It was on a fine spring morning, the birds carolling sweetly in the
trees, that I set forth, accompanied by my uncle and Larry Harrigan, to
commence my career on the stormy ocean. My father had been wheeled to
the hall door, my mother stood by his side with her handkerchief to her
eyes, my sisters grouped round her, my brothers outside tossing up their
hats as they shouted their farewells,--their example being imitated by
the domestics and other retainers of the house. The major rode a strong
horse suitable to his weight. He was dressed in his red long-skirted,
gold-laced coat, boots reaching above his knees, large silver spurs,
three-cornered hat on the top of his wig, with a curl on each side, his
natural hair being plaited into a queue behind. A brace of pistols was
stuck in his leathern belt, while a sword, with the hilt richly
ornamented,--the thing he prized most on earth, it having been presented
to him for his gallantry at the capture of an enemy's fort, when he led
the forlorn hope,--hung by his side. I was mounted on my own horse, my
legs for the journey being encased in boots. A cloak was hung over my
shoulders; I also had a brace of pistols--the gift of my brother
Maurice--in my belt; while in my hand I carried a heavy riding-whip, as
did my uncle, serving both to urge on our steeds, and to defend
ourselves against the sudden attack of an unexpected foe. Larry
followed on a pony, with uncombed mane and tail, its coat as shaggy as a
bear's; his only weapon a shillelah; his dress such as he usually wore
on Sundays and holidays. I need not describe the partings which had
previously taken place. The major gave the word "Forward!" and we
trotted down the avenue at a rapid rate. I could not refrain from
giving a lingering look behind. My sisters waved their handkerchiefs;
my mother had too much use for hers to do so; my brothers cheered again
and again; and I saw Larry half pulled from his pony, as his
fellow-servants gripped him by the hands; and two or three damsels, more
demonstrative than the rest, ran forward to receive his parting salutes.
My chest, I should have said, was to come by the waggon, which would
arrive at Cork long before the ship sailed. The more requisite
articles, such as changes of linen and spare shoes, were packed in
valises strapped to Larry's and my cruppers; while the major carried
such things as he required in his saddle-bags. We soon lost sight of
the Shannon, and the top of the castle tower appearing above the trees.
For some time we rode on in silence, but as neither my respected
relative nor I were accustomed to hold our tongues, we soon let them wag
freely. He talked as we rode on in his usual hearty way, giving me
accounts of his adventures in many lands. Larry kept behind us, not
presuming to come up and join in the conversation. He was of too happy
a spirit to mind riding alone, while he relieved himself by cracking
jokes with the passers-by. I have spoken of his warm affection for me.
He also--notwithstanding his rough outside--possessed a talent for
music, and could not only sing a capital song, but had learned to play
the violin from an old fiddler, Peter McLeary, who had presented him
with an instrument, which he valued like the apple of his eye. He now
carried it in its case, strapped carefully on behind him. We rode on
too fast to allow of his playing it, as I have seen him do on horseback
many a time, when coming from marriages or wakes, where he was
consequently in great request. We made a long day's journey, having
rested a couple of hours to bait our horses; and not reaching the town
of Kilmore till long after sundown.
The assizes were taking place. The judge and lawyers, soldiers, police,
and witnesses, filled every house in the town. Consequently the only
inn at which we could hope to obtain accommodation was crowded. All the
guests had retired to their rooms; but the landlady, Mrs Mccarthy, who
knew my uncle, undertook to put us up. Larry took the horses round to
the stables, where he would find his sleeping place, and we entered the
common room. Mrs McCarthy was the only person in the establishment who
seemed to have any of her wits about her. The rest of the inmates who
were still on foot had evidently imbibed a larger amount of the potheen
than their heads could stand, she herself being even more genial than
usual.
