CHAPTER V. 



PIKES AND MILESTONES. 



Pikes — but not the animal that voraciously seizes 

 the bait of the angler, and the singular and plural of 

 which seems to be the same, as you never hear a 

 man say he caught so many pikes, but only so many 

 pike or brace of pike. 



The pikes on which I purpose making a few 

 observations are what we used to see erected at 

 various places along the roads where we travelled, 

 and to which our notice was particularly attracted by 

 the circumstance of having, if travelling in a vehicle 

 or on horseback, to shell out, as it was commonly 

 called — i.e., to pay toll. Among persons in ordinary 

 conversation they were denominated turnpikes, but 

 they were also known by the shorter term in common 

 use down in the country districts of ' pike,.' while a 

 post-boy almost invariably called them 'gates;' and 

 if you asked him before starting in a post-chaise 

 what tolls there were to pay, he would tell you there 

 were two or three gates, and that you paid at such a 



