the life of thomas telford-第20节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



two　hundred　miles　over　an　unknown　road；　in　the　same　time　that　it

took　a　gentleman　to　perform　the　same　distance　in　his　coach；　dragged

by　post…horses；　seems　almost　incredible；　yet　Metcalf　actually

arrived　at　Harrogate　before　the　Colonel；　and　that　without　hurrying

by　the　way。　　The　circumstance　is　easily　accounted　for　by　the

deplorable　state　of　the　roads；　which　made　travelling　by　foot　on　the

whole　considerably　more　expeditious　than　travelling　by　coach。

The　story　is　even　extant　of　a　man　with　a　wooden　leg　being　once　offered

a　lift　upon　a　stage…coach；　but　he　declined；　with　〃Thank'ee；　I　can't

wait；　I'm　in　a　hurry。〃　　And　he　stumped　on；　ahead　of　the　coach。



The　account　of　Metcalf's　journey　on　foot　from　London　to　Harrogate

is　not　without　a　special　bearing　on　our　subject；　as　illustrative　of

the　state　of　the　roads　at　the　time。　　He　started　on　a　Monday

morning；　about　an　hour　before　the　Colonel　in　his　carriage；　with　his

suite；　which　consisted　of　sixteen　servants　on　horseback。　　It　was

arranged　that　they　should　sleep　that　night　at　Welwyn；　in

Hertfordshire。　　Metcalf　made　his　way　to　Barnet；　but　a　little　north

of　that　town；　where　the　road　branches　off　to　St。　Albans；　he　took

the　wrong　way；　and　thus　made　a　considerable　detour。　　Nevertheless

he　arrived　at　Welwyn　first；　to　the　surprise　of　the　Colonel。　　Next

morning　he　set　off　as　before；　and　reached　Biggleswade；　but　there　he

found　the　river　swollen　and　no　bridge　provided　to　enable　travellers

to　cross　to　the　further　side。　　He　made　a　considerable　circuit；　in

the　hope　of　finding　some　method　of　crossing　the　stream；　and　was　so

fortunate　as　to　fall　in　with　a　fellow　wayfarer；　who　led　the　way

across　some　planks；　Metcalf　following　the　sound　of　his　feet。

Arrived　at　the　other　side；　Metcalf；　taking　some　pence　from　his

pocket；　said；　〃Here；　my　good　fellow；　take　that　and　get　a　pint　of　beer。〃

The　stranger　declined；　saying　he　was　welcome　to　his　services。

Metcalf；　however；　pressed　upon　his　guide　the　small　reward；　when　the

other　asked；　〃Pray；　can　you　see　very　well？〃　　〃Not　remarkably　well；〃

said　Metcalf。　　〃My　friend；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃I　do　not　mean　to