"Shure, major dear, there are two gentlemen of the bar up-stairs who
don't know their feet from their heads; and as your honour will be
rising early to continue your journey, we'll just tumble them out on the
floor, and you can take their bed. We'll put them back again before
they wake in the morning; or if we're after forgetting it, they'll only
think they have rolled out of their own accord, and nobody'll be blamed,
or they be the worse for it; and they'll have reason to be thankful,
seeing that if they had really tumbled on the floor, they might have
broken their necks."
My uncle, who would on no account agree to this hospitable proposal,
insisted on sitting up in an arm-chair, with his legs on another,
assuring Mrs McCarthy that he had passed many a night with worse
accommodation.
"Shure, then, the young gentleman must go to bed," observed the hostess.
"There's one I've got for him in the kitchen,--a little snug cupboard
by the fireside; and shure he'll there be as warm and comfortable as a
mouse in its hole."
To this the major agreed, as the bed was not big enough for both of us,
and indeed was too short for him.
Supper being ended, my uncle composed himself in the position he
intended to occupy, with his cloak wrapped round him, and I accompanied
Mrs McCarthy into the kitchen, which was in a delightful state of
disorder. She here let down, from a little niche in which it was
folded, a small cupboard-bed, on which, though the sheets and blankets
were not very clean, I was not sorry to contemplate a night's rest. The
landlady, wishing me good-night, withdrew to her own quarters. Molly,
the maid-servant, I should have said, long before this, overcome by the
sips she had taken at the invitation of the guests, was stowed away in a
corner somewhere out of sight.
Pulling off my boots and laced coat and waistcoat, which I stowed for
safe keeping under the pillow, I turned into bed by the light of the
expiring embers of the fire, and in a few seconds afterwards was fast
asleep. I was not conscious of waking for a single moment during the
night; and had I been called, should have said that only a few minutes
had passed since I had closed my eyes, when, to my horror, all at once I
found myself in a state of suffocation, with my head downwards, pressed
closely between the bolster and pillow, and my feet in the air. Every
moment I thought would be my last. I struggled as violently as my
confined position would allow, unable, in my confusion, to conceive
where I was, or what had happened. I in vain tried to shout out; when I
opened my mouth, the feather pillow filled it, and no sound escaped. I
felt much as, I suppose, a person does drowning. Thoughts of all sorts
rushed into my mind, and I believed that I was doomed to an ignominious
exit from this sublunary scene, when suddenly there came a crash, and,
shot out into the middle of the room, I lay sprawling on the floor,
unable to rise or help myself, my head feeling as if all the blood in my
body had rushed into it. The button which had kept the foot of the
shut-up-bed in its place had given way.
"Murder! murder!" I shouted out, believing that some diabolical attempt
had been made to take my life.
"Murther! murther!" echoed Molly, who, broom in hand, was engaged at the
further end of the kitchen. "Och, somebody has been kilt entirely."
And, frightened at the spectacle I exhibited, she rushed out of the room
to obtain assistance.
My cries and hers had aroused Mrs Mccarthy, who rushed in, followed by
the waiting-man and my uncle, who, gazing at me as I lay on the floor,
and seeing that I was almost black in the face, ordered one of the
servants to run off for the apothecary, to bleed me. In the meantime,
Mrs Mccarthy had hurried out for a pitcher of cold water. Having
dashed some over my face, she poured out several glasses, which I
swallowed one after the other, and by the time the apothecary had
arrived had so far recovered as to be able to dispense with his
services. Molly confessed to having got up at daylight, and begun to
set matters to rights in the kitchen; and, not observing me, supposing
that her mistress--who usually occupied the bed--had risen, she had
hoisted it up into its niche, and had turned the button at the top to
keep it in its place. Had not the button given way, my adventures, I
suspect, would have come to an untimely termination.
Having performed my ablutions, with the assistance of Mrs McCarthy, in
a basin of cold water, I was perfectly ready for breakfast, and very
little the worse for what had happened. Our meal was a hearty one, for
my uncle, like an old soldier, made it a rule to stow away on such
occasions a liberal supply of provisions, which might last him, if needs
be, for the remainder of the day, or far into the next.
