CHAP. II. 



TELFORD'S JOURNEY TO LONDON. 



307 



the ocean, he was about to be borne away into the wide 

 world. Tarn, however, had confidence in himself, and 

 no one had fears for him. As the neighbours said, wisely 

 wagging their heads, "Ah, he's an auld-farran chap is 

 Tarn ; he'll either mak a spoon or spoil a horn ; any 

 how, he's gatten a good trade at his fingers' ends." 



Telford had made all his previous journeys on foot ; 

 but this one he rode on horseback. It happened that 

 Sir James Johnstone, the laird of Wester Hall, had occa- 

 sion to send a horse from Eskdale to a member of his 

 family in London ; but he had some difficulty in finding 

 a person to take charge of it. It occurred to Mr. Jack- 

 son, the laird's factor, that this was a capital opportunity 

 for his cousin Tom, the mason ; and it was accordingly 

 arranged that he should ride the horse to town. When 

 a boy, he had learnt rough-riding sufficiently well for 

 the purpose ; and the better to fit him for the hardships 

 of the road, Mr. Jackson lent him his buckskin breeches. 

 Thus Tom set out from his native valley well mounted, 

 with his little bundle of "traps" buckled behind him, 

 and, after a prosperous journey, duly reached London, 

 and delivered up the horse as he had been directed. 

 Long after, Mr. Jackson used to tell the story of his 

 cousin's first ride to London with great glee, and he 

 always took care to wind up with " but Tarn forgot to 

 send me back my breeks ! " 



LOWER VALLEY OF THE MEGGAT, THE CROOKS IN THE DISTANCE. 

 [By Percival Skelton.] 



x 2 



