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diff --git a/43895-0.txt b/43895-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..931f549 --- /dev/null +++ b/43895-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7880 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43895 *** + +Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected +without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have +been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with +underscores: _italics_. + + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + WYLE COP. SHREWSBURY. A MINUTE TO 12.] + + + + +AN OLD COACHMAN'S CHATTER + +WITH SOME + +Practical Remarks on Driving. + +BY + +A SEMI-PROFESSIONAL, + +EDWARD CORBETT, + +_Colonel late Shropshire Militia_. + + +_With Eight full-page Illustrations on Stone, by_ + +JOHN STURGESS. + + +LONDON: +RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, +Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen. + +1890. + +[_The right of Translation and all other rights reserved._] + + + + +TO + +MY QUONDAM PASSENGERS + +OF + +DAYS GONE BY + +I Venture to Dedicate this Volume, + +THANKING THEM FOR THEIR FORMER SUPPORT + +AND + +HOPING FOR THEIR KIND PATRONAGE + +OF + +THIS LITTLE BOOK. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE + + INTRODUCTION 1 + + CHAPTER I. + THE ROYAL MAILS 9 + + CHAPTER II. + THE ROYAL MAILS (_continued_) 25 + + CHAPTER III. + ACCIDENTS 48 + + CHAPTER IV. + COMBATING WITH SNOW, FOGS, AND FLOODS 65 + + CHAPTER V. + NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN 75 + + CHAPTER VI. + HORSES 80 + + CHAPTER VII. + THE ROADS 96 + + CHAPTER VIII. + A SCIENTIFIC CHAPTER 104 + + CHAPTER IX. + A NOTE ON THE HORN 120 + + CHAPTER X. + THE HOLYHEAD ROAD 125 + + CHAPTER XI. + THE BRIGHTON ROAD 140 + + CHAPTER XII. + EARLY DAYS 152 + + CHAPTER XIII. + OLD TIMES 162 + + CHAPTER XIV. + COACHMEN: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM 169 + + CHAPTER XV. + GUARDS 186 + + CHAPTER XVI. + WHERE DID THEY ALL GO TO? 192 + + CHAPTER XVII. + SOME CHARACTERS 196 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + MONOTONY 205 + + CHAPTER XIX. + TANDEM 209 + + CHAPTER XX. + THE CONVICT SHIP 224 + + CHAPTER XXI. + DRIVING 235 + + CHAPTER XXII. + DRIVING (_continued_) 253 + + CHAPTER XXIII. + THE END OF THE JOURNEY 278 + + APPENDIX 285-308 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +_ON STONE_ + +BY JOHN STURGESS. + + + I. WYLE COP, SHREWSBURY, "A MINUTE BEFORE TWELVE" _Frontispiece._ + + II. HORSES IN A HEAP, LEADER DOWN, WHEELERS + FALLING OVER HIM _to face page_ 50 + + III. WENT OVER BANK AND HEDGE " 52 + + IV. OBSTRUCTION ON THE BRIDGE " 120 + + V. GALLOPED THE FIVE MILE STAGE IN EIGHTEEN MINUTES " 130 + + VI. EXTRA PAIR OF HORSES FOR FAST COACHES FOR + STEEP ASCENTS " 172 + + VII. ONCE MORE RUNNING A STEEPLECHASE " 244 + +VIII. WE MET THE LOOSE HORSE TEARING DOWN THE HILL " 246 + + +_ON WOOD._ + +THE EXTRA COACH AT CHRISTMAS " 233 + + +DIAGRAMS. + + I. A NEAT MEETING " 248 + + II. A MUFFISH MEETING " 248 + +III. DOWN HILL " 254 + + IV. A SUDDEN EMERGENCY " 254 + + V. THE TEAM EXTENDED " 256 + + VI. THE TEAM GATHERED " 256 + + + + +AN OLD COACHMAN'S CHATTER, + +WITH SOME REMARKS ON DRIVING. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +I think it is Dr. Johnson who has somewhere remarked, that "everyone +who writes a book should either help men to enjoy life or to endure +it." + +Whether these few pages will have the former effect I know not, but if +they only help to dispel _ennui_ for an hour or two, they will not +have been written quite in vain, and, at any rate, I trust they will +not be found so unendurable as to be unceremoniously thrown out of the +railway carriage window, or behind the fire. + +Though several books on the same subject have been already published, +I entertain a hope that this may not prove "one too many," as the +interest taken in coaching, so far from diminishing, would appear to +be increasing, judging by the number of coaches running out of London +and other places, some even facing the inclemency of winter in the +love for the road. The number of private drags also never was so +large. "Nimrod" put it at twenty to thirty in the early part of the +century. It must be nearly four times that now. + +I have not the vanity to suppose that I can contribute anything more +racy or better told than much that has gone before, but having engaged +in coaching as a matter of business, and in partnership with business +men, when and where coaches were the only means of public travelling, +and having driven professionally for upwards of four years, I have had +the opportunity of looking behind the scenes, and have had experiences +which cannot have fallen to the lot of most gentlemen coachmen, and +certainly will fall to the lot of no others again. + +I lay no claim to literary merit, nor will what I offer savour much of +the sensational or perhaps of novelty; but this I can say, that it is +all drawn from personal knowledge, and that, with the exception of one +old friend, who has had great experience on some of the best coaches +in England, I am indebted to no one for my facts, which has not been +the case in all which has been published, judging from some +inaccuracies I have met with. To mention only one, which, if +considered for a moment, is so improbable, not to say impossible, that +it surely must be a misprint. + +In "Highways and Horses" we are told that the fare for one passenger +by mails was eight shillings outside and twelve inside for a hundred +miles. Why, this is less than Parliamentary trains! It would have been +impossible to have horsed coaches at such prices. The real rate was +from fourpence to fivepence per mile inside, and from twopence to +threepence outside for that distance. The highest fares were charged +by the mails and fast day coaches, the heavy night coaches having to +be content with the lower rate. + +The reader will observe that I do not confine myself to what were +called, _par excellence_, "the palmy days of coaching," but have +brought it down to a period twenty years later, when the coaches, +though comparatively few, were still running in considerable numbers +in out-of-the-way districts, upon the old lines, and by those who had +learned their business in those palmy days. The pace was not generally +so great, judged by the number of miles to the hour, but, taking into +consideration the great inferiority of the roads, there was little or +no falling off. Indeed, I doubt whether over some roads, eight miles +an hour was not harder to accomplish than ten had been over the better +roads. Of course, as in earlier days, the work was unequally done, +sometimes good, sometimes bad, and sometimes indifferent. + +If these pages should happen to fall into the hands of any of the many +thousand passengers I have had the pleasure of driving, and on whom I +hope Father Time has laid benevolent hands, perhaps some of them may +recognize scenes which they themselves experienced; and to others +memory may bring back the recollection of happy wanderings, thereby +causing renewed pleasure. For, as the poet says: + + "When time, which steals our hours away, + Shall steal our pleasures too, + The memory of the past shall stay, + And half our joys renew." + +In the remarks on driving, I do not profess to have written a treatise +or to have by any means exhausted the subject--that, indeed, were hard +to do; a coachman should be always learning;--they are the result of +having carefully watched old and experienced hands, together with such +instructions as they gave me, followed up by long and continuous +practice. I know that some, whose opinions are entitled to the +greatest respect, hold different views upon some points; but, at any +rate, whether others agree with me or not, they will see, from the +examples I have given, that I have practical reasons for all that I +advance. + +I should like to add that these pages were in MS. previously to the +publication of the seventh volume of the Badminton Library, and, +indeed, I have not yet had the pleasure of reading it; therefore, if I +have enunciated doctrines the same as are there given, I cannot be +accused of plagiarism. I have felt compelled to make this statement on +account of the very high authority of the writers in that book, and +when we agree, I shall experience the satisfaction of knowing that I +travel in good company. + +I have been led on by my subject to spread my wings, and fly to +southern latitudes; indeed, I have ventured, like Mr. Cook, to take my +readers a personally-conducted tour round the world, I will not say +exactly in search of knowledge, though, to most, what I have +introduced them to must be an unknown world. So fast, indeed, has the +world travelled in the last half century, that it has now become +ancient history, indeed, sufficiently out of date to afford interest +to an antiquary. + + +"_Seated on the old mail-coach, we needed no evidence out of ourselves +to indicate the velocity. The vital experience of the glad animal +sensibilities made doubts impossible. We heard our speed, we saw it, +we felt it as a thrilling; and this speed was not the product of blind +insensate agencies that had no sympathy to give, but was incarnated in +the fiery eyeballs of the noblest among brutes, in his dilated +nostril, spasmodic muscles, and thunder-beating hoofs._"--DE QUINCEY. + + + + +AN + +OLD COACHMAN'S CHATTER, + +WITH SOME REMARKS ON DRIVING. + + + + +"GOING DOWN WITH VICTORY. + +"_The absolute perfection of all the appointments, their strength, +their brilliant cleanliness, their beautiful simplicity, but more than +all the royal magnificence of the horses were, what might first have +fixed the attention. On any night the spectacle was beautiful. But the +night before us is a night of victory, and, behold, to the ordinary +display what a heart-shaking addition! Horses, men, carriages, all are +dressed in laurels and flowers, oak-leaves and ribbons. The guards as +officially His Majesty's servants, and such coachmen as are within the +privilege of the Post Office, wear the royal liveries of course, and +on this evening exposed to view without upper coats. Such costume, and +the laurels in their hats dilate their hearts by giving them a +personal connection with the great news. One heart, one pride, one +glory, connects every man by the transcendent bond of his national +blood. The spectators, numerous beyond precedent, express their +sympathy with these fervent feelings by continual hurrahs. Every +moment are shouted aloud by the Post-Office servants and summoned to +draw up the great ancestral names of cities known to history through a +thousand years--Lincoln, Winchester, Portsmouth, Gloucester, Oxford, +Bristol, Manchester, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, +Stirling, Aberdeen--expressing the grandeur of the Empire by the +antiquity of its towns, and the grandeur of the mail establishment by +the diffusive radiation of its separate missions. Every moment you +hear the thunder of lids locked down upon the mail-bags. That sound to +each individual mail is the signal for drawing off which is the finest +part of the entire spectacle. Then come the horses into play. Horses! +can these be horses that bound off with the action and gestures of +leopards? What stir! what ferment! what a thundering of wheels! what a +trampling of hoofs! what a sounding of trumpets! what farewell cheers! +what peals of congratulation, connecting the name of the particular +mail, 'Liverpool for ever,' with the name of the particular Victory, +'Salamanca for ever,' The consciousness that all night long, and all +the next day, perhaps even longer, many of these mails like fire +racing along a train of gunpowder, will be kindling at every instant +new successions of burning joy, has an obscure effect of multiplying +the victory itself_"--THOMAS DE QUINCEY, _The English Mail-Coach_. