the life of thomas telford-第21节

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

Carlisle。　　Wade's　army　proceeded　by　forced　marches　into　Scotland；

and　at　length　came　up　with　the　Highlanders　at　Falkirk。　　Metcalf

continued　with　Captain　Thornton　and　his　company　throughout　all

these　marchings　and　countermarchings；　determined　to　be　of　service

to　his　master　if　he　could；　and　at　all　events　to　see　the　end　of　the

campaign。　　At　the　battle　of　Falkirk　he　played　his　company　to　the

field；　but　it　was　a　　grossly…mismanaged　battle　on　the　part　of　the

Royalist　General；　and　the　result　was　a　total　defeat。　　Twenty　of

Thornton's　men　were　made　　prisoners；　with　the　lieutenant　and

ensign。　　The　Captain　himself　only　　escaped　by　taking　refuge　in　a

poor　woman's　house　in　the　town　of　　Falkirk；　where　he　lay　hidden　for

many　days；　Metcalf　returning　to　　Edinburgh　with　the　rest　of　the

defeated　army。



Some　of　the　Dragoon　officers；　hearing　of　Jack's　escape；　sent　for

him　to　head…quarters　at　Holyrood；　to　question　him　about　his

Captain。　　One　of　them　took　occasion　to　speak　ironically　of

Thornton's　men；　and　asked　Metcalf　how　he　had　contrived　to　escape。

〃Oh！〃　said　Jack；　〃I　found　it　easy　to　follow　the　sound　of　the

Dragoons'　horses　they　made　such　a　clatter　over　the　stones　when

flying　from　the　Highlandmen。　　Another　asked　him　how　he；　a　blind

man；　durst　venture　upon　such　a　service；　to　which　Metcalf　replied；

that　had　he　possessed　a　pair　of　good　eyes；　perhaps　he　would　not

have　come　there　to　risk　the　loss　of　them　by　gunpowder。　　No　more

questions　were　asked；　and　Jack　withdrew；　but　he　was　not　satisfied

about　the　disappearance　of　Captain　Thornton；　and　determined　on

going　back　to　Falkirk；　within　the　enemy's　lines；　to　get　news　of

him；　and　perhaps　to　rescue　him；　if　that　were　still　possible。



The　rest　of　the　company　were　very　much　disheartened　at　the　loss　of

their　officers　and　so　many　of　their　comrades；　and　wished　Metcalf　to

furnish　them　with　the　means　of　returning　home。　　But　he　would　not

hear　of　such　a　thing；　and　strongly　encouraged　them　to　remain　until；

at　all　events；　he　had　got　news　of　the　Captain。　　He　then　set　out　for

Prince　Charles's　camp。　　On　reaching　the　outposts　of　the　English

army；　he　was　urged　by　the　officer　in　command　to　lay　aside　his

project；　which　would　certainly　cost　him　his　life。　　But　Metcalf　was

not　to　be　dissuaded；　and　he　was　permitted　to　proceed；　which　he　did

in　the　company　of　one　of　the　rebel　spies；　pretending　that　he　wished

to　be　engaged　as　a　musician　in　the　Prince's　army。　　A　woman　whom

they　met　returning　to　Edinburgh　from　the　field　of　Falkirk；　laden

with　plunder；　gave　Metcalf　a　token　to　her　husband；　who　was　Lord

George　Murray's　cook；　and　this　secured　him　an　access　to　the

Prince's　quarters；　but；　notwithstanding　a　most　diligent　search；

he　could　hear　nothing　of　his　master。　　Unfortunately　for　him；　a　person

who　had　seen　him　at　Harrogate；　pointed　him　out　as　a　suspicions

character；　and　he　was　seized　and　put　in　confinement　for　three　days；

after　which　he　was　tried　by　court　martial；　but　as　nothing　could　be

alleged　against　him；　he　was　acquitted；　and　shortly　after　made　his

escape　from　the　rebel　camp。　　On　reaching　Edinburgh；　very　much　to　his

delight　he　found　Captain　Thornton　had　arrived　there　before　him。



On　the　30th　of　January；　1746；　the　Duke　of　Cumberland　reached

Edinburgh；　and　put　himself　at　the　head　of　the　Royal　army；　which

proceeded　northward　in　pursuit　of　the　Highlanders。　　At　Aberdeen；

where　the　Duke　gave　a　ball；　Metcalf　was　found　to　be　the　only

musician　in　camp　who　could　play　country　dances；　and　he　played　to

the　company；　standing　on　a　chair；　for　eight　hours；the　Duke

several　times；　as　he　passed　him；　shouting　out　〃Thornton；　play　up！〃

Next　morning　the　Duke　sent　him　a　present　of　two　guineas；　but　as　the

Captain　would　not　allow　him　to　receive　such　gifts　while　in　his　pay；

Metcalf　spent　the　money；　with　his　permission；　in　giving　a　treat　to

the　Duke's　two　body　servants。　　The　battle　of　Culloden；　so

disastrous　to　the　poor　Highlanders；　shortly　followed；　after　which

Captain　Thornton；　Metcalf；　and　the　Yorkshire　Volunteer　Company；

proceeded　homewards。　　Metcalf's　young　wife　had　been　in　great　fears

for　the　safety　of　her　blind；　fearless；　and　almost　reckless　partner；

but　she　received　him　with　open　arms；　and　his　spirit　of　adventure

being　now　considerably　allayed；　he　determined　to　settle　quietly

down　to　the　steady　pursuit　of　business。



During　his　stay　in　Aberdeen；　Metcalf　had　made　himself　familiar　with

the　articles　of　clothing　manufactured　at　that　place；　and　he　came　to

