In the eastern part; near the shore of Dundrum.

I understand that you are going westward. I wish you would stay to night, and I will be with you in the morning. You will

be soon enough at the fair.

If you think so we would wish to stay ; and we should be very happy that you would be with us.

G.-What are your names, or families, my friends?

My name, and that of my family, is Smyth, and my companion's, Rooney.

G.-have you any news from your country, my friends?

S.-Nothing is talked of, except that the militia are a changing from one place to another.

R.-I hear that there are several new regiments of militia now raised in England, and that the same will soon be done in Ireland.

G.-It will probably be so.

S.-Well, Sir, do you understand what all this means? Are the enemies dreaded?

G.-I neither know nor believe that there is either fear or danger. Yet it is proper to be upon the alert, and to keep ourselves out of the power of the enemy.

But the government know their own affairs best. And we should not be too inquisitive about high affairs.

S. That is true, Sir, domestic affairs are the most proper subject for our conversation.

G. We may speak also of the antiquities of the country, without offence.

Are there many remains of old buildings, or other ancient works, to be seen in your country?

R.-There are numerous remains of old castles, old churches, and ancient towers it it.

(1.)

S.-Indeed there are; and the raths, the caves, and engraved stones found in it, are ancient works also.

(2.)

R.-Perhaps the upright stones, carns, and cromleacs are older than even these. (3.)

S.-It is difficult to say which are oldest.

G.-Where were these engraved stones found, do you say? S.-I will tell you, Sir. About a mile from the place where we live, a cave was found, on the brow of a hill, by a person who was digging round a stone, about ten years ago. No person

ċioll dejć mbliadna o soin. Ni_raib smuainead, no fior ag neaċ beo go raib a leitid añ, no go dtárla a fajail mar fn; na huajṁ fada ċaol, gan ċnaṁa, gan taise, no lorg ni 4 bit añ; aċd ballaiż folaṁa, air na bfollaċ DO leaca mora. Bhi seomra beag, deas, ċruiñ cumpa, indeilb ċiseán beaċ, air lead taob na huaṁa fn; agus doras beag, cuṁaing à dol iñte, folaṁ fos mar an cuid eile. Aċd ċeaña fuaras aon leac, leabar leadan, a mullaċ na haitese; agus, air an taob joċtarać don leic sin, bi tri line grabaltá; do żlan litresċaib ċeart čumpa; naċ fua. ras aoiñeaċ ariaṁ o leid, a bfeadfád an sgribín, sn a leażad, no a ṁíneadad.

O. R. Nil aon focal breige añ. Oir ċoñairc me féin an uaim, 's an leac, 's an sgríbin, an uair a fuaras é.

D. U. Nil aṁras air biż agam añ. Oir coñairc mise fós tuaraisg na huaṁa sin, a deir tu: agus mac saṁuil na litreaċ ceadna clo-buailté, igclair uṁa, an nuad stair condae an Dujn.

Mac 3. Thainic duine uasal foġlumta añ sin, o Ata na hilide, a coṁarżaiż sios air ċairt é.

D. U. Nač bpuaras cromlec, faoid ċarn laiṁ leis an ait

Mac 3. Fuaras, go deiṁin, fa da míle do sin, (4 dtimcioll seaċt mbliadna roime sin), leac aidṁeil mór, leatan, coṁtrom, leabair, coṁ mín le cloičín coir &raża ; go gcreidim naċ bfy;l cromleac a ñEirin com deas leis; reir mar dubairt an duine uasal sin, a dainic 'ga feacuin.

móir

Bhi fál do leaca fada, coṁżroma, na seasaṁ ċeart suas air a gceañ ¿ort timċioll fan ċromleic an uair a fuaras í; faojd ċarnán mór do mion ¿loċuib. D. U. Nar togbad na leaca fada sin ?

Mac G. Nil aon diob naċar tugad ćum oibre a bi za deanaṁ laiṁ leis an áit.

D. U. Njar brisead an uaiṁ mo doiż.

Mac. 3. Do brisead, is millead í; agus niar fágað aon leac, na cloċ añ, bfju dadaṁ, naċar togad air siubal, an nós céadna.

D. U. Is iongnad liom gur brisead an uaiṁ.

Mac 3. Dar ndoiż do leagad go talaṁ an tórcruin aig Dún padruic. Agus saoiliñse, a duine uasail, naċ mbiaD se sona bainte le na lejċid.

D. U. Nil me 'ga rad go bfuil se miosona; aċd togar dam gur náireaċ do daoinib uaisle, fożlamta, gan cion no

thought or knew that such a place was there, until it happened to be found thus; a long, narrow cave, without bone or relic, or trace of any thing in it, but empty walls, covered with great stones. There was a neat, little chamber, of a round form, like a bee-hive, on one side of the cave, and a little, narrow door, to enter by, empty also, as the rest. However, there was found one broad, smooth flag on the top of the place; and, on the lower side of that flag there were three lines engraved, of clean, well formed letters; nor has any person been found since, who could read or explain the inscription.

R.-It is perfectly true. For I saw the cave, the flag, and the inscription, when it was discovered.

G. I have no doubt of it, as I have also seen an account of that cave which you mention, and a fac simile of those_letters printed in copper-plate, in the new history of the county Down.

S.-A learned gentleman came from Annahilt, who took a copy of it on paper.

G.-Was there not a cromleac found, under a carn, near that place? (4.)

S.-There was, indeed, about two miles from it, (about seven years before,) an exceeding large, broad, level, smooth stone, as polished as the pebbles on the sea-coast: I am persuaded there is no other cromleac in Ireland so neat as it is; and as the gentleman asserted, who came to view it.

