Below it, and beyond a little stream, rise the extensive flax-mills which are the life of the place, under the eye and within touch of the hand of the master.

These works were established here by Mr.Herdman's father, after he had made a vain attempt to establish them at Ballyshannon in Donegal, half a century ago.

As all salmon fishers know, the water-power is admirable at Ballyshannon, where the Erne pours in torrents down a thirty feet fall.

But the ignorance and indolence of the people made Ballyshannon quite impossible, with this result, that while the Erne still flows unvexed to the sea, and the people of Ballyshannon live very much as they lived in 1835, here at Sion the Mourne enables 1100 Irish operatives to work up L90,000 worth of Irish flax every year into yarn for the Continent, and to divide among themselves some L20,000 a year in wages.
After luncheon we walked with Mr.Herdman through the mills and the model village which has grown up around them.

Everywhere we found order, neatness, and thrift.