llinrobe, and would do what he had engaged to do cheerfully, but he
had not engaged himself to go to Lough Mask House. It was not, as a
notorious claimant said, "in the contract." I hinted that a mile or
two out of the way, even Irish miles, could not matter; that at
complete sundown there would be a moon; that increased pay would be
given. Not the slightest effect was produced.

My driver would go to Ballinrobe and nowhere else. He had not engaged
to go to Lough Mask House, and he would not go. I confess that for an
instant I asked myself should I threaten my man and make him take me
to Lough Mask whether he liked it or not; but an instant's reflection
convinced me that any such attempt would be worse than futile. The
horse would go lame or fall down within a quarter of a mile, and I
should never arrive anywhere. So I tried coaxing, much against the
grain, but it was of no use. To Lough Mask House the car-driver would
not go. He would drive me to Galway or to Newport, "bedad," but "divil
a fut" would he stir towards the accursed spot. He was good enough to
say that he would not interfere with me. If I liked to walk, I was
welcome to do it. Now a walk of seven Irish miles at sundown in a
steady rain, over a line of road watched at every turn by disaffected
peasants, was not attractive; so I made a last appeal to my
car-driver's personal courage--Was he afraid? "Begorra, he was not
afraid of anything, but would my honour want to set the whole country
against him?" This is what it all came to. He durst not for his life
drive anybody to Mr. Boycott's with or without escort. He was
compelled to form part of the strike.

Here in Ballinrobe we are in a state of siege. About 600 soldiers came
in last night, who, together with the resident garrison, make a rough
total of 750 military. Claremorris, I hear, is also strongly occupied
to-night. In Ballinrobe are now stationed, under Colonel Bedingfeld,
R.A., commanding the district, two squadrons of the 19th Hussars, or
123 sabres, commanded by Major Coghill. The Royal Dragoons, under the
command of Captain Tomkinson, number sixty sabres, and with the
Hussars will probably perform the main work of convoy to-morrow. The
Royal Engineers are also represented, and 400 men of the 84th Regiment
from the Curragh, under Lieut.-Colonel Wilson, have reinforced the
resident detachment of the 76th Regiment, commanded by Captain Talbot.
Moreover, there are nearly two hundred Royal Irish Consta