manner (we accused each other of "funking"
afterwards), and accordingly sought the aid of a man, a boy, and a
wheelbarrow, and in this unconventional manner conveyed our goods and
chattels overland to the other end of the tunnel.

In the course of our journey along the canals we passed through a number
of these tunnels, including the one that starts close to Chatterby Station,
and goes under Yield and Golden Hills. The passage of barges through some
of these tunnels is performed in a very curious manner, as owing to the
roofs being too low to admit of tugs passing through, the heavily laden
canal barges have to be "footed" along by men and boys lying on their
backs and pushing against the roof or walls of the tunnel.

As may be imagined, but slow progress is made in this manner, the passage
of some of the tunnels occupying upwards of an hour. In some cases,
however, the tunnels are provided with a narrow tow-path running through
them, which, of course, greatly facilitates the passage, as when once
momentum is obtained, a man and a boy can tow a barge through without
much difficulty.

We next reached Harecastle, in Cheshire, where we landed for lunch.
Re-starting, after doing justice to a good feed, we soon encountered a
cluster of thirty-five locks (think of it) all grouped together within a
distance of six miles. Finding the negotiating of two or three a weariness
of the flesh, we cast around for help, and fortunately came across a
"locked-out" coal-miner, who for two shillings cheerfully trotted on ahead,
and opened each of the remaining locks ready for us by the time we arrived,
thus giving us a welcome rest after a spell of hard work.

After getting through the locks we had a straight-away paddle of some nine
miles, which was a pleasant change after the slow and tedious progress we
had lately been making, and passing by Alleyfield and Sandbach Station,
brought our day's journey to an end at Middlewich, where we are glad
to leave the canoe at the lock-house, and make preparations for passing
the night.

Proceeding next morning, with the sun shining and everything looking fresh
and lovely after the rain of the previous day, we got into the picturesque,
country peculiar to the salt district.

Some distance out of the town we obtained a pleasant tow of a few
miles behind a barge going in our direction, and from an old lady in a
picturesque sun-bonnet; who came out of the cabin to chat with us, we got
the welco