tics of a great Irish gathering were not to be
perceived anywhere. The wrong, whether real or imaginary, done to
Allen, O'Brien, and Larkin, made their memory sacred with the
thousands that stood for hours in the December wet and cold of
yesterday, to testify by their presence their feelings and their
sympathies. The horsemen wearing green rosettes, trimmed with crape,
who rode in advance of the procession, kept back the crowds at either
side that encroached on the space in the centre of the street
required for the vast coming mass to move through. On it came, the
advance with measured tread, to the music of the band in front, and
notwithstanding the mire which had to be waded through, the line went
on at quiet pace, and with admirable order, but there was no effort
at anything like semi-military swagger or pompous demonstration.
Every window along the route of the procession was fully occupied by
male and female spectators, all wearing green ribbons and crape, and
in front of several of the houses black drapery was suspended. The
tide of men, women, and children continued to roll on in the
drenching rain, but nearly all the fair processionists carried
umbrellas. It was not till the head of the vast moving throng had
reached James's-gate that anything like a just conception could be
formed of its magnitude, as it was only now that it was beginning to
get into regular shape and find room to extend itself. The persons
whose duty it was to keep the several parts of the procession well
together had no easy part to play, as the line had to be repeatedly
broken to permit the ordinary carriage traffic of the streets to go
on with as little delay as possible. The _cortege_ at this point
looked grand and solemn in the extreme because of its vastness, and
also because of all present appearing to be impressed with the one
idea. The gloomy, wet, and cheerless weather was quite in keeping
with the funeral march of 35,000 people. The bands were placed at
such proper distances that the playing of one did not interfere with
the other. After passing James's-gate the band in front ceased to
perform, and on passing the house 151 Thomas-street every head was
uncovered in honour of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, who was arrested and
mortally wounded by Major Sirr and his assistants in the front
bedroom of the second floor of that house. Such was