the　French。　　〃In　my　childhood；〃　said　I；　〃the　Russians　used　to　help
  us　against　the　French；　now　the　French　help　us　against　the　Russians。
  Who　knows　but　before　I　die　I　may　see　the　Russians　helping　the
  French　against　us？〃
  CHAPTER　CVIII
  Town　of　Newport　…　The　Usk　…　Note　of　Recognition　…　An　Old
  Acquaintance　…　Connamara　Quean　…　The　Wake　…　The　Wild　Irish　…　The
  Tramping　Life　…　Business　and　Prayer　…　Methodists　…　Good　Counsel。
  NEWPORT　is　a　large　town　in　Monmouthshire；　and　had　once　walls　and　a
  castle。　　It　is　called　in　Welsh　Cas　Newydd　ar　Wysg；　or　the　New
  Castle　upon　the　Usk。　　It　stands　some　miles　below　Caerlleon　ar　Wysg；
  and　was　probably　built　when　that　place；　at　one　time　one　of　the　most
  considerable　towns　in　Britain；　began　to　fall　into　decay。　　The　Wysg
  or　Usk　has　its　source　among　some　wild　hills　in　the　south…west　of
  Breconshire；　and；　after　absorbing　several　smaller　streams；　amongst
  which　is　the　Hondu；　at　the　mouth　of　which　Brecon　stands；　which　on
  that　account　is　called　in　Welsh　Aber　Hondu；　and　traversing　the
  whole　of　Monmouthshire；　enters　the　Bristol　Channel　near　Newport；　to
  which　place　vessels　of　considerable　burden　can　ascend。　　Wysg　or　Usk
  is　an　ancient　British　word；　signifying　water；　and　is　the　same　as
  the　Irish　word　uisge　or　whiskey；　for　whiskey；　though　generally
  serving　to　denote　a　spirituous　liquor；　in　great　vogue　amongst　the
  Irish；　means　simply　water。　　The　proper　term　for　the　spirit　is
  uisquebaugh；　literally　acqua　vitae；　but　the　compound　being
  abbreviated　by　the　English；　who　have　always　been　notorious　for
  their　habit　of　clipping　words；　one　of　the　strongest　of　spirits　is
  now　generally　denominated　by　a　word　which　is　properly　expressive　of
  the　simple　element　water。
  Monmouthshire　is　at　present　considered　an　English　county；　though
  certainly　with　little　reason；　for　it　not　only　stands　on　the　western
  side　of　the　Wye；　but　the　names　of　almost　all　its　parishes　are
  Welsh；　and　many　thousands　of　its　population　still　speak　the　Welsh
  language。　　It　is　called　in　Welsh　Sir；　or　Shire；　Fynwy；　and　takes
  its　name　from　the　town　Mynwy　or　Monmouth；　which　receives　its　own
  appellation　from　the　river　Mynwy　or　Minno；　on　which　it　stands。
  There　is　a　river　of　much　the　same　name；　not　in　Macedon　but　in　the
  Peninsula；　namely　the　Minho；　which　probably　got　its　denomination
  from　that　race　cognate　to　the　Cumry；　the　Gael；　who　were　the　first
  colonisers　of　the　Peninsula；　and　whose　generic　name　yet　stares　us
  in　the　face　and　salutes　our　ears　in　the　words　Galicia　and　Portugal。
  I　left　Newport　at　about　ten　o'clock　on　the　16th；　the　roads　were
  very　wet；　there　having　been　a　deluge　of　rain　during　the　night。　　The
  morning　was　a　regular　November　one；　dull　and　gloomy。　　Desirous　of
  knowing　whereabouts　in　these　parts　the　Welsh　language　ceased；　I
  interrogated　several　people　whom　I　met。　　First　spoke　to　Esther
  Williams。　　She　told　me　she　came　from　Pennow；　some　miles　farther　on；
  that　she　could　speak　Welsh；　and　that　indeed　all　the　people　could
  for　at　least　eight　miles　to　the　east　of　Newport。　　This　latter
  assertion　of　hers　was；　however；　anything　but　corroborated　by　a