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE ROYAL MAILS. + + +It is not within the scope of a book on coaching to go behind the time +when mail bags were conveyed on wheels, and the coaches became public +conveyances, carrying passengers as well as mail bags. + +The first mail coach was put on the road between Bristol and London in +the year 1784, and it is worthy of remark that it was originated by a +man who had previously had no practical knowledge of either post +office or road work. In this respect, curiously enough, the same +remark applies to what became so very large a business in the Sister +Isle, as to be quite a national institution. In the former case Mr. +Palmer, to whose energy and perseverance the mail coach owed its +existence, was by profession a theatrical manager, whilst the +inaugurator of the Irish car business, which grew to such large +dimensions as to employ more than a thousand horses, was a pedlar, +neither of which businesses would appear to lead to horse and road +work. + +Bianconi's cars involuntary bring to my mind a recipe given me many +years ago by one of his foremen for preventing crib-biting in horses. +It would hardly pass muster with the Society for the Prevention of +Cruelty to Animals, but he declared it was always effective if applied +in the first instance. It was to nip off a very small piece from the +tip of the horse's tongue. I never tried it, but can quite understand +why it was a cure, as horses almost invariably commence the vice by +licking the manger, and this process rendered the tongue so tender as +to put a summary end to this preliminary proceeding. + +But this by the way. Before, however, carrying the history of the +mails further, I am tempted to introduce the reader to an account of a +highway robbery of mail bags, which occurred in Yorkshire in the year +1798, and which shows that the change in the way of conveying the +mails was not commenced before it was wanted. + +The following letter from the Post-office in York, gives a full and +graphic account of the circumstance. + + "POST-OFFICE, YORK, + + _February 22nd, 1798_. + + "SIR,--I am sorry to acquaint you that the post-boy coming from + Selby to this city, was robbed of his mail, between six and seven + o'clock this evening. About three miles this side Selby, he was + accosted by a man on foot with a gun in his hand, who asked him if + he was the post-boy, and at the same time seizing hold of the + bridle. Without waiting for any answer, he told the boy he must + immediately unstrap the mail and give it to him, pointing the + muzzle of the gun at him whilst he did it. When he had given up + the mail, the boy begged he would not hurt him, to which the man + replied, 'He need not be afraid,' and at the same time pulled the + bridle from the horse's head. The horse immediately galloped off + with the boy who had never dismounted. He was a stout man dressed + in a drab jacket and had the appearance of a heckler. The boy was + too much frightened to make any other remark upon his person, and + says he was totally unknown to him. + + "The mail contained bags for Howden and London, Howden and York, + and Selby and York. I have informed the surveyors of the robbery, + and have forwarded handbills this night to be distributed in the + country, and will take care to insert it in the first paper + published here. Waiting your further instructions, I remain with + respect, Sir, + + "Your Obliged and Obedient Humble Servant, + + "THOS. OLDFIELD." + +Although two hundred pounds' reward was offered nothing more was ever +found out about this transaction for about eighty years, when the +missing bag was discovered in a very unexpected manner, which is so +well described in a notice contained in the _Daily Telegraph_ +newspaper of August 24th, 1876, that I cannot do better than give +their account. After describing the nature of the robbery it goes on +to say, "So the matter rested for nearly eighty years, and it would +probably have been altogether forgotten but for a strange discovery +which was made a few days ago. As an old wayside public-house, +standing by the side of the high road near Selby, in a district known +as Churchhill, was being pulled down, the workmen found in the roof a +worn and rotten coat, a southwester hat, and a mail bag marked Selby. +This led to further search, and we are told that in digging fresh +foundations on the site of the old hostel, a large number of skeletons +were found, buried at a small distance beneath the surface. There can +be no doubt that in what were affectionately known as 'good old +times,' strange scenes occurred at road-side inns, especially on the +great roads running north and west from London. The highwaymen of +those days were a sort of local Robin Hood, and were only too often on +best of terms with the innkeepers. Nothing, indeed, is more likely +than for the relic of the highwayman's plunder to be brought to light +from out of the mouldering thatch of an old wayside inn. The +unearthing of the skeletons is a more serious matter, and looks as if +the Selby hostel had, as many old houses have, a dark history of its +own." + +The existence of the skeletons was, however, accounted for by +archæologists in a more natural, if less sensational manner. They +arrived at the conclusion that the spot had been the site of a very +old Christian burial ground, whence called Churchhill; and this +opinion would appear to be borne out by the fact of the skeletons +having been encased in a very primitive sort of coffin, consisting of +nothing more than the trunk of a tree, which had been sawn asunder and +hollowed out to receive the body, the two halves being afterwards +closed together again. If they had been the victims of foul play, they +would probably have been buried without any coffins at all. + +The old mail bag, after some dispute about ownership, came into the +possession of the Post-Office, and is to be seen in the library of +that establishment at the present time. + +Like all other new inventions, the change in the manner of conveying +the mails was not without its adversaries, and among the different +objections raised one was that it would lead to bloodshed. These +objectors, who were, I suppose, the humanitarians of the day, grounded +their argument on the fact that the post-boys were so helplessly in +the power of the highwaymen, that they made no attempt to defend the +property in their charge, but only thought of saving their own lives +and limbs; and it is clearly shown by the case adduced that this is +what did happen upon such meetings, and small blame to the boys +either. But they went on to prophesy, which is not a safe thing to do. +They said that when the bags were in the charge of two men, coachman +and guard, well armed, they would be obliged to show fight, which +would lead to carnage. It was rather a Quaker sort of argument, but, +perhaps, it was "Friends" who employed it. + +Possibly the change did not all at once put a stop to the attentions +of the gentlemen of the road, but as I have not found in the archives +at the General Post-Office--which are very complete--any records of an +attack upon the mail coaches, we may infer that none of any moment +did occur. At any rate, the scheme seems to have met with popular +approval, judging by two cuttings I have seen from newspapers of the +period, which I introduce as conveying the public opinion of the time. + +The first is dated January 19th, 1784, and says, "Within these last few +days Ministers have had several meetings with the Postmaster-General, +Secretary, and other officers of the General Post-Office, on the +subject of the regulation of mails, which is to make a branch of the +Budget this year. It is proposed that instead of the mail-cart, there +shall be established carriages in the nature of stage coaches, in the +boot of which the mail shall be carried, and in the inside four +passengers. The advantages proposed from this regulation are various. +The passengers will defray the whole expense of the conveyance. The +progress of the post will be considerably quicker, as the coach is to +wait but a certain time in every place, and the time to be marked on +the messenger's express, that there be no intermediate delay. The +parcels which are now transmitted from one place to another by the +common stage coaches and diligences, to the injury of the revenue, +will by a restriction be confined to the mail coaches, and, indeed, +the public will prefer the security of the General Post-Office to that +of the private man; for the same reason of safety, persons will prefer +travelling in these carriages, as measures are to be taken to prevent +robbery. The plan is expected to produce a great deal of money, as +well as to afford facility and security to correspondence. It will +give a decisive blow to the common stages, and in so far will hurt the +late tax, but that loss will be amply recompensed. The plan is the +production of Mr. Palmer, manager of the Bath Theatre, and he has been +present at the conference on the subject." + +The other cutting is of the same year, and says: "A scheme is on foot, +and will be put in execution on Monday se'ennight, to send by a post +coach from the Post-office at eight o'clock in the evening, letters +for Bath, Bristol, Bradford, Calne, Chippenham, Colnbrook, Devizes, +Henley, Hounslow, Maidenhead, Marlborough, Melksham, Nettlebed, +Newbury, Ramsbury, Reading, Trowbridge, Wallingford, and Windsor. The +coach is also to carry passengers." + +As will be seen from these extracts the Post-office must have made a +very good bargain, as they only paid one penny a mile to the horse +contractors, which must have been considerably less than the cost of +the boys, carts, and horses. Who found the coaches is not stated, but, +in later years, though contracted for by the Post-office, they were +paid for by the coach proprietors. At any rate, the fares paid by the +passengers, of whom only four were carried, must have been very high, +for the coach had to pay to the exchequer a mileage duty of one penny, +thereby taking away all that was given by the Post-office for the +conveyance of the letters. + +There are no records to show in what order of rotation the different +mail coaches came into existence; but I know that the one to +Shrewsbury commenced running in 1785, and many others must have been +put on the roads about that time, as I find that in 1786, no less than +twenty left London every evening, besides seven that were at work in +different parts of England. The work, however, appears to have, been +very imperfectly performed. The coaches must at first have been +cumbersome. + +In the year 1786, the coach to Norwich, _viâ_ Newmarket, weighed 21 +cwt. 2 qrs., and one to the same place, _viâ_ Colchester, weighed 18 +cwt., which, however, must have been well constructed, as those +coaches were known to have carried as many as twenty-two passengers. +There was also what was called a caravan, or three-bodied coach, _via_ +Ipswich, carrying twelve inside, weighing 21 cwt. 3 qrs., and is +stated to have followed the horses very well indeed. + +In November, 1786, Bezant's patent coach was first submitted to the +post-office, and was first used on the coach roads in the spring of +1787. Previously the mail coaches were very heavy and badly +constructed, and made of such inferior materials that accidents were +general and of daily occurrence, so much so that the public became +afraid to venture their lives in them. + +The general establishment of mail coaches took place in the spring of +1788. The terms on which Mr. Bezant, the patentee of the patent +coaches supplied then, was that he engaged to provide and keep them in +constant and thorough repair at two pence halfpenny the double mile. +At first, from want of system, these coaches were often sent on their +journeys without being greased, and generally even without being +washed and cleaned, with the result that seldom a day passed that a +coach wheel did not fire. + +As the business became more and more matured, spare coaches were put +on the roads, so that each one on arriving in London should have two +complete days for repair. This increased the number of coaches to +nearly double. As each came into London it was sent to the factory at +Millbank, nearly five miles off, to be cleaned, greased, and examined, +for which the charge of one shilling was to be paid for each coach, +and this price included the drawing of the coach to Millbank and back. + +Before this arrangement was made, it was nothing unusual for +passengers to be kept waiting for a couple of hours, whilst some +repairs were being done, which were only discovered to be necessary +just as the coach was about to start, and then the work was naturally +done in such a hasty manner that the coach started in far from good +condition. + +The coach masters objected to this payment of one shilling for drawing +and cleaning, and stated that if it was enforced they would require +threepence per mile instead of one penny, which would have made a +difference of twenty thousand pounds a year to the post-office +revenue. In the end an agreement was made with the patentee, and the +post-office paid the bills. + +In 1791, Mr. Bezant, who was an engineer from Henley-on-Thames, died, +and the business fell into the hands of Mr. Vidler, his partner, and +in the following year there were one hundred and twenty of those +coaches in use on the mail roads. Their weight was from 16 cwt. to 16 +cwt. 2 qrs. + +I have not been able to find any time-bills for this early stage of +the work, and do not, therefore, know at what pace the mail coaches +were expected to travel, but, judging from the rather unique +instruction issued to a guard in the year 1796, great pace on the road +was not desired. Perhaps, however, this omission is not important, as +the time of arrival at the journey's end must have depended very much +upon how many accidents were experienced on the road. It reminds me of +the coachman on the Dover road, who, on being asked by a passenger +what time he arrived in London, replied, "That the proper hour was six +o'clock, but that he had been every hour of the four-and-twenty after +it." + + INSTRUCTIONS TO A GUARD GIVEN IN 1796. + + "You remember you are to go down with the coach to Weymouth, and + come up with the last Tuesday afternoon. Take care that they do + not drive fast, make long stops or get drunk. I have told you this + all before." + +The following letter addressed in the same year to one of the horse +contractors throws some light upon the way in which the work was done. + + "Some time since, hearing that your harness was in a very unfit + state to do duty, I sent you a set, as is the custom of the office + to supply contractors whose harness and reins are bad, when they + do not attend to the representatives of the office. The harness + cost fourteen guineas, but, as they had been used a few times with + the 'King's Royal,' Weymouth, you will only be charged twelve for + them." + +Who would have supposed that from so unpromising a beginning there +should have developed the most perfect system of road travelling which +the world has ever seen? Verily, it goes to prove the truth of the old +adage that "practice makes perfect." + +This same year, on 11th May, the Liverpool and Hull mail coach was +stopped by a pressgang outside Liverpool. A rather serious affray took +place, but no mischief was done. The Mayor of