asleep, that these occasional visions-associating themselves with this terror-and this again broken in upon by the hoarse murmurs about me, throwing their dark shade on every object that passed through my imagination, the force of reason being too vague at the moment;-these occasional visions, I say, and this jumbling together of broken images and disjointed thoughts bad such an effect upon me, that I imagined several times, that the awful penalty was exacted, and that my reason was gone for ever. I frequently started, and on seeing two dim lights upon the altar, and on hearing the ceaseless and eternal murmurs going on-going on-around me, without being immediately able to ascribe them to their proper cause, I set myself down as a lost man: for on that terror I was provokingly clear during the whole night. I more than once gave an involuntary groan or shriek, on finding myself in this singular state; so did many others, and these groans and shrieks were wildly and fearfully contrasted with the never ending hum, which, like the ceaseless noise of a distant waterfall, went on during the night. The perspiration occasioned by this inconceivable distress, by the heat of the place, and by the unchangeableness of my position, flowed profusely from every pore. About two o'clock in the morning an unhappy young man, either in a state of lethargic indifference, or under the influence of these sudden paroxisms, threw himself, or fell from one of the galleries, and was so shattered by the fall, that he died the next day at twelve o'clock, and, what was not much to the credit of the reverend gentry of the island, without the benefit of the clergy; for I saw a priest with his stole and box of chrism finishing off his extreme unction when he was quite dead. I have always thought that act to be one of the most degrading to human reason, and impious in the sight of God, of any I ever witnessed of a religious nature. The under jaw of the corpse hung down, his eyes were open, and stared with the wild glasy look of death, his nostrils were distended and filled with mucus, his hair was on end, and about his brows and the upper part of his face, lay the froth of the perspiration which exuded in the agonies of death. There was the priest, rubbing his oil over the dead body of this victim of superstition, confident that such an application would benefit his soul, before the awful tribunal of eternal justice. This is frequently done in the church of Rome, under a hope that life may not be utterly extinct, and that consequently the final separation of the soul and body may not have taken place. But what difference does this make? Is it by the application of oil of olives to the body, that a sinner effects salvation for his immortal soul? Is man reasonable? The church of Rome would lead us to suppose that he is not. The fall of this young man drove the sleep from the eyes of some of us, but had very little effect upon the crowd, for the situation of each was too fearfully critical, to admit of any consideration beyond it.

In this prison, during the night, several persons go about with rods and staves, rapping those on the head whom they see heavy; snuff boxes also go round very freely, elbows are jogged, chins chucked, and ears twitched, for the purpose of keeping each other

awake. The rods and staves are frequently changed from hand to hand, and I thought it would be a lucky job, if I could get one for a little to enable me to change my position. I accordingly asked a man who had been a long time banging in this manner, if he would allow me to take his place for some time, and he was civil enough to do so. I therefore set out on my travels through the prison, rapping about me at a great rate, and with remarkable effect; for, whatever was the cause of it, I perceived that not a soul seemed the least inclined to doze after a visit from me; on the contrary, I observed several to scratch their heads, giving me at the same time looks of very sincere thankfulness.

But what I am convinced was the most meritorious act of my whole pilgrimage, as it was certainly the most zealously performed, was a remembrance I gave the squat fellow, who visited me in the early part of the night. He was engaged, tooth and nail, with another man at a deprofundis, and although not asleep at the time, yet on the principle that prevention is better than cure, I thought it more prudent to let him have his rap, before the occasion for it might come: he accordingly got full payment, at compound interest, for the villainous knock he had lent me before. This employment stirred my blood a little, and I got much lighter. I could now pay some attention to the scene about me, and the first object that engaged it, was a fellow with a hare lip, who had completely taken the lead at prayer. The organs of speech seemed to have been transferred from his mouth to his nose, and although Irish was his vernacular language, either some fool or knave had taught him to say his prayers in English: and you may take this as an observation founded on fact, that the tongue which a Romanist does not understand, is the one in which he is disposed to pray. As for him he had lots of English prayers, though he was totally ignorant of that language. The twang from the nose, the loud and rapid tone in which he spoke, and the Malapropian happiness with which he travestied every prayer he uttered, would have compelled any man to smile. The priests laughed outright before the whole congregation, particularly one of them, whom I well knew; the other turned his face towards the altar, and leaning over a silver pix, in which, according to their own tenets, the Redeemer of the world must have been at that moment, as it contained the consecrated wafers, gave full vent to his risibility. Now it is remarkable that no one present attached the slightest impropriety to this-I for one did not; although it certainly occurred to me with full force at a subsequent period. It is strange, indeed, to what lengths a Roman Catholic Priest may go, and sometimes does go, before his conduct is considered improper. Nothing except some exceedingly gross act on his part, can give offence to the laity.Drunkenness is nothing-swearing is nothing. It sometimes happens that men, suspended for adultery, who are habitual drunkards, too, set up the trade of miracle-working, and assume the character of Blessed Priests with complete success. These two gentlemen conducted themselves thus shamefully, at a moment when there were, if they believed it, not less than two

