They then brought forward the grey horse with his swelled sheath, which excited many jokes and much laughter among the spectators.—Our chapman bought him also, at the very low price of 3_l._ 15_s._ 0_d._ which was first affixed by the auctioneer, but which, however, the people said was very much beyond his value. Having used such applications as he thought efficacious for his recovery, by the time he had got him home he had the satisfaction to find him perfectly sound; and within a week afterwards refused fifteen guineas for him.—He kept him many years as a draught-horse; and the other horse also was sold to a profit, by which he thought himself very well paid for his journey to Durham. In the year 1751 Metcalf commenced a new employ:—He set up a stage-waggon between York and Knaresborough, being the first on that road, and conducted it constantly himself, twice a week in the summer season, and once in winter; and this business, together with the occasional conveyance of army baggage, employed his attention until the period of his first contracting for the making of roads, which suiting him better, he disposed of his draught, and interest in the road, to one Guiseley. An act of Parliament having been obtained to make a turnpike-road from Harrogate to Boroughbridge, a person of the name of Ostler, of Farnham, was appointed surveyor; and Metcalf falling into company with him, agreed to make about three miles of it, viz. between Minskip and Fearnsby.—The materials were to be procured from one gravel pit for the whole length: he therefore provided deal boards, and erected a temporary house at the pit, took a dozen horses to the place, fixed racks and mangers; and hired a house for his men at Minskip, which was distant about three-quarters of a mile. He often walked from Knaresborough in the morning, with four or five stone of meat on his shoulders, and joined his men by six o’clock: and by the means he used, he completed the work much sooner than was expected, to the entire satisfaction of the surveyor and trustees. During his leisure hours he studied measurement in a way of his own; and when certain of the girt and length of any piece of timber, he was able to reduce its true contents to feet and inches; and would bring the dimensions of any building into yards or feet.