Liverpool was +communicated with, and asked to give such instructions to the +lieutenant of the gang as would prevent any further molestation. +Probably, the pressgang saw some passengers on the mail which they +supposed to be seafaring men, but it goes to show that the relative +positions and rights of the different branches of His Majesty's +service were not well understood. However this might have been, it +appears that the guards and coachmen of the mails were capable of +exerting their rights of free passage along the road to, at least, +their full extent. In July, 1796, three gentlemen were riding on +horseback, when the Liverpool and Manchester mail coach came up behind +them. It would appear that they did not attempt to get out of the way, +whereupon the coachman is stated to have used his whip to one of them, +and the guard pulled another off his horse, and then brought out his +firearm, and threatened to shoot them. According to the guard's +statement the gentleman, without speaking a word, stopped the horses +of the coach by laying hold of the reins, and nearly overturned it. +The coachman flogged the gentleman and his horse; the guard got down +and begged them to be off, and when they were going to strike him he +threatened to shoot them, upon which they let them go. After a full +inquiry from passengers, etc., it was found that the guard's statement +was false, and he was instantly dismissed, as was also the coachman. + +From the following instructions given in 1796, to a contractor, asking +how the coachman should act under certain circumstances, it appears +that passengers were apt to be very inconsiderate and difficult to +manage in those days, as they continued to be later on. + +"Stick to your bill, and never mind what passengers say respecting +waiting over time. Is it not the fault of the landlord to keep them so +long? Some day, when you have waited a considerable time, say five or +eight minutes longer than is allowed by the bill, drive away and leave +them behind, only take care that you have a witness that you called +them out two or three times. Then let them get forward how they can." + +This is much more consideration than was generally shown in later +years. + +I was once driving a mail when I had a Yankee gentleman for one of the +outside passengers, who was disposed to give trouble in this way, and +after being nearly left behind once or twice, he told me that I was +bound to give him five minutes at every change of horses. I told him I +would not give him two if I could help it, and would leave him behind +as soon as look at him. I guess he was smarter in his movements for +the rest of the journey. + +The following instructions, issued to the guards in the same year, +seem to point to their having delivered single letters as they passed +through the villages, but I certainly never saw such a thing done in +later years. In all the towns there were probably post-offices, though +such things were then few and far between, not as they are now, in +every village. + +"You are not to stop at any place to leave letters, etc., but to blow +your horn to give the people notice that you have got letters for +them; therefore, if they do not choose to come out to receive them, +don't you get down from your dickey, but take them on, and bring them +back with you on your next journey. You are ordered by your +instructions to blow your horn when you pass through a town or +village. Be careful to perform this duty, or I shall be obliged to +punish you." + +In the months of January and February, 1795, the whole country was +visited by most serious storms and floods. It is described in the +post-office minutes as "dreadful;" great holes were made in the roads, +and many accidents happened through both coachman and guard being +chucked from their boxes, and frequently coaches arrived having lost +the guard from that cause. Many bridges were washed away all over the +country, of which three alone were between Doncaster and Ferrybridge. +The mail coach between Edinburgh and Newcastle took a day longer than +usual to do the journey. Nearly all the coaches that attempted to +perform their journeys had to take circuitous routes on account of +floods. Bridges were washed away, roads rendered impassable by great +holes in them, and, in Scotland and the north of England, blocked by +snow. In the south, a fast thaw set in, which suddenly changed to +intense cold, leaving roads simply sheets of ice. Through the combined +exertions of the postmasters, a large number of whom were also mail +contractors, many of the roads were cleared sufficiently to admit of +the coaches running, but it was months before the mails began to +arrive with punctuality, and many mail coach routes had to be altered +on account of the roads and bridges not being repaired. This was +owing, in most instances, to the road commissioners and local +authorities failing to come to settlement in supplying the money for +the work to be done, and in many instances the Postmaster-General was +compelled to indict them for neglecting to put the road in good +repair. The guards suffered very much from the intense cold and +dampness, and many were allowed, in addition to the half-guinea per +week wages, a further half-guinea, as, on account of their having no +passengers to carry, they received no "vails." All their doctors' +bills were paid, and the following are but a few of the many guards +who received rewards for the manner in which they performed their +duty. + +John Rees, guard from Swansea to Bristol, who, in consequence of the +waters being so rapid, was obliged to proceed by horse, when near +Bridgend, was up to his shoulders, and in that condition, in the +night, did not wait to change his clothes, but proceeded on his duty; +was awarded one guinea. + +Thomas Sweatman, guard to the Chester mail, was obliged to alight from +his mail box at Hockliffe to fix the bars and put on some traces, up +to his hips in water in the middle of the night, after which it froze +severely, and he came in that condition to London; awarded half a +guinea. + +John Jelfs rode all the way from Cirencester to Oxford, and Oxford to +Cirencester through snow and water, the coach not being able to +proceed; awarded five shillings. + +To our modern notions, the post-office authorities hardly erred on the +side of liberality, but half a guinea was thought much more of in +those days. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE ROYAL MAILS (_continued_). + + +By the beginning of the new century the mail coach system appears to +have begun to settle into its place pretty well. Mr. Vidler had the +contract for the coaches, which he continued to hold for at least a +quarter of a century, and appears to have brought much spirit to bear +upon the work. + +In the year 1820 he was evidently engaged in making experiments with +the view of making the coaches run lighter after the horses, and also +to test their stability. He writes to Mr. Johnson, the Superintendent +of mail coaches, May 15, saying, "As below, I send you the particulars +of an experiment made this morning with a mail coach with the five +hundredweight in the three different positions," and he accompanied +this letter with cards, of which I give an exact copy. + + POST COACH. MAIL. + + 77 lbs. to remove with 5 cwt. on | 70 lbs. to remove with 5 + front wheels. | cwt. on front wheels. + | + 74 lbs. to remove with 5 cwt. on | 65 lbs. to remove with 5 + hind wheels. | cwt. on hind wheels. + | + 68 lbs. to remove with 5 cwt. in | 61 lbs. to remove with 5 + centre of the coach. | cwt. in centre of coach. + + + MAIL. BALLOON. + + 56 lbs. suspended over a pulley | It required 60 lbs. to move + moved the mail on a horizontal | the Balloon. + plane. | + | + Weight 18 cwt. 20 lbs. | Weight 18 cwt. 1 qr. 19 lbs. + | + Fore wheels 3 feet 8 inches. | Fore wheels 3 feet 6 inches. + | + Hind wheels 4 feet 6 inches. | Hind wheels 4 feet 10 inches. + | + The fore wheel raised on a block, | The fore wheel of the Balloon + stood at 26 inches without | would only stand at 17. + upsetting. | + | The hind at 16-1/2. + + DOUBLE-BODIED COACH WITH FORE AND HIND BOOT. + + Weight 14 cwt. + + Fore wheels 3 feet 8 inches. + + Hind wheels 4 feet 6 inches. + + 28 lbs. suspended over a pulley moved this coach on a horizontal + plane. + + The fore and hind wheels raised on blocks at 31 inches did not + upset the coach. + + It required only 35 lbs. to move this coach with 5 cwt. in front + boot. + + 32 lbs. to move it with 5 cwt. in the hind boot. + + 33-1/4 lbs. to move it with 5 cwt. in the centre of the body. + +I confess I am not expert enough to quite understand all this, but I +have been induced to place it before the reader, as it occupies little +space, and may be of interest to those who have a practical +acquaintance with mechanics. I am equally at a loss to say what sort +of conveyance the Balloon or the Double-bodied Coach were. + +The Postmaster-General, and those under him, appear to have always +been ready to listen to any proposals or suggestions made to them for +the improvement of coaches, even if, as in the case below, they were +not very promising. + +In the year 1811, the Rev. Mr. Milton tried to persuade the +Postmaster-General to adopt a system of broad wheels to save the +roads, and got it adopted by a Reading coach; but, as might be +expected, it was found to add immensely to the draught, and is +described as being the only coach which distressed the horses. The +rev. gentleman must have been a commissioner of some turnpike trust, +and had imbibed such a predilection for broad wheels for the sake of +the roads, that he resembled the tanner, who affirmed that "there was +nothing like leather." + +Even without the wheels being broad, the difference between square +tires and round tires is enormous. This was brought to my notice very +strongly one summer when the round tires which were worn out were +replaced by square ones. The difference to the horses in the draught +was considerable, but it was most striking when going down hill, where +the change made the difference of a notch or two in the brake. + +But, without having broad wheels, coaches were by far the best +customers the roads had. They paid large sums of money, and really +benefited the roads, rather than injured them. A road is more easily +kept in repair when it has a variety of traffic over it. When, as is +commonly the case now, it is nearly all single horse work, the wheels +and the horses always keep to the same tracks, and the new metal +requires constant raking to prevent the road getting into ruts; +whereas, with a variety in the traffic, the stone settles with little +trouble. + +Probably little or no alteration took place in the build of the mail +coaches during Mr. Vidler's contract, but at the expiration of it the +telegraph spring, the same as was at work under the other coaches, was +substituted for what was termed the mail coach spring, which had +hitherto been in use as the hind spring. This alteration had the +desirable effect of shortening the perch, which was favourable to +draught, and, at the same time, it let down the body, which was of a +square build, lower down between the springs, which added to the +stability. The same axles and wheels were continued, only that the +tires, instead of being put on in "stocks," were like those on other +coach wheels fastened on in one circle. + +As late, however, as the year 1839, the post-office authorities did +not appear to be quite satisfied, as an enquiry was instituted; but I +cannot find that any change of much value was suggested, and certainly +none was the outcome of the enquiry. A Mr. J. M'Neil, in his evidence, +said that there was no reason why, if the front part of the carriage +was upon telegraph springs, the hind part should not be upon C +springs. This, no doubt, would check the swing attendant upon the C +spring, but might give a rather rude shock to the telegraph spring in +doing so. + +Four years later I find that the sum of thirty shillings was allowed +for "drawing the pattern of a coach." The plan, however, was not +forthcoming. + +The following statement shows how large the business of the mail coach +department had become by the year 1834, just half a century after its +establishment. In England alone the number of miles travelled daily by +mail coaches was 16,262. The amount of expense for forwarding the +mails was £56,334; amount of mail guards' wages £6,743; the number of +them employed was 247; the number of roads on which the coachman acted +as guard was 34; the number of roads on which the patent coaches were +used was 63, and on which not used was 51. The patent coaches, +therefore, seem to have been brought into use slowly. + + MILEAGE WARRANTS (October, 1834). + + 3 at 1d. + 1 at 1-1/4d. + 34 at 1-1/2d. + 42 at 2d. + 4 at 3d. + 1 at 3-1/2d. + 1 at 4d. + 3 paid yearly sums. + 1 received no pay. + +Perhaps I shall find no better place than this for introducing the +reader more intimately to the mail guards. It will be seen that their +numbers were very considerable, and as they had exceedingly onerous +and responsible duties to perform (and that sometimes at the risk of +their lives), and were the servants of the post-office, it would +naturally have been expected that they should have been well paid. All +that they received, however, from the post-office was ten shillings +and sixpence a week and one suit of clothes, in addition to which they +were entitled to a superannuation allowance of seven shillings a week, +and frequently received assistance in illness. For the rest they had +to trust to the tips given to them by the passengers, and I think it +speaks well for the liberality