183 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



or read of the renowned Defiance coach from Edinburgh to 

 Aberdeen the Wonder* of Scotland which rightly indeed may 

 it be called. Any person, however, who may chance to be at 

 Edinburgh, and to step into the coach office of the Waterloo 

 hotel, will see announced, amongst many others, though this 

 stands first on the list, " The Defiance Coach to Aberdeen, 

 matchless for speed and safety, at half past five o'clock every 

 lawful morning." And " matchless" no doubt it has been in this 

 part of the world ; for despite of a wide ferry to cross, unloading 

 one coach and loading another, breakfast and lunch on the road, 

 it has been remarkable for keeping its time, both in winter and 

 summer, with unusual punctuality at all periods of its ground ; 

 which time is only twelve hours and thirty-five minutes, which 

 will be found to be within a minute fraction of the rate of ten 

 miles an hour, taking the ferry and stoppages out of it ! And to 

 whom has Scotland been indebted for this " wonderful coach," 

 which has been on this road upwards of seven years, having 

 started July 1st, 1829? Why, to that wonderful man, Captain 

 Barclay of Ury, " the man vot walked a thousand miles in a 

 thousand hours," and who continues to walk more miles every 

 day than any postman in the country. But to be serious. This 

 coach reflects great credit on the Captain and all others con- 

 cerned in it ; and I am sorry to hear that the cheap conveyance 

 by steam, coastwise, is likely seriously to injure it. Hitherto the 

 fares having been good, namely ^2 xos. inside, and ^i 6s. out 

 it has paid pretty well, averaging $ per double mile, which is 

 as much as could be expected from the pace, which requires a 

 horse to a mile, and the Defiance had something over that 

 number when I was in the country it travels through. So com- 

 plete, however, are its arrangements ; so respectable and civil are 

 the servants employed upon it ; so well does it keep its time 

 in addition to the honour of very often being driven by the Captain 

 himselfthat the first people in the country are, or were, found 

 in and about it, including even the late Duke of Gordon himself, 

 who would frequently be seen in it on his road south, although 

 some of his own carriages might have been on the road on the 

 same day. Having myself had a carte-blanche from the Captain 

 and his partner to travel by it, and to drive it, whenever I liked, 

 scot free (servants of course excepted), I was indebted to them 

 for many a pleasant drive ; and there being so many interesting 



* The Shrewsbury and London Wonder Coach is considered the best 

 in England for that length of ground ; and was so called, because it 

 was the first that was attempted to he worked over such a distance 

 152 miles in one day. 