tithe　you：　I　am　the　　rector　of　this　parish；　so　God　bless　you；

and　I　wish　you　a　good　journey。　　〃　Metcalf　set　forward　again　with

the　blessing；　and　reached　his　journey's　end　safely；　again　before　the

Colonel。　　On　the　Saturday　after　their　setting　out　from　London；

the　travellers　reached　Wetherby；　where　Colonel　Liddell　desired　to

rest　until　the　Monday；　but　Metcalf　proceeded　on　to　Harrogate；　thus

completing　the　journey　in　six　days；the　Colonel　arriving　two　days

later。



He　now　renewed　his　musical　performances　at　Harrogate；　and　was　also

in　considerable　request　at　the　Ripon　assemblies；　which　were

attended　by　most　of　the　families　of　distinction　in　that

neighbourhood。　　When　the　season　at　Harrogate　was　over；　he　retired

to　Knaresborough　with　his　young　wife；　and　having　purchased　an　old

house；　he　had　it　pulled　down　and　another　built　on　its　site；he

himself　getting　the　requisite　stones　for　the　masonry　out　of　the　bed

of　the　adjoining　river。　　The　uncertainty　of　the　income　derived　from

musical　performances　led　him　to　think　of　following　some　more

settled　pursuit；　now　that　he　had　a　wife　to　maintain　as　well　as

himself。　　He　accordingly　set　up　a　four…wheeled　and　a　one…horse

chaise　for　the　public　accommodation；Harrogate　up　to　that　time

being　without　any　vehicle　for　hire。　　The　innkeepers　of　the　town

having　followed　his　example；　and　abstracted　most　of　his　business；

Metcalf　next　took　to　fish…dealing。　　He　bought　fish　at　the　coast；

which　he　conveyed　on　horseback　to　Leeds　and　other　towns　for　sale。

He　continued　indefatigable　at　this　trade　for　some　time；　being　on

the　road　often　for　nights　together；　but　he　was　at　length　forced　to

abandon　it　in　　consequence　of　the　inadequacy　of　the　returns。　　He　was

therefore　under　the　necessity　of　again　taking　up　his　violin；　and　he

was　employed　as　a　musician　in　the　Long　Room　at　Harrogate；　at　the

time　of　the　outbreak　of　the　Rebellion　of　1745。



The　news　of　the　rout　of　the　Royal　army　at　Prestonpans；　and　the

intended　march　of　the　Highlanders　southwards；　put　a　stop　to

business　as　well　as　pleasure；　and　caused　a　general　consternation

throughout　the　northern　counties。　　The　great　bulk　of　the　people

were；　however；　comparatively　indifferent　to　the　measures　of　defence

which　were　adopted；　and　but　for　the　energy　displayed　by　the　country

gentlemen　in　raising　forces　in　support　of　the　established

government；　the　Stuarts　might　again　have　been　seated　on　the　throne

of　Britain。　　Among　the　county　gentlemen　of　York　who　distinguished

themselves　on　the　occasion　was　William　Thornton；　Esq。；　of

Thornville　Royal。　　The　county　having　voted　ninety　thousand　pounds

for　raising；　clothing；　and　maintaining　a　body　of　four　thousand　men；

Mr。　Thornton　proposed；　at　a　public　meeting　held　at　York；　that　they

should　be　embodied　with　the　regulars　and　march　with　the　King's

forces　to　meet　the　Pretender　in　the　field。　　This　proposal　was；

however；　overruled；　the　majority　of　the　meeting　resolving　that　the

men　should　be　retained　at　home　for　purposes　merely　of　local

defence。　　On　this　decision　being　come　to；　Mr。　Thornton　determined

to　raise　a　company　of　volunteers　at　his　own　expense；　and　to　join

the　Royal　army　with　such　force　as　he　could　muster。　　He　then　went

abroad　among　his　tenantry　and　servants；　and　　endeavoured　to　induce

them　to　follow　him；　but　without　success。



Still　determined　on　raising　his　company；　Mr。　Thornton　next　cast

about　him　for　other　means；　and　who　should　he　think　of　in　his

emergency　but　Blind　Jack！　Metcalf　had　often　played　to　his　family　at

Christmas　time；　and　the　Squire　knew　him　to　be　one　of　the　most

popular　men　in　the　neighbourhood。　　He　accordingly　proceeded　to

Knaresborough　to　confer　with　Metcalf　on　the　subject。　　It　was　then

about　the　beginning　of　October；　only　a　fortnight　after　the　battle

of　Prestonpans。　　Sending　for　Jack　to　his　inn；　Mr。　Thornton　told

him　of　the　state　of　affairsthat　the　French　were　coming　to　join

the　rebelsand　that　if　the　country　were　allowed　to　fall　into　their

hands；　no　man's　wife；　daughter；　nor　sister　would　be　safe。　　Jack's

loyalty　was　at　once　kindled。　　If　no　one　else　would　join　the　Squire；

he　would！　　Thus　enlistedperhaps　carried　away　by　his　love　of

adventure　not　less　than　by　his　feeling　of　patriotism　Metcalf

proceeded　to　enlist　others；　and　in　two　days　a　hundred　and　forty　men

were　obtained；　from　whom　Mr。　Thornton　drafted　sixty…four；　the

intended　number　of　his　company。　　The　men　were　immediately　drilled

and　brought　into　a　state　of　as　much　efficiency　as　was　practicable

in　the　time；　and　when　they　marched　off　to　join　General　Wade's　army

at　Boroughbridge；　the　Captain　said　to　them　on　setting　out；

〃My　lads！　you　are　going　to　form　part　of　a　ring…fence　to　the　finest

estate　in　the　world！〃　Blind　Jack　played　a　march　at　the　head　of　the

company；　dressed　in　blue　and　buff；　and　in　a　gold…laced　hat。

The　Captain　said　he　would　willingly　give　a　hundred　guineas　for　only

one　eye　to　put　in　Jack's　head：　he　was　such　a　useful；　spirited；　handy

fellow。



On　arriving　at　Newcastle；　Captain　Thornton's　company　was　united　to

Pulteney's　regiment；　one　of　the　weakest。　　The　army　lay　for　a　week

in　　tents　on　the　Moor。　　Winter　had　set　in；　and　the　snow　lay　thick

on　the　　ground；　but　intelligence　arriving　that　Prince　Charles；　with

his　　Highlanders；　was　proceeding　southwards　by　way　of　Carlisle；

General　Wade　gave　orders　for　the　immediate　advance　of　the　army　on

Hexham；　in　the　hope　of　intercepting　them　by　that　route。　　They　set

out　on　their　march　amidst　hail　and　snow；　and　in　addition　to　the

obstruction　caused　by　the　weather；　they　had　to　overcome　the

difficulties　occasioned　by　the　badness　of　the　roads。　　The　men　were

often　three　or　four…hours　in　marching　a　mile；　the　pioneers　having

to　fill　up　ditches　and　clear　away　many　obstructions　in　making　a

practicable　passage　for　the　artillery　and　baggage。　　The　army　was

only　able　to　reach　Ovingham；　a　distance　of　little　more　than　ten

miles；　after　fifteen　hours'　marching。　　The　night　was　bitter　cold；

the　ground　was　frozen　so　hard　that　but　few　of　the　tent…pins　could

be　driven；　and　the　men　lay　down　upon　the　earth　amongst　their　straw。

Metcalf；　to　keep　up　the　spirits　of　his　company　for　sleep　was　next

to　impossible　took　out　his　fiddle　and　played　lively　tunes　whilst

the　men　danced　round　the　straw；　which　they　set　on　fire。



Next　day　the　army　marched　for　Hexham；　But　the　rebels　having　already

passed　southward；　General　Wade　retraced。　　his　steps　to　Newcastle　to

gain　the　high　road　leading　to　Yorkshire；　whither　he　marched　in　all

haste；　and　for　a　time　his　army　lay　before　Leeds　on　fields　now

covered　with　streets；　some　of　which　still　bear　the　names　of

Wade…lane；　Camp…road；　and　Camp…field；　in　consequence　of　the　event。



On　the　retreat　of　Prince　Charles　from　Derby；　General　Wade　again

proceeded　to　Newcastle；　while　the　Duke　of　Cumberland　hung　upon　the

rear　of　the　rebels　along　their　line　of　retreat　by　Penrith　and

C