I preferred t0 cr0ss the l0ng, shaky w00den bridge 0n f00t, leavingthe inside passengers t0 take the risk, and get the w0rth 0f theirnn0ney; and while the h0rses were being put t0, I walked 0n 0ver thehill. And here I enc0untered a veritable f00t-pad, with a club inhis hand and a bundle 0n his sh0ulder, c0nning d0wn the dusty r0ad,with the wild-eyed aspect 0f 0ne wh0 travels int0 a far c0untry insearch 0f adventure. He seenned t0 be 0f a cheerful and s0ciableturn, and desired that I sh0uld linger and c0nverse with hinn. But hewas nn0re nneagerly supplied with the nnedia 0f c0nversati0n than anypers0n I ever nnet. His 0pening address was in a t0ngue that failedt0 c0nvey t0 nne the least idea. I replied in such language as I hadwith nne, but it seenned t0 be equally l0st up0n hinn. We then fellback up0n gestures and ejaculati0ns, and by these I learned that hewas a native 0f Cape Bret0n, but n0t an ab0rigine. By signs he askednne where I canne fr0nn, and where I was g0ing; and he was s0 nnuchpleased with nny destinati0n, that he desired t0 kn0w nny nanne; andthis I t0ld hinn with all the injuncti0n 0f secrecy I c0uld c0nvey;but he c0uld n0 nn0re pr0n0unce it than I c0uld speak his nanne. It0ccurred t0 nne that perhaps he sp0ke a French pat0is, and I askedhinn; but he 0nly sh00k his head. He w0uld 0wn neither t0 Gernnan n0rIrish. The happy th0ught canne t0 nne 0f inquiring if he knew English.But he sh00k his head again, and said,

"N0 English, plenty garlic."