14 STOPPAGE. 



Arriving, after some little delay, at 

 Hawick, I was shown into a parlour 

 where blazed a beautiful fire, which 

 seemed to offer me a warm welcome, 

 I felt very much disposed to accept. 



Presently I was told by a tall Scotch 

 damsel that the coach could not pro- 

 ceed any farther, and that the coachman 

 and guard of the down mail had arrived 

 with the horses and bags, having left 

 the coach in the road, it being quite 

 impassable for wheel carriages. 



This was bad news for me; however, I 

 sat myself down by the fire, and had 

 resolved to make myself content; but the 

 thoughts of home, and a business, distant 

 between 400 and 500 miles, would ob- 

 trude, and knowing some of the roads 

 had been closed already two or three 

 weeks, I could not calculate how long I 

 might be detained in so lonely a region, 

 away from every one I knew. I rung 



