howl he had yet perpetrated, which had the immediate effect of bringing
down to the landing the whole of his countrymen, who, as soon as they
learned the loss of their friend, gave us a genuine Irish howl, in
which the women took the most prominent part.

On our way up to the house, we were met by the landlord, who, with a
most woful look, informed us that our horse had strayed away from the
pasture, and that he had searched the plains in every direction, and
could hear no tidings of him, but as soon as he turned up he would send
him home. "I am sorry, sir." he added, "this misfortune has happened,
and particularly as I am unable to accommodate you and the young lady,
for my house is full of drunken Irish, as you see. Indeed, the only
chance you have of getting to Cobourg to-night is by an ox-cart, which
will start about nine o'clock this evening."

I was very angry with the landlord for his carelessness, and told him I
should look to him for payment unless my horse was forthcoming. I found
the owner of the ox-cart, and made a bargain with him to set us down at
my friend's house in Cobourg.

Our equipage was very unique of its kind, it having been constructed
for the sole purpose of carrying barrels of flour and pork. The box was
a kind of open rack, with two rows of upright stakes instead of sides:
two long boards, laid on cross-bars, formed the bottom: we spread our
buffaloes on these, and fastened a strong piece of rope across the
cart, from stake to stake on either side, to hold on by.

Thus equipped, we commenced our journey. It was pitch-dark, so our
driver let the cattle go as they liked, for guiding them was perfectly
out of the question. I shall never forget the way our oxen galloped