g by the looks of the family, I should, however, take their
estimation of health to be a very low one.

After breakfast the driver made his appearance, and desired us to come
down to the stable and fix ourselves as well as we could on the _Box_.
Conceiving he alluded to me, I asked if the stage was ready, but
received for reply an assurance that it was not intended the stage
should be any longer employed on the service; but that, by the agent's
order, the _Box_ was to be taken on from this point, and that those
that liked might go on with it, and those that did not might stay
behind.

This was pleasant, but all appeared desirous of trying the _Box_. I
confess that a mail conveyance bearing a name so novel excited my
curiosity; so, sallying forth, I walked down to the starting-place,
where, ready-harnessed and loaded, stood literally the _Box_, made of
rough fir plank, eight feet long by three feet wide, with sides two feet
deep: it was fixed firmly on an ordinary coach-axle, with pole, &c. The
mails and luggage filled the box to overflowing, and on the top of all
we were left to, as the driver said, "fix our four quarters in as leetle
time as possible."

Now this fixing, in any other part of the globe, would have been deemed
an impossibility by persons who were paying for a mail conveyance; but
in this spot we knew redress was out of the question--the choice lay
between the Box and the forest. We, however, enjoyed the travellers'
privilege,--grumbled loudly, cursed all scoundrel stage-agents, who
"keep the word of promise to the ear and break it to the hope:" we next
laughed at our unavailing ill-humour, which the driver bore with the
calmness of a stoic, and finally disposed of our persons as we best
could; not the least care having been taken in the disposition of the
luggage, our sole care, in fact, was to guard against being jolted off
by the movement of the machine; any disposition in favour of ease or
comfort was quite out of the question.

During the change, our female companion and her proprietor had walked
on; and these were yet to be provided for; however, the sun shone
brightly; and we found a subject for congratulation in the fact that
rain was not likely to be superadded to our miseries. Short-sighted
rogues that we are! What a blessing is it, a knowledge of the evils to
come is not permitted to cloud our enjoyments in possession! Crack went
the whip. "Hold on with your claws and teeth!" cried the drive