleasantry or other, and actually by a coup de main, with good-natured force, forced us to enter the chaise. All our objections were jocularly overruled. As to the horses, they said they were

'Rum 'uns to look at, but good 'uns to go,
Fit to run any race, and win it too.'

Then, for the lining-to be sure it was gone-it was torn out a few nights ago by some gintlemin for a spree; and a good riddance of bad rubbish it was; for it was awfully inoculated by the moths. But still the shay was mighty comfortable and convenient to ride in, in wet weather, and a d d deal better nor a sedan with no bottom anyhow!'

In short, evening was coming on; we had seventeen miles to travel through a somewhat dangerous country, and there was no time to be lost. We knew we had been imposed upon, and that the post-boy, to serve some crony of his own, had brought us past the proper inn to the

wretched house where we had been so miserably served. We saw that the horses were just borrowed from the plough, and that the chaise had not been tenanted since the Union, and was only waiting for the Repeal to be renovated, or, perhaps, more disunited. But time pressed, and we were fain to make the best of a bad bargain.

In a state of feeling mighty far from agreeable I set out upon this part of the journey, having before my eyes the dread of a break-down on the one hand, and a broken head on the other; for we had to pass through one of the most disturbed districts in the country. My fellowtraveller, however, made himself quite easy. He said he was alone in the world-nobody cared whether he lived or died; and if he fell, he should not be missed, not even by an enlightened British public,' before whom he had not had the good fortune to appear for the two last seasons. He therefore enveloped himself closely in his travelling. cloak, and, fancying himself either Cato or Coriolanus, tried to sleep. But, unfortunately for his promised repose, he was on the side to which the angle I have mentioned declined; and I could not avoid continually sliding down from my exalted position upon him, so sleep he could not. Besides, to increase his comfort, rain began to pour down in torrents. He was on the weather, as well as the nether, side of the shay, and neither force nor cunning could raise the glass, if there was one, so that he had the 'full benefit of the storm. He was a patient, enduring fellow, and bore his misery like a martyr. Night came on, and with it my nervous trepidation increased. I expected every moment to hear the springs give way, to leave us desolate in a barren wild, far from house or home, or to hear the word 'STOP!' in a voice that would be obeyed. I was determined, however, in the latter case, to have a bit of a fight for it, so got the barking-irons ready, and laid them beside me on the seat. Pleasant travelling this! I knew I was in the midst of the 'White feet,' and that, if any of the boys were out, we stood a chance of being shot at by mistake for some offending party, if not for the sake of mere plunder. But, as luck would have it, we escaped unharmed, though somewhat agitated in mind and body; and, after a little patient endurance, (for sufferance should be the badge of all post-shay travellers in Ireland), we reached the elegant town of Ballyragget with whole skins. Here,' thought I, 'some portion of our suffering must end; for we shall get another and a better chaise.' But when I questioned the driver, he said,

Chaise, indeed!—the devil a chaise there's in the town, barring a jaunting car, and that's gone to Kilkenny to-day to a wedding.'

He then called for some male and wather' for his horses, and, to my terror, he took off the bridles without letting us out of the convey

ance.

'Bad luck to you, you scoundrel!-open the door, and let us out,' I cried.

Softly,' said my fellow-traveller; 'don't alarm yourself. You may take my word for it, the sorry jades won't run away.'

A moment's reflection told me that they could not, poor devils!and I again became patient,-as patient as a man in such circumstances could be. The horses and driver having been refreshed, we again set forward, and had not gone much more than four miles from Ballyragget, when we were somewhat startled by a most de thump on the back of the chaise. The post-boy immediately turned

round, and in a most mysterious sort of whisper said, 'Did ye's hear that?'

On our inquiring what it was, he informed us, 'It was the warning -a stone that was threw at us, as notice to stop. We're in a bad place. Have you got any pistols about you?"

Thinking this might be only a trick to try whether we were prepared, I held up my growlers, and said, Here they are. Would you like to hear their music? They don't require much pressing when called upon to sing.'

