Homely Tragedy. 253 



nation. We are booked by an all-important 

 official, who is a compound of many individuals. 

 He issues tickets, is guard, porter, station master, 

 and signalman in one. These offices apply 

 not to one station alone, but to four. In addi- 

 tion he is general superintendent, and directs 

 the lad who drives the engine. We have said 

 that the route of the line is up a narrow gorge- 

 like valley ; and this has a decided incline over 

 the dozen miles of its sinuous course. Here 

 everything is primitive, and there is no great 

 necessity to conform to coventional rules. The 

 carriages, even the " first-class " ones, are hardly 

 constructed with a view to comfort ; and, when 

 you get tired of the jolting of these, the factotum 

 alluded to has no objection to stopping the train 

 so that you may get out and walk. Even if you 

 stop to gather wild flowers and the valley here 

 is a wild-flower paradise you may soon, by a 

 sharp trot, catch the train again, even if it be 

 going at its lightning express speed, so to speak. 

 Daily the goatlike herdwicks stray on to the 

 line from the neighbouring knolls ; and occa- 

 sionally you are asked to throw stones at the 

 little mountain sheep, so that the train may 

 speed on its way. Mr. General Superintendent 

 will give you permission to shoot rabbits from 

 the moving train. It was while thus engaged 

 that the whole thing came to a sudden stop. 

 Upon looking out to learn why, we saw a couple 



