The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-04 00:00:00

7)7! iPsO.

RETURN OF THE BOYC 511'
!frith, EXPEDITION.
g o 0 Nov. 27th, the Correspondent of The T bac&
following interesting account of the return of the
txPedition
intth_e BoYeott expedition, in which so much public
rwr,est has been centred, came to-day to a peaceful
siAnmourable close. Its promoters can look back
attnatisfaction at the complete success which has
teviie_ned their sympathetic enterprise. The Ulster
dhiejc,lne back with characters unstained by a single
e „teutalale act, and with the grateful thanks of
:stern Boycott and the good wishes of all their
ates at Lough Mask.
he f
_ arewell at Lough Mask yesterday morning
demonstration given which in any other country
it 4treland would be thought extraordinary, hut here
etranealed a fitting and impressive denouement of a
464,fielY vivid social drama. After a sleepless
the uproar and fury of the storm making re-
ND°, impossible and keeping the men constantly
be' °Yeti in endeavouring to keep the tents from
10g blown away, the order was given to break up
tw'ulp and be ready to start on the return journey
4hoto o clock. It was obeyed with alacrity, and in a
War time the ground was cleared of canvas, the
t„ens were drawn up and filled with a heterogeneous
6,7 of movables suggestive of the soldier's life, while
ground
other was strewn with cannisters, boxes, and
bee, '466r is of the commissariat. Arrangements had
14t4,; Made for finishing the bivouac with a series of
..Lettc
atm BPorts, but at the last moment they had to be
doue
rters.d, in obedience to an order from head'
All were ready to start at the appointed
the labourers being assembled upon the ground
4'reii.Ponetuality which would have done credit to
granii4a,rY corps. Before setting out they were photo-
ordr bY an artist from Castlebar At length the
to th- -as given to "fall in and they marched round
781 a, e front of Lough Mask-house, headed by Captain
)cwell, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Goddard, and Mr.
anti
and wng• Captain Boycott, with his wife, nephew,
to rA-le.ce, were waiting on the steps of the hall door
of s'eelve them. At a short distance stood a group
to.l4oldiers and others, spectators of the scene. Cap-
Maxwell then read the following letter:—
"Lough Mask-house, Nov. 26.
st"tt clear Captain Maxwell and Gentlemen,—As leaders
ep ,14Icott Relief Expedition, I cannot allow you to
'rare Lronl Lough Mask without expressing to you and the
relief "'en who have so nobly accompanied you to my
tulle InY deep and heartfelt gratitude for the generous and
ray el,,aid you have one and all rendered to me by saving
'Nees, and for the many sacrifices of comfort and con-
ee You have endured on my behalf. The difficult and
ited task you undertook, and have so fully and ably
to b,v..0 old in the face of many and great difficulties, would
have `4 not possessed of your unflinching determination
btu Proved insurmountable. With you and your worthy
solla,°l stalwart labourers whose untiring exertions, good
cora.:s and self-sacrifice I cannot too highly praise, I ant
a lieued, for reasons now well known, to quit with any wife
liay'e•PPY home, where we had hoped, with God's help, to
Oe 158 t the remainder of our days. Mrs. Boycott joins
liervi again thanking you all from our hearts for the signal
ce Ton have rendered us.—Believe me, my dear Captain
and gentlemen, yours very faithfully,
"C. C. BOYCOTT."
Afte;
the a momentary pause, as if to collect their breath,
'Len sent forth an enthusiastic cheer for Captain
DaB,?eott, Which they repeated again and again. They
litouo., cheered Captain Maxwell, who had gallantly
per bY them from first to last at a great sacrifice of
oriL.°l4al convenience, and also Mr. Manning, the
krator of' the expedition, Mr. Goddard,' Mr.
