91 
COLEFORD TO MITCHELDEAN, 
for which special facilities had been provided by the Engineer 
of the new line from Coleford to Monmouth, a portion of 
which, still incomplete, was traversed for the first time on the 
present occasion. The weather was all that could be desired, 
and, under a bright sun and a cloudless sky, the beautiful 
scenery through which the route lay was seen to the greatest 
advantage. 
The first halting-place was at Coleford, where the party 
was transferred to carriages in waiting, and, under the pilotage 
of the Engineer-in-chief, were driven along the new and 
unfinished line of rail to Newland. This was rather an exciting 
journey, as the rails being only temporarily laid, the unevenness 
of the road made itself disagreeably felt in a series of jolts and 
bumps of rather a bone-dislocating character. After travelling 
in this way for a quarter of an hour or so, the train came to a 
stand-still, and the passengers were transferred to trucks with 
seats nailed across, in which primitive conveyances, by means 
of horse-traction, they passed through a tunnel in course of 
construction, which, though possibly instructive as a lesson in 
engineering, proved to be anything but an agreeable process, 
the drip from above, and the splashing of the horse below, 
leaving unmistakeable traces on the hats and coats of the 
passengers. ‘This passed through, a short walk brought the 
party to Newland, where its fine Church and the interesting 
monuments both within and without, deserved a much longer 
study than the time at their disposal would allow. Here Mrs 
Oaxtey, the Clergyman’s wife, had a pretty collection of Roman 
coins for examination, had time permitted, and refreshments 
were kindly offered. Returning to the carriages by a walk 
over the hill, and thus avoiding the tunnel, the party proceeded 
to Coleford, where a substantial luncheon awaited them at the 
principal hotel. This meal dispatched, they took train for 
Cinderford, enjoying a most delightful drive through the 
Forest; the woods ablaze with the many-coloured glories of 
spring foliage, the citrines and russets of which displayed 
H2 
