could see, through the window
that he was reading his despatches over again, and evidently taking
counsel with himself how to act. The determination was quickly come to.

'Mons. l'Eveque,' said he, laying his hand on the bishop's arm, 'I find
that my orders admit of a choice on my part. I will, therefore, remain
with you myself, and keep a sufficient force of my own men. It is not
impossible, however, that in taking this step I may be perilling my
own safety. You will, therefore, consent that one of your sons shall
accompany the force now about to march, as a hostage. This is not an
unreasonable request on my part.'

'Very well, sir,' said the bishop sadly. 'When do they leave?'

'Within half an hour,' said Charost.

The bishop, bowing, retraced his steps through the garden back to the
house. Our preparations for the road were by this time far advanced. The
command said, 'Light marching order, and no rations'; so that we
foresaw that there was sharp work before us. Our men--part of the 12th
demi-brigade, and a half company of grenadiers--were, indeed, ready on
the instant; but the Irish were not so easily equipped. Many had strayed
into the town; some, early as it was, were dead drunk; and not a few had
mislaid their arms or their ammunition, secretly preferring the chance
of a foray of their own to the prospect of a regular engagement with the
Royalist troops.

Our force was still a considerable one, numbering at least fifteen
hundred volunteers, besides about eighty of our men. By seven o'clock
we were under march, and with drums beating, defiled from the narrow
streets of Killala into the mountain-road that leads to Cloonagh; it
being our object to form a junction with the main body at the foot of
the mountain.

Two roads led from Ballina to Castlebar--one to the eastward, the other
to the west of Lough Con. The former was a level road, easily passable
by wheel carriages, and without any obstacle or difficulty whatever;
the other took a straight direction over lofty mountains, and in one
spot--the Pass of Barnageeragh--traversed a narrow defile, shut in
between steep cliffs, where a small force, assisted by artillery, could
have arrested the advance of a great army. The road itself, too, was
in disrepair; the rains of autumn had torn and fissured it, while heavy
sandslips and fallen rocks in many places rendered it almost impassable.

The Royalist generals had reconnoitred it two days before, and were so
conv