38 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA : 
the other, to prevent it from oversetting in 
the deep ruts with which the road abounds : 
Now, gentlemen, to the rightupon 
which the passengers all stretched their bodies 
half-way out of the carriage to balance it on 
that side: Now, gentlemen, to the 1 eft,” 
and so on. This was found absolutely ne¬ 
cessary at least a dozen times in half the num¬ 
ber of miles. Whenever they attempt to 
mend these roads, it is always by tilling the 
ruts with saplings or bushes, and covering 
them over with earth. This, however, is done 
only where there are fields on each side of the 
road. If the road runs contiguous to a wood., 
then, instead of mending it where it is bad, they 
open a new passage through the trees, which 
they call making a road. It is very common 
in Maryland to see six or seven different roads 
branching out from one, which all lead to 
the same place. A stranger, before he is ac¬ 
quainted with this circumstance, is frequently 
puzzled to know which he ought to take. 
The dexterity with which the drivers of th« 
stages guide their horses along these new 
roads, which are full of stumps of trees, is 
astonishing, yet to appearance they are the 
most awkward drivers possible; it is more 
by the different noises which they make, 
than by their reins, that they manage their 
horses. 
