ed from Portobello in the
canal-boat on the afternoon of the day after his departure. The day
was dark and lowering, with occasional showers of cold and sleety rain.
However, the casual glance I took of the gloomy cell, denominated cabin,
deterred me from seeking shelter there, and buttoned up in my greatcoat
and with my travelling-cap drawn firmly over my eyes, I walked the deck
for several hours, my own thoughts affording me sufficient occupation;
and even had the opportunity presented itself, I should not have desired
any other. On this score, however, there was no temptation; and as I
looked at my fellow-passengers, there was nothing either in their voice,
air, or appearance to induce me to care for any closer intimacy.

The majority of them were stout, plain-looking countryfolk, with coats
of brown or grey frieze, leather gaiters, and thick shoes, returning, as
I could guess from some chance expressions they dropped, from the Dublin
market, whither they had proceeded with certain droves of bullocks,
wethers, and hoggets, the qualities of which formed the staple of
conversation. There were also some lady passengers--one a rather
good-looking woman, with a certain air of half gentility about her,
which enabled her at times to display to her companion her profound
contempt for the rest of the company. This companion was a poor
subdued-looking girl of about eighteen or twenty years, who scarcely
ventured to raise her haggard eyes, and spoke with an accent painful
from agitation; her depressed look and her humble manner did not
conceal, however, a certain air of composed and quiet dignity, which
spoke of happier days. A host of ill-bred, noisy, and unmannerly
children accompanied them; and I soon discovered that the mother was
the wife of the great shopkeeper in Loughrea, and her pale companion
a governess she had just procured in Dublin, to initiate the promising
offspring in the accomplished acquirements of French, Italian,
music, and painting. Their only acquaintance on board seemed to be a
jolly-looking man who, although intimate with every one, seemed somehow
not to suffer in the grand lady's esteem from the familiarities he
dispensed on all sides. He was a short, florid-looking little fellow,
with a round bullet head, the features of which seemed at first sight
so incongruous that it was difficult to decide on their prevailing
expression; his large grey eyes, which rolled and twinkled with fun,
caught a character