CHAPTER III 



DOWN THE ROAD IN DAYS OF YORE 



II. — FnoM London to Newoastle-on-Tyne in 1830 



We also will make a tour down the road. It 

 sliall not be, in the strictly accurate sense of 

 the word, a "journey," for we shall travel con- 

 tinviously by night as well as day — a thing 

 quite unknoAvn when that word was first 

 brought into use, and unknown to coaching 

 until about 1780, Avhen coaches first began to 

 go both day and night, instead of inni)ig at sun- 

 doAvn at some convenient hostelry on the road. 



It matters little what road we take, but as 

 Mr. Murray came to town from Newcastle, 

 we may as Avell pay a return visit along that 

 same highway — the Great North Uoad. He 

 does not explain hoAv he came through Ilighgate, 

 but for our part, tlie first sixty miles or so go 

 along the Old North Uoad, and we do not touch 

 Highgate at all. 



Now, since we are setting out merel}^ for the 

 purpose of seeing something of what life is like 

 on a great highway, there is no need to mortify 

 the flesh by arising early in the blushing hours 

 of dawn, to the tune of the watchman's cry of 



