180 ROUGH TRAVELLING 



content ; but the thoughts of home, and a business, 

 distant between 400 and 500 miles, would obtrude, and 

 knowinsr some of the roads had been closed already 

 two or three weeks, I could not calculate how lono- I 

 might be detained in so lonely a region, away from 

 every one I knew. I rang the bell, and asked if the 

 coachman and o-uard were ooino- on with the bao-s ; and 

 was informed that they were just then about to proceed 

 on horseback. I asked if I might accompany them, and 

 Av^as answered in the affirmative ; not without some 

 doubts as to the probability of my doing so. I looked 

 out — the snow was falling" fast in larfre flakes ; it was 

 about midnight, and our excursion through the moun- 

 tains of Cumberland, which I had only heard of through 

 the magnifying qualities of the tourist, seemed anything 

 but pleasant ; nevertheless, I thought I had been out in 

 worse weather, and there appeared no more dangers or 

 disagreeables for me than for the men. I therefore gave 

 instructions for my portmanteau, and a small hamper 

 of genuine mountain-dew, which the host at Edinburcjh 

 had kindly procured for me, to be forwarded as soon as 

 the road was open, according to the direction ; and re- 

 quested, at the same time, a saddle might be put for me 

 on one of the horses. Then tossing off a glass of whisky- 

 toddy, I took leave of the Scotch damsel ; and, mounting 

 a groggy, stale old animal, a pet of the Scotch coachman, 

 who was not well pleased at my warming him up a 

 little with the ash-plant I always carried with me, we 

 commenced a two-and-twenty miles stage. 



Such travelling ^v^ould perhaps be scarcely worth 

 recording ; but it bore such a novel appearance to me at 



