To return to the bank upon which we were lounging: we observed that immediately behind us, on our funnel poop bow, there was a heavy lighter, manned by two men, and drawn by a melancholy apparition of a horse. To allow this combination to pass us, we sent our crew out in a small boat to fasten a line (which was attached to the "Mary") to a large tree growing by the river's bank. By this means we made ourselves doubly secure on the bank, and awakened a train of thought upon the subject of Bank Securities, and arrived at the conclusion that, however desirable it might be to be secured on the Ulster Banking Co., security on the Lagan Bank had its discrepancies.

We then consulted the barge-men in charge of the lighter: they told us we were fast ; we thanked them and smiled. They then stopped their horse, which turned and cast upon us a look of profound pity. This animal was in personal appearance about the middle height, and the shape of an obtuse-angled triangle. Most of his complexion had been knocked off, but what was left was brown; he had many points-in fact he was covered with them; but his most formidable possession was his power of contemptuous smiling. This was simply ghastly, and made one's blood cold. We suggested that this dreadful creature should try to drag us out of our difficulties. When his owner approached him, he reached out his hind leg to count the buttons on the man's waistcoat ; but a blow from a cudgel stopped his arithmetic, and turned his thoughts to more commonplace subjects. Attaching him to his own boat, we attached it to ours, and thus achieved an undisputed triumph over our satirical friend; and although we had made a hole in the bank, we left the balance, and saved our credit.

We then proceeded on our way rejoicing, until we came to a lock ; at this point we were joined by another passenger, who, at this and the following locks, proved himself the most agreeable lock-smith we ever met.

At Drum Bridge we took on board a further and last contingent of passengers ; there were five in number, all ladies but one, and he wasn't; an additional supply of provisions, and a load of envy and good wishes from admiring villagers; thus with a fair wind and smoky complexions we fairly started upon the perils of the deeps and shallows. About this time we began to experience inwardly what is, in poetic language, described as

and, to fill it, suggested breakfast. With that kindness which invariably characterises ladies, they began immediate preparations for that meal, during which the male portion of the crew were solaced by the rattling of delph.