Rare Discovery on the Banks of the River Moy, County of Mayo

From The Dublin Penny Journal, Volume 1, Number 31, January 26, 1833

Not a hundred years ago, there lived on the banks of the noble river above named, a person who, though neither a very well educated man or profound naturalist, was--what is, perhaps, of more consequence in the eyes of the world --a wealthy farmer, and a justice of the peace for one of the neighbouring counties. It happened that his worship, who was in the frequent habit of visiting his numerous farms on this beautiful river, was obliged to cross a small stream in its vicinity, and, although on horse back, he was apprehensive of wetting a portion of his dress, out of which he took no small pride, and which he denominated his "yalla-gaiters." He, therefore, divested himself of those useful and ornamental appendages, and placing them across the shoulders of his horse, pursued his way, and after some time arrived at the town of Ballina. Here, to his great horror, he discovered that he had dropped his "yalla gaiters, and was pondering on the propriety of returning immediately in search of them, when his magisterial attention was attracted by a crowd of gaping rustics assembled round the caravan of an itinerant Polito, on which where depicted, in glowing colours, the various animals contained within. The magistrate forced his way into the crowd, and got in front of the caravan just as the showman, who had been delivering to the bye-standers a long catalogue of attraction", summed all up by announcing a pair of fine alligators found on the banks of the Nile, "Yalla gaiters," roared the magistrate, springing from his horse, and seizing the astonished showman by the collar, "you rascal, them is my yalla gaiters, give them up to me this minute, or if you don't, I'll cram you into jail, for I'm a magistrate." "Your alligators,' says the astonished and affrighted showman, "why them there alligators were found on the banks of the Nile?" "Found on the banks of the devil," said the magistrate, "none of your tricks upon me, you rascal, I say they were found on the banks of the Moy, and they are my "yalla gaiters." All the protestations of the poor showman as to his innocence would probably have been vain, had not a friend of the worthy justice, who happened to pass at the time, and who was better skilled in natural history, explained to him his mistake, on which he slipped a crown into the hand of the terrified showman, and desired him to say nothing about the matter.

C.