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His brother, the Duke of Stybrow [styled so from Stybrowcraig, a tremendous rocky precipice, bursting out into the lake near the village of Patterdale] was no lover of work; he was a fine jolly fellow; which made the old man, a respectable country gentleman, in his mirth, observe, “He had three children of very different dispositions: the oldest son would be drowned in Ulswater, the other in the mash tub, the daughter — the devil could not beat her for pride."
No change took place in John’s manner of life, at least for the better, at the death of his father, which brought him into the possession of more than three hundred pounds a year. He persevered as if he daily dreaded the want of the common necessaries of life; no work or hardship was too great for him: and he was lucky enough to engage one Dick Pearson, a true and trusty slave, into his service. They loaded the boat, rowed it down the lake, unloaded, and returned at all seasons of the year, and at all times of the night. Sometimes he would sleep in barns, or other out-houses; when a few pence would have afforded him a comfortable bed in a public-house. In dress, he was the figure of misery itself; his stocking-heels were made of strong leather, his cloaths patch upon patch of any colour; and, according to the custom of the country, he were wooden shoes, or clogs, heavily shod with iron.
Nature had formed him for labour, of a strong robust make; he was almost equal to anything. He had another happy recquisite, he wold never flinch any weight he was able to stand under; and anecdotes are not wanting of his extraordinary strength. A storm, however, would set all his powers at defiance; and once, at least, the prediction of his father was nearly fulfilled. He was ferrying a load of wood down the lake, with no other help than his old companion Dick pearson; a violent and unusual hurricane arose, and they were every moment in danger of going to the bottom. To throw the wood overboard was too great a sacrifice, though their lives were in the most imminent danger. They were, however fortunate at to reach an island, a bare rock just
