he affecting tone, the feeling, the abandonment with which all this was
uttered, none can conceive who have not heard the lamentations of the
Irish peasantry. It brought tears to my eyes. I saw that no consolation
of mine could soothe her grief, so I turned and departed; but as I
rapidly traversed the level sward which separated me from my companions,
now considerably in advance, I could still hear the wailings of the
solitary mourner.

As we approached the stand-house, it was evident that our antagonists
had already arrived. Our path lay by the side of a high fence
constructed of loose stones, and on turning a sharp angle at its
extremity, we found ourselves close to the appointed spot, and within
a few yards of a crowd of persons, some mounted and some on foot,
evidently awaiting our arrival. The affair had unaccountably taken wind,
as the number of the expectants clearly showed; but for this there was
now no remedy.

As our little party advanced we were met and saluted by several
acquaintances, whom curiosity, if no deeper feeling, had brought to the
place. Fitzgerald and the Captain had arrived, and having dismounted,
were standing upon the sod. The former, as we approached, bowed slightly
and sullenly--while the latter, evidently in high good humour, made his
most courteous obeisance. No time was to be lost; and the two seconds
immediately withdrew to a slight distance, for the purpose of completing
the last minute arrangements. It was a brief but horrible interval--each
returned to his principal to communicate the result, which was soon
caught up and repeated from mouth to mouth throughout the crowd. I
felt a strange and insurmountable reluctance to hear the sickening
particulars detailed; and as I stood irresolute at some distance from
the principal parties, a top-booted squireen, with a hunting whip in his
hand, bustling up to a companion of his, exclaimed:

'Not fire together!--did you ever hear the like? If Fitzgerald gets the
first shot all is over. M'Donough sold the pass, by----, and that is the
long and the short of it.'

The parties now moved down a little to a small level space, suited to
the purpose; and the captain, addressing M'Donough, said:

'Mr. M'Donough, you'll now have the goodness to toss for choice of
ground; as the light comes from the east the line must of course run
north and south. Will you be so obliging as to toss up a crown-piece,
while I call?'

A coin was instantly chucked into