236 NIMROUS NORTHERN TOUR. 



it was my turn to take hold of them I observed a twitch on the 

 ear of one leader and upright pad-turrets, nearly half a yard high, 

 on the other. " A bolter and a kicker," said I to myself ; but 

 dropping my hand to them at starting they went well away. 

 Now I admit these high and upright turrets have not a good 

 appearance, but they are still safer than the ring on the reins, 

 generally used as a preventive of kicking in the south ; and 

 safety is the first consideration where people's lives are in our 

 keeping. Such a thing as a leader's rein running through a 

 wheeler's throat-latch, instead of through his head turret, is, 

 however, not to be seen with the Defiance. Whether the strap, 

 with two buckles, is to be found in each coachman's pocket, I 

 forgot to inquire. If not, I can only say it ought to be. 



Having fetched up the ten minutes which I mentioned having 

 lost on the Kinross ground, we arrived in Edinburgh at the ap- 

 pointed time, and took up our abode at the Waterloo Hotel, 

 which the coach patronizes, and where the best rooms in the 

 house are always in readiness for the Captain when he sends 

 word by the guard, " that he shall waggon the Defiance on the 

 morrow." Such we found to be the case ; and a more comfort- 

 able house than the Waterloo no traveller need require, neither 

 would he often find it if he looked for it charges also moderate. 



MY last paper landed me at the Waterloo Hotel, Edinburgh, 

 with " the Captain' 7 for my companion and guide ; but inasmuch 

 as everything one sees in the country is not worthy a place in 

 the eclogue, still less can an account of everything I saw in the 

 city be very interesting to the public. Our first step was to a 

 horse-dealer's, at least to a sort of Tattersalls' Lain's Repository 

 where horses are sold on commission ; and we did not go there 

 for nothing. Seeing a very bad race-horse, called Master Bisk,\n a 

 stall, and guessing the figure was not a high one, I ascertained 

 the fact. " He will make you a good leader," said I to the Cap- 

 tain, " let us put him in the break and try him ;" and in the space 

 of one hour he was his property. I was much pleased with these 

 premises, and with the character given me by the Captain of the 

 proprietor of them, Mr. Lain. He did not appear too great a 

 man for his business, or in the words of Chester Billy, " above 

 his sityvasion," which some of his genus are ; but answered 

 every question with the greatest civility and attention. I drove 

 this horse afterwards in the Defiance, and found him as good as 

 he could be expected to be for the price, but it astonished me to 

 see how he improved in his trotting after having been in the 

 coach about a month. 

 " Now what next?" was my natural appeal to the Captain. 