the　conclusion　that　a　profitable　trade　might　be　carried　on　by

buying　them　on　the　spot；　and　selling　them　by　retail　to　customers　in

Yorkshire。　　He　accordingly　proceeded　to　Aberdeen　in　the　following

spring；　and　bought　a　considerable　stock　of　cotton　and　worsted

stockings；　which　he　found　he　could　readily　dispose　of　on　his　return

home。　　His　knowledge　of　horsefleshin　which　he　was；　of　course；

mainly　guided　by　his　acute　sense　of　feelingalso　proved　highly

serviceable　to　him；　and　he　bought　considerable　numbers　of　horses　in

Yorkshire　for　sale　in　Scotland；　bringing　back　galloways　in　return。

It　is　supposed　that　at　the　same　time　he　carried　on　a　profitable

contraband　trade　in　tea　and　such　like　articles。



After　this；　Metcalf　began　a　new　line　of　business；　that　of　common

carrier　between　York　and　Knaresborough；　plying　the　first

stage…waggon　on　that　road。　　He　made　the　journey　twice　a　week　in

summer　and　once　a　week　in　winter。　　He　also　undertook　the　conveyance

of　army　baggage；　most　other　owners　of　carts　at　that　time　being

afraid　of　soldiers；　regarding　them　as　a　wild　rough　set；　with　whom

it　was　dangerous　to　have　any　dealings。　　But　the　blind　man　knew　them

better；　and　while　he　drove　a　profitable　trade　in　carrying　their

baggage　from　town　to　town；　they　never　did　him　any　harm。　　By　these

means；　he　very　shortly　succeeded　in　realising　a　considerable　store

of　savings；　besides　being　able　to　maintain　his　family　in

respectability　and　comfort。



Metcalf；　however；　had　not　yet　entered　upon　the　main　business　of　his

life。　　The　reader　will　already　have　observed　how　strong　of　heart

and　　resolute　of　purpose　he　was。　　During　his　adventurous　career　he

had　　acquired　a　more　than　ordinary　share　of　experience　of　the

world。　　Stone　blind　as　he　was　from　his　childhood；　he　had　not　been

able　to　study　books；　but　he　had　carefully　studied　men。　　He　could

read　characters　with　wonderful　quickness；　rapidly　taking　stock；　as

he　called　it；　of　those　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。　　In　his　youth；

as　we　have　seen；　he　could　follow　the　hounds　on　horse　or　on　foot；

and　managed　to　be　in　at　the　death　with　the　most　expert　riders。

His　travels　about　the　country　as　a　guide　to　those　who　could　see；

as　a　musician；　soldier；　chapman；　fish…dealer；　horse…dealer；

and　waggoner；　had　given　him　a　perfectly　familiar　acquaintance　with

the　northern　roads。　　He　could　measure　timber　or　hay　in　the　stack；

and　rapidly　reduce　their　contents　to　feet　and　inches　after　a　mental

process　of　his　own。　　Withal　he　was　endowed　with　an　extraordinary

activity　and　spirit　of　enterprise；　which；　had　his　sight　been　spared

him；　would　probably　have　rendered　him　one　of　the　most　extraordinary

men　of　his　age。　　As　it　was；　Metcalf　now　became　one　of　the　greatest

of　its　road…makers　and　bridge…builders。



＇Image＇　John　Metcalf；　the　blind　road…maker。



About　the　year　1765　an　Act　was　passed　empowering　a　turnpike…road　to

be　constructed　between　Harrogate　and　Boroughbridge。　　The　business

of　　contractor　had　not　yet　come　into　existence；　nor　was　the　art　of

road…making　much　understood；　and　in　a　remote　country　place　such　as

Knaresborough　the　surveyor　had　some　difficulty　in　finding　persons

capable　of　executing　the　necessary　work。　　The　shrewd　Metcalf

discerned　in　the　proposed　enterprise　the　first　of　a　series　of

public　roads　of　a　similar　kind　throughout　the　northern　counties；

for　none　knew　better　than　he　did　how　great　was　the　need　of　them。

He　determined；　therefore；　to　enter　upon　this　new　line　of　business；

and　offered　to　Mr。　Ostler；　the　master　surveyor；　to　construct　three

miles　of　the　proposed　road　between　Minskip　and　Fearnsby。　　Ostler

knew　the　man　well；　and　having　the　greatest　confidence　in　his

abilities；　he　let　him　the　contract。　　Metcalf　sold　his　stage…waggons

and　his　interest　in　the　carrying　business　between　York　and

Knaresborough；　and　at　once　proceeded　with　his　new　undertaking。

The　materials　for　metaling　the　road　were　to　be　obtained　from　one

gravel…pit　for　the　whole　length；　and　he　made　his　arrangements　on　a

large　scale　　accordingly；　hauling　out　the　ballast　with　unusual

expedition　and　　economy；　at　the　same　time　proceeding　with　the

formation　of　the　road　at　all　points；　by　which　means　he　was　enabled

the　first　to　complete　his　contract；　to　the　entire　satisfaction　of

the　surveyor　and　trustees。



This　was　only　the　first　of　a　vast　number　of　similar　projects　on

which　Metcalf　was　afterwards　engaged；　extending　over　a　period　of

more　than　thirty　years。　　By　the　time　that　he　had　fi