ling of the wind, and the uproar on deck. I kept myself close,
however, as is still my constant practice on similar occasions, and
waited the result with that apathy and indifference which violent sea-
sickness is sure to produce. We shipped several seas, and once the
vessel missing stays--which, to do it justice, it generally did at every
third or fourth tack--we escaped almost by a miracle from being dashed
upon the foreland. On the eighth day of our voyage we were in sight of
Ireland. The weather was now calm and serene, the sun shone brightly on
the sea and on certain green hills in the distance, on which I descried
what at first sight I believed to be two ladies gathering flowers, which,
however, on our nearer approach, proved to be two tall white towers,
doubtless built for some purpose or other, though I did not learn for
what.

We entered a kind of bay, or cove, {89b} by a narrow inlet; it was a
beautiful and romantic place this cove, very spacious, and, being nearly
land-locked, was sheltered from every wind. A small island, every inch
of which was covered with fortifications, appeared to swim upon the
waters, whose dark blue denoted their immense depth; tall green hills,
which ascended gradually from the shore, formed the background to the
west; they were carpeted to the top with turf of the most vivid green,
and studded here and there with woods, seemingly of oak; there was a
strange old castle half way up the ascent, a village on a crag--but the
mists of morning were half veiling the scene when I surveyed it, and the
mists of time are now hanging densely between it and my no longer
youthful eye; I may not describe it;--nor will I try.

Leaving the ship in the cove, we passed up a wide river in boats till we
came to a city, {90} where we disembarked. It was a large city, as large
as Edinburgh to my eyes; there were plenty of fine houses, but little
neatness; the streets were full of impurities; handsome equipages rolled
along, but the greater part of the population were in rags; beggars
abounded; there was no lack of merriment, however; boisterous shouts of
laughter were heard on every side. It appeared a city of contradictions.
After a few days' rest we marched from this place in two divisions. My
father commanded the second, I walked by his side.

Our route lay up the country; the country at first offered no very
remarkable feature, it was pretty, but tame. On the second day, however,
its appeara