hundred whole and entire Christs, or, at the very least, a hundred and fifty Redeemers of the world, in a silver vase at their elbows. When morning came, the blessed light of the sun broke the leaden charm of the prison, and infused into us a wonderful portion of fresh vigour. This day being the second of our arrival, we had our second station to perform, and consequently all the sharp spikes to retraverse. We were not permitted at all to taste food during these twenty-four hours, so that our weakness was really very great. I beg leave, however, to return my special acknowledgments for the truly hospitable allowance of wine, with which I, in common with every other pilgrim, was treated. This wine is made by filling a large pot with the lake water, and making it lukewarm. It is then handed round in jugs and wooden noggins, to their credit be it recorded, in the greatest possible abundance. On this alone I breakfasted, dined, and supped during the second or prison day of my pilgrimage. At twelve o'clock that night we left prison, and made room for another squadron, who gave us their kennels. Such a luxury was sleep to me, however, that I felt not the slightest inconvenience from the vermin, though I certainly made a point to avoid the Scotchman and the cripple. On the following day I confessed, and never was an unfortunate soul so grievously afflicted with a bad memory as I was on that occasion-the whole thing altogether, but particularly the prison scene, had done me up. I could not, therefore, remember a tythe of my sins; and the Priest, poor man, had really so much to do, and was in such a hurry, that he had me clean absolved, before I had got half through the preface. I then went with a fresh batch to receive the sacrament, which I did from the hands of the good humoured gentleman who enjoyed so richly the praying talents of the hare-lipped devotee in the prison.

I cannot avoid mentioning here a practice peculiar to Roman Catholics, which consists in an exchange of one or more prayers, by a stipulation between two persons: for instance, I offer up a pater and ave for you, and you again for me. It is called swapping prayers. After I had received the sacrament, I observed a thin, sallow little man, with a pair of beads as long as himself, moving from knot to knot, but never remaining long in the same place. At last he glided up to me, and in a whisper asked me if I knew him. I answered in the negative: "Oh, then, a lanna, ye war never here before?" " never, ," "Oh, I see that, a cushla, ye would a-known me if ye had well then, did ye never hear of Sol Donnel the pilgrim?" "I never did," I replied, "but are we not all pilgrims while here?" "To be shure, aroon, bud I'm a pilgrim every place else, you see, as well as here, my darling sweet young man," "then you'r a pilgrim by profession ?" "that's it, astore machree! every buddy that comes here the seckin time, shure knows Sol Donnel, the blessed pilgrim." "In that case it was impossible for me to know you, as I was never here before;" cushla, I know that, bud a gud beginnin are ye makin' iv id—an at your time of life too; bud avick it must prosper wid ye, comin here I mane!" "I hope it may," ""Well yer paarents

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isn't both livin its likely ?" " No." "Aye!-but ye'll jist not be afther forgettin' that same, ye see, I bleeve I sed so—your father dead I suppose ?" "No my mother," Your mother-well avick, I didn't say that for a sartinty; bud still, ye see, avourneen, may be some buddy could have a tould ye it was the mother, forhaps, afther all: « Did you know them," I asked. "You

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see, a lanna, I can't say that, widout first heerin their names." My name is B'An a dacent bearable name it is, darlin, is yer father iv them dacent people, the B—— -'s iv Newtownlimavady, a hegur?" "Not that I know of," "Oh well, well, it makes no maxim between you an me, at all, at all; bud the Lord mark ye to grace, any how-its a dacent name sure enuff, ony if yer mother was livin', its herself 'ud be the proud woman, an well she might, to see sich a clane, promisin' son steppin' home to her frum Loughdearg." "Indeed I'm obliged to you;" said I-"I protest I'm obliged to you, for your good opinion of me." "Its nothin'

