WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 123 



hen she goes on adventurous expeditions to distant 



market-towns, carrying mayhap a cargo of oak-bark, 



tripped from fallen trees, to the tanyard. Then she 



s well victualled for the voyage, and her course 



mapped out on the chart in order to avoid the Scylla 



of steep hills and stony ways and the Charybdis of 



oil-gates, besides being duly cautioned against the 



irens that chant so sweetly from the taps of the 



oadside inns. Or she sails down to the far-away 



ailway station after coal possibly two or more 



vessels in the same convoy if the steam plough be 



at work and requires the constant services of these 



enders. 



She has her own special crew her captain the carter, 

 and for forecastle men a lad or two, and often a 

 ouple of able-bodied seamen in the shape of labourers, 

 o help to load up. When on the more distant voy- 

 ages to unknown shores she takes a supercargo the 

 armer's son to check the bills of lading ; for on those 

 trange coasts who knows what treachery there may 

 DC brewing ? There are arms aboard, in the form of 

 brks or prongs ; and commonly one or more pas- 

 engers go out in her women with vast bundles and 

 children not to mention the merchandise of sugars 

 and of teas from Cathay, which are shipped for de- 

 ivery at half the cottages and farmsteads en route 

 lomewards. Wherefore, you see, the captain had 

 needs be a sober and a godly man, having all these and 

 manifold other responsibilities upon his mind. 



Besides which he has to make a report upon the 



