230 



.101 IX METfALF. KOAD MAKKH. 



PART 



the most difficult lie had ever undertaken, that between 

 IlMslin^lrii ;ind Accrington, with a branch road to 

 Bury. Numerous canals being under construction at 

 the same time, employment was abundant and wages 

 rose, so that though he honourably fulfilled his contract, 

 and was paid for it the sum of 3f)()0/., he found himself 

 a loser of exactly 40/. after his two years' labour and 

 anxiety. He completed the road in 1702, when he 

 was seventy-five years of age, after which he retired 

 to his farm at Spofforth, near Wetherby, where for some 



'ALP'S HOUSE AT SPOFFORTH. 

 [By E. M. Wimperis, after a sketch by Tbos. Sutclifle, Leeds.] 



years longer he continued to do a little business in his 

 old line, buying and selling hay and standing wood, 

 and superintending the operations of his little farm. 

 During the later years of his career he occupied himself 

 in dictating to an amanuensis an account of the incidents 

 in his remarkable life; 1 and finally, in the year 1810, 



1 The Life of John Metcalf.' Dedi- 

 cated by him "to the Nobility and 

 Gentry usually resorting to Harrogate 

 Spa," Published by Edward Bnines. 

 Leeds, 1801. There are many per- 

 sons still living in the neighbourhood 

 of Knaivslioroiigli who well remember 



Metcalf. When our friend Mr. Sut- 

 cliffe visited the place he found many 

 full of their reminiscences of Blind 

 Jack. One person had been a road- 

 maker under him, and lie says -lack 

 would poke alxnit will) his long stick, 

 and wherever there was a hollow 



