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command of a captain Ewing, and a junior officer, whose name I am sorry that I cannot recollect."

All

As these circumstances placed us as much at ease, as our situation would admit, and left us free from external interruption, we were at perfect liberty to indulge in conversation, for which we were not at a loss for matter, or inclination. We were twenty in number. of us had been prisoners, not only in different gaols, but different provinces. Hence, though strangers personally, we were mostly known to each other, by name and character. And though the circumstances and pretexts, under which we were committed and confined, were widely different, a community of suffering drew us at once, by a common sympathy, into a common mass. Hence, as every one had much to communicate, and all were anxious to know the concerns of their fellow-sufferers, had we been confined to the hold of our ship, for five weeks, instead of days, the time would have been too short for our various recitals. In fact, they so fully employed our tongues, and occupied our attention, that, far from thinking or speaking of any thing else, we seldom took time to indulge in conjecture, or reasoning, concerning our destination, though to us-to me at least perfectly unknown, till after our landing in Scotland. Sometimes, indeed, the

state

state of the unhappy Neilson, one of our number silenced every tongue, and wounded every heart. A severe fever, under which he had long laboured in Dublin, and notwithstanding the continuance of which, he had been barbarously embarked with the other prisoners, had rendered him, not only weak, but completely delirious. This weakness and delirium still continued, and were not entirely removed till long after our arrival at Fort-George.

As some may read this Narrative, to whom we, or most of us, are totally unknown, and who may wish to know who, and whence we where, and of what description; this place may be as proper, as any other for the gratification of their curiosity, with a view to this, as I have already inserted our names, I have only to add, that we were selected from the three provinces of Ulster, Leinster, and Munster, but, principally, from the city of Dublin, and town of Belfast; that we comprehended, in our body, three magistrates, three barristers, two physicians, one attorney, one apothecary, one printer and bookseller, one printer and one proprietor of a news paper, one dentist, one military captain, one runner to a bank, one merchant taylor, and one presbyterian minister, with an eminent porter brewer; two wholesale merchants, one broker, and two young gentle men, without profession, trade, or calling.

In

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In this statement there may be one error, besides some incorrectness. The error may be, in respect to the Messrs. O'Connor, whose being magistrates I have mentioned on report; but that they were both counsellors is matter of certainty. The incorrectness is in saying that such and such gentlemen "then were," magistrates &c. &c.; whereas I should have said, "they had been," viz. before their arrest. There is a defect also. To the professional part I should have added "A clergyman of the established church," as Arthur O'Connor was ordained as such, previous to his being called to the Bar; and, as episcopal ordination impresses an indelible character, he not only, then was, and now is, but ever must be, a clergyman. Of our circumstances, I shall only say, that we had all been independent-nost of us respectable in our professions-some possessed of large capitals in trade-and others of considerable landed property. Perhaps it may not be amiss to mention here, that, as we were selected from the three principal provinces of Ireland, we were respectively members of the three principal churches in the kingdom, and which alone government has yet acknowledged as churches. Nor is it unworthy of notice, that the number of catholics, protestants, and presbyterians, in our little colony, was in an

inverse

inverse ratio of the number of each denomination, in Ireland at large. Perhaps, the proportion may be stated as follows, though not correctly.

Catholics, two thirds of the people, prisoners,
Presbyterians, more than one fifth of do.

Protestants, less than one seventh of do.

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do.

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10!!!

From this statement, a fact truly anomalous, two presumptions arise: Ist. As a majority of the prisoners were deemed principal authors and promoters of the Irish insurrection; and, as only one fifth of said prisoners were catholics; the representation of that insurrection as " a popish rebellion" cannot be confided in as the very truth. 2dly. That, the protestant ascendency in Ireland, however pre-eminent in splendid titles, lucrative offices, and overwhelming power, has as little pre-eminence to boast of in loyalty, as in numbers, where loyalty is left to provide for itself.

Having endeavoured to do justice to our convoy, and mentioned such circumstances, concerning us, as strangers might wish to be informed of, I shall now proceed with my Narrative, which will present, to my readers persons and things, so characteristically different from those exhibited in the preceding pages, that, did it rest merely on my own credit, I could scarcely expect to be believed. And I am sorry to say that the contrast between our

treatment

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treatment in Ireland, and that which we experienced from our first setting foot on British ground, must ever cast a dark shade over the Irish minister, his minions, and his measures, of the summer of 1798, and the three succeeding years. However, truth ought to be told; and justice requires that I should represent, fairly and honestly, the conduct of the British government, and its servants with whom I was parti cularly connected, during two years and mine months of exile and imprisonment. And, in doing this, I shall confine myself to extracts from my journal, and copies of official docu ments, at this moment in my possession.

I have said that we were landed, at Goorock, on the 30th. of March. On the beach, the military were drawn up in two lines, between which we were conducted, with polite attention, by colonel Hay and the king's messengers, to four coaches, into which we were handed, five and five. This ceremony over, our military escort took their stations-the infantry in our front and rere, and captain Bird with forty four of the Rutland Horse, twenty-two on each side. Thus arranged, and accompanied by a multitude, which, not only crowded the road but covered the adjacent fields, we proceeded to Greenock (two miles and an half) in solemn silence, and with funeral pace. Here, our reception and entertainment excited an equal pleasure

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