of the travelling public that they were +satisfied with their places; for having post-office duty to perform in +every town they passed through, they could have had little opportunity +to confer any benefits upon them. + +On the subject of fees, too, their employers blew hot and cold. At one +time, as has been observed, they made them an allowance for the loss +of "vails"; and at another, as will be seen by the accompanying +letter, the practice was condemned. A complaint had been received from +a passenger respecting fees to coachmen and guards; but the letter +will speak for itself. + +"I have the honour of your letter, to which I beg leave to observe +that neither coachman nor guard should claim anything of 'vails' as a +right, having ten and sixpence per week each; but the custom too much +prevailed of giving generally each a shilling at the end of the +ground, but as a courtesy, not a right; and it is the absolute order +of the office that they shall not use a word beyond solicitation. This +is particularly strong to the guard, for, indeed, over the coachman we +have not much power; but if he drives less than thirty miles, as your +first did, they should think themselves well content with sixpence +from each passenger." It goes on to say that the guard was suspended +for his conduct. + +I don't know how far coachmen were contented with sixpence in those +days; but I know that so small a sum, if offered, would have given +little satisfaction in later years, if not returned with thanks. + +It will still be in the recollection of a good many that in the early +days of railways the mail bags were only forwarded by a certain number +of trains, which were called mail trains, and were in charge of a +post-office guard. They may also call to mind that there used to be +attached to those trains some carriages a good deal resembling the old +mail coaches, and constructed to carry only four passengers in each +compartment. So difficult is it to break altogether with old +associations. + +The guards were then placed on what was termed the treasury list, and +their salary was raised to seventy pounds a year and upwards. + +Before I pass on from the subject of the guards, I should like to put +once again before the reader the onerous and, indeed, dangerous nature +of their duties, and the admirable and faithful way in which they +performed them. Among other reports of the same nature I have selected +the following, which occurred in November, 1836:-- + +"The guard, Rands, a very old servant, on the Ludlow and Worcester +line, states the coach and passengers were left at a place called +Newnham, in consequence of the water being too deep for the coach to +travel. I took the mail on horseback until I could procure a post +chaise to convey the bags to meet the mail for London. This lost one +hour and fourteen minutes, but only forty-five minutes' delay on the +arrival in London." + +Out of their very moderate pay, those of them working out of London, +and in Ireland, were called upon to pay the sum of six shillings and +sixpence quarterly to the armourer for cleaning arms, but in the +country they looked after their own. How far these were kept in +serviceable order I have no means of knowing, but judging from a very +strange and melancholy accident which occurred in Ireland, those in +charge of the armourers appear to have been kept in very fit condition +for use, indeed, if not rather too much so. The report says, "As the +Sligo mail was preparing to start from Ballina, the guard, Samuel +Middleton, was in the act of closing the lid of his arm chest, when, +unfortunately, a blunderbuss exploded, one of the balls from which +entered the side of a poor countryman, name Terence M'Donagh, and +caused his instant death." If this had occurred now, I suppose, by +some reasoning peculiarly Hibernian, this accident would have been +laid at Mr. Balfour's door. + +As has been shown by the mileage warrant the remuneration paid to the +coach proprietors for horsing the mails was, with the exception of two +or three cases, always very small. How they contrived to make any +profit out of it, with at first only four passengers, is to me a +mystery. I can only suppose that the fares charged to the passengers +were very high. As the roads improved, and the conveyances were made +more comfortable and commodious, three outside passengers were allowed +to be carried, and the pace being accelerated, no doubt many of the +mails had a pretty good time of it till the roads were sufficiently +improved for the fast day coaches to commence running. Up to this time +the only competition they experienced was that of the slow and heavy +night coaches, and all the "_élite_" who did not object to pay +well for the improved accommodation, travelled by the mails, which +were performing their journeys at a good speed considering the then +condition of the roads. + +In the year 1811, according to a table in the edition of "Patterson's +Roads," published in that year, the mail from London to Chester and +Holyhead, which started from the General Post-Office at eight o'clock +on Monday evening, arrived at Chester at twenty-five minutes past +twelve on the morning of the following Wednesday, thus taking about +twenty-eight hours and a half to perform a journey of one hundred and +eighty miles. The "Bristol" occupied fifteen hours and three-quarters +on her journey of one hundred and twenty miles, whilst that to +Shrewsbury, which at that time ran by Uxbridge and Oxford, consumed +twenty-three hours in accomplishing the distance of one hundred and +sixty-two miles, and, as Nimrod remarked in his article on the Road, +"Perhaps, an hour after her time by Shrewsbury clock." This shows a +speed of nearly eight miles an hour, which, if kept, was very +creditable work; but upon this we see that Nimrod casts a doubt, and +he adds "The betting were not ten to one that she had not been +overturned on the road." + +By the year 1825, some considerable acceleration had taken place. The +Shrewsbury mail, which had then become the more important Holyhead +mail, performed the journey to Shrewsbury in twenty hours and a half, +and was again accelerated in the following year, but to how great an +extent I have no knowledge. I only know that a few years later the +time allowed was reduced to sixteen hours and a quarter, and she was +due at Holyhead about the same time as, a few years previously, she +had reached Shrewsbury, or twenty-eight hours from London; and thus, +owing in a great degree to the admirable efficiency of Mr. Telford's +road-making, surpassing by six hours the opinion expressed by him in +the year 1830, that the mail ought to go to Holyhead in thirty-four +hours. The remuneration paid to the horse contractors was, with very +few exceptions, always very small, as the table already introduced +shows. + +Notwithstanding all the improvements in the mails, however, when the +fast day coaches became their rivals, they more and more lost their +good customers and then began the complaints about the small amount +paid by the post-office. So much, indeed, did this competition tell, +that when the Shrewsbury mail became the Holyhead, and changed its +route from the Oxford road to that through Coventry, the contractors +would accept no less than a shilling a mile, fearing the opposition +they would have to meet by those who had lost the mail on the other +road. It was, however, largely reduced afterwards, but to what extent +I have not ascertained; and again, upon an acceleration in 1826, it +was increased to fourpence, with the proviso that if it shared less +than four pounds a mile per month during the ensuing year, the price +should be raised to fivepence. + +The Chester mail also obtained a rise to sixpence at the same time, as +it did not earn four pounds a mile; doubtless in consequence of its +having ceased to carry the Holyhead traffic. + +The dissatisfaction of the contractors, appears to have continued, +and, indeed, became more intense as the coaches improved and +multiplied, till at last a committee of the House of Commons was +appointed to investigate the circumstances, which, however, I should +have thought were not very far to seek; but at any rate, it elicited +some good, sound, common sense from Mr. Johnson, the superintendent of +mail coaches. + +He was of opinion that anything under fivepence a mile was too little, +and that mail coaches which received less than that were decidedly +underpaid. Still the competition was so great that persons were +generally found to undertake the contract for less; but he did not +desire to bring forward persons to take it at less than threepence a +mile, as it would be injurious to them if they excited that sort of +opposition. He considered that a dividend of four pounds a mile a +month was sufficient to cover loss, but with scarcely sufficient +profit. Indeed, fast coaches ought to share five, and I can quite bear +him out in this. + +He was, evidently, a very sensible, practical man, and knew that +innkeepers would be found to horse mails for almost nothing, merely +for the sake of the prestige which attached to them, the increased +custom they brought to the bar, and old rivalry, which was often +exceedingly strong, and he preferred to pay a fair sum to be sure and +keep responsible men. + +He considered that mails, on account of the limited number of +passengers, worked at a disadvantage when opposed by other coaches; +and no doubt he was right, because if a coach carrying fifteen or +sixteen passengers was nearly empty to-day, it would be remunerated by +a full load to-morrow; whereas, the mail with only seven, when full, +could not be reimbursed by one good load. It required to be pretty +evenly loaded every day to make it pay. + +He said a majority of our mail coaches are not earning what is +considered the minimum remuneration for a public carriage. + +He considered that to run toll free and duty free was sufficient to +secure them against competition, but, curiously enough, this never +seems to have been tried, for though the roads were compelled to let +the mails run without paying toll, the Chancellor of the Exchequer +always claimed the mileage duty, which was twopence a mile. There was +also a duty of five pounds for the stage-coach licence, or what was +termed the plates, which they were obliged to carry. The mails, +however, were excused from carrying the plates, as it was said His +Majesty's mails ought not to be disfigured; but whether they enjoyed +the more substantial benefit of having the five pounds remitted I have +not been able to ascertain. + +As time went on, and fast coaches increased, Mr. Johnson must have +been at his wit's end to know how to get the mail bags carried. Mail +carts appear to have been an expensive luxury, as they cost a shilling +a mile, and he could generally do better with the coach proprietors. + +In some cases there was so much difficulty in filling up stages that +it was repeatedly necessary to send orders that if no horses were to +be found to take the coach over a certain stage, to forward it by post +horses. + +The Norwich mail, through Newmarket, received eightpence a mile, of +which two hundred pounds seems to have been advanced to help the +proprietors out of difficulties, and to induce them to go on at all; +but that mail was very strongly opposed by an excellent day coach, the +"Norwich Telegraph," from the "Golden Cross," Charing Cross. + +So little at this time was the post-office work valued where it +interfered with the hours or increased the pace, that a night coach on +the same Norwich road as the mail declined to compete, and it was +suggested, but not carried out, to put a guard upon a coach, making a +contract with him to carry the letters, giving them some advantage for +so doing, which would make it worth their while; and a coach at one +time was employed to carry the bags between Alton and Gosport, which +were brought to the former place by the Poole mail. + +It did not, however, meet with Mr. Johnson's approval. He says, "I +think that the use of coaches in that way goes directly to destroy the +regular mail coach system. I think that if any coach from London to +Manchester were to be allowed to carry ten outsides, it never would +arrive within an hour of the present mail coach, from the interruption +which is occasioned by the number of outside passengers, not to speak +of the insecurity of the bags." + +No doubt he was quite right, as a rule; but if he lived to witness the +"Telegraph" coach perform with regularity that journey of one hundred +and eighty-six miles in eighteen hours, he would have confessed that +there might be exceptions to the rule. + +He says, speaking generally of the system, with a justifiable spice of +_esprit de corps_, "I think we should look to the general result of +the mail coach system, and that we should provide the best expedient +we can for cases of difficulty. If we employed such coaches we could +not prevent the parties from writing Royal Mail Coach upon them, and +writing Royal Mail Coach Office upon all their establishments in the +towns where they reside; all of which would go very much to destroy +the distinction by which the present mail coaches greatly depend, and +we should consider that after the mail coach system has supplied all +the uses of the post-office, it is still valuable as a national +system. It originally set the example of that travelling which is so +much admired, not only at home, but even throughout Europe, and I hope +continues to set an example now. I am persuaded that the manner in +which the stage coaches have been accelerated arose entirely from +their desire to rival the mails upon their old plan, and