ent direction, but
not one so peculiarly perilous. From this they made a turn to the left
into a lane that would have led them back again to a little village,
through which they had already passed, the bell of which was already
sounding their death-knell. The constabulary, by turning into the narrow
lane at the left, unconsciously approached the very ambush into which
the people, or rather their more disciplined leaders, had intended to
decoy them. This lane was enclosed by walls, and on one side the ground
was considerably elevated and covered with stones, thus affording
to their assailants every possible opportunity of completing their
destruction. The unfortunate men were pressed by a crowd on their right,
composed of those who occupied the elevation; another crowd pressed upon
their rear; whilst a third body obstructed them in front, thus keeping
them pent up, and at the mercy of the crowds on every side.

It is quite obvious that the person in command of the constabulary was
not only unfit for his duty, but ignorant of anything like military
discipline or manoeuvring. He must have completely lost his presence
of mind, otherwise his easiness of belief and simplicity are utterly
unaccountable. As it was, in two or three minutes after the hollow
assurances of good-will uttered by those whom he saw bristling at the
same time with vengeance about him, an effort was made by a man to drag
the unfortunate process-server out of the lines. He was immediately
pulled back by a policeman, but was scarcely restored to his place, When
he was struck on the side of the head with a wattle. The blow caused him
to stagger, and would have caused him to fall, but that he was seized
and kept upon his legs by the policeman. He had not time, however, to
recover his steadiness, when he was felled to the ground by a blow from
a stone, which sent him to the ground a corpse. A general assault with
every description of rude and formidable weapons, now commenced upon the
unfortunate constabulary. Their imbecile and uncautious officer fired
his pistol and in a moment afterwards was knocked from his horse and
instantly put to death. The crowd now rushed on them from all sides, and
so sharp, short, and decisive was the massacre, that in about the space
of two minutes, twelve men lay butchered on the spot.

Other scenes of violence and bloodshed there were, but none so frightful
as the above. Most persons remember Rathcormac and Newtonbarry, but we