The  widow  M'Gill's  wretched  hovel  still  existed  in  the  vicinity
of  the  strong,  stone  walled,  and  slated^houses  of  the  new  colonists,
two  of  whom  had  been  murdered  in  open  day  when  returning
from  a  neighbouring  market,  and  others  fired  at  when  any  oppor-
tunity occurred.  Large  rewards  were  offered  for  the  conviction
of  the  perpetrators  of  these  horrible  crimes,  and  a  great  number
of  persons  were  taken  up  and  sent  to  prison,  some  charged  as
principals  in  the  murders,  and  others  as  members  of  a  wide-spread
conspiracy,  the  object  of  which  was  to  murder  Mr.  Curlew  and
all  the  new  tenants  who  came  on  the  lands  of  Ballintrasna.  The
trials  of  those  wretched  men  were  to  take  place  at  the  assizes  of

,  and  thither  Bob  was  sent  to  report  the  proceedings.  He

found  the  town  full  of  military  and  police,  who  to  the  great  loss
of  the  publicans  and  inn-keepers,  were  billetted  on  them,  and
occupied  the  entire  of  their  houses,  without  anything  being
given  in  return  but  insolence  and  annoyance.  Two  pieces  of
cannon  were  placed  upon  a  bridge  leading  to  the  town,  and  two
more  on  a  height  that  commanded  it.  Dragoons  rode  up  and
down  through  the  streets,  from  which  the  people  were  banished
into  corners  and  gateways,  and  pushed  about  with  the  muskets
of  the  soldiers  and  police.
Bob  was  exceedingly  amazed  at  this  exhibition,  and  thought
that  all  he  heard  and  read  of  the  mild  spirit  of  the  British  law
was  a  mere  delusive  tale.
The  commission  was  opened  on  the  morning  after  Bob  arrived.