  young　woman；　with　a　pitcher　on　her　head；　whom　I　shortly　afterwards
  met；　for　she　informed　me　that　she　could　speak　no　Welsh；　and　that
  for　one　who　could　speak　it；　from　where　I　was　to　the　place　where　it
  ceased　altogether；　there　were　ten　who　could　not。　　I　believe　the
  real　fact　is　that　about　half　the　people　for　seven　or　eight　miles　to
  the　east　of　Newport　speak　Welsh；　more　or　less；　as　about　half　those
  whom　I　met　and　addressed　in　Welsh；　answered　me　in　that　tongue。
  Passed　through　Pennow　or　Penhow；　a　small　village。　　The　scenery　in
  the　neighbourhood　of　this　place　is　highly　interesting。　　To　the
  north…west　at　some　distance　is　Mynydd　Turvey；　a　sharp　pointed　blue
  mountain。　　To　the　south…east；　on　the　right；　much　nearer；　are　two
  beautiful　green　hills；　the　lowest　prettily　wooded；　and　having　its
  top　a　fair　white　mansion　called　Penhow　Castle；　which　belongs　to　a
  family　of　the　name　of　Cave。　　Thence　to　Llanvaches；　a　pretty　little
  village。　　When　I　was　about　the　middle　of　this　place　I　heard　an　odd
  sound；　something　like　a　note　of　recognition；　which　attracted　my
  attention　to　an　object　very　near　to　me；　from　which　it　seemed　to
  proceed；　and　which　was　coming　from　the　direction　in　which　I　was
  going。　　It　was　the　figure　seemingly　of　a　female；　wrapped　in　a
  coarse　blue　cloak；　the　feet　bare　and　the　legs　bare　also　nearly　up
  to　the　knee；　both　terribly　splashed　with　the　slush　of　the　road。
  The　head　was　surmounted　by　a　kind　of　hood；　which　just　permitted　me
  to　see　coarse　red　hair；　a　broad　face；　grey　eyes；　a　snubbed　nose；
  blubber　lips　and　great　white　teeth　…　the　eyes　were　staring　intently
  at　me。　　I　stopped　and　stared　too；　and　at　last　thought　I　recognised
  the　features　of　the　uncouth　girl　I　had　seen　on　the　green　near
  Chester　with　the　Irish　tinker　Tourlough　and　his　wife。
  〃Dear　me！〃　said　I；　〃did　I　not　see　you　near　Chester　last　summer？〃
  〃To　be　sure　ye　did；　and　ye　were　going　to　pass　me　without　a　word　of
  notice　or　kindness　had　I　not　given　ye　a　bit　of　a　hail。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃I　beg　your　pardon。　　How　is　it　all　wid　ye？〃
  〃Quite　well。　　How　is　it　wid　yere　hanner？'
  〃Tolerably。　　Where　do　you　come　from？〃
  〃From　Chepstow；　yere　hanner。〃
  〃And　where　are　you　going　to？〃
  〃To　Newport；　yere　hanner。〃
  〃And　I　come　from　Newport；　and　am　going　to　Chepstow。　　Where's
  Tourlough　and　his　wife？〃
  〃At　Cardiff；　yere　hanner；　I　shall　join　them　again　to…morrow。〃
  〃Have　you　been　long　away　from　them？〃
  〃About　a　week；　yere　hanner。〃
  〃And　what　have　you　been　doing？〃
  〃Selling　my　needles；　yere　hanner。〃
  〃Oh！　you　sell　needles。　　Well；　I　am　glad　to　have　met　you。　　Let　me
  see。　　There's　a　nice　little　inn　on　the　right：　　won't　you　come　in
  and　have　some　refreshment？〃
  〃Thank　yere　hanner；　I　have　no　objection　to　take　a　glass　wid　an　old
  friend。〃
  〃Well；　then；　come　in；　you　must　be　tired；　and　I　shall　be　glad　to
  have　some　conversation　with　you。〃
  We　went　into　the　inn　…　a　little　tidy　place。　　On　my　calling；　a
  respectable…looking　old　man　made　his　appearance　behind　a　bar。
  After　serving　my　companion　with　a　glass　of　peppermint；　which　she
