30 BIOGEAPHY. 



apace, and, on turning the sole uppermost, I perceived a 

 piece of jagged flesh hanging hy a string. Seeing that 

 there would be no chance of replacing the damaged part 

 with success, I twisted it off, and then took a survey of 

 the foot by the light which the stars afforded. 



" Mr. Fletcher, horror-struck at what he saw, proposed 

 immediately that I should sit down by the side of the road, 

 and there wait for the carriage, or take advantage of any 

 vehicle which might come up. Aware that the pain would 

 be excessive so soon as the lacerated parts would become 

 stiff by inaction, I resolved at once to push on to Eome, 

 wherefore, putting one shoe on the sound foot, ^shich, by 

 the way, had two unbroken blisters on it, I forced the 

 wounded one into the other, and off we started for Eome, 

 which we reached after a very uncomfortable walk. The 

 injured foot had two months' confinement to the sofa before 

 the damage was repaired. 



" It was this unfortunate adventure which gave rise to 

 the story of my walking barefooted into Eome, and which 

 gained me a reputation by no means merited on my part." 



Two more serious accidents occurred within his own 

 domains. 



He was out shooting in 1824, when the gun exploded 

 just as he was ramming the wad on the powder. For- 

 tunately the charge of shot had not been put into the gun. 

 As it was, the ramrod was driven completely through the 

 forefinger of the right hand, between the knuckle and first 

 joint, severing the tendons, but not breaking the bone, 

 though the ignited wadding and powder followed the 

 ramrod through the wound. He procured some warm water 

 at a neighbouring house, washed the wound quite clean, 

 replaced the tendons in their proper positions, and bound 

 up the finger, taking care to give it its proper form. 



Of course the lancet was used freely, and by dint of 



