little of them while at Killala, his principal
intercourse being with the bishop and his family; but Colonel Charost
soon learned to read their true character, and from that moment
conceived the most disastrous issue to our plans. The most trustworthy
of them was a certain O'Donnell, who, although not a soldier, was
remarked to possess a greater influence over the rabble volunteers
than any of the others. He was a young man of the half-squire class, an
ardent and sincere patriot, after his fashion; but that fashion, it must
be owned, rather partook of the character of class-hatred and
religious animosity than the features of a great struggle for national
independence. He took a very low estimate of the fighting qualities of
his countrymen, and made no secret of declaring it.

'You would be better without them altogether,' said he one day to
Charost; 'but if you must have allies, draw them up in line, select
one-third of the best, and arm them.'

'And the rest?' asked Charost. 'Shoot them,' was the answer.

This conversation is on record--indeed, I believe there is yet one
witness living to corroborate it.

I have said that we were very hard worked, but I must fain acknowledge
that the real amount of business done was very insignificant, so many
were the mistakes, misconceptions, and interruptions, not to speak of
the time lost by that system of conciliation of which I have already
made mention. In our distribution of arms there was little selection
practised or possible. The process was a brief one, but it might have
been briefer.

Thomas Colooney, of Banmayroo, was called, and not usually being
present, the name would be passed on, from post to post, till it swelled
into a general shout of Colooney.

'Tom Colooney, you're wanted; Tom, run for it, man, there's a price bid
for you! Here's Mickey, his brother, maybe he 'll do as well.'

And so on: all this accompanied by shouts of laughter, and a running
fire of jokes, which, being in the vernacular, was lost to us.

At last the real Colooney was found, maybe eating his dinner of
potatoes, maybe discussing his poteen with a friend---sometimes engaged
in the domestic duties of washing his shirt or his small-clothes,
fitting a new crown to his hat, or a sole to his brogues--whatever his
occupation, he was urged forward by his friends and the public, with
many a push, drive, and even a kick, into our presence, where, from the
turmoil, uproar, and confusion, he appe