t, but the people around listened
with reverential awe, from time to time making excited comments in
Irish. Altogether Tuam is a depressing kind of place, and but for the
enterprise of a few Protestants, the place would be a phantasmagoria
of pigs, priests, peasants, poverty, and "peelers." Perhaps Galway
would have more civilization, if less piety. You cannot move about an
Irish country town after nightfall without barking your shins on a
Roman Catholic Cathedral. This in time becomes somewhat monotonous.

Tuam (Co. Galway), May 9th.

No. 21.--MR. BALFOUR'S FISHERIES.

A clean, well-built town, with a big river, the Corrib, running
through the middle of it, splashing romantically down from the salmon
weir, not far from the Protestant Church of Saint Nicholas, a
magnificent cathedral-like structure over six hundred years old. There
is a big square with trees and handsome buildings, several good
hotels, a tramway, and, _mirabile dictu!_ a veritable barber's shop.
The Connaught folks, as a whole, seem to have fully realised the old
saying that shaving by a barber is a barbarous custom, but there is no
rule without an exception, and accordingly Mr. McCoy, of Eyre Square,
razors and scissors her Majesty's lieges, whether gentle or simple,
rebel or loyal, Unionist or Separatist, Catholic or Protestant. The
good Figaro himself is an out-and-out Separatist. He swallows complete
Independence, and makes no bones about it. He believes in Ireland a
Nation, insists on perfect autonomy, and, unlike the bulk of his
fellow Nationalists, has the courage of his opinions. His objection to
English interference with Irish affairs is openly expressed, and with
an emphasis which leaves no doubt of his sincerity. According to Mr.
McCoy, the woes of Ireland are each and all directly attributable to
English rule. The depopulation of the country, the lack of enterprise,
of industry, of the common necessaries of life, of everything to be
desired by the sons of men--all these disagreeables are due to the
selfishness, the greed, the brutality of Englishmen, who are not only
devoid of the higher virtues, but also entirely destitute of common
fairness, common honesty, common humanity. Mr. McCoy holds that
England exploits Ireland for her own purposes, is a merciless sucker
of Hibernia's life-blood, a sweater, a slave-driver, a more than
Egyptian taskmaster. Remove the hated English garrison, abolish
English influence, let Ireland guide her