the life of thomas telford-第17章

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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

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　menta