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Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
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We then had the novel experience of going through eight locks ; this quite satisfied anyone possessed of burglarious intentions, and would have been interesting to Mr. Chubb, or any other safe man, but we found it rather a bore.

In the afternoon every one desired to be as classical, continentally speaking, as possible. For the rest of the day French was the medium of conversation : the French Academy would certainly have learned something of the resources and flexibility of their language, had they been present ; the loss, however, was theirs, and not ours.

Our tea was an equally pleasant meal with the others ; in fact, the arrangements made by the ladies were simply perfection during the whole of the trip. When we were finishing that meal, we were informed that the boat had arrived in Lough Neagh ; this was scarcely correct, as we were only in sight of the Lough, and not actually in it. We suggest to our informant that he be more accurate in future, following the Scriptural injunction which requires your Yea to be Yea, and your Nay Neagh.

We decided to land and explore. The only signs of life we discovered were in a Commissionaire, who was dozing. On rousing him, we found the nearest house was his own, two miles away ; so, as a company of pilgrims, we started for that edifice. The nearest hotel and railway station were a mile or two away from the house; so messengers were despatched to procure means of transit. They procured two cars, calculated to carry together ten people. On these, thirteen human beings mounted, and commenced a journey towards civilisation. Arrived there, the hotel received some, the railway others, and thus ended what was

Only a day of pleasure,
Alas ! too quickly fled ;
Only a pleasant meeting,
So soon to be scattered.

 

Only a weary writer,
Who has worked to-day for his bread
Only just completed his writing,
He takes himself up to bed.

Reader, go thou and do likewise.

W. H. C.