they now try +to keep as close to them as they can, though, in all long distances, +they are certainly very far behind. Persons of the first distinction +travel by the mail coaches. I don't mean amateur whips, but persons +who depend upon the regularity, security, and comfort of the mail +coach, and being less likely to meet with disagreeable passengers." + +He adds, "I am not aware of any coach that goes as fast as the mail +for a hundred and fifty miles, not even the 'Wonder,' and if some days +as fast, they are able, whenever they think proper, to relax their +speed, which the mail, being under contract, cannot do." + +The keen competition between the mails and other coaches is well +emphasized by a letter written by Mr. Spencer, the coach proprietor at +Holyhead, to Mr. Chaplin in London, complaining that as the "Nimrod" +had commenced running through to Holyhead, they were obliged to carry +passengers at lower fares, and saying that he had by that night's mail +booked a lady through to London, inside, for four pounds; and from my +own experience, I can quite believe this, as some of the ladies of the +Principality are like Mrs. Gilpin, who, though on pleasure bent, had a +frugal mind. + +When I was driving the "Snowdonian" upon one up journey, upon looking +at the "way-bill," as I left Dolgelly, I perceived that there was a +lady booked, to be taken up a mile or two out of the town, to go a +short distance, the fare for which was three shillings and sixpence +"_to pay_." She took her place in the coach in due course, and having +alighted at her destination, I demanded her fare from her, upon which +she assured me that she could only pay half-a-crown, as she had no +more money with her. I told her that I was responsible for the full +fare, and that she really must pay it; and when she saw that I was +determined to have no nonsense about it, she asked me if I could give +her change for a sovereign, to which I replied, "Yes, or two, if you +like;" whereupon, she opened her purse and exposed to my delighted +eyes two or three shiners. + +But to show how serious was the reduction made by the Holyhead mail, +it will be sufficient to say that the fares by the Edinburgh mail, +which ran a distance of only one hundred and thirty miles more, were +eleven guineas and a half inside, and seven and a half outside: a full +way-bill amounting to sixty-eight guineas and a half. Now this, with +fees to coachmen, guards, and porters, would make a journey to the +northern capital from the southern one cost about fourteen pounds for +an inside passenger, and about ten for one travelling outside, and it +occupied forty hours. + +The distance may now be performed in nine hours and at a cost of two +pounds, or less by Parliamentary train. + +We have seen the mail bags no heavier than could be carried by a boy +riding a pony, but before the railway system commenced they had +increased to such an extent that some mail coaches could carry no +more, and, in two cases, they required to be subsidised. For some time +the "Greyhound," Shrewsbury coach, was paid every Saturday night for +two outside places to Birmingham, in consideration of their carrying +two mail bags as far as that town on account of the number of +newspapers; and when that coach ceased running the Holyhead mail was +paid for outside places to enable them to dispense with that number of +passengers, and find the extra space required for these bags. The +Dover mail also received assistance in the form of an extra coach once +a week for the foreign, or what were called the black bags, as they +were dressed with tar to render them waterproof. + +With this before me I cannot help asking myself whether it was not +somewhat of a leap in the dark to reduce the postage at one bound from +the existing high rates to one penny. If the railways had not been +constructed with the celerity they were, there must have been great +difficulty and increased expenses in conveying the mails, as it would +have been impossible for the mail coaches to carry them and passengers +as well. I suppose, however, we must conclude that Sir Rowland Hill +had, with great foresight, and much consideration, assured himself +that such would be the case with the railways, and that he might +safely trust to their rapid development and co-operation for carrying +out his great project. Though the result might not have been equally +clear to others as to himself, he was only like the great engineer, +George Stephenson, who, when examined before a Committee of the House +of Commons, for the sake of humouring the distrust and nervousness of +his interrogators, placed the speed at which he expected the trains to +travel at ten miles an hour, though, at the same time he quite +reckoned upon, at least, double that speed. + + +The mail coaches working out of London had a gala day every year. On +the King's birthday they all paraded, spick and span, with the coaches +new or else freshly painted and varnished, the coachmen and guards +wearing their new scarlet liveries, picked teams with new harness, and +rosettes in their heads: blue and orange ones in old George the +Third's day; but the orange, for some cause or other, was changed to +red in the succeeding reign. In this form they formed up and paraded +through several of the principal thoroughfares at the West End, +returning to their respective yards preparatory to the serious +business of the night. + +It was a very pretty pageant, but there was another scene connected +with them, and which, to my mind, was quite, if not more interesting, +which could be witnessed every week-day evening in St. Martin's-le-Grand, +between the hours of half-past seven and eight. Soon after the former +hour all the mail coaches--with the exception of seven or eight, which +left London by the western roads, and received their bags at the +"White Horse Cellar," or "Gloucester Coffee-house," to which places +they were taken in mail carts--began to arrive at the General +Post-Office to receive their bags. They turned into the yard, through +the gateway nearest to Cheapside, and took up their places behind the +building in a space which has been very much encroached upon since by +buildings, and, as eight o'clock struck, they were to be seen emerging +through the lower gateway, and turning off on their respective routes, +spreading out like a sky rocket as they advanced into the country. + +During the long days in summer they turned out nearly as smart as upon +the Royal birthday, but on a dark, stormy blustering evening in +December or January, when snow or rain were falling steadily, there +was an appearance of business, and very serious business about them. +The scarlet coats were obscured from view by the somewhat elaborate +upper coats which have been elsewhere described; and there was a +feeling of serious reality about the whole thing, not unlike that +which comes over one upon seeing a ship start on a long voyage, or a +regiment embarking for foreign service. One felt that they would +probably meet with more or less difficulty, or, at any rate, that +there was an arduous task before them. The horses would be changed, +the coachmen would be changed, the guards would be changed, probably +there would be a considerable change in the passengers, but the wheels +roll on for ever, or, at any rate, till they arrive at their journey's +end, which, in some cases, would extend not only through that night, +but continue till darkness again returned, when the same work went on +through another night, and in two or three instances was not concluded +till the sun was again high in the heavens; and so admirably was the +service performed that the betting was long odds in favour of each +coach reaching its destination at the correct time. + +They had to contend not only with climatic influences, but sometimes +the malice of man placed stumbling-blocks in their way. The same +diabolical spirit which induces men at the present time to place +obstructions across the permanent way of railways, led some miscreants +in November, 1815, to place several gates at night right across the +road near Warrington, which caused the guard of the Leicester mail to +get down ten times to remove them, and, but for the moonlight, would +have caused serious accidents, and a cart was also fixed across the +road. Gates were also, on a subsequent occasion, placed on the road +near Stockton to catch the Chester mail. The perpetrators of these +wanton outrages do not appear to have been discovered, or they would +doubtless have met with their deserts, as the Postmaster-General was +armed with large powers for protecting and preventing delay to the +mails. Among other convictions for interrupting the free passage of +the mails, one toll-gate man near Henley is recorded to have been +fined fifty shillings, and also different carters in sums up to thirty +shillings. An innkeeper was liable to the forfeiture of his licence +for such an offence. + +The most trying time for the coachmen and guards were the two first +hours on the road. After that, few vehicles were moving about, but up +to that time a large number of all sorts, many of which were without +lights, were in motion, and not only was a very careful look-out by +the former necessary, but the latter had often, especially on thick +nights, to make a free use of his horn to avoid collisions. The roads +for the first ten miles out of town, as far as Barnet to the north and +Hounslow to the west, might, when the days were not at their longest, +be said to be a blaze of light. Between the down mails leaving London +and the day coaches arriving, none with less than three lamps, and +many with five, and some even with six, it was a bad look-out for +travellers who drove horses that were frightened at lights. Indeed, I +have known some persons very nervous on this subject. They seemed to +think that because the strong light dazzled them, it must have the +same effect upon the coachman's eyes; and, when I have been driving a +coach very strongly lighted, I have known men to leave the road and +drive into a field to get out of my way. The presence of a number of +coaches carrying powerful lights, and going both ways, probably does +have the tendency of throwing small carriages without lamps into the +shade, and so making it more difficult to see them. An aspiring +costermonger, trying to thread his way with his donkey and cart among +the numerous other vehicles, might be overlooked without much +difficulty among such a brilliant company. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +ACCIDENTS. + + +I have sometimes been asked, when I was driving coaches, whether I had +ever had an accident, to which I was able to reply for a good many +years, that, though I had been very near several, I had been fortunate +enough to steer clear of them. I had experienced different things +which might easily have ended in an accident, such as a leader's rein +breaking, the bit falling out of a wheel horse's mouth, a fore wheel +coming off, and similar things, but had always managed to pull up +without coming to grief. The case of the wheel might have been +attended with very serious consequences if we had been going fast at +the time, but fortunately it occurred just when I had pulled up to go +slowly round a corner. + +At last, however, it did come, and I think I may say "with a +vengeance," though it was not accompanied with any loss of life or +limb, or indeed any very serious consequences. It occurred when I was +working the Aberystwith and Caernarvon "Snowdonian." A pole chain +broke when descending a rather steep fall of ground, which caused the +coach to approach the off-side of the road, and, as the lamps threw +their light very high, I did not see a large stone, commonly called in +the parlance of the road, "a waggoner," until it was close under the +roller bolt, and immediately afterwards the fore wheel struck it with +such violence that the concussion threw the box passenger and myself +off the box. He was thrown clear of the coach, whilst I was pitched +over the wheelers' heads, but, alighting upon the leaders' backs, was +quietly let down to the ground between them. This, mercifully, laid me +what the sailors call "fore and aft," and consequently the coach was +able to pass over without touching me, and beyond a broken arm, I was +little the worse. The horses galloped on for a few hundred yards, and +then ran the off-side wheels up the hedgebank, upsetting the coach +into the road. + +This was somewhat of a lesson to me, for perhaps I had got the horses +into the habit of going rather too fast down the falls of ground, of +which there were several in the stage, but if I had not made play +there, it would have been impossible to keep time. We were horsed by +one of the hotel proprietors in Caernarvon, and it was certainly the +worst team I ever drove. Underbred to start with, and, though our pace +was not fast, yet from age and other infirmities too slow for it even +such as it was. + +Nevertheless, time was bound to be kept somehow, as we not +unfrequently carried passengers who wanted to proceed from Caernarvon +by the up mail train, and there was not much time to spare. + +There was one thing I never would do, and that was to call upon good +horses, the property of one proprietor, to fetch up time lost by the +bad ones belonging to another. + +I have previously alluded to being near accidents in consequence of a +broken rein, and when I was driving the Aberystwith and Kington +"Cambrian" I had a very near shave indeed from that cause. We had just +commenced the descent of Radnor forest on the up journey, and I had +begun to "shove 'em along a bit," when the near lead rein broke, and, +consequently, the leaders got, to use a nautical phrase, athwart the +wheelers. Of course, I tightened the brake at once, and was able to +bring the coach to a standstill before any harm was done, as the pole +held, and the horses were quiet, but another yard or two more and the +coach must have gone over, as the leaders were already jammed in +between the wheelers and a high hedgebank, with their heads turned the +wrong way. