58 YEOMEN. 



and I had a difficult matter to escape 

 the effects, or elude the manifold pota- 

 tions with which they continually plied 

 me, while they appeared to remain quite 

 innocent of such excess. On my posi- 

 tively declining to have any more, they 

 called for the bill and another bottle, 

 and having discharged the one and swal- 

 lowed the other, they departed, leaving me 

 impressed with a good idea of the bodily 

 and mental capacities of these stout yeomen 

 of the Fens. The object of their solici- 

 tude, who was an example of the same 

 species, was afterwards established on the 

 box of the Wisbeach coach, and gave 

 unmistakable evidence of his former asso- 

 ciations. 



As the Spring advanced (for the alte- 

 ration had taken place exactly a twelve- 

 month from the commencement of my 

 officiate) the coach improved both in the 

 numbers and the quality of the passen- 

 gers, and the proprietors had not to re- 



