328 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



well known that the Captain is entitled to a Scotch earldom, and had at one 

 time serious thoughts of laying claim to it. " But," said he to his in- 

 timate friend the late Duke of Gordon, '* should I, as the Earl of Mon- 

 teith and Ayr, be able to drive the Defiance?" "Why," replied the 

 duke, " there is not much difference between an earl and a marquis, 



and as the Marquis of W drives the Brighton Defiance, I see no 



reason why you may not drive the Edinburgh Defiance. At all events," 

 continued the duke, " if you should think it infra dig, to be the coach- 

 man, you may undoubtedly be the guard." His neighbour and friend, 

 Lord Panmure's answer, by letter, to the same question, was by no 

 means amiss. It was this : " Dear Barclay, — I see no objection to your 

 driving the Defiance when you are the Earl of Monteith and Ayr, and 1 

 will be your guard." David Roup, the coachman, and the Captain have 

 been the occasion of some good anecdotes. Oa one occasion, the Captain 

 was descending a hill with the Defiance, at the bottom of which was a 

 toll bar, and having a stiff necked off wheel horse, that would not answer to 

 the whip, he went much too near to the gate post to be pleasant. " Close 

 shaving that /" said the Captain to David, who sat behind him on the 

 roof. " Close shavvi /" exclaimed David, '' and what the Deil's the 

 use o' close shavin' when the gateway's gude twanty feet wide !" 



It cannot be supposed that the Captain has been much of a gainer by 

 the Defiance, considering the great length of ground that he horses it, 

 and the pace it travels at ; but it has afforded him much amusement, and 

 the establishment of it was a truly patriotic act. " Does the coach pay 

 you, Barclay ?" said a friend to him one day, who sat beside him on the 

 bench. ** I believe it does, indeed," replied the Captain, slapping his 

 hand on his thigh, " I have been to-day at the settling, and see what 

 aheap of bank notes is in my pocket!" " Ye'U no believe him," 



