TRAVELLERS' EXPERIENCES 217 



the party would have been a subje6l for Wilkie; par- 

 ticularly the Irishman and the guard, who evidently 

 had a perception of the humorous." 



The question as to whether the window should be 

 open or shut, always a nice one, gave rise to a laughable 

 encounter in a North Mail one cold winter's night. 

 Charles Matthews, who said that he never entered 

 a coach without encountering "either a baby in arms, 

 a sick child, or a man in consumption," found to his 

 delight that there were only two occupants, an English- 

 man and a Scotsman, who seated opposite each other 

 left him the fourth place for his legs, a luxury greatly 

 to be appreciated on a night journey. Matthews put 

 up his feet, the Englishman wrapped himself up in a 

 shawl, the Scotsman enveloped his head and shoulders 

 in enormous folds of white linen, and their several 

 preparations finished they all dropped off to sleep. 



Suddenly the coach stopped with a jolt that shook 

 them into half wakefulness. They had halted in front of 

 a small inn, and a convivial party was bidding one of 

 their number an uproarious but cordial farewell. He 

 for his part shouted them "Good-night" in stentorian 

 tones, and exhorted them to remember that he had 

 paid his share of the reckoning. 



Then, to the wrath of the three insides, the guard 

 opened the door and in came a huge Yorkshire drover, 

 his coat covered with snow. Instindlively they all drew 

 back from the damp stranger, who, ignorant of the 

 whereabouts of the vacant seat, and slightly muddled 

 as to his senses, stumbled about in his endeavours to 



