and ride thence, to Belfast, in the evening. However meeting some gentlemen, on their way to Belfast, who told me that major Crawford was not at home, I accompanied them thither," Next day, I rode out to Ballygown-house, the seat of Robert Rollo Reid, Esq. where I spent the afternoon and night, that I might be convenient to Saintfield fair, in which I intended to buy a horse, next day. On Thursday, I paraded the fair, for several hours, aud in the most public manner, but did not find a horse, such as I wished for. On mentioning my disappointment, to some gentlemen present, one of them said, that he knew a horse, such as I had described and that the proprietor wished to dispose of him, but that neither he nor the horse was in the fair. On learning that captain George Sinclair, of Belfast, was the owner, I expressed a wish to have the horse sent to town, as I was obliged to be there, on the following morning. On this, a gentleman, having looked around shouted, "M'Ginn." McGinn immediately came forward, and being requested to call at captain Sinclair's, and order his servant to take the grey horse to town, next morning, as there would be a gentleman there to buy him, pro-' mised that he would.

This being settled, the day far spent, and my appetite keen, I went to, what was called the best inn, (I believe, Elliot's) to get some refresh

ment

ment. From the hurry and confusion of the place, I could not get a morsel, with any comfort. On this disappointment, I called at the house of a David Shaw, where I got some excellent cold beef, drank one tumbler of punch, and immediately left town, with an intention of returning to Belfast, without having entered a house in Saintfield, except the inn, as above mentioned, and that of David Shaw; or spoken to an individual, except in the public fair.*

These circumstances, though seemingly trivial, will afterwards appear of some importance, from their relation to M'Ginn, as the message about the horse, is transformed, by John Hughes, into a message to him, then in Belfast, relative to my intended removal to Ballinahinch. I mention

sons.

* I have mentioned the two nights, spent with Mr. Reid, as they were the fifth and sixth before my arrest, for several rea1st, he had been my púpil, from his seventh to the end of his tenth year. 2dly, in consequence of this I had lived in perfect confidence with him whenever we met. 3dly, from these circumstances, I might be supposed to have unbosomed myself, to him, respecting my military command, &c. &c. especially, as fame had conferred on him the rank of colonel. 4thly, on the latter of these evenings, he expressed great uneasiness, from the apprehension that Mr. Cleland would call, while I was with him. And 5thly, he was one of the reputed informers, after my arrest and, on whose information, my conviction was 'deemed certain; as he had been obliged to flee the country in 1797, and permitted to return, through interest so special, that under the influence of reviving loyalty, cherished by gratitude, his testimony was counted on, as a matter of course, and great things expected from it.

I mention them, also, for another reason. During the whole of my stay, in Saintfield, on that day, I was so faithfully attended, at humble, distance, by a few gentlemen, that, whenever I looked round, they met my eye, I say "gen-. tlemen," because one of them was possessed of a considerable landed property, and another a dignitary of the church; and, to all such, courtesy and custom allow that appellation.*

In the evening, instead of proceeding to Belfast, I stopped at Ballygown, where I slept that night also; and next morning, set out for Belfast, on business, and in hope of seeing capt. Sinclair. and his horse; but, unfortunately, the captain was not at home, and the horse was not sent to town. I suppose Mr. M'Ginn, had mistaken. his route, as well as the purport of his message.

On this disappointment, as the horse which I rode, was not only a slow traveller, but weak, I intended to go part of the way, that evening to Ballee, where, by appointment of presbytery, I was to preach next day, and administer the

sacrament

Whatever ideas the particular attention of these gentlemen excited at the time, I have frequently reflected on it since, with equal pleasure, and gratitude, though not gratitude to them. It supplies a strong presumption, at least, that I was neither in improper company, nor improperly employed, on that occasion; whatever may have been surmised afterwards, on the authority of Mr. Hughes, who will be introduced in the sequel.

sacrament of the lord's supper, on the day following. However, as I was mounting, I was accosted by Mr. John Coulter, of Collon, who, on knowing my situation, pressed me to go home with him, and promised to accommodate me, with a horse, which would carry me. to Ballee, in due time next morning, with ease and safety. I did so, and, setting out early in the morning, reached Downpatrick, twenty miles distant, before eleven o'Clock. *

On my arrival, a new circumstance occurred, which proved, with what avidity my inculpation was sought for, and with what eagerness every word of mine was laid hold of, by the minions at Newtown-Ards, which, even by implication, could possibly lead to it. Before I could enter the inn, at which I stopped, captain Marshall, of the York Fencibles, whom I have already mentioned, came up to me, and, accompanying me into a room, told me, with affectionate agitation, that he had been at Portaferry, in my absence, with a message from colonel Stapleton, to enquire on what authority I had said, at Mr. Sinclair's

I hope this circumstance will be recollected, when the testimony of John Hughes shall be brought forward; as he is made to swear that I was to go to Mr. Pottinger's, not one mile from Belfast, on that day, and wait there till seven o'Clock in the evening, that he might have an opportunity of sending me the intelligence for which I had come to Belfast; which intelligence, he also swears that I communicated to him at the same time.

Sinclair's, on Monday, "that a party of the Black Horse had gone over to the insurgents," Let it not be forgotten that colonel Stapleton was an entire stranger to me, and, that he was then resident in Newtown Ards ! ! ! !

I immediately gave captain Marshall an account as before written, of that and other reports of the day, which I had repeated there, and begged that he might communicate it to colonel Stapleton. He said, he had much rather I would write to the colonel. I, therefore, got pen, ink, and paper, and wrote him, that I had repeated the "rumour of the Black Horse," and several others, at Mr. Sinclair's, on Monday, as the common reports of that morning in Belfast-that, if I had been there, two days afterwards, on my return from the same place, I could, and perhaps would, have repeated many more, which were in general circulation-and that I would not have thought myself blameable in so doing: but that, if any farther inquiry was deemed necessary, "I would be found at Ballee, the two following days, and in Portaferry at night; and that, for some weeks afterwards, I would be found at Ballinahinch, from noon on Monday, until the same hour on Saturday, and on the intermediate time, in Portaferry, on the road between the two places." This letter I read to captain Marshall, sealed, put into his hand,

and