Thursday morning, from York to. Easingwold, 13 miles. This is a long, straggling town. In the middle of the town I saw about 25 crows’ nests. The people are very fond of them, and no person is allowed to molest them. The soil in general is not very rich, but well farmed. The fences are all of thorn. They labour here very much after our own fashion; sow vast quantities of wheat; very little turnip soil on this stage. Highland cattle now to be seen in small numbers, as also black-faced sheep, Scotch breed. The roads may all be called loanings. Large flocks of geese are feeding all them – many thousands – and boys and girls attending them. Children behave civilly; they speak to no stranger as they pass, and if they do, it is in the most prudent manner. Both sheep and cows pasture on these lanes, and have no other ground whatever.

THOMBECK STREET.

From Easingwold to Thombeck Street, 18 miles. In this stage came past Thirsk, three miles back. The soil this stage is rather poor; a great many farms seem to be taken off common. It is a pretty clean place, about the size of Jedburgh or Hawick township lands. Here roads are narrow, and fencing all kept rather of the bramble kind. On the right hand, about four miles, we see a high ridge of heath extending from north to south 16 miles in a kind of line, all improved about half- way up the hill. When at the summit it is a plain moor, upwards of 10,000 acres, all common. Here they have houses and stables for some hundreds of horses. They come from most counties in England for training galloping horses. It is allowed there is no piece of ground in England equally suitable for the purpose. A great many drovers live near this place, and a reputable set of butchers, who drive livestock to York market, besides what they kill. I saw 17 butchers’ stalls. Thombeck Street is a small town, newly built; will not do much, being only three miles from Thirsk.

NORTHALLERTON, GREAT SMEATON, AND DARLINGTON

From Thombeck Street to Northallerton, 7 miles. This is a large, well-built town, well laid out. It may be in size twice as large as Kelso. The streets are very wide. Here they have a great many cattle markets. This is a fine country; they have some very good inns; they farm much on our own plan; they sow a great portion of their grounds yearly with grass seeds, the same as we do.

From Northallerton to Great Smeaton, 7 miles. Here the people speak more in our own lingo and tone, more than any place I have been. There are two very good inns here, though no stage town. They all observe the same cleanliness and civility everywhere.