  said　she　preferred　to　anything　else；　and　me　with　a　glass　of　ale；
  both　of　which　I　paid　for；　he　retired；　and　we　sat　down　on　two　old
  chairs　beneath　a　window　in　front　of　the　bar。
  〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃I　suppose　you　have　Irish：　　here's　slainte　…　〃
  〃Slainte　yuit　a　shaoi；〃　said　the　girl；　tasting　her　peppermint。
  〃Well：　　how　do　you　like　it？'
  〃It's　very　nice　indeed。〃
  〃That's　more　than　I　can　say　of　the　ale；　which；　like　all　the　ale　in
  these　parts；　is　bitter。　　Well；　what　part　of　Ireland　do　you　come
  from？〃
  〃From　no　part　at　all。　　I　never　was　in　Ireland　in　my　life。　　I　am
  from　Scotland　Road；　Manchester。〃
  〃Why；　I　thought　you　were　Irish？〃
  〃And　so　I　am；　and　all　the　more　from　being　born　where　I　was。
  There's　not　such　a　place　for　Irish　in　all　the　world　as　Scotland
  Road。〃
  〃Were　your　father　and　mother　from　Ireland？〃
  〃My　mother　was　from　Ireland：　　my　father　was　Irish　of　Scotland　Road；
  where　they　met　and　married。〃
  〃And　what　did　they　do　after　they　married？〃
  〃Why；　they　worked　hard；　and　did　their　best　to　get　a　livelihood　for
  themselves　and　children；　of　which　they　had　several　besides　myself；
  who　was　the　eldest。　　My　father　was　a　bricklayer；　and　my　mother　sold
  apples　and　oranges　and　other　fruits；　according　to　the　season；　and
  also　whiskey；　which　she　made　herself；　as　she　well　knew　how；　for　my
  mother　was　not　only　a　Connacht　woman；　but　an　out…and…out　Connamara
  quean；　and　when　only　thirteen　had　wrought　with　the　lads　who　used　to
  make　the　raal　cratur　on　the　islands　between　Ochterard　and　Bally　na
  hinch。　　As　soon　as　I　was　able；　I　helped　my　mother　in　making　and
  disposing　of　the　whiskey　and　in　selling　the　fruit。　　As　for　the
  other　children；　they　all　died　when　young；　of　favers；　of　which　there
  is　always　plenty　in　Scotland　Road。　　About　four　years　ago　…　that　is；
  when　I　was　just　fifteen　…　there　was　a　great　quarrel　among　the
  workmen　about　wages。　　Some　wanted　more　than　their　masters　were
  willing　to　give；　others　were　willing　to　take　what　was　offered　them。
  Those　who　were　dissatisfied　were　called　bricks；　those　who　were　not
  were　called　dungs。　　My　father　was　a　brick；　and；　being　a　good　man
  with　his　fists；　was　looked　upon　as　a　very　proper　person　to　fight　a
  principal　man　amongst　the　dungs。　　They　fought　in　the　fields　near
  Salford　for　a　pound　a　side。　　My　father　had　it　all　his　own　way　for
  the　first　three　rounds；　but　in　the　fourth；　receiving　a　blow　under
  the　ear　from　the　dung；　he　dropped；　and　never　got　up　again；　dying
  suddenly。　　A　grand　wake　my　father　had；　for　which　my　mother
  furnished　usquebaugh　galore；　and　comfortably　and　dacently　it　passed
  over　till　about　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　when；　a　dispute
  happening　to　arise　…　not　on　the　matter　of　wages；　for　there　was　not
  a　dung　amongst　the　Irish　of　Scotland　Road　…　but　as　to　whether　the
  O'Keefs　or　O'Kellys　were　kings　of　Ireland　a　thousand　years　ago；　a
  general　fight　took　place；　which　brought　in　the　police；　who；　being
  soon　dreadfully　baten；　as　we　all　turned　upon　them；　went　and　fetched
  the　military；　with　wh