hem. The car continued to rebound
from these shocks to the height of five, ten, sometimes thirty, forty,
and even fifty feet, for all the world like an India-rubber ball from
the hands of an indefatigable player. Unfortunately, all our human
freight, terror stricken and without advice, had crowded into one side
of the car; and as this happened to be the side on which we invariably
bumped, we experienced all the worst effects of the joltings.

"What a dizzy whirl! What a succession of breathless shocks! What a
strain on both muscles and nerves! By the least negligence or slip,
or by the loss of presence of mind for one moment, we should have been
thrown out and dashed to atoms.

"Every collision tries our muscles and strains our wrists or our
shoulders; and every rebound dashes us one against the other,
constituting each individual a tormentor and victim at the same time.
Our flight is so rapid that we can only distinguish an occasional
glimpse of anything. Far, far in the distance we distinguish an isolated
tree. We approach it like lightning, and we break it as though it were a
straw.

"Two terrified horses, with manes and tails erect, endeavour to fly from
us. But we consume distances; we leave them behind immediately. We skip
over a flock of affrighted sheep in one of our bounds. But now comes the
real danger.

"At this moment, when we were perfectly benumbed with fear, and had lost
all power of articulation, we saw a locomotive, drawing two carriages,
running along an embankment at right angles to our course. A few more
revolutions of the wheels, and it will be all over with us, for we seem
to be fated to meet with geometrical precision at one spot!

"What will happen?

"Travelling at our present hurricane pace, we shall undoubtedly lift
up and overturn the machine and what it is drawing. But shall we not be
crushed ourselves? A few paces still intervene between us and our foe,
and we give vent to a shout of terror.

"It is heard, and the locomotive answers it by a whistle, then slackens
its pace, and after seeming to hesitate an instant backs quickly and
only just in time to give us a free passage, whilst the driver, waving
his cap, salutes us with--

"'Look out for the wires!'

"The caution was well timed, for we had not noticed the four telegraph
wires which we rapidly approached. We energetically ducked our heads on
seeing them, but fortunately we escaped any more damage than having two
or three of o