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + HORSES IN A HEAP. LEADER DOWN, WHEELERS FALLING + OVER HIM.] + +Perhaps some reader may say, "What a shame it was to use such reins, +they ought not to be able to break;" and of course they ought not, but +horsekeepers were not the most reliable of men, and no coachman could +possibly find time to examine the harness at every stage. If leading +reins could be cut out of one length of leather, there would be very +few or no breakages, but as they are obliged to be made of several +lengths sewn together, they are liable to break, as they get old, from +the stitches becoming rotten. Nevertheless such things ought not to +happen, but as I knew they would, I always carried about me two short +straps the same width as the reins, one about two inches long, with a +buckle at both ends, and the other with a buckle at one end and a +billet at the other, so that a breakage would be easily repaired at +whatever part it might occur. + +I have twice had three out of the four horses in a heap, from a leader +coming down and the two wheelers falling over him; but in such a case +as this there is very little danger if the coachman has the presence +of mind not to leave his box till there is sufficient strength at the +horses' heads to prevent them jumping up and starting off frightened. + +These, and a few others which have come to the front in connection +with other subjects, are all the accidents and close shaves which I +have experienced as a coachman; and when I call to mind the many +thousand miles I have driven, over some very indifferent roads, with +heavy loads, at all hours, in all weathers, and with all sorts of +"_cattle_," I think I may consider myself fortunate. But then I +was insured in the "Railway Passengers' Insurance Company," and +recommend all other coachmen to do the same. + +So much for my own experiences. Now for a few which have been gone +through by others. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + WENT OVER BANK & HEDGE.] + +All those which have resulted from climatic influences will be +introduced in connection with their respective causes, but I will +venture to present to the reader others which, from one cause or +another, possess more or less a character of their own, and are +distinguished either by extraordinary escapes, great recklessness, or +some other remarkable feature. The first I shall notice is +distinguished by the singularity of the escapes, and I cannot convey +the circumstances connected with it better than by giving the report +of the inspector upon the accident which occurred to the Gloucester +and Caermarthen mail on December 19, 1835. He says:-- + +"It appears from the tracks of the wheels, which are still visible, +owing to the frost setting in immediately after the accident, that +about a hundred yards before the cart was met, the mail was in the +middle of the road, leaving room on either side for the cart to pass, +and at this distance the cart was seen to be on the wrong side of the +road. The coachman called out in the usual way when the carter crossed +to his near side of the road, and had the coachman gone to his near +side, no accident would have occurred; but, by the tracks of the +wheels, it is quite clear that the coachman took the off-side of the +road in a sort of sweep, when the leaders coming in front of the cart, +and not being able to pass, went over the bank and hedge, the latter +being low; and then the wheelers followed in as regular a manner as if +they had been going down a street, and all the four wheels of the +coach went on the bank straight forward and went down the precipice in +this manner for some short distance before the mail went over, which +it did on the right side, and turned over four times before it was +stopped by coming against an oak tree. But for this impediment to its +progress it would have turned over again and fallen into a river. The +pole was broken at both ends, and the perch and hind springs were +broken. The fore boot was left in its progress; the mail box was +dashed to atoms, and the luggage and bags strewed in all directions. A +tin box containing valuable deeds was broken, and the deeds scattered +in all directions, but have been all recovered, and are safe in +Colonel Gwynne's possession, to whom they belong. When the coach came +against the tree it was on its wheels. Colonel Gwynne caused it to be +chained and locked to the tree till the inspector should see it. The +distance from the road to the tree is eighty-seven feet. The +passengers were Colonel Gwynne on the box, Mr. D. Jones, Mr. Edwards, +and Mr. Kenrick on the roof, and Mr. Lloyd Harris and Mr. Church +inside. Colonel Gwynne jumped off when he saw the leaders going over +the bank, as did Edward Jenkins the coachman and Compton the guard. +The latter was somewhat stunned at first, but all escaped with slight +hurt. + +"Mr. D. Jones was found about half-way down the precipice, bleeding +much, having received several cuts about the head and face, and was a +good deal bruised and in a senseless state. Mr. Harris, when the coach +came in contact with the tree, was forced through the part from which +the boot had been separated, and fell into the river. He remembers +nothing of the accident except feeling cold when in the river, from +which, somehow or other, he got out and went to a farmhouse near, +where he was found in a senseless state. He has a severe cut on the +upper lip, but both he and Mr. Jones are recovering rapidly. Mr. +Kenrick was not hurt in the least. The accident appears to have been +one of the most extraordinary ever heard of, and the escape of the +passengers with their lives most miraculous. The coachman's conduct +seems to have been most censurable. He is reported by the guard and +passengers to have driven the whole of the way most irregularly. He +was remonstrated with by them, but, as has been seen, with no effect. +One of the passengers thought he was drunk, but the guard says he did +not observe it, but that he only heard him speak once. The horses were +so little injured that they were at work the next day in their usual +places." + +The coachman was afterwards brought before the magistrates, when he +pleaded guilty to negligence and being on the wrong side of the road, +and was fined five pounds. + +On 13th January, 1836, when the Falmouth and Exeter mail was about +three miles from Okehampton, the coachman drove against a heap of +stones which had been placed too far out from the off-side of the +road, and the concussion was so great that both himself and the guard +were thrown off. The horses, finding themselves under no control, +immediately went off at a smart pace, and, although they had three +sharp turns to take, and a hill to go down, actually arrived at the +Okehampton turnpike gate without the slightest accident. There was one +gentleman inside, who was not aware that anything was amiss, but +merely thought the coachman was driving too fast. Perhaps the despised +turnpike gate prevented a serious accident in this case. + +In July, 1839, the Ipswich mail, when arriving at Colchester, the +coachman Flack, as is usual, threw down the reins and got down when no +horsekeeper was at the horses' heads, and they galloped off till the +near leader fell and broke his neck, which stopped them. Probably this +accident would not have occurred if the coach had been fitted with a +brake, which the coachman ought to put on tight before leaving his +box. + +An old friend of mine writes me, "One night I was a passenger in the +Glasgow mail, driven by Captain Baynton, and felt rather uneasy when I +found we were racing with the Edinburgh mail for the Stamford Hill +toll-gate. The consequence was, we cannoned in the gate, and a most +awful crash ensued, killing two wheel horses and seriously injuring +the other two. It is needless to say that Billy Chaplin never allowed +the captain to take the Glasgow mail out of the yard again." Anything +more reckless than this could not possibly be. Not only were they +racing down hill, but the gate was too narrow to admit of both coaches +going through abreast; consequently, unless the nerve of one of the +coachmen gave way before it was too late, so as to make him decline +the contest in time, a smash was inevitable. Neither had they the +excuse that they were driving opposition coaches. + +On September 29th, 1835, when the coachman of the Ipswich mail was +getting into his seat at the "Swan with Two Necks" yard in Lad Lane, +the horses suddenly started off, knocking down the man who was +attending at their heads, and throwing the coachman off the steps. +They then proceeded at a rapid pace into Cheapside, when the coach, +catching the hind part of the Poole mail, the concussion was so great +that it threw the coachman of that mail from his box with such +violence that he was taken up senseless, and was carried to the +hospital in a dangerous state. The horses of the Ipswich mail, +continuing their speed, ran the pole into the iron railings of the +area of Mr. Ripling's house, which breaking, fortunately set the +leaders at liberty, when the wheel horses were soon stopped without +doing any further damage. + +To anyone who remembers the situation of the yard of the "Swan with +Two Necks," it will be a matter of surprise how four horses, entirely +left to their own guidance, could possibly steer the coach clear of +the different corners between it and Cheapside. + +The following is an instance of a coach absolutely rolling over. + +The "Liverpool Express," when near Chalk Hill on her journey to +London, though not a particularly fast coach, was going at a great +pace, as the stage was only four miles, and she was making time for a +long stage to follow. Somehow or another she got on the rock, which is +easily done with a coach heavily loaded on the roof if the wheel +horses are not poled up even, or not the right length, and the coach +is kept too much on the side of the road. + +Though I have elsewhere said a good deal on the subject of pole +chains, I have been induced to make a practical application here for +the benefit of any young coachmen who may be disposed to spring their +teams on a nice piece of flat ground. But to return to the "Express." + +It was a very old coach, and the transom plate was so much worn as to +have become round, and she rolled over, killing one passenger and +severely injuring two more. "They were thrown off like a man sowing +wheat broadcast," says my informant. One passenger brought an action +against the proprietors and recovered heavy damages, though they tried +to saddle it on the coachman's driving too fast; but the jury laid it +to the bad state of the transom plate, and gave damages accordingly. + +The following accident, like many others, is one which ought not to +have happened at all, and it appears to me that, after all the +investigation which took place, the saddle was put upon the back of +the wrong horse. However, I will give the Post-office minute upon the +occasion:-- + +"London and Worcester mail coach accident caused through carrying an +extra passenger on the box, July 9th, 1838. + +"As the mail coach was entering Broadway, the horses ran away; when +the leading reins breaking, the coach was drawn against a post, and +the pole and splinter bar were broken. Fortunately, the coach did not +overturn. The reason for the horses taking fright could not be +ascertained, but the guard stated that the book-keeper at Oxford had +insisted on placing an extra passenger on the box seat with the +coachman, who had declared since the accident that, if the extra +passenger had not been on the box seat, he would have been enabled to +stop the horses. + +"An order was issued that the book-keeper and coachman were to be +summoned, with the intent of punishing them both with the utmost +rigour of the law; as regards the coachman for allowing an extra +person to ride with him, and the book-keeper for insisting that the +coachman (who was in a manner obliged to obey his orders) should carry +the passenger on the seat with him. + +"The inspector found, when applying for the summons, that he could +only proceed against the coachman. The case was heard before the +magistrates at Oxford, when the coachman was fined in the penalty of +fifty shillings and costs." + +The question was raised as to asking the contractor to dismiss the +coachman, but the opinion of the Postmaster-General was that the +punishment had fallen on the wrong man, and he would, therefore, not +insist upon his dismissal. + +I should have supposed that, in such a case as this, the guard would +have had power to summarily prevent an extra passenger being carried. +If he had not that power he surely ought to have had it, and if he did +possess it, and did not exercise it, he alone was to blame. But, after +all, it is difficult to understand how the presence of a third person +on the box could have contributed to the breaking of the reins, which +was the ultimate cause of the accident. + +Amongst the other old institutions and customs which I have raked up +from the dust-heap of time, is the law of Deodand, and I will now, by +means of an accident, give a practical insight into the working of it. + +As the Holyhead mail was one day galloping down a sharp