the life of thomas telford-第16章

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called；　it　would　immediately　answer　him　by　neighing。　　The　most

surprising　thing　is　that　he　was　a　good　huntsman；　and　to　follow　the

hounds　was　one　of　his　greatest　pleasures。　　He　was　as　bold　as　a

rider　as　ever　took　the　field。　　He　trusted　much；　no　doubt；　to　the

sagacity　of　his　horse；　but　he　himself　was　apparently　regardless　of

danger。　　The　hunting　adventures　which　are　related　of　him；

considering　his　blindness；　seem　altogether　marvellous。　　He　would

also　run　his　horse　for　the　petty　prizes　or　plates　given　at　the

〃feasts〃　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　he　attended　the　races　at　York

and　other　places；　where　he　made　bets　with　considerable　skill；

keeping　well　in　his　memory　the　winning　and　losing　horses。

After　the　races；　he　would　　return　to　Knaresborough　late　at　night；

guiding　others　who　but　for　him　could　never　have　made　out　the　way。



On　one　occasion　he　rode　his　horse　in　a　match　in　Knaresborough

Forest。　　The　ground　was　marked　out　by　posts；　including　a　circle　of

a　mile；　and　the　race　was　three　times　round。　　Great　odds　were　laid

against　the　blind　man；　because　of　his　supposed　inability　to　keep

the　course。　　But　his　ingenuity　was　never　at　fault。　　He　procured　a

number　of　dinner…bells　from　the　Harrogate　inns　and　set　men　to　ring

them　at　the　several　posts。　　Their　sound　was　enough　to　direct　him

during　the　race；　and　the　blind　man　came　in　the　winner！　After　the

race　was　over；　a　gentleman　who　owned　a　notorious　runaway　horse　came

up　and　offered　to　lay　a　bet　with　Metcalf　that　he　could　not　gallop

the　horse　fifty　yards　and　stop　it　within　two　hundred。　　Metcalf

accepted　the　bet；　with　the　condition　that　he　might　choose　his

ground。　　This　was　agreed　to；　but　there　was　to　be　neither　hedge　nor

wall　in　the　distance。　　Metcalf　forthwith　proceeded　to　the

neighbourhood　of　the　large　bog　near　the　Harrogate　Old　Spa；　and

having　placed　a　person　on　the　line　in　which　he　proposed　to　ride；

who　was　to　sing　a　song　to　guide　him　by　its　sound；　he　mounted　and

rode　straight　into　the　bog；　where　he　had　the　horse　effectually

stopped　within　the　stipulated　two　hundred　yards；　stuck　up　to　his

saddle…girths　in　the　mire。　　Metcalf　scrambled　out　and　claimed　his

wager；　but　it　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　the　horse　could

be　extricated。



The　blind　man　also　played　at　bowls　very　successfully；　receiving　the

odds　of　a　bowl　extra　for　the　deficiency　of　each　eye。　　He　had　thus

three　bowls　for　the　other's　one；　and　he　took　care　to　place　one

friend　at　the　jack　and　another　midway；　who；　keeping　up　a　constant

discourse　with　him；　enabled　him　readily　to　judge　of　the　distance。

In　athletic　sports；　such　as　wrestling　and　boxing；　he　was　also　a

great　adept；　and　being　now　a　full…grown　man；　of　great　strength　and

robustness；　about　six　feet　two　in　height；　few　durst　try　upon　him

the　practical　jokes　which　cowardly　persons　are　sometimes　disposed

to　play　upon　the　blind。



Notwithstanding　his　mischievous　tricks　and　youthful　wildness；　there

must　have　been　something　exceedingly　winning　about　the　man；

possessed；　as　he　was；　of　a　strong；　manly；　and　affectionate　nature；

and　we　are　not；　therefore；　surprised　to　learn　that　the　land　lord's

daughter　of　〃The　Granby〃　fairly　fell　in　love　with　Blind　Jack　and

married　him；　much　to　the　disgust　of　her　relatives。　　When　asked　how

it　was　that　she　could　marry　such　a　man；　her　woman…like　reply　was；

〃Because　I　could　not　be　happy　without　him：　his　actions　are　so

singular；　and　his　spirit　so　manly　and　enterprising；　that　I　could

not　help　loving　him。〃　　But；　after　all；　Dolly　was　not　so　far　wrong　in

the　choice　as　her　parents　thought　her。　　As　the　result　proved；

Metcalf　had　in　him　elements　of　success　in　life；　which；　even　according

to　the　world's　estimate；　made　him　eventually　a　very　〃good　match；〃

and　the　woman's　clear　sight　in　this　case　stood　her　in　good　stead。



But　before　this　marriage　was　consummated；　Metcalf　had　wandered　far

and　〃seen〃　a　good　deal　of　the　world；　as　he　termed　it。　　He　travelled

on　horseback　to　Whitby；　and　from　thence　he　sailed　for　London；

taking　with　him　his　fiddle；　by　the　aid　of　which　he　continued　to

earn　enough　to　maintain　himself　for　several　weeks　in　the

metropolis。　　Returning　to　Whitby；　He　sailed　from　thence　to

Newcastle　to　〃see〃　some　friends　there；　whom　he　had　known　at

Harrogate　while　visiting　that　watering…place。　　He　was　welcomed　by

many　families　and　spent　an　agreeable　month；　afterwards　visiting

Sunderland；　still　supporting　himself　by　his　violin　playing。

Then　he　returned　to　Whitby　for　his　horse；　and　rode　homeward　alone　to

Knaresborough　by　Pickering；　Malton；　and　York；　over　very　bad　roads；

the　greater　part　of　which　he　had　never　travelled　before；　yet

without　once　missing　his　way。　　When　he　arrived　at　York；　it　was　the

dead　of　night；　and　he　found　the　city　gates　at　Middlethorp　shut。

They　were　of　strong　planks；　with　iron　spikes　fixed　on　the　top；　but

throwing　his　horse's　bridle…rein　over　one　of　the　spikes；　he　climbed

up；　and　by　the　help　of　a　corner　of　the　wall　that　joined　the　gates；

he　got　safely　over：　then　opening；　them　from　the　inside；　he　led　his

horse　through。



After　another　season　at　Harrogate；　he　made　a　second　visit　to

London；　in　the　company　of　a　North　countryman　who　played　the　small

pipes。　　He　was　kindly　entertained　by　Colonel　Liddell；　of　Ravensworth

Castle；　who　gave　him　a　general　invitation　to　his　house。　　During

this　visit　which　was　in　1730…1；　Metcalf　ranged　freely　over　the

metropolis；　visiting　Maidenhead　and　Reading；　and　returning　by

Windsor　and　Hampton　Court。　　The　Harrogate　season　being　at　hand；

he　prepared　to　proceed　thither；Colonel　Liddell；　who　was　also　about

setting　out　for　Harrogate；　offering　him　a　seat　behind　his　coach。

Metcalf　thanked　him；　but　declined　the　offer；　observing　that　he

could；　with　great　ease；　walk　as；　far　in　a　day　as　he；　the　Colonel；

was　likely　to　travel　in　his　carriage；　besides；　he　preferred　the

walking。　　That　a　blind　man　should　undertake　to　walk　a　distance　of

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　sho