eir petty holdings, and
allowed to do no more than look upon the immense space before them.
Where there is so much room to breathe they are stifled.

GALWAY, _Tuesday, Nov. 9th._

On the long dreary road from Clifden to this place, the greater part
of which is included in the vaunted "avenue" to Ballynahinch, there is
visible at ordinary times very little but mountain, bog, and sky. Of
stones and water, and of air marvellously bright and pure, there is no
lack, and some of the scenery is of surpassing grandeur, especially on
a day like yesterday, so fair and still that mountain and cloud alike
were mirrored on the surface of a legion of lakes. It was only when
one reached the clump of trees which in these wild districts denotes
the presence of a house of the better sort that any symptoms of
disturbance were seen. All was calm and bright on Glendalough itself,
but no sooner had I entered the grounds of the hotel than I became
aware of the presence of an armed escort. Presently Mr. Robinson, the
agent for Mr. Berridge, the purchaser of the "Martin property" from
the Law Life Insurance Company, came out, jumped on his car with his
driver, and was immediately followed by the usual escort of two men
armed with double-barrelled carbines. A few minutes later I heard that
Mr. Thompson's "herd" over at Moyrus, near the sea-coast, had been
badly beaten on Sunday night, or rather early yesterday morning; and
there were disquieting rumours of trouble impending at Lough Mask. If
the Moyrus story be true, it is noteworthy as marking a new line of
departure in Connemara. Hitherto actual outrages have been confined to
property; persons have only been threatened, and few but agents go in
downright bodily fear. I have not heard why Mr. Thompson is unpopular;
but can easily understand that Mr. Robinson has become so. The
management of 180,000 acres of poor country, in some parts utterly
desolate, in others afflicted with congested population, can hardly
be carried on without making some enemies. Moreover, I have no reason
to believe that the vast "Law Life" property has, since it passed out
of the hands of its ancient insolvent owners, been either more wisely
or liberally administered than in the wild, wicked days when the
Martins "reigned" at Ballynahinch, and boasted that the King's writs
did not run "in their country."

Before leaving Connemara I resolved to give a detailed account of the
condition of the peasants of the sea-coast