Srolls°ll.4_ the chief of the commissariat, and Mr.
nurru. There was then a general shaking ot hands
interchange of congratulations. Captain Boycott's
eitid reserve and depression gave way under the ex-
ea,,,4 influence of the scene, and, catching its spirit, he
th'e.,e, down the steps and cordially shook every man by
4and, thanking them heartily for their services.
exoeiYaiall answered, "You are welcome;" and one man
rned, "You know where to find us again when
kW.,..,ant us." After another cheer for Captain and
ther„ l'oYcott, they marched down the avenue, past
of escort of soldiers, which was drawn up at the side
Pla"r e caroP. Here another scene of leave-taking took
ein• There were three prominent groups in the
C010e,,,115, and picturesque assembly—the Hussars, with
fell 'el Twentyman at their head—fine, stalwart
owe
thud with brawny arms bared and begrimed with
of ri;o the other side of the avenue a strong force
gttli'oristabulary ; and in front of them a party of the
Regiment, appointed for their escort. The
ootel:s dashed forward, and seizing the labourers,
re4tli, them warmly by the hand. The Ulster men
.'ned the greeting with enthusiasm, and finally the
,eiteinent culminated when Lieutenant Fenn, of the
,s 4 and Captain Maxwell gave each other a fond
vigorous embrace. The Hussars then fell back, gave
nB% cheer for the " Orangemen' " and flung their caps
eh • the air in the fervour of their farewell. The
f,,,,eers broke forth anew. Colonel Twentymen called
h-e'. one for the Royal Irish Constabulary, which was
e&tily given by the soldiers and the labourers.
the followed in continous peals for the Hussars, '
oft,i4th, the Press, the magistrates, and the officers
le expedition. Before the bugle sounded the
to2nal to start the Hussars improved the opportunity
sing with more hea,rt than harmony, !: Auld Lang
jolni e" and the tine-honoured chorus "For they are
Yd good Fellows," and the
the
being
. ered more grotesquely dramatic by he regimental
-13°1z acting the part of conductor, and wielding a
seabba,rd for his baton. After a final cheer the bugle
ti,ongth sounded, and the cavalcade was in motion.
t0'4.01,0 entrance to the grounds the retiring force was
the' oY a party of the Ist Dragoons, who fell in with
Tie escort, and the expedition proceeded on its way.
_Lie weather had improved, and although the roads
;ere in a state of mingled pulp and slough, the men
h.!_r,e able to march with less inconvenience than they
" aPPrehencled.
The November 28.
livaß iThra..axch of the Boycott Expedition to Ballinrobe
what—v,r;ventful. The people were either not aware of
few PeZ3 Passing or advisedly took no notice of it. A
caval -:',.1°118 gave a glance over the walls at the long
ehildiHe which moved steadily along, and groups of
the „pen here and there raised a merry laugh, but not
the lghtest manifestation of was made. As
imiProcession approached Ballinrobe, it was thought
of f.s to change the order of the escort, and the men
the"'Le 84th Regiment, who had previously walked with
Were -Ulster men and fraternized cordially with them,
rePlaced by the Hussars, who then rode beside
oesM, but no hostile disposition was shown, and the pro-
theBl°ll Passed on in perfect quietness through the streets,
kb, Inhabitants lining the footways and gazing at the
p4,4l,gers with no stronger feeling than curiosity. The
r,,Ple dispersed as soon as .the rear-guard of the
a:„°rt had entered the barracks, and some of the
It„•"ers of the expedition who had previously been
C 4311% to them walked through the town without
laY fear of being molested, but care was taken to
keep the labourers within barracks. The march
96-4enPied about an hour and a half. At night the
, ister men and the soldiers mingled in friendly
intercourse but all retired early to rest in order to be
creadY to start before daybreak. They were aroused
i'rtairn their slumbers by the bugle call about three
}1:C404, and at four had their breakfast. The inten-
Kon was to start for Claremorris at five o'clock, but it
Was-ten Minutes to six when they set out. The pro-
,e,,e_ssion was not as extended as in the march from Loughi
-Mask, the military wagons with the tents being left n
the barracks,and the cortege comprising only an ambu-
lance van now and the military wagons and carts brought
down with the expedition from Dublin. They ob-
'served the stune order as before, a detachment of
rneavalry having been sent forward to clear the road.
