inced that all approach in this direction was out of the
question, that a small picket of observation, posted near the Pass of
Barnageeragh, was withdrawn as useless, and the few stockades they had
fixed were still standing as we marched through.

General Humbert had acquired all the details of these separate lines of
attack, and at once decided for the mountain-road, which, besides the
advantage of a surprise, was in reality four miles shorter.

The only difficulty was the transport of our artillery, but as we merely
carried those light field-pieces called 'curricle guns,' and had no want
of numbers to draw them, this was not an obstacle of much moment. With
fifty, sometimes sixty, peasants to a gun, they advanced at a run, up
places where our infantry found the ascent sufficiently toilsome. Here,
indeed, our allies showed in the most favourable colours we had yet seen
them. The prospect of a fight seemed to excite their spirits almost
to madness; every height they surmounted they would break into a wild
cheer, and the vigour with which they tugged the heavy ammunition-carts
through the deep and spongy soil never interfered with the joyous shouts
they gave, and the merry songs they chanted in rude chorus.

'Tra, la, la! the French is comin',
What 'll now the red-coats do?
Maybe they won't get a drubbin'!
Sure we 'll lick them black and blue!

'Ye little knew the day was near ye,
Ye little thought they 'd come so far;
But here's the boys that never fear ye--
Run, yer sowls, for Castlebar!'

To this measure they stepped in time, and although the poetry was
lost upon our ignorance, the rattling joyousness of the air sounded
pleasantly, and our men, soon catching up the tune, joined heartily in
the chorus. Another very popular melody ran somewhat thus:--

'Our day is now begun,
Says the Shan van voght,
Our day is now begun,
Says the Shan van voght.
Our day is now begun,
And ours is all the fun!
Be my sowl ye 'd better run!
Says the Shan van voght!'

There were something like a hundred verses to this famous air, but it
is more than likely, from the specimen given above, that my reader will
forgive the want of memory that leaves me unable to quote the remaining
ninety-nine; nor is it necessary that I should add, that the merit of
these canticles lay in the hoarse accord of a thousand rude voices,
heard in the stil