I waited near an hour in the reading desk for their arrival; but not finding them come as expected, I was obliged to begin, and went through the service, not without some uneasiness at finding them absent.

This was encreased when all was finished, and no appearance of the family.

I therefore walked back by the horse-way, which was five miles round, tho' the foot-way was but two, and when got about half way home, perceived the procession marching slowly forward towards the church; my son, my wife, and the two little ones exalted upon one horse, and my two daughters upon the other.
I demanded the cause of their delay; but I soon found by their looks they had met with a thousand misfortunes on the road.

The horses had at first refused to move from the door, till Mr Burchell was kind enough to beat them forward for about two hundred yards with his cudgel.

Next the straps of my wife's pillion broke down, and they were obliged to stop to repair them before they could proceed.