ded in a hostile spirit. The land he occupied
was let to him by two adjoining proprietors, Mr. Gibbings, of Trinity
College, Dublin, and Mr. Stoney, of Rossturk Castle, near at hand.
There was a convenient dwelling-house on the part of the farm looking
over Clew Bay towards Clare Island, and all was apparently smooth and
pleasant. No sooner, however, was Mr. Hunter established there than a
difficulty arose. The inhabitants of the surrounding country had been
in the habit of cutting turf and pulling sedge on parts of the
mountain and bog included within the limits of Mr. Hunter's farm. It
is only fair to the memory of the deceased gentleman to state that
such rights are frequently paid for, and that he had not taken the
farm subject to any "turbary" rights or local customs. Accordingly he
demanded payment from the people, who objected that they had always
cut turf and pulled sedge on the mountain; that they could not live
without turf for fuel and sedge to serve first as winter bedding for
their cattle and afterwards as manure; that except on Mr. Hunter's
mountain neither turf nor sedge could be got within any reasonable
distance; and, finally, that they had always enjoyed such right. And
so forth. As this was, as already intimated, not in the bond, Mr.
Hunter, not very unnaturally, insisted that if the people would not
pay him his landlord must, and asked Mr. Gibbings to allow him ten
pounds a year off his rent. The latter offered him, as I am informed,
five pounds. The matter was referred to an umpire, who awarded Mr.
Hunter twelve pounds, an assessment which Mr. Gibbings declined to
take into consideration at all. After some further discussion Mr.
Hunter warned the people off his farm and declared their supposed
"turbary" rights at an end. It is of course difficult to arrive at any
conclusion on the merits of the case. All that is certain is, that the
people had long enjoyed privileges which Mr. Gibbings declared to be
simple trespass. Finally he told Mr. Hunter he had his bond and must
enforce it himself. The unfortunate farmer, thus placed, as it were,
between the upper and nether millstone, endeavoured to enforce his
supposed rights. It is almost needless to remark that the people went
on cutting turf just as if nothing had happened. In an evil hour Mr.
Hunter determined to see what the law could do to protect him in the
enjoyment of his farm, and he sued the trespassers accordingly. I will
not attempt to explain th