after he left Eton his father was affected by it all the rest
parohased him a commission, of his life.
his regiment being then sta- After he recovered he spent
tioned in Galway City, some time in London, and more

He was not long in the regi- time in Paris. His fighting
ment before he began his fight. propensities, which now de-
ing career. The first duel aroseveloped rapidly, made him
over his attentions to a young much disliked in England and
and pretty milliner. His de- muoh admired in France. After
monstrations of affection be- a long stay over the water, he
oame so pressing, and he fright- returned to Ireland, married,
ened the lady so much, that she took up his residenoe at his
soreamed for help. A neigh- Mayo seat, Turlough Castle,
bouring shopkeeper came to and rented a town house in
her aid, and after warm words Dablin,
with Fitzgerald, challenged At Dublin he had duels with
him. Fitzgerald haughtily re- Denis Browne, the son of Lord
fused to fight with a trades- Altamont, and Toler, after-
man, but said that if the shop- wards Lord Norbury; and at
keeper oould get a gentleman a Castle levee he distinguished
to take his part he would be himself by spitting in the face
happy to meet him. The shop- of Fitzgibbon, afterwards Lord
keeper did get a gentleman Clare. But henceforth big

his one Cæsar Frenoh—and he and fame arises chiefly out of his Fitzgerald at once adjourned exploits in Mayo. to the shopkeeper's premises to The first of these exploits settle the quarrel. They fired was his ill-treatment of his once, and neither was hit; own father: he imprisoned the they were about to fire again old man, and even, it is said, when some of the publio, hear- harnessed him along with a ing the report of the pistols, pet bear which he had brought broke into the house and from France. His younger separated them.

brother, Lionel, prosecuted him Naturally this affray was for this, and his counsel was discussed that night at the Diok Martin, the King of Conregimental megs, and Colonel nemara, who had been called Thompson hotly desoribed Fitz- to the Bar, as many landed gerald's conduot as ungentle- proprietors then were, not for manly and a dishonour to the the purpose of practising for regiment. Fitzgerald at once profit, but of qualifying himohallenged the Colonel. They self to defend in Court his met the next day, and at the own rights and the rights of first fire the Colonel's bullet his friends. Martin seems to struok Fitzgerald on the head, to have denounced Fitzgerald's The wound was very sovere; conduct in the point-blank way for weeks Fitzgerald was an oustomary at that time, and invalid, and many persons Fitzgerald bitterly resented it. were of opinion that his mind “Martin," he said to the bar

of

rister, "you look very healthy Derry, by way of being a now; you take good care of Patriot, 80 he beoame very your constitution; but, I tell friendly with the Binghams, you, this day you have taken or perhaps it would be more very bad oare of your life." soourate to say, violently Fitzgerald was found guilty and hostile to the Brownes. He imprisoned. He soon, showed his hostility in his own through his family influence, manner. The Ladies Browne released, and then he took an had a great wolf-dog, which early opportunity of insulting they called after their unole, Martin. There was a meeting the Prime Sergeant. One day between them at Castlebar in Fitzgerald called at the family the barrack-yard-of all places mansion and demanded to see in the world—and Martin re- The Prime Sergeant. ceived & wound that im perilled terrified ladies directed that it his life.

should be shown to him. The But it was & feud between moment he saw it he drew a two great magnates in Mayo pistol and shot it through the whioh got Fitzgerald into most head, deolaring that it was & gorapes. Lord Altamont-the shame to feed such a brute on head of the Browne family, the best of the land when half was a Government man; Lord the people were starving. He Luoan — the head the added graciously that he did Bingham family-was a Pat- not mind if the ladies kept lapriot man; and they fought not dogs. merely with votes and speeches, Fitzgibbon, the Attorneybut with pistols and mobs, General, was now practically for the representation of the the ruler of Ireland. He was oounty in Parliament. At one not the sort of man to forget election Denis Browne, before- an insult, and so Fitzgerald's mentioned, Lord Altamont's hatred of the Brownes inson, was the Government oandi. oreased their favour with him. date. His uncle, James Browne, The family soon had complete who was Prime Sergeant at the control of the county, and Irish Bar, saw that a duel was they watched their opporthe way to the affections of tunity for putting Fitzgerald the electors, and told Denis way. 80. Denis thereupon picked a

This opportunity erose quarrel with his opponent, Lord through what was common Bingham, which again was enough in the West of Ireland fought out in the barraok. -the abduotion of an heiress. yard, with hundreds of the The chief criminal in the populace looking on, Denis matter was a Welshman and Browne won, and was in due an English barrister called course duly elected member for Timothy Breoknook. He was the county.

an elderly man, but he was Fitzgerald was, as beoame most anxious to marry a young the nephew of the Bishop of lady oalled Miss Anne O'Donel.