I am glad of it,' said he; but I'll push on.'

And push on he did for some miles, and no mistake. I did not think the horses could have moved so briskly. At last they stopped on the rise of a hill, and positively refused to go forward another inch; their strength was exhausted; the chaise was actually carrying them backwards down the hill, and we were obliged to get out and walk. 'I don't care now,' said our charioteer, a mortal bad place we was in a while ago. alinost murthered there a few nights since.'

we're safe. But that was There was two policemen

'Consolation for travellers,' thought I. Fortunately for us, we had escaped, and we reached the city of Kilkenny late at night, after a day of excitement, such as I have no wish to encounter again.

If our trip to the far-famed city of Kilkenny was rather unpleasant, we were amply repaid by the kind-hearted and warm welcome we met with during our visit in its vicinity. The gentleman at whose mansion we had taken up our residence was a fine hearty specimen of the Irish fox-hunter. His house was large and well-stored, his grounds spacious and well-stocked, and the heart in his body was as big as a bushel. He lived like the son of an Irish king, sporting by day, and feasting by night,-was an excellent companion, (one who could keep the table in a roar,)—sang a capital song, and wrote all he sung. On the second day of our visit, there was a great meet at the hall. The Scarlets came out in fine fig, and they had a glorious run, killing in capital style, after a desperate run of some fourteen or fifteen miles. On this occasion the red-coat-boys dined at the hall, and then I saw mine host in all his glory. The decanters flew around the tables so fast, that one would have imagined they were hunting on their ow account, and not likely to meet with a stopper. But though they travelled fast, they did not run long; for, after some ten or a dozen loyal and patriotic toasts, their places were taken by a creature of a more congenial spirit. Sundry jorums of well-brewed punch now smoked upon the board, and every man filled a bumper to do honour to the toast of mine host, which was as follows:

Here's a smiling lass, and a cheerful glass,

And success to the boys that got over the grass.

Drank with all the honours-Hip, hip, hurra! -and delightfully wound up with the view hallo.' Then came a new song from our worthy host, written by himself for the occasion, and adapted to the popular air of Rory O'More.'

Here goes, boys,' said the master; so don't forget the chorus.'

Och! the finest divarsion that 's under the sun
Is to follow the game on our steeds or with gun;
To be up in the mornin' before break of day.
And salute Paddy Phoebus with 'Hark, hark-away!'

To gallop on gaily, our dogs in full cry,
Each striving his comrade to give the go-by,
With whip, spur, in action to see every man,
Och! these are true pleasures, deny it who can.

CHORUS.

For the finest divarsion that's under the sun
Is to follow the game on our steeds or with gun;
To be up in the mornin' before break of day,
And salute Paddy Phoebus with Hark, hark-away!'

When at evening we sit round'a blazing turf-fire,
Each his jorum of punch-say, ' What heart can desire
A happier life than the sportsman enjoys,

Free from care and vexation, ill-humour and noise?'
With a smile on the brow of the lass we adore,

What mortal would seek for a kindlier store?

Then who half so happy, so merry as we,

With a friend and a glass, and a lass on our knee.

CHORUS.

Och! the finest divarsion that's under the sun

Is to follow the game on our steeds or with gun;
To be up in the mornin' before break of day,

And salute Paddy Phœbus with 'Hark, hark-away!'

The song was well sung, and the chorus unexceptionable; for 'they were the boys that could do it in style.'

A dapper little country squire, who was seated on my right hand, now broke silence by addressing me in the following manner:-'Ah! thin, how was it we hadn't the honour of your company in the field to-day? We had a glorious day's sport,-devilish hard run,-and I'd the good luck to bear away the brush. Do ye niver hunt, Mr. Collier ?'

'I never followed the hounds on horseback in my life; but I had the misfortune to try it once in a gig, and nearly broke my neck,' I replied.

Och! murder, boys!-did ye's ever hear the likes of that? By the holy-nelly, but you're a marvellous man!'

