"The panic," he continues, "which at first took
the people has lately subsided into _silent despair and hopelessness_."
A Protestant clergyman in Mayo, who had thirty men digging his potatoes,
of the species called Peelers, "thinks they did not dig as much sound
potatoes as two men would do in a sound year." The Rev. Mr. Cantwell, of
Kilfeacle, makes the suggestive announcement that "parents are already
_counting_ the potatoes they give their children." The good Rector of
Skull, Dr. Robert Traill, writes to Lord Bernard with prophetic grief.
"Am I to cry peace, peace, where there is no peace? But what did I find
in the islands? _the pits, without one single exception in a state of
serious decay, and many of the islanders apprehending famine in
consequence_. Oh, my heart trembles when I think of all that may be
before us."
Meantime the accounts of the progress of the disease were every day more
disheartening; the Government appeared to do nothing except publish a
few reports from those "Scientific men sent over from England," alluded
to by the Viceroy in his reply to the deputation of the 3rd of November.
The Mansion House Committee met on the 19th of that month and
unanimously passed the following resolutions, Lord Cloncurry being in
the chair:--
1.
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