Every Inch Of Land In The Front Garden Is Utilized
With The Taste That Creates Beauty.
Inside the house is a constant
surprise; the comfort and cosiness, the space to be comfortable in, room
after room appearing as a new revelation, made it appear a very
desirable residence to me.
At the end of the house, from the conservatory, can be seen the tree
under which His Majesty, of glorious, pious and immortal memory, eat his
luncheon on his way to fight for a kingdom at the Boyne. The Bellinghams
were an old family then. Some say proudly, "We came over with good King
William." Others can say, "He found us here when he came."
The evening after my arrival was taken up looking at the house, looking
at the grounds, wondering over the ferns and flowers, and deciding that
it was rather nice to be an Irish country gentleman. The next morning
found me through the gardens wondering over the abundance of fruit and
the perfect management that made the most of every corner.
Mr. Bellingham drove me over to Dunany Castle, where Sir Allan
Bellingham resides at present. The road lay through the usual beautiful
country that spreads along this east coast, plantations of fine trees,
large fields of grain, great meadows and bean fields that perfumed the
air. We passed a large mill; I took particular notice of it, because
mills do not often occur as a feature in the landscape on the western
coast. There were mills at Westport belonging to the Messrs.
Livingstone, but they were not as obtrusive as American mills are. One
became aware of them by the prosperity they created. In Cong, the corn
mill standing idle and falling to ruin, was the last mill which I had
observed. This was one reason of my noticing this mill, which was busily
working.
When we came where the road lay along the shore, Mr. Bellingham stopped
the carriage that I might see the salmon fishers hauling in their nets.
This salmon fishery is very valuable. In 1845 the right to fish here was
paid for at the rate of L10 per annum; in 1881 the right to fish brings
L130. Still, I am told, the man who has the fishing makes a great deal.
The fish are exported. This salmon fishery belongs to Sir Allan
Bellingham. It was a strange sight to me to see so many men and boys
walking unconcernedly waist deep in the sea. I wondered over the number
of men and boys which were required to haul in one net. Truly, fishing
is a laborious business, but still, how pleasant to see the busy fisher
folk, and to know that work brings meat. I remembered the silent waters
on long stretches of the western shores. I remembered the rejoicing at
Dromore west, over the Canadian given boats. God bless, and prosper, and
multiply the fisher folk. In from the sea, through the pleasant land, we
drove a little farther into the solemn woods that surround Dunany
Castle.
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