There was an enclosure of long equal stones, standing straight up round the great cromleac, when it was found, under a great carn of small stones.

G.-Were these long stones lifted?

S. They were all carried away to a building near the place.

G.--Surely the cave was not broken.

was

S.-It was broken and destroyed; neither flag nor stone left, of any value, that was not carried away in the same manner.

G.-I am surprised that the cave was broken.

S.-Why, even the round tower at Downpatrick was thrown down; and I think, Sir, that it is not lucky to touch such things. (5.)

G.-I do not say that it is unlucky; but I think it a disgrace to literary gentlemen, to pay no respect or attention to the

meas a beit, air bfuiġioll oibreaċ arsaiże na tíre.

Mac 3. Mairead, a duine uasail, dfiafrainse ein ni diotsa, da ma toil leat aitris dam.

D. U. 50 de b' aill leat fiafraid, a ṁaiġistir Mhic gaban?

Mac G. Measan tusa, no saoilean tu, go mbiad se ceart no dlistionać na sean scideóga a ngeamad, no a dtoċailt as talaṁij.

D. U. Ni fior dansa dliġead, no reaċt air biʊ, anażaid a ngearrad, no sgrios, as do ċuid fearaiñ féin ma ta sjad an do bealaċ, no fejdni agad orrita.

Mac 3. Is fíor é, a sani, aċd is minic a ċualamar gur tuár tubaiste baint le hionad tataiż, no dídion na ndaoine beaga úd.

D. U. A ijaiġistir Mhic gaban, na creid agus na géil do ráidteb dirijaoin, gearrozaca; no sgeultaib fabuill, ċajllċeaṁjlaċa don tseort sih. Naċ dtug Dia an talaṁ, agus gaċ crañ, agus luib a fásas, cum feadma don duine Azur zo d'cuize saoiltid go mbiad crañ air bit toirmęsgta, no tabuisteaċ, muna gcuirfead Dia toirmeasg air ?

?

-Mac 3. Ir fior é, agus ni žéillín an ¿leir ud aguiñe da leitid. Aċd 's é an faò a bfnil misi traċt air, go bfuil a niomad ċraiñ sciteoza ársaiże, añ mo ċuid fearaiñ féin; agus ba iijait lioni ċuid aca buaint as mo bealaċ; agus d'aindeoin sin, adijuiġini go mbíoñ faitċios orm bacail leo; oir ta fios agam go mait gur ionad uasal é, agus gur mór a biad na daoine beaga tataiż añ, a nallod.

D. U. Na siteoga da roṁjad, njo doiż. Agus a bfaca tu fein aon duine aca arjaṁ ?

Mac 3, Mairead ni facas. Aċd ¿jucfad liom sgeul bez, greanṁar a iñse duitse, do cuala me o mo sean atair, a ċrużażad an fíriñe, go raib a leitid añ, le na líñ féin.

D. Ú. Mairead aitris duiñ é, a ṁaiżistir Mhic Gaban, is biom buideaċ duit, agus eistfeam leat go fonijar.

Mac 3. Ta cnocan beag, san fearan a mbiamsa mo čoṁnaiż, da ngoirean siad chocan-na-Feadalaiġ. ` Bhi duine cóir craibżęć na čoṁnaid anallod añ, a gcois aina, le taob a ¿nocan sin; agus ta lorg a tiż le faiceal gus andiu. Tadz o Haod ba hainm don duine; gan bean, no muirín aige, aċd a ṁażair, na sean ninaoi, ag cuingbeal tiże.

Chuaid Tadgamaċ, oidċe Shaṁna, deanai urnaiže, mar znas leis, fa bruaċ na haiṁne, no 'gcois a leasa. Ag dearcain suas do breażnad réultan, do coñairc neul dorċa o

remains of the ancient works of their country.

S.-Well, Sir, I would ask you one question, if you will please

to answer me.

G.—What would you wish to ask Mr. Smyth ?

S.-Do you think, or suppose, that it is right or lawful to cut or root out old thorns? (6.)

G.-I know no law, nor statute, against cutting or destroying them out of your own land, if they are in your way, or if you have occasion for them.

S.-That is true, Sir, but we have frequently heard that it is an omen of ill luck, to disturb the haunt or shelter of these little people. (7.)

G.-Mr. Smyth, do not regard nor believe these silly superstitious sayings, or fabulous old wives' tales of this kind. Did not God give the earth, and every tree and plant that grows, for the use of man? And why should you think that any tree is forbidden or unlucky, unless God should prohibit it.

S.-That is true, and our clergy believe no such thing. But the reason of my speaking of it is, that I have several old thorns in my land, and I would wish to take some of them out of my way; neverthelesss, I confess that I am shy to disturb them; for I know very well that it is a gentle place, and that it was greatly haunted by the little people, in former times. (8.)

G.-You mean the fairies, I supppose. And did you ever see any of them?

S.-I never did. But I could tell you a pleasant little story, which I heard from my grandfather; to prove the truth of such things being in his time.

G.-Well, tell it to us, Mr. Smyth, and we will thank you, and you with pleasure.

hear

S.-There is a little hill in the farm where I live, which is called Knock-na-feadalea. (9.) There was an honest, pious man living there formerly, near the river, by the side of the hill; and the vestige of his house may yet be seen. His name was Thady Hughes; he had no wife nor family, but his mother, an old woman, keeping his house.

(10.) to pray, as he or at the foot of the

Thady went out, on hallow-eve night, was accustomed, on the bank of the river, forth. Looking up to observe the stars, (11.) he saw a dark