island he has spent his life
on, so they have left him with a goat, and a bag of flour and stack
of turf.

I have just been to the weaver's, looking at his loom and
appliances. The host took me down to his cottage over the brow of
the village, where some young men were finishing the skeleton of a
canoe; and we found his family crowded round a low table on green
stools with rope seats, finishing their dinner of potatoes. A little
later the old weaver, who looks pale and sickly compared with the
other islanders, took me into a sort of outhouse with a damp feeling
in the air, where his loom was set up. He showed me how it was
worked, and then brought out some pieces of stuff that he had woven.
At first I was puzzled by the fine brown colour of some of the
material; but they explained it was from selected wools of the
black or mottled sheep that are common here, and are so variegated
that many tints of grey or brown can be had from their fleeces. The
wool for the flannel is sometimes spun on this island; sometimes it
is given to women in Dunquin, who spin it cheaply for so much a
pound. Then it is woven, and finally the stuff is sent to a mill in
Dingle to be cleaned and dressed before it is given to a tailor in
Dingle to be made up for their own use. Such cloth is not cheap, but
is of wonderful quality and strength. When I came out of the
weaver's, a little sailing smack was anchored in the sound, and
someone on board her was blowing a horn. They told me she was the
French boat, and as I went back to my cottage I could see many
canoes hurrying out to her with their cargoes of lobsters and crabs.

I have left the island again. I walked round the cliffs in the
morning, and then packed my bag in my room, several girls putting
their heads Into the little window while I did so, to say it was a
great pity I was not staying on for another week or a fortnight.
Then the men went off with my bag in a heavy shower, and I waited a
minute or two while the little hostess buttered some bread for my
lunch, and tied it up in a clean handkerchief of her own. Then I bid
them good-bye, and set off down to the slip with three girls, who
came with me to see that I did not go astray among the innumerable
paths. It was still raining heavily, so I told them to put my cape,
which they were carrying, over their heads. They did so with
delight, and ran down the path before me, to the great amusement of
the islanders. At the head of the cliff many