54 STAGE-COACH AND mAiL IN DAYS OF YORE 



this argument away by declaring tliat the Scot 

 never did return. 



During many long years Scots travelling in 

 their own country followed an equally economical 

 plan. "The Scotch gentry," said Thomas Kirke 

 in 1679, " generally travel from one friend's house 

 to another ; so seldom require a change-house. 

 Their way is to hire a horse and a man for two- 

 pence a mile; they ride on the horse thirty or 

 forty miles a day, and the man who is his guide 

 foots it beside him, and carries his luggage to 

 boot. The " change-house " was, of course, an 

 inn ; and from this custom, when every man's 

 house was an hotel, the Scottish inns long remained 

 very inferior places. 



Yielding throws a very instructive light upon 

 the device hit upon l)y any two travellers who 

 wished to go together and yet had only one horse 

 between them. This was called " Eide and Tie." 

 He says : " The two travellers set out together, 

 one on horseback, the other on foot. Now, as it 

 generally happens that he on horseback outgoes 

 him on foot, the custom is, that when he arrives 

 at the distance agreed on, he is to dismount, tie 

 the horse to some gate, tree, post, or other thing, 

 and then proceed on foot ; when the other comes 

 up to the horse, he unties him, mounts, and 

 gallops on, till, having passed by his fellow- 

 traveller, he likewise arrives at the place of tying. 

 And this is that method of travelling so much in 

 use among our prudent ancestors, who knew that 

 horses had mouths as well as legs, and that they 