pitch in the +road at Shenley, three boys on their way to school, as was a not +uncommon practice with boys in those days, tried which of them could +run across the road nearest to the horses' heads of the coach. Two of +them got across in time and escaped without harm, but the third, being +foolhardy, tried to return; the lamentable result of which was that +the near side leading bar struck him and knocked him down, causing the +mail to run over him, and he was killed on the spot. + +A coroner's inquest was held, before which the coachman had to appear, +but no blame was attached to him, although a deodand of one sovereign +was levied on the coach. + +The law appears to have worked hardly in this case. If any one was to +blame, it must have been the coachman, and it was rather rough on the +proprietors to fine them indirectly for an accident over which they +could have no control. + +There was a coach from Cambridge to London, called the "Star," what +was called an up and down coach; that is, leaving Cambridge in the +morning, and returning again in the evening, from the "Belle Sauvage," +Ludgate Hill, which was driven by Joe Walton, a very steady, good +coachman, but which, nevertheless, met with a very serious and +expensive accident. + +Sir St. Vincent Cotton, well known afterwards on the Brighton road, +whenever he travelled by the "Star," was allowed by Mr. Nelson, the +London proprietor, to waggon it, and it was considered a great piece +of condescension on the part of old Joe to give up the ribbons to +anyone; but the baronet was a first-rate amateur, and a liberal +tipper, so he waived the etiquette. On one of these occasions the +"Star" was a little behind time, and St. Vincent was making it up by +springing the team a little too freely, which set the coach on the +rock, and old Joe becoming nervous, seized hold of the near side reins +and thus threw her over. Calloway, the jockey, who was on the coach, +had his leg broken, and the accident altogether cost the proprietors +nearly two thousand pounds. Sir St. Vincent was unable to assist them +much, as he was hard-up at the time. + +Probably the fact of the coach being driven by an amateur was not +without its effect upon the costs, as, whether he was to blame or not, +a jury would not be unlikely to arrive at the conclusion that he was +the wrong man in the wrong place. + +And now I will wind up this formidable chapter of accidents with one +which indicates that the palmy days were passing away, and as it is +always somewhat painful to witness the decay of anything one has been +fond of, I will draw the veil over the decadence of a system which +arrived nearer to perfection than any other road travelling that was +ever seen in the world. Sufficient to say that my own experience on a +journey during that winter on the Holyhead mail quite confirms the +description given of the state of the horses and harness. + +I was on the box of the mail one night in the month of January in that +winter, when I saw the old short Tommy, which had lain so long on the +shelf, reproduced, to enable time to be kept, and in one place there +lay by the side of the road the carcase of a horse which had fallen in +the up mail. Perhaps it was not very much to be wondered at that the +proprietors should be unwilling to go to the expense of buying fresh +horses at such a time, but they carried their prudence so far that it +partook of cruelty. + +The mail coach minute of the General Post-Office says: "Collision +between the Holyhead mail coach and the Manchester mail coach, 29 +June, 1838, at Dirty House Hill, between Weedon and Foster's Booth." + +"Both coachmen were in fault. The Holyhead coach had no lamps, and the +explanation of their absence was that 28th June of that year was the +Coronation Day of our beloved Queen, and the crowd was so great in +Birmingham that, in paying attention to getting the horses through the +streets, and having lost considerable time in so doing, in the hurry +to get the coach off again, the guard did not ascertain if the lamps +were with the coach or not. The Manchester coach, at the time of the +accident, was attempting, when climbing the hill, to pass the Carlisle +mail coach, and was ascending on the wrong side of the road. The +horses dashed into each other, with the result that one of the wheel +horses of the Holyhead mail, belonging to Mr. Wilson, of Daventry, was +killed, and the others injured, one of the leaders seriously. The +harness was old, and snapped like chips, or more serious would have +been the consequences. In fact, the horse killed was old and worn-out, +otherwise, the sudden concussion might have deprived the passengers of +life, and, probably, more horses would have been killed. As it was +difficult to decide which of the two coachmen was most in the wrong, +it was left to the two coachmasters to arrange affairs between +themselves." + +How the Holyhead, the Manchester, and the Carlisle mails ever got +together on the same road I am unable to say, but can only suppose +that the railway being open at that time from Liverpool and Manchester +to Birmingham, the bags were in some way handed over to them for +conveyance as far as was possible, and were then consigned at the +terminus at Birmingham to their respective mail coaches; but, even +then, I should have thought that the weight of the bags could not have +been sufficient to necessitate a separate coach for each place. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +COMBATING WITH SNOW, FOGS, AND FLOODS. + + +How vividly do these words recall the many wet and snowy journeys +which I have experienced, both as coachman and passenger, in years +gone by, and, strange as it may appear to most people now-a-days, with +no unpleasurable associations, though no doubt it was rather trying at +the time. Snowstorms, in particular, were very detrimental to +coachmen's eyes, particularly when accompanied with high winds. A good +look out forward could on no account be relaxed, and that placed the +eyes in such a position as was most favourable for the large flakes to +fall into them. One coachman on the Holyhead mail, I forget his name, +lost his sight from the effects of a snowstorm in the pass of Nant +Francon, but probably his eyes had already been weakened by previous +experiences of the same nature. I don't think my own have even quite +recovered the effects of three winters over the base of Cader Idris. + +But, notwithstanding all the bad weather I have been exposed to, I +cannot call to mind having ever been wet through outside a coach; but +then I always took care to be well protected by coats, and all other +contrivances for withstanding it. I have, however, seen a +fellow-passenger, when he dismounted from a coach at the end of an +eighty miles' journey, performed in soaking rain, whose boots were as +full of water from the rain having run down him, as if he had just +walked through a brook. + +I never had the misfortune of being regularly snowed up, though I have +had some experience of snowdrifts. One of the winters that I drove the +"Harkaway" was accompanied by a good deal of snow, and the road for +part of the journey, which ran over high and exposed ground, became +drifted up, preventing the coach running for two days. + +On the third, however, as a slight thaw had set in, it was determined +to try and force a way through, especially as the road surveyor had +sent some men to clear away the snow. As far as the coach road was +concerned, however, these men might nearly as well have stayed at +home, as they had confined their attention to letting off the water +where it had melted, and when the coach arrived at the spot the drifts +remained very much as they had been. Under these circumstances, +instead of the proverbial three courses there were only two offered to +us--namely, to "go at it or go home." I chose the former alternative, +and, catching the horses fast by the head, sent them at the first +drift with such a will, that, between the force of the pace and a +struggle or two besides, the coach was landed about half way through, +when it stuck fast. The workmen now came to our assistance, and dug us +out, and I had then only to do the same at the other two drifts, and +we managed to catch a train at Machynlleth, though not the right one, +as it had taken us two hours to cover a distance of one mile and a +half. + +Though I have always been fortunate enough to keep clear of dangerous +floods, I did so once only by a detour of seven miles, thereby +lengthening the day's drive to one hundred, and this reminds me of a +rather droll request that was once made to me. + +I was driving my drag with a party going to a picnic, and in the +course of the drive we had to ford a river which had risen very +considerably from the rains of the previous night. When we had got +about half-way across, the water had become deep enough to rise a foot +or so up the leaders' sides, and the spray was dashing over their +backs. Of course, there was nothing to be done except to push on, but +a lady called to me from behind, begging me either to turn round, or +else put her down. If I had acceded to her last request, she would +have met with a cool reception! + +Notwithstanding all that was done by the great improvement made in +roads, together with the superior class of horses employed and the +general excellence of the coachmen, nothing could be effected to +prevent loss of time or accidents occurring through severe snows, +floods, and fogs, and the mail-bags were from these causes delayed, +although, as we have already seen, almost superhuman efforts were made +by the guards to get them through the stoppages. + +Neither were the Postmaster-General and his subordinates wanting in +using all the means in their power, whether by expenditure of money or +in any other way, to secure the safety and punctuality of the mails. +The expenses incurred during serious snows, in paying for the removal +of the snow or for extra horses to the coaches, were considerable. In +one heavy snowstorm the sum of one hundred and ninety pounds was paid +for these purposes, and for another the cost was one hundred and +sixty. + +At one time the attention of the Postmaster-General was called to a +snow-plough, and the following circular was issued in December, 1836, +to the postmasters: "I send you some copies of a description of +snow-plough, which has been used with great advantage in former +seasons for the purpose of forcing a passage through the snow, and I +have to request that you will communicate with the magistrates, +commissioners, trustees, and surveyors of roads, or other influential +persons, urging their co-operation in endeavouring to remove the +impediments to the progress of the mails. The Postmaster-General +relies on all possible efforts being made by yourself and others to +secure this important object, and I would suggest whether, among other +methods, the passage of the mail coaches through the snow might not be +facilitated by placing them on sledges." Whether any pattern of +snow-plough or sledge accompanied this missive is not clear, but, +judging from some correspondence on the subject, I should fancy there +was. + +Nothing appears to have been done with either implement, and, indeed, +it is not very likely that they would have been popular with the horse +contractors. If the snow-ploughs had succeeded in clearing a space +sufficient to permit of the passage of a coach, it would probably have +left the road in a very heavy state, and I should doubt whether in the +climate of this country sledges would have been found of much use. Our +frosts are seldom intense enough, and too frequently accompanied with +thaws, to allow of the surface being in a fit state for their use for +sufficient length of time to make it worth while adapting the coaches +to them. If sledges had been brought into general use, probably a good +many proprietors would have followed the example set them by one of +their number, who, when the coachman had succeeded by great exertions +in getting his coach through the snow, said to him, "Why don't you +stick her?" and, strange to relate, she did stick in a drift on the +next journey. + +Dense fogs, although not altogether stopping the traffic on the roads, +were more conducive to accidents than heavy snows, which did +absolutely prohibit progress. In the latter case, at the worst, +conveyances were reduced to a complete standstill, and there was an +end of it for the time; but if the fog was of such a density as to be +capable of being cut with a knife and fork an attempt must be made. +Though we hear from time to time of all traffic being stopped in the +streets of the metropolis, I never recollect to have known of coaches +being quite reduced to that state of helplessness; and, here again, +the Postmaster-General is found providing what remedy he could. In +November, 1835, he ordered links to be prepared, but with the +assistance of those, even if carried by men on horseback, only very +slow progress could have been effected. It is one of the greatest +evils attendant on a fog that it renders lamps useless, and very much +circumscribes the light thrown by a link. + +If the fog was not very thick indeed, it was possible, though it might +be attended by some little risk, to keep going pretty well, but when +it became so dense as to hide the horses from the coachman's view +there would be no travelling beyond a foot's pace. One could keep +pushing along pretty well, as I recollect having done myself when +driving a mail, and time had to be kept if at all possible, as long as +the hedges could be distinguished, though I hardly knew how soon my +leaders would be in the middle of a lot