HOW TO AVOID THEM ; AND TO CATER. 435 



under such circumstances, do tolerably well, and 

 have his complete revenge on the fish or fowl of the 

 place. 



His plan, knowing the improbability of getting 

 any thing to eat, would be to provide himself with a 

 hand-basket at the last country town which he had 

 to pass through, before he reached his exile ; and 

 there stock it with whatever good things presented 

 themselves. He then arrives at the pothouse, which 

 the distance, or the badness of the roads, might 

 oblige him to do the previous day. His first order is 

 for his sheets and bedding to be put before a good 

 fire. If he arrives too late at night for this, let him, 

 rather than lie between sheets which are not properly 

 aired, sleep with only the blankets. He then, sup- 

 posing he would not be at the trouble of carrying 

 meat, sends for his beef or mutton. Having secured 

 this for the next day's dinner, he takes out of his 

 basket something ready dressed, or some eggs, or a 

 string of sausages, or a few kidneys ; or a fowl to 

 boil, a cake or two of portable soup, or a little mock 

 turtle, ready to warm ; or, in short, any other things 

 that the town may have afforded ; and with this, he 

 makes up his dinner on the day of his arrival. If 

 the beer is sour, and he does not choose to be troubled 

 with carrying bottles of other beverage, he is pro- 

 vided with a 



Little carbonate of soda, which will correct the acid; a little nut- 

 meg or powdered ginger, to take off the unpleasant taste ; and, 

 with a spoonful of brown sugar and a toast, he will make tolerably 



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