this proposal I objected, that walking would be twenty times more
genteel than such a paltry conveyance, as Blackberry was
wall-eyed, and the Colt wanted a tail: that they had never been
broke to the rein; but had an hundred vicious tricks; and that we
had but one saddle and pillion in the whole house. All these
objections, however, were over-ruled; so that I was obliged to
comply. The next morning I perceived them not a little busy in
collecting such materials as might be necessary for the
expedition; but as I found it would be a business of time, I
walked on to the church before, and they promised speedily to
follow. I waited near an hour in the reading desk for their
arrival; but not finding them come as expected, I was obliged to
begin, and went through the service, not without some uneasiness
at finding them absent. This was encreased when all was finished,
and no appearance of the family. I therefore walked back by the
horse-way, which was five miles round, tho' the foot-way was but
two, and when got about half way home, perceived the procession
marching slowly forward towards the church; my son, my wife, and
the two little ones exalted upon one horse, and my two daughters
upon the other. I demanded the cause of their delay; but I soon
found by their looks they had met with a thousand misfortunes on
the road. The horses had at first refused to move from the door,
till Mr Burchell was kind enough to beat them forward for about
two hundred yards with his cudgel. Next the straps of my wife's
pillion broke down, and they were obliged to stop to repair them
before they could proceed. After that, one of the horses took it
into his head to stand still, and neither blows nor entreaties
could prevail with him to proceed. It was just recovering from
this dismal situation that I found them; but perceiving every
thing safe, I own their present mortification did not much