THIEVING BAGGAGE MASTERS. 103 



off, so to avoid weak points of collision. As we went 

 on, and approached different places, at which some of 

 the luggage was due, these two scoundrels, in moving 

 and re-arranging their load, never lifted anything that 

 they had the power of throwing down, but threw any 

 trunk or box heavily, and with all the force they could, 

 on its end or corners, and then, as they pulled them 

 into the spot of their destination, keenly eyed every lock 

 and crevice, to see if by their violence they had started 

 either the one or the other sufficiently to give them an 

 insight into the contents, or a chance to abstract and 

 steal property worth having. I had my attention di 

 rected on all they did, though, at the same time, and to 

 blind them, I made it appear as if I thought of nothing 

 but caressing my four-footed favourites. There was a 

 little brown and tattered portmanteau, evidently belong 

 ing to some poor emigrant, and that had seen- its best 

 days, and which a man could very well have moved 

 with one hand ; this also they tossed up, and on its 

 coming briskly against a large box ere it fell to the floor, 

 the lock gave way, and the vultures of theft and robbery 

 immediately and closely inspected its contents. I 

 watched them narrowly, and had they taken anything 

 out, my hand would have been ready, at the next place 

 where we stopped, to have led them forth, and to 

 have called on the owner of the little trunk to demand 

 his rights. They took nothing, however, for the whole 

 package consisted, to the grievous disappointment of the 

 intended thieves, of no more .than raiment of the most 

 common order. 



One of these miserable wretches, the shorter one of 

 the two, was a small man with a large head, lots of hair, 

 and, for his size, a large beard, just as dirty as he was 



