Page:History of Charles Jones, the footman (1).pdf/23

 to bless this tract, he did so very quietly, but declined to enter it—he will find the upper part of this portion of Ireland, style still in the maps "Joyce Country."

This name it took from one of the oldest Irish families—the Joyce's—of which "Big Jack" is the modern head. His ancestors "were grate folks intirely!" and played a conspicuous part in old times among the "wild Irish chiefs," as they were rather uncivilly termed; the whole of this, large tract of country was their kingdom, where they held unlimited sway among the wild hills that enclosed them, and rendered Connemara an unknown region to nearly all but its inhabitants, and the very ultima thule of civilisation. But the Joyces dwindled down from their high estate in the progress of centuries; and now, although they give their name to a fair share of land, they in reality own but little of it; although it is understood that their veritable descendant, "Big Jack," looks upon himself as the true owner, and as it is said that no man is poor if not so in his own conceit, it is so far fortunate that Jack is not in this way conceited. He lives in a cabin of his own, in the midst of the territory of his forefathers—it is situated in the wildest part of Connemara, at the entrance of the valley leading from Leenane, situated at the head of a magnificent arm of the sea, styled the Killeries, to Maam, on the border of Lough Corrib, amidst mountains that for savage grandeur are unrivalled. Here he receives visitors; and, as he is the last descendant of a race who were great men in all senses of the word, anatomical and otherwise, he is frequently visited, and is in fact rather proud of the interest taken in him.

When Inglis made his tour in Ireland, he paid