the
carriage, and rested upon the fore and hind axles: it was lashed fast,
and the spare part of the spar was left sticking out behind, like the
end of the main boom of a smack. The coach body, when rested upon this,
was found to have a considerable list to port; but to have brought it to
an even keel would have been a work of time,--not that such a thing was
contemplated for a moment. The driver was enabled by this ingenious
substitute for a carriage-spring to "go ahead:" the rest was luxury,
which the "Good-intent line" did not bargain for; so we were left to
trim ship to our liking. Contrary to all my experience, I insisted that
the heaviest part of our cargo should be stowed at the bottom, for to
have had my countryman's eighteen stone of solid stuff to prop up, for
twenty miles, would have required the shoulders of Atlas.

Whilst walking up the mountains, I frequently overtook settlers moving
with all their worldly goods over to the great Western valley. I
generally exchanged a few words with them, and with the more
communicative now and then had a considerable long talk. Most of them
were small farmers and mechanics from the Northern States, who followed
here in the wake of kindred or neighbours, their plan arranged and
their location determined upon. One or two heads of families, however,
told me they were just going to look about, and did not know rightly
where they might set up.

I overtook one old couple attending a single-horse waggon up
Laurel-hill; and surely, if any laurels awaited them at the summit, they
were hardly enough won. The appearance of this pair attracted me as I
approached the rocky platform where for a moment they had halted to
breathe: the woman was a little creature, dressed in an old-fashioned
flowered gown, with sleeves tight to the elbows, met by black mittens of
faded silk, and a very small close bonnet of the same colour. She had
small brass buckles in her shoes; a cane, like those borne by running
footmen, in one hand, and upon the other arm a small basket, rolled up
within which lay a tabby cat, with which she held a conversation in what
sounded to me like broken French and English.

The man was a son of Anak in altitude, somewhat bent by years, but
having a soldierlike air. His white hair was combed back, and gathered
behind into a thick club: he wore a long greatcoat, which, if made for
him, gave testimony to a considerable falling-off in his proportions,
for it hung but loosely