were

88

Miss O'Donel, however, had justified in shooting them if her own views on the subjeot, a rescue was attempted. Howand she maoh preferred a suitor ever that may be, a resone, real of a more equal age called or bogus, was attempted, and Hyacinth Martin. So Breok- the prisoners were shot. nook decided to carry the lady The Brownes saw their opoff and make her marry him portunity. Fitzgerald and whether she liked it or not. Breoknook and the men of the Fitzgerald was a olose friend escort

arrested and of Brooknook's, and he gladly charged with murder. While assisted him in the enterprise. Fitzgerald lay in Castlebar When this was accomplished, prison, the Brownes seemed to and the hue and ory was up, it have entertained a doubt of struok Brecknook's legal mind his oonviotion, for some of their that it would be wise to throw followers broke into the prison suspicion on somebody else. and so brutally maltreated him He sooordingly had informa- that it was thought for a time tions sworn against several he could not survive. But he enemies of his and Fitzgerald's, did, and was brought to trial and Fitzgerald issued writs at the spring assizes of 1796. for their arrest for a crime Fitzgibbon, Attorneywhioh he and the informer General, oame down to prosehad committed. He himself, oute; Dennis Browne, as High with the help of his retainers Sheriff, empanelled the jury; at Tarlough Castle, arrested 80 the result oan be antioithem and imprisoned them in pated. On Sootoh Andy's evi. his own house, An Ulster dence, wbioh nobody believed, retainer known Sootoh all the prisoners save Sootoh Andy was put in charge of Andy were oonvicted and senthem, and after they had spent tenoed to death. Fitzgerald & night at Turlough Castle, he, asked for two days' respite, with a number of other men, in order to put his private all fally armed, was sent to affairs in order, but more proescort the prisoners to the jail bably in hope of a reprieve. at Castlebar.

This was refused him. And it Sootoh Andy afterwards, in was ordered that he should be giving King's evidence, said hanged the next afternoon. that Fitzgerald had given him It was afterwards said that orders to shoot the prisoners if Denis Browne received a rea resone was attempted. It is prieve from Dublin the next probable that he said this to morning. If he did, he kept gain favoar with the prosecu- the fact secret. The execution tion; for, from all the state- took place, as the Judges bad ments of the other men en- directed, at sunset on 12th June gaged in the affair, it was 1786

1786. Whether by accident or Breoknook who told them that, design, it proved å ghastly and as the prisoners were charged bangled business. The first with a felony, they would be rope ased was rotten, and

snapped when Fitzgerald fell and in a few minutes Fitzfrom the Boaffold. Another gerald's form hung lifeless bewas prooured. It was rotten tween heaven and earth. too, and snapped again. Fitz- So lived and so died the gerald's legs were broken by most dauntless of the firethe fall; but he had intelli- eaters. Suoh a life and death gence and courage enough to were surely possible, even in oall out-adopting the popular the eighteenth century, in ne view that, when the second other nominally oivilised attempt to hang & conviot is country in the world save Ireabortive, he is entitled to his land. The less said of his life liberty—“Now my life's my the better; but as to his death,

“No," oried Denis most readers, I think, will Browne, "not as long as there agree with what a distinguished is a rope left in Mayo!” A counsel said to his Judges third rope was prooured, it was when they returned to Dublin, fastened round his neck, and “Well, though Fitzgerald got he was thrown from the scaf. no more than he deseved, yet fold. This time it stood firm, the murderer was murdered.” 1

THE ODYSSEY OF BRIG X.

BY FRANK H. SHAW.

II.

our

THE disposal of our 048u- perience went, the Italians were alties and prisoners was not very keenly “on the mako" & partioularly diffioult matter during certain periods of the when once we had reached port. war. But, owing to the rumoured What the would-be charterer presence of spies in this friendly got by way of answer we did port, the removals were effeoted not hear; but not very long under cover of darkness; we after his visit, daring a meal maintained camouflage hour, another boat approached rigidly, although it was not us in the nonohalant devious perhaps the easiest matter in way suoh boats have. It was the world. A small brig oan a bamboat, oarrying, in addition become very small when in to an assortment of fruit and port, with no refreshing breezes vegetables and such oddments, to temper the below-dock heat; a man or two and a woman or but we oontrived to give the two, with a oouple of ohildren— hands a certain amount of fresh as though the families of the air by working them in relays, principals had decided that this eight men at a time appearing was the day and the hour for a on deok, so that near-lying dress-parade. They promptly 60asting craft, if they were indioated their wish to come disposed to inquire too closely olose alongside and commence into our bona fides, might not trading; but, aoting on the be rendered suspicious by the striot regulations which we had exaggerated size of our crew. laid down, they were warned In this way we went on with off. Now, we had satisfied ourfair suocess, 28 we thought; selves that morning, at dawn, though we had rather a shook by means of a trip olean round after we had been a matter of the ship, that she was a couple of days in the harbour. oellently disguised. There was That an enterprising Sicilian literally nothing suggestive of merchant should pull alongside a man-of-war about her: her and request to be allowed to oable, from water-line to hawseoome aboard with a view to pipe, was rasted and clotted ohartering the ship for & coast. with dried mud instead of being wide voyage was a compliment neatly blackened; her sides to our camouflage.

were smeared with rost streaks, referred to the looal shipping and there were even evidences oontroller, and went away of cargo having recently been happy, probably thinking of worked in at the hatches, for profits, for so far as our ex- we had spent some little time

VOL. CCVII.-NO. MCCLIV.