The Felon's Track; Or, History of the Attempted Outbreak in Ireland: Embracing the Leading Events in the Irish Struggle From the Year 1843 to the Close of 1848Doheny, Michael
History
The Felon's Track; Or, History of the Attempted Outbreak in Ireland: Embracing the Leading Events in the Irish Struggle From the Year 1843 to the Close of 1848
Doheny, Michael
Ireland -- History -- Rising of 1848; Young Ireland Party -- History; Young Ireland movement
set out, but little refreshed. We hoped to find refreshments in a small
publichouse, on the road leading from Clogheen to Lismore. I entered the
house rather hurriedly, and the first object that met my view was a
policeman. I turned quickly round and disappeared. The rapidity of my
movement attracted his attention, and, calling to his comrades and some
countrymen who were in the house, they commenced a pursuit. At first
they appeared little concerned, but walked quickly. We accordingly
quickened our pace, and they, in turn, began to run, when it became a
regular chase, which continued four miles, until we disappeared in the
blue mists of the Mitchelstown mountains, as night was falling around
us. When we saw our pursuers retiring, we ventured to descend, and
entered a cabin where we found a few cold half-formed new potatoes and
some sour milk which we ravenously devoured. I do not remember ever
enjoying a dinner as I did this. My comrade, who had suffered much from
illness, was unable to eat with the same relish. It was night when we
finished our repast, and we set off in search of some place to lay our
heads. We met several refusals, and succeeded, with great difficulty at
last, in a very poor cabin. We saw a lone hen on a cross-beam, which we
proposed to purchase, and bought at last for two shillings. In less
than an hour she was disposed of; and, as was invariably the case, we
got the only bed in the house, where we slept a long and dreamless
sleep. It rained incessantly the next day, and we were forced repeatedly
to take shelter in cabins by the wayside. But, being excessively anxious
to get as far as possible beyond the circle enclosed by our foes, we
descended several miles along the Kilworth mountains. Towards the close
of evening we crossed the River Funcheon, near Kilworth, by means of a
fir-tree, the roots of which had been undermined by the rapid flood. We
had spent the whole day in wet clothes. We mounted this tree,
Indian-like, in the midst of rain, and dropped in the shallow part of
the river from the branches. We were unable to procure lodgings
afterwards until nearly eleven o'clock, and then not without difficulty.
We succeeded, at length, within about a quarter of a mile of Kilworth,
whence we were able to procure bread, tea and beefsteaks. We were very
kindly treated, and next day accompanied to the Blackwater, at Castle
Hyde, by the eldest brother of the family.
I shall not easily forget the delicacy with which this young man
requested, if we thought it compatible with our safety, to tell him our
names. There are few requests which either of us would feel greater
reluctance in refusing. He saw our evident struggle, and said he would
be satisfied with a promise that when our fate would be decided one way
or the other, we would write to him; a promise which I redeemed the day
after I reached Paris.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account