Breakfast over, he ordered round the horses, and we recommenced our
journey. After riding some distance, on turning round, I perceived that
Larry was not following us.
"He knows the road we're going, and will soon overtake us," said my
uncle.
We rode on and on, however, and yet Larry didn't appear. I began to
feel uneasy, and at last proposed turning back to ascertain if any
accident had happened to him. He would surely not have remained behind
of his own free will. He had appeared perfectly sober when he brought
me my horse to mount; besides which, I had never known Larry drunk in
his life,--which was saying a great deal in his favour, considering the
example he had had set him by high and low around.
"We'll ride on slowly, and if he doesn't catch us up we'll turn back to
look for the spalpeen, though the delay will be provoking," observed the
major.
Still Larry did not heave in sight.
The country we were now traversing was as wild as any in Ireland. High
hills on one side with tall trees, and more hills on the other,
completely enclosed the road, so that it often appeared as if there was
no outlet ahead. The road itself was rough in the extreme, scarcely
allowing of the passage of a four-wheeled vehicle; indeed, our horses
had in some places to pick their way, and rapid movement was
impossible--unless at the risk of breaking the rider's neck, or his
horse's knees. Those celebrated lines had not been written:--
"If you had seen but these roads before they were made,
You'd have lift up your hands and blessed General Wade."
I had, however, been used to ground of all sorts, and was not to be
stopped by such trifling impediments as rocks, bushes, stone walls, or
streams.
"Something must have delayed Larry," I said at length. "Let me go back,
uncle, and find him, while you ride slowly on."
"No, I'll go with you, Terence. We shall have to make a short journey
instead of a long one, if the gossoon has been detained in Kilmore; and
I haven't clapped eyes on him since we left the town."
We were on the point of turning our horses' heads to go back, when
suddenly, from behind the bushes and rocks on either side of the road, a
score of ruffianly-looking fellows, dressed in the ordinary costume of
Irish peasants, rushed out and sprang towards us, some threatening to
seize our reins, and others pointing muskets, blunderbusses, and pistols
at us. Those not possessing these weapons were armed with shillelahs.
One of the fellows, with long black hair and bushy beard,--a hideous
squint adding to the ferocity of his appearance,--advanced with a
horse-pistol in one hand, the other outstretched as if to seize the
major's rein. At the same time a short but strongly-built ruffian, with
a humpback, sprang towards me, evidently intending to drag me off my
horse, or to haul the animal away, so that I might be separated from my
companion.
"Keep close to my side, Terence," he said in a low voice. "Out with
your pistol, and cover that villain approaching."
At the moment, as he spoke, his sword flashed in the sunlight, and with
the back of the blade he struck up the weapon of his assailant, which
exploded in the air. He was about to bring down the sharp edge on the
fellow's head, when a dozen others, with shrieks and shouts, rushed
towards us, some forcing themselves in between our horses, while others,
keeping on the other side of the major, seized his arms at the risk of
being cut down. Several grasped his legs and stirrups. His horse
plunged and reared, but they nimbly avoided the animal's heels. Two of
the gang held the horse's head down by the reins, while an attempt was
made to drag the rider from his seat. They doubtless thought if they
could master him, that I should become an easy prey. Their object, I
concluded, was to make us prisoners, rather than to take our lives,
which they might have done at any moment by shooting us with their
firearms. Still our position was very far from an agreeable one. My
uncle, who had not spoken another word, firmly kept his seat,
notwithstanding the efforts of the ruffian crew to pull him off his
saddle. In the meantime, the hunchback, whose task, it seemed, was to
secure me, came on, fixing his fierce little eyes on my pistol, which I
fancied was pointed at his head.
"If you come an inch further, I'll fire," I cried out.
He answered by a derisive laugh, followed by an unearthly shriek, given
apparently to unnerve me; and then, as he saw my finger on the trigger,
he ducked his head, as if about to spring into the water. The pistol
went off, the bullet passing above him. The next instant, rising and
springing forward, he clutched my throat, while another fellow caught
hold of my rein.