1-hore was an advance guard of half a dozen squadrons
Pinssars and a strong force of mounted police.
vuen came the 84th Regiment in double files beside
,ue labourers, and a large body of Constabulary, fol-
L°Wed by a train of a dozen carts and wagons laden
wlth the military baggage and agricultural imple-
7Ments, The town was dark and still when the pro-
issued from the gateway of the barracks. At
ary hour of the morning no one was astir, and,
15", fact, the cortege was 10 or 12 miles on the road
ttaf,°re the people of Ballinrobe were aware that it had
rted for Claremorris.
of°YllY two incidents occurred to break the monotony
b the journey. About a mile out of the town a horse
f ehl°llging to the rear division of the escort reared and
we'l back with its rider into a deep ditch. The man
Os goon drawn out in a sad plight, being coated
e;a:,/iIY with mud, but uninjured. The horse, how-
sal, was not so easily extricated. The animal plunged
oundered in a desperate struggle to get out,
b--'"ng and neighing all the time in great excitement,
vat he only sank deeper in the mud, and at length
the 'le exhausted and benumbed by the cold of
f„,water. His recovery seemed to be nopeless, when
ately a stroll.- rope and girths were procured,
L'Y great efforts he was landed, more dead than
• 'e• The troopers worked with indefatigable zeal
Cgett.ing the animal out and had to stand in the
151 mud nearly up to, their ,waists. A party of
ns‘—aars were left to take care of the horse, and the
h°°ession, which had been delayed for more than an
Tiitit by this unpleasant episode, resumed, its course.
of e,,other incident occurred within a couple of miles
,jlaremorrii. A clash and rattle, mingled with a
a'avY lumbering sound, were heard in the rear, and
tr(P)art, of
Hussars were seen approaching at a brisk
441 enclosing an ambulance van. This was recognized
hhre escort bringing in Captain Boycott, his wife,
Cris' niece from Lough Mask, which they left as
in-aangen4 at five o'clock in the morning. A halt was
vette, the lines were opened on each side, and the
64.1e1e passed through, Captain Boycott raising his
saluting the labourers and the escort as he went
and receiving their salutations in return. Much
l‘rr:lja,,tilY was expressed for him, and still more for
th, -uoycott, who felt deeply the persecution which
wove her from her home. In a short time the party
erh hidden from view by a turn in the road, and the
Pro,
tem;:t.,nti was again on its way. The Ulster men
),.41;--tquok Along, especially the Cavan men, with a
loh Y air, • showing no signs of fatigue after their
soly, dreary tramp through 14 miles of mud. Not so the
la4ierse some of whom had to be sent to the ambu;
he• Pew persons recognized Captain Boycott, and,
wh,'t theexception of an occasional shout from those
142 112 Passed, there was no expression of popular
re4checl the station in time for the ord 1-
AY train to p
il,:ttt the railway station tho scene was very different
„g„ra that which the Ulster men witnoosed on the first
of the expedition. There was no excitement
P• !°ar, but few
.persons were assembled, and,
eorh-L"' 4 group of boys who indu!ged in some derisive
Th—ernetrts, thorn were no unfriendly manifestations.
• People seemed to have formed a different
if ion- of the strangers, and to look upon them,
riot with respect, at least without hostility.
kiocieD,Val train was provided for the labourers
kunt 84th Regiment to meet the train at
lanr,„-.llgar for Cavan and Illonaghan. At Athlone, the
6,‘-ners separated from them and went on 10 the
Virertiisl, the constabulary then supplying
hthec escort.
Aux._
,_termen e
, who were accompanied
sa,fetwel! and Mr. Manning, reached itheiryhompes in
sta.+ 3'.ed "out nine o'clock last night. It should be
•-" that ample rousion was made for their
30u4,
vvh-f p
s-44,eY, every man being supplied with meat and
eonti"44eand hampers were placed in the train for each
teLx.t,esilvrie.r It
in commemoration of the Boycott relief
is proposed to present each man with
,rnilte.dal
atart"olatl°2l- At half-past twelve o'clock a special was
°arta iron). Claremorris with the Hussars, the six
•1/11. ,D
_Wh‘i c. b. had been brought down from Dublin, and
arra.,4l'uninson, who had charge of. the comm. issariat
tan,. rni.Vein.ents. It was an unusually long train, con-
the a large number of horse boxes. It arrived at
/3Maclstone terminus at hall-past nine o'clock.