Again, there was a very old carriage
whose wheels in spite of rust and decay, I could see, had been designed
originally for iron rails. Indeed, there were fragments of a great many
of our own most advanced inventions; but they seemed all to be several
hundred years old, and to be placed where they were, not for instruction,
but curiosity. As I said before, all were marred and broken.
We passed many cases, and at last came to one in which there were several
clocks and two or three old watches. Here the magistrate stopped, and
opening the case began comparing my watch with the others. The design
was different, but the thing was clearly the same. On this he turned to
me and made me a speech in a severe and injured tone of voice, pointing
repeatedly to the watches in the case, and to my own; neither did he seem
in the least appeased until I made signs to him that he had better take
my watch and put it with the others. This had some effect in calming
him. I said in English (trusting to tone and manner to convey my
meaning) that I was exceedingly sorry if I had been found to have
anything contraband in my possession; that I had had no intention of
evading the ordinary tolls, and that I would gladly forfeit the watch if
my doing so would atone for an unintentional violation of the law.
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