You may well say "marvellous," my friend,' said I; for I had a most marvellous escape; and I'll just tell you how it happened. I was returning to Dublin from the county Wicklow, some years ago, with an uncle of mine,-a fine, good-hearted fellow, and as fond of a lark as any man alive. He was driving a splendid high-couraged blood-mare at a quiet, steady pace, when all of a sudden our ears, as well as those of the mare, caught the sound of the "sweet voices" of a pack in full cry. The mare came to a dead stop; up went her ears, and out went her nostrils, and in an instant she faced about and took the ditch on the off-side of the road in gallant style. "BESS means to give us a bit of a treat this morning; so sit fast," said my uncle, "and we'll let her have a run, if it's only for the novelty of the thing." And run she did for at least two miles, across a common covered with furze, and I verily believe would have come well up with the pack, had we not suddenly descended into a gravel-pit. The gig was smashed to atoms,--both knees of the mare were broken,-while uncle and nephew, "marvellous" to relate, escaped with only a few slight bruises. This, gentlemen, is a full, true, and circumstantial account of my first and last exploit when out with the hounds.'

'Bravo!-bravo!' shouted my merry companions.

Hunting, my dear sir,' said the little gentleman who had already addressed me, 'is, as our worthy host elegantly expressed it in his bran-new song, "the finest divarsion that's under the sun;" and I've no objection to measure tin paces with any man who may be obliging enough to differ in opinion with me; for I always like to support my assertions. If, however, the gintlemin present will lend me their ears for a few minutes, I will endeavour to describe our mornin's sport, for the amusement and, I hope, edification of those who were not present at it.'

'Bravo, Buck Barton!' shouted the scarlet runners.

• Wet your whistle first, and thin give tongue,' said mine host.

'Well, boys, here goes! We started this mornin' soon after daybreak, to meet the Ballyragget hounds; for we had a good five miles to ride to cover. The mornin' was favourable, and the company pleasant; and 1 think, gintlemin, ye will all allow that ye have seldom witnessed a finer field of sportsmin. In about tin minutes after throwing into cover, a favourite hound gave tongue, and didn't he discourse most eloquent music? "Steady, boys!-steady!" and "Hark to Charmer!" was now the only sound that met the ear from at least twenty voices. The knowing-ones knew all was right, and prepared for action. Charmer spoke to his game again, and no sooner had the whole pack sworn to it than the view halloo was given. "Charmer has it!-go along!"-and off started a fine dog-fox, the hounds close to his brush, and all in full cry. Och! I'll be bail you never heard such melody within the walls of your London Opera-house. On he went helter-skelter, turning sharp to the left of the high wood, and bore away for the Castle-Comer coal-pits, where we dogged a little for a few seconds, and lost sight of the old un. Soon unkennelled him again, and away he went for the hills, with a stiff nor-wester in his nosebeing closely pressed, altered his scheme, and ran down wind into Blackthorn ford, which he crossed in gallant style, and away he went for dear life at a killing pace. It was now mighty evident that this game could not last long; for the old un must have got a stiff neck, as he never once turned to bid us the time o'day. The field by this time began to look rather shy; for there were more horsemen in the mud than in the meadows-some were cutting a splash in the river, with more water in their boots than they could conveniently hold; so we left the shy ones to shift for themselves to follow old Charmer, who still had the lead. Glorious dog that Charmer! After a gallant run of two hours and a quarter we came to a check, and found that staunch old hound, Charmer, busily employed unlacing Master Reynard's jacket.'

During this description, the red-coat boys appeared highly delighted, and by their gestures and actions gave great eclat to the account of the 'rur. with the Ballyragget hounds. The glass now circulated freely; and long after my host, my friend, and myself had retired to rest, I heard several of my merry companions 'going the pace in style.'

'Drink, boys, drink: the whiskey's good, and the divil a headache's in a bucket-full of it,'-a fact I have no reason to doubt; for next morning I found nearly the entire party in their old situations, in the full enjoyment of a most comfortable nap.

These are some of the sports of the 'Boys of Kilkenny;' and in another chapter I may relate a few more for the amusement of my readers.