We arrived after a dreadfully rough though very short passage, and have taken refuge here. To return to Friday. We left the Phœnix Park, where we had spent so pleasant a time, at six o’clock, Lord Clarendon and the two elder children going in the carriage with us, and drove with an escort to the Dublin Railway Station. The town was immensely crowded, and the people most enthusiastic. George met us there, and we took him, the Clarendons, and Lord Lansdowne and our ladies in the carriage with us. We arrived speedily at Kingstown, where there were just as many people and as much enthusiasm as on the occasion of our disembarkation. We stood on the paddle-box as we slowly steamed out of Kingstown, amidst the cheers of thousands and thousands, and salutes from all the ships; and I waved my handkerchief as a parting acknowledgment of their loyalty. We soon passed Howth and Ireland’s Eye. The ship was very steady, though the sea was not smooth, and the night thick and rainy, and we feared a storm was coming on.
Saturday, August 11.
We reached Belfast Harbour at four o’clock. The wind had got up amazingly, and the morning was a very bad and stormy one.
We had not had a very quiet night for sleeping, though very smooth. The weather got worse and worse, and blew a real gale; and it was quite doubtful whether we could start as we had intended, on our return from Belfast, for Scotland.
We saw the Mayor and General (Bainbrigg), who had come on board after breakfast.
At a quarter-past one we started with the ladies and gentlemen for the “Fairy.” Though we had only two minutes’ row in the barge, there was such a swell that the getting in and out, and the rolling and tossing in the boat, were very disagreeable. We had to keep in the little pavilion, as the squalls were so violent as to cover the “Fairy” with spray. We passed between Holywood and Carrickfergus, celebrated for the first landing of William III. We reached Belfast in half an hour, and fortunately the sun came out.
We lay close alongside the wharf, where a very fine landing-place was arranged, and where thousands were assembled. Lord Londonderry came on board, and numerous deputations with addresses, including the Mayor (whom I knighted), the Protestant Bishop of Down and clergy, the Catholic Bishop Denvir (an excellent and modest man), the Sheriff and Members for the county, with Lord Donegal (to whom the greater part of Belfast belongs), Dr. Henry, from the new College, and the Presbyterians (of whom there are a great many here). Lady Londonderry and her daughter also came on board. There was some delay in getting the gang-board down, as they had made much too large a one. Some planks on board were arranged, and we landed easily in this way. The landing-place was covered in, and very tastefully decorated. We got into Lord Londonderry’s carriage with the two ladies, and Lord Londonderry himself got on the rumble behind with the two sergeant-footmen, Renwick and Birbage, both very tall, large men; and the three must have been far from comfortable.
The town was beautifully decorated with flowers, hangings, and very fine triumphal arches, the galleries full of people; and the reception very hearty. The people are a mixture of nations, and the female beauty had almost disappeared.
I have all along forgotten to say that the favourite motto written up on most of the arches, &c., and in every place, was: “Cead mile failte,” which means “A hundred thousand welcomes” in Irish, which is very like Gaelic; it is in fact the language, and has existed in books from the earliest period, whereas Gaelic has only been written since half a century, though it was always spoken. They often called out, “Cead mile failte!” and it appears in every sort of shape.
Lord Donegal rode on one side of the carriage and the General on the other. We stopped at the Linen Hall to see the exhibition of the flax and linen manufacture. Lord Downshire and several other gentlemen received us there, and conducted us through the different rooms, where we saw the whole process in its different stages. First the plant, then the flax after being steeped; then the spun flax; lastly, the linen, cambric, and cloth of every sort and kind. It is really very interesting to see, and it is wonderful to what a state of perfection it has been brought.