"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.
