"Good day, sir," said he, stopping, when he came upon the bridge.
"I suppose you are bound my road?"
"Ah," said I, recognising the old mining captain with whom I had
talked in the kitchen the night before, "is it you? I am glad to
see you. Yes, I am bound your way, provided you are going to the
Devil's Bridge."
"Then, sir, we can go together, for I am bound to my mine, which
lies only a little way t'other side of the Devil's Bridge."
Crossing the bridge of Erwyd, we directed our course to the south-
east.
"What young man is that," said I, "who is following behind us?"
"The young man, sir, is my son John, and the dog with him is his
dog Joe."
"And what may your name be, if I may take the liberty of asking?"
"Greaves, sir; John Greaves from the county of Durham."
"Ah! a capital county that," said I.
"You like the county, sir? God bless you! John!" said he in a
loud voice, turning to the lad, "why don't you offer to carry the
gentleman's knapsack?"
"Don't let him trouble himself," said I. "As I was just now
saying, a capital county is Durham county."
"You really had better let the boy carry your bag, sir."
"No," said I, "I would rather carry it myself. I question upon the
whole whether there is a better county in England."
"Is it long since your honour was in Durham county?"
"A good long time. A matter of forty years."
"Forty years! - why that's the life of a man. That's longer than I
have been out of the county myself. I suppose your honour can't
remember much about the county."
"Oh yes, I can! I remember a good deal."
"Please, your honour, tell me what you remember about the county.
It would do me good to hear it."
"Well, I remember it was a very fine county in more respects than
one. One part of it was full of big hills and mountains, where
there were mines of coal and lead, with mighty works with tall
chimneys spouting out black smoke, and engines roaring, and big
wheels going round, some turned by steam, and others by what they
call forces, that is, brooks of water dashing down steep channels.
Another part was a more level country, with beautiful woods, happy-
looking farm-houses well-filled fields and rich, glorious meadows,
in which stood stately, with brown sides and short horns, the
Durham ox."
"Oh dear, oh dear!" said my companion. "Ah! I see your honour
knows everything about Durham county. Forces? none but one who had
been in Durham county would have used that word. I haven't heard
it for five-and-thirty years. Forces! there was a force close to
my village. I wonder if your honour has ever been in Durham city?"
"Oh yes! I have been there."
"Does your honour remember anything about Durham city?"
"Oh yes! I remember a good deal about it."
"Then, your honour, pray tell us what you remember about it - pray
do I perhaps it will do me good."
"Well then, I remember that it was a fine old city standing on a
hill with a river running under it, and that it had a fine old
church, one of the finest in the of Britain; likewise a fine old
castle; and last, not least, a capital old inn, where I got a
capital dinner off roast Durham beef, and a capital glass of ale,
which I believe was the cause, of my being ever after fond of ale."
"Dear me! Ah, I see your honour knows all about Durham city. And
now let me ask one question. How came your honour to Durham, city
and county? I don't think your honour is a Durham man either of
town or field."
"I am not; but when I was a little boy I passed through Durham
county with my mother and brother to a place called Scotland."
"Scotland! a queer country that, your honour!"
"So it is," said I; "a queerer country I never saw in all my life."
"And a queer set of people, your honour."
"So they are," said I; "a queerer set of people than the Scotch you
would scarcely see in a summer's day."
"The Durham folks, neither of town or field, have much reason to
speak well of the Scotch, your honour."
"I dare say not," said I; "very few people have."
"And yet the Durham folks, your honour, generally contrived to give
them as good as they brought."
"That they did," said I; "a pretty licking the Durham folks once
gave the Scots under the walls of Durham city, after the scamps had
been plundering the country for three weeks - a precious licking
they gave them, slaying I don't know how many thousands, and taking
their king prisoner."
"So they did, your honour, and under the command of a woman too."
"Very true," said I; "Queen Philippa."
"Just so, your honour! The idea that your honour should know so
much about Durham, both field and town!"
"Well," said I, "since I have told you so much about Durham,
perhaps you will tell me something about yourself. How did you
come here?"
"I had better begin from the beginning, your honour. I was born in
Durham county close beside the Great Force, which no doubt your
honour has seen. My father was a farmer, and had a bit of a share
in a mining concern. I was brought up from my childhood both to
farming and mining work, but most to mining, because, do you see, I
took most pleasure in it, being the more noble business of the two.
