deemed tame. The climate,
although chilled by recent heavy rains, is deliciously soft, and the
breeze has none of that incisive quality common to the more northern
hills. It is needless to say that at sunrise there is no chance of
meeting any watchers of the "Boycotting" brigade. At seven o'clock any
quantity of cargo might be "run" into the beleaguered citadel; but so
for that matter can anything one likes be done at noon, under
sufficient escort. When nothing is to be carried there is not the
slightest occasion for escort in Kilfinane itself, although the
attitude of the people is hostile in the extreme. Going for a stroll
with the nephew of the absent "master," I am recommended to put a
pistol in my pocket, and, much against the grain, do so.

I must confess that I draw a line at agents. Alone I should not dream
of going about armed, although "indignation meetings" have been held
to denounce me for speaking the truth and believing my own eyes, and I
consider myself quite safe while in the company of many landlords. But
agents are another matter. There is while with them always the off
chance of something untoward turning up, and it is, perhaps, as well
to be prepared for emergencies. Personally I must confess that I am
favourably disposed towards the much vilified agents. They are in many
respects the most manly men in Ireland. Nearly always well-bred, they
excite sympathy by the position they hold between the upper and nether
millstone of landlord and tenant. Perhaps they have made a good thing
of it, but if so they have earned it, for their position always
reminds one of that assigned by Lord Macaulay to the officers of the
East India Company, such as Olive and Warren Hastings. To these
founders of our Eastern Empire "John Company" said, "Respect treaties;
keep faith with native rulers; do not oppress the people; but send us
money."

This is exactly what easy-going Irish absentee proprietors
preach--"Don't hurt my tenants; don't make my name to stink in the
land; above all, let there be no evictions among my people; but send
me a couple of thousand pounds before Monday, or remit me at least one
thousand to Nice some time next week.--Yours, The O'Martingale." This,
I take it, has been the situation for the last quarter of a century,
since the younger sons of Irish families took to land agency as a
profession because there seemed nothing else in Ireland for them to
do. Nevertheless they are hideously unpopular, an