In town all the boys were extravagantly fond of a diverfion that to us would appear a very odd and childish one. The great street of the town, in the midst of which, as has been formerly mentioned, food all the churches and public buildings, floped down from the hill on which the fort ftood, towards the river; between the buildings was an unpaved carriage road, the foot-path befide the houses being the only part of the street which was paved. In winter this floping defcent, continued for more than a quarter of a mile, acquired firmness from the froft, and became extremely flippery. Then the amusement commenced. Every boy and youth in town, from eight to eighteen, had a little low fledge, made with a rope like a bridle to the front, by which it could be dragged after one by the hand. On this, one or two at most could fit, and this floping defcent being made as fmooth as a lookingglafs, by fliders' fledges, &c. perhaps a hundred at once fet out in fucceffion from the top of this ftreet, each feated in his little

F 5

little fledge with the rope in his hand, which, drawn to the right or left, ferved to guide him. He pushed it off with a little stick, as one would launch a boat; and then, with the moft aftonishing velocity, precipitated by the weight of the owner, the little machine glided past, and was at the lower end of the street in an inftant. What could be fo peculiarly delightful in this rapid and smooth descent, I could never difcover; though in a more retired place, and on a smaller scale, I have tried the amusement: but to a young Albanian, flaying, as he called it, was one of the first joys of life, though attended with the drawback of walking to the top of the declivity dragging his fledge every time he renewed his flight, for fuch it might well be called. In the managing this little machine fome dexterity was neceffary: an unfkilful Phaeton was fure to fall. The conveyance was fo low, that a Fall was attended with little danger, yet with much difgrace, for an univerfal laugh from all fides affailed the fallen charioteer.

This laugh was from a very full chorus,for the conftant and rapid fucceffion of this proceffion, where every one had a brother, lover, or kinsman, brought all the young people in town to the porticos, where they used to fit wrapt in furs till ten or eleven at night, engroffed by this delectable spectacle. What magical attraction it could poffibly have, I never could find out; but I have known an Albanian, after refiding fome years in Britain, and becoming a polifhed fine gentleman, join the sport, and flide down with the reft. Perhaps, after all our laborious refinements in amusement, being easily pleased is one of the great fe-crets of happiness, as far as it is attainable in this "frail and feverish being.'

Now there remains another amusement to be described, which I mention with re-luctance, and fhould fcarce venture to mention at all, had I not found a prece-dent for it among the virtuous Spartans. Had Lycurgus himself been the founder of their community, the young men could fcarce have ftolen with more alacrity and F 6 dexterity..

dexterity. I could never conjecture how the custom could poffibly originate among a fet of people of fuch perfect and plain integrity. But thus it was. The young men now and then spent a convivial evening at a tavern together, where from the extreme cheapnefs of liquor, their bills (even when they committed an occasional excefs) were very moderate. Either to leffen the expence of the fupper, or from the pure love of what they ftiled frolick, (Anglicè mifchief,) they never failed to fteal either a roafting pig or a fat turkey for this feftive. occafion. The town was the fcene of these depredations, which never extended beyond it. Swine and tur, keys were reared in great numbers by all the inhabitants. For thofe they brought to town in winter, they had an appropriate place at the lower end of the garden, in which they were locked up. It is obfervable, that these animals were the only things locked up about the house, for this good reason, that nothing else ran the least risk of being stolen. The dexterity of the

theft

theft confifting in climbing over very high walls, watching to fteal in when the negroes went down to feed the horse or cow, or making a clandeftine entrance at fome window or aperture: breaking up doors was quite out of rule, and rarely ever re forted to. Thefe exploits were always performed in the darkest nights; if the owner heard a noife in his ftables, he usually ran down with a cudgel, and laid it without mercy on any culprit he could overtake. This was either dexterously avoided, or patiently borne. To plunder a man, and afterwards offer him any perfonal injury, was accounted fcandalous; but the turkies or pigs were never recovered. In fome. inftances a whole band of these young plunderers would traverse the town, and carry off fuch a prey as would afford provifion for many jovial nights. Nothing. was more common than to find one's brothers or nephews amongst these pillagers.

Marriage was followed by two dreadful privations: a married man could not fly down the street in a little fledge, or join a