A Lady Charioteer. 261 



was close by his house than go to church, and that I 

 could take his boat that was down at the water's 

 edge. I took the good man's advice, and as it was 

 the minister's boat, and I the minister's guest, I had no 

 dread of unfavourable criticism from the neighbours. 



u On Monday Mr. Gunn sent his boy to drive me to 

 a lake at a few miles distance. On Tuesday morning 

 he went out with me to have two hours' work with 

 the little dredge in the lake. 



"After breakfast his boy ferried me over the lake 

 to near to where a mail coach started that would take 

 me a good length on my way. I was in good time 

 for the coach and found the driver was a lady. She 

 appeared about middle-aged, and suitably attired for 

 her calling, and quite competent for the unusual duties 

 that she had doubtlessly imposed on herself. It was 

 a four-horse team. She surveyed them all carefully, 

 to see that all was right before starting. I was 

 informed that she was the proprietress, and that no 

 one knew a horse better than she did. The moment 

 she took the whip in hand it could be seen at once 

 that she knew how to wield it, and the horses seemed 

 to know that too. Although she used it judiciously, 

 she appeared to be able to nip the animals with the 

 whip on the spot she wanted with a flourish and the 

 precision of the most accomplished Jehu." 



After spending a few days longer among the broads 

 of the fen district, Robertson returned home, carrying 

 with him ample materials for the scientific paper on 

 which he was engaged, and having on this expedition 

 once more illustrated his faculty for making friends. 

 At the end of May, 1871, he again visited Ireland, 



