158 SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT 0*BRIEN. 



formation of railways and other public works, was, therefore, 

 sent for in March, 1821, on behalf of the company; and he 

 having examined the line that had been laid out and reported 

 thereon, it was determined to nbandon as useless the part 

 between Shallaford, near Crabtree, and Jump, and the lands so 

 occupied were therefore returned to the original owners. Mr. 

 Hopkins was then appointed engineer to the company, in 

 lieu of Mr. Stuart, and requested to lay out a new line, which 

 he accordingly did. To effect tins, a new act of parliament was 

 obtained, and under Mr. Hopkins' directions alone, the works 

 were subsequently completed, and the Tunnel (of which we gave 

 an engraving in our last number) designed and executed. At 

 this time also, Messrs. Johnson and Co. became the contractors 

 in lieu of Mr. Macintosh. The total cost of the undertaking, 

 including the purchase of land, the expense of three acts of par- 

 liament, the construction of the works, and other contingencies, 

 amounted to about £66,000.; £28,000. of which were borrowed 

 from the commissioners for granting the loan of exchequer bills 

 in aid of public works. 



SUFFERINGS OF LIEUTENANT D. O'BRIEN, R. N. 



Continued from, page 119. 



Aptir a long state of suspense, I descried a kind of shrubbery about a mile 

 off; I instantly bent my way towards it ; it was an enclosure, thick, and well 

 adapted for a hiding place, though wet. I immevliately bet^an my prepara- 

 tions for the night. My feet were getting so bad, that I could not put my 

 shoes on at all. I, however, managed to put the upper leathers down, and 

 fasten the shoes on with strips of my shirt, so as to form a kind of sandal, 

 and I then tried to march, but found it very awkward : however, I thought I 

 might be able to waddle by some means or other to the Rhine that night. 

 At my usual time, I hobbled forth; the night set in for rain, and I found 

 myself, in a short time, surrounded with marshes and rivers ; the linen fas- 

 tenings of my shoes gave way, and 1 could not make out whither to direct my 

 course, the night was so thick: after wading through a muliiplicity of 

 marshes, I at length found myself in a tolerably clear country, and my feet 

 felt better from the moisture. It was, however, useless to keep walking on 

 as I might increase the distance I had to go, instead of decreasing it ; 1 there- 

 fore resolved, if I could get a convenient place, to halt, until it should clear 

 up. I espied a house at some distance, and made for it, hoping io find some 

 shelteir near it ; it proved lo be a large farm-house : it was now about mid- 

 night; I got into the yard, and could hear the cattle in the stables and cow- 

 houses feeding. I was several times tempted to go into the stable, and lie 

 down under the manger until a little before day break, but I dreaded not 

 awaking in time, and perhaps being detected in the morning by the fanners, 