of loose horses which I could +not see, but distinctly hear clattering along just in front of us. + +Notwithstanding all the care that could be taken, accidents were the +inevitable result of the attempts made to keep going, of which I will +now give one or two instances, though they were not of a serious +nature. + +On December 3rd, 1839, the Gloucester and Stroud mails, which ran for +a long distance over the same ground, were both drawn off the road and +upset in a thick fog, and within a few days of this occurrence the +Edinburgh mail was overturned into a ditch, owing to the fog being so +thick that the coachman could not see his horses. + +But floods were most to be dreaded. As has been shown, though fogs and +snowstorms were great hindrances to locomotion, and the cause of a +vast amount of inconvenience and expense, they were seldom attended +with loss of life, whereas sad records of fatal issues are to be found +in connection with floods, to a few of which I will call the reader's +attention. + +On September 11th, 1829, when the Birmingham and Liverpool mail +reached Smallwood Bridge, it turned out that the bridge had been blown +up by the force of the water, and the coachman, not being aware of it, +the coach was precipitated into the river. The guard was washed down +under a remaining arch. The coachman caught hold of a stump and saved +himself. Of the three inside passengers, one being a slender, active +young man, managed to get out by breaking the glass of the window, and +helped to save the guard. The two others sunk to the bottom with one +of the horses, and nothing could be seen but water. + +Strange to say, however, the bags were eventually recovered, when the +letters were carefully spread out to dry, and were, most of them, +eventually delivered in tolerable condition. Some few fragments are to +be seen now at the General Post-Office. + +Moreton, the guard, was washed down about two hundreds yards, when he +caught hold of a tree, and remained there up to his neck in water for +an hour before he was rescued. + +A most serious flood took place near Newport Pagnel, in November, +1823, though, fortunately, not attended with any fatal consequences, +though the stoppage of traffic was very great. + +The report to the General Post-Office was, "Owing to a sudden rise in +the waters near Newport Pagnel, two mails, six coaches, and a van were +unable to proceed on their journeys, and, but for the hospitality of +Mr. R. Walker, brick-maker, the passengers, amounting to upwards of +sixty persons, would have been exposed during the tempestuous night to +all the severities of the season. He most kindly opened his doors, and +generously offered to the passengers and horses every assistance and +comfort in his power; turning his own horses out of the stables to +afford shelter to those of the mails." + +On February 9th, 1831, the Milford Haven mail met with a most serious +accident. + +The following is the report of the inspector, which, though rather +involved, affords a graphic account of the circumstances, and I think +I cannot do better than give it in his words. He says, "About two +o'clock in the morning, when crossing a small bridge near the river +Towy, about six miles from Caermarthen, on the London road between +Caermarthen and Llandilo, owing to the heavy falls of snow and rain on +the mountains and a rapid thaw afterwards, which caused the river to +overflow the bridge and high road, the morning also being very dark, +and the rain falling heavily, the coach was overtaken by the flood, +and before the coachman was aware of it, the water rose to such a +height in a few minutes that the four horses were unfortunately +drowned, and all on the coach would undoubtedly have shared the same +fate but for the meritorious conduct of a passenger named John Cressy +(a servant in the employ of Sir Richard Phillips), who swam through +the flood for about one hundred yards, and secured some boats, which +he brought to their assistance, just as the water had reached the top +of the coach, and by this means all the passengers, together with +coachman, guard, and mails, were saved. John Cressy was awarded +fifteen pounds by the Postmaster-General for his gallant conduct." + +Some years after this, but I have not got the date, a somewhat similar +accident happened on the down journey of the Gloucester and +Aberystwith mail. The water had flooded the road at Lugwardine to a +considerable depth, and one of the arches of the bridge had collapsed; +the result of which was that coach, horses, passengers, and all were +precipitated into the water, and were with great difficulty rescued, +and though no life was lost at the time, one passenger, a Mr. +Hardwick, died afterwards from being so long immersed in the water. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. + + +There can be but few left now who are able to call to mind that the +style of coaches which now run in the summer months from the "White +Horse Cellars," and traverse the different roads out of London, were +to a great extent anticipated more than fifty years ago. But so it is, +and I have a vivid recollection of having seen, in the years 1837 or +38, a remarkably well-appointed coach start from the "Cellars," which +created quite a crowd of people, even in those days when coaches were +as common as blackberries. It was named the "Taglioni," after a +favourite _danseuse_ of those days, and ran to Windsor and back in the +day. It was painted blue, with a red undercarriage, the family colours +of Lord Chesterfield, who horsed it, in conjunction with Count d'Orsay +and Prince Bathyani. Young Brackenbury was the professional coachman, +for, though his Lordship and his brother proprietors drove very +frequently, they kept a curate to do the work when they had other +things to do which they liked better. Brackenbury used to wear a most +_récherché_ blue scarf, with "Taglioni" embroidered on it by the +Countess's own hands. + +His Lordship had the credit of being a very good coachman, as will be +seen from the few lines I venture to produce, which appeared in one of +the sporting periodicals of that time:-- + + "See Chesterfield advance with steady hand, + Swish at a rasper and in safety land, + Who sits his horse so well, or at a race, + Drives four in hand with greater skill or grace." + +No doubt, the "Taglioni" did take her share in the ordinary business +of a public conveyance, and not, as in the present day, of carrying +only parties on "pleasure bent," but it had a certain spice of the toy +about it; and I should think did not much exercise the minds of Pears +or Shepherd, who each had a coach on the same road. As a boy, I had an +eye for a coach, and remember, as well as I remember old Keat's birch, +seeing those two coaches pass through Eton. Shepherd's was a true blue +coach, and travelled on the maxim of "Certain, though slow." Pears +drove a coach painted chocolate with red undercarriage, and was +altogether a smarter turn-out than the gentle Shepherd, and travelled +somewhat faster, but, I believe, ran little chance of being run in for +furious driving. + +Whilst I stand in fancy upon the classic ground of Eton, there arises +before my sight a pageant, which for better or worse has now, like so +many other antique customs, passed away never to be revived. I suppose +this is a necessary accompaniment of the progress of the age, and that +"Montem" could hardly have been carried on in the days of the boiling +kettle. It would have been as easy to get blood out of a stone as +_salt_ from a rushing train; besides which the present facilities +of locomotion would have brought together an exceedingly miscellaneous +gathering at Salt Hill, to say the least of it. + +Still it was a unique institution, and contained in it a very kindly +feeling--that of giving a little start in the world to a youth who had +attained the top rung of the college ladder, and was entering upon his +university career. + +Most of the ways and doings of old Eton have found plenty of +chroniclers. The institution in the library is never forgotten. The +birch and the block always come in for their fair share of comment, +but the triennial festival of "Montem" has, so far as I am aware, not +received anything like the same amount of attention; and as I acted a +part in two of them, both in blue and red, I will venture to intrude +upon the patience of the reader whilst I make a short digression, +emboldened thereto by the fact that Eton customs have already been +handled, as well as the ribbons, in a book on coaching. + +Well, then, "Montem" was celebrated every third year. The day's work +began by four boys, selected for the purpose and gaily habited, +starting off by two and two, early in the morning, to scour the +principal roads in the neighbourhood, and gather donations in +money--called for the occasion "_Salt_"--from all the travellers +they met with. By this means a nice sum was collected, which was +given to the senior boy on the foundation upon his leaving the college +for the University of Cambridge. At a later hour, about ten o'clock, +the whole school assembled in the college square. The sixth form, if I +recollect rightly, wore fancy dresses, representing some classical or +historical characters, and attended by one or two pages, selected from +the lower boys, and also wearing fancy dresses. The fifth form wore a +rather heterogeneous dress, a mixture of military and civil. It +consisted of a red coat and white trousers, with a sword and sash, +surmounted by a cocked hat, from which was fluttering in the wind a +feather, such as was worn by a Field-Marshal or a General Officer, +according to the taste of the wearer, or in what he could get. The +lower boys were dressed in blue jackets and white trousers, each +carrying in his hand a white wand, in length about six or seven feet, +and in the procession were mixed alternately with the semi-military +fifth form. + +In this formation they marched round the quadrangle of the college, +upon debouching from which a somewhat strange scene ensued. The +wearers of the red coats drew their swords and began hacking +vigorously at the wands, which were held out by their owners for the +purpose of being cut to pieces. The swords, however, were so blunt +that more wands owed their destruction to the hands of the blue boys +than the swords of the red. The work of destruction being +accomplished, the whole fell in again and marched to Salt Hill, where +dinners were provided for them by their different houses; and dinner +being ended, they returned to college as they liked. + +The two hotels at Salt Hill are, I believe, now converted to other +uses, and the dwellers there would be as much astonished to see a +"Montem," as one of the hundred and odd mails and coaches which passed +their doors in those days. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HORSES. + + +A book about coaching would be very incomplete without touching on the +subject of horses, as they were like the main spring of a watch: the +coach could not go without them. + +Of course, a very large number of horses were employed in the coaches, +and I can remember that many people feared that, if coaches ceased to +run, the number and quality of the horses bred in the country would +deteriorate, in consequence of this demand for them falling off; but +that, like most prognostications of the same sort, has proved to be +unfounded, and I should think the number of horses at the present time +employed in public conveyances, must exceed considerably what it was +in the days of road travelling. + +However that may be, no doubt very large numbers were kept by the +different coach proprietors, both in town and country, at the head of +which stood Mr. Chaplin, with about thirteen hundred; and a very large +capital was invested in the business, though probably not so large as +might be supposed by the uninitiated; for, judging by my own +experience, I should say that the price of horses used for that +purpose has been over-stated. Nimrod, who was no doubt a very +competent authority on the subject, at the time he wrote his article +in the _Quarterly Review_,[1] puts the average price at twenty-five +pounds, with about thirty pounds for those working out of London; but +I think those prices are rather high. + + [1] _Quarterly Review_ for 1832, vol. 48, pages 346-375. + +This statement may appear erroneous to those who would judge by the +sums now obtained for the horses which have been running in the summer +coaches out of London in the present day; but the two businesses have +little in common, except that the coaches go on wheels and are drawn +by horses. Six months' work on a coach, loaded as they used to be, +would take more out of the horses employed in them than would two +years in the coaches which look so pretty at Hatchett's on a fine +summer morning, and no one could have afforded to give high prices for +what wore out so quickly; not but that horses increased in value for +the work required of them as they became seasoned to it; but, again, +some wore out in the seasoning. Many horses, doubtless, were bought at +the price of twenty-five pounds, and perhaps in some cases a little +over, though those were exceptional cases, and for myself, I can say +that I never found it necessary to exceed that sum; but in drawing the +average, we must not leave out of the calculation the large number of +horses which found their way into coaches in consequence of the +infirmity of their tempers, and, I may add, of the bad management they +had been subjected to. + +If a horse, though from no fault of his own, ran away with the +parson's or lawyer's "four-wheeler," he was immediately offered to the