bud what ye desarve, avich!- -an more nor that-yer the makins iv a clargy I'm guessin' ?" "I am," said I, "surely design'd for that." "Oh I know'd it, I know'd it, its in your face; you've the sogarth in yer very face: an well will ye become the robes when ye get them on ye sure, an to tell you the truth (in a whisper stretching up his mouth to my ear) I feel my heart warm towardst ye, somehow ;- "I declare I feel the same towards you," I returned-"you are a decent civil soul :"-" An fur that razon, and fur your dacent mother's sake (sobies-coat in passy, amin) I'll jist here offer up the grey profungus, for the relase iv her sowl out o' the burnin' flames iv purgathor." I really could not help shuddering at this. He then repeated a psalm for that purpose, the 130th in our Bible, but the 129th in theirs when it was finished with all due gesticulation, that is to say, having thumped his breast with great violence, kissed the ground, and crossed himself repeatedly, he says to me, like a man confident that he had paved his way to my good graces, "Now, avich, as we did do so much, yer the very darlin' young man that I wont lave, widout the best, may be, that's to come yet, ye see; bekase I'll swap a prayer with ye this blessed minit." I'm very glad you mentioned it," said I; "bud you dont know, may be, darlin, that I'm undher five ordhers."-"Dear me ! is it possible your under so many "Undher five ordhers, acushla!"-"Well," I replied, "I am ready :" "Undher five ordhers-but I'll lave it to yourself; only when its over, may be, ye'll hear somethin frum me, that'll make ye thankful ye ever giv'd me silver, any way."

By this time I saw his drift; but he really had managed his point so dexterously-not forgetting the de profundis—that I gave him tenpence in silver: he pocketed it with great alacrity, and was at the prayer in a twinkling, which he did offer up in fine style-five paters, five aves, and a creed, whilst I set the same number to his credit. When we had finished, he made me kneel down to receive his blessing, which he gave in great form :"Now," said he, in a low important tone, 'I'm goin to shew a thing that'll make ye bless the born day ye iver seen my face, an its this did ye ever hear iv the blessed Thurty days' prayer "

ye

"I can't say I did." "Well, avich, in good time still; bud there's a blessed buck, if ye can get it, that has a prayer in id, named the Thurty Day's Prayer, an if ye jist repate that same, every day fur thirty days fastin', there's no requist ye'll ax from heaven, good or bad, bud ye'll get.-An now duv ye begrudge given me what I got ?" "Not a bit," said I, " and I'll certainly look for the book :" "No, no, the darlin' fine young man!" soliloquizing aloud -"Well and well did I know ye wouldn't, nor another along wid id-sensible and larned as ye are, to know the blessed worth iv what ye got for id; not makin', at the same time, any comparishment at all at all, atween it and the dhurthy thrash iv riches iv this earth, that every wan has their heart fixed upon-exceptin iv them that the Lord gives the larnin', an' the edication to, to know betther." Oh, flattery! flattery! and a touch of hypocrisy on my part! Between ye, did ye make another lodgment in my purse, which was instantly lightened by an additional bank token, value tenpence, handed over to this sugar-tongued old knave. When he pocketed this, he shook me cordially by the hand, bidding me "not to furgit the thurty days' prayer, at any rate." He then glided off, with his small, sallow face stuck between his little, shrugged shoulders, fingering his beads, and praying audibly with great apparent fervour, whilst his little keen eye was reconnoitring for another cully. In the course of a few minutes, I saw him lead a large, soft, warm looking countryman, over to a remote corner, and enter into an earnest conversation with him, which, I could perceive, ended by their both kneeling down, I suppose, to swap a prayer.

On the third day I was determined, if possible, to leave it early so I performed my third and last station round the chapel and the beds, reduced to such a state of weakness and hunger, that the coats of my stomach must have been rubbing against each other; my feet were quite shapeless. I therefore made the shortest circuit and the longest strides possible, until I finished it. I witnessed this day, immediately before my departure from this gloomy and truly purgatorial settlement, a scene of some interest. A priest was standing before the door of the dwellinghouse, giving tickets to such as were about to confess, this being a necessary point. When he had dispatched them all, I saw an old man and his son approach him, the man seemingly between sixty and seventy, the boy about fourteen. They had a look of peculiar decency, but were thin and emaciated, even beyond what the rigours of their penance here could produce. The youth tottered with weakness, and the old man supported him with much difficulty. It is right to mention here, that this pilgrimage was performed in a season when sickness and famine prevailed fearfully in this kingdom. They advanced up to the priest to pay their money on receiving their tickets; he extended his palm from habit, but did not speak. The old man had some silver in his hand; and as he was about to give it to the priest, I saw the child look up beseechingly in his father's face, whilst an additional paleness came over his own, and his eyes filled with tears. The father saw and felt the appeal of the child, and hesi