148 THE COACHING ERA 



When he had done all these things he had Dr. Kitchiner's 

 sandlion to go to sleep if he could, and forget damp beds, 

 infeftious diseases, and unscrupulous landlords thirsting 

 for his blood. 



The "Oracle," furthermore, contained a long list of 

 all the things essential for a traveller's comfort and 

 security, which was remarkable both for its length and 

 the various uses to which the different articles could be 

 put. 



First and foremost he must provide himself with a 

 tough blackthorn stick three feet long, marked so that 

 it may be used as a measure. Although undoubtedly 

 delightful as a yard measure, the chief use of this stick 

 was as a weapon of defence against dogs, for every species 

 of the canine tribe was in Dr. Kitchiner's eyes a sinister 

 menace of hydrophobia; for which fell disease he very 

 truly remarks "semi-drowning in the Sea" is no remedy. 



Stray dogs and fowls were alike abominable in the eyes 

 of Dr. Kitchiner, and he strenuously advocated that all 

 such should wear collars with their names and addresses 

 thereon. Legislation now decrees that our dogs shall 

 walk thus labelled, but we have yet to see the day when 

 the roosters and their lady wives shall strut round farm- 

 yards with neat leather collars round each feathered 

 neck. 



The next necessity was a knife, but not one of the 

 common kind, for it was imperative that besides blades 

 it should possess a saw, a hook, a turnscrew, a gun-picker, 

 tweezers, and a corkscrew, the latter especially to be 

 "long and large enough to be useful." The very thought 



