152 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



the open air. Next a foreign diver came, with diving 

 apparatus which dispensed with an air-pipe. But 

 on reahzing what had to be done he gave up the 

 attempt. 



The brave Lambert, nothing daunted by j)i*evious 

 faihire, borrowed the foreigner's dress, and went down 

 a second time. But the helmet, badly fitting, pinched 

 him under the water-pressure so cruelly as to cause 

 insupportable pain, and force him to return almost at 

 once. Another helmet was made. Then he went 

 down and shut the door, and so the flood was stopped 

 and the drift cleared. 



The full fruition of this great undertaking is perhaps 

 yet to come, but meanwhile a mail -van may pass 

 under the estuary, direct from Penzance to Crewe, 

 and thence to whatever destination may be required. 



There is no more to be said of the Old and New 

 Passages. The opening of the tunnel was the end of 

 their existence. The waters of the Severn flow swiftly 

 through the Shoots, or spread with gentle ripple 

 evenly over the English stones, undisturbed by the 

 ferry-boat for Portskewet ; and the traveller seated 

 on the disused pier at Beachle}^ may gaze as wistfully 

 as he pleases on the Gloucestershire shore, but no 

 boat will come off to land him, as of yore, under 

 Aust Cliff. 



Twenty-five years ago I ordered a bed at the Ivy 

 Bush, at Carmarthen, which I greatly regret that I 

 have never yet had the chance of occupying. Business 

 compelled me, on the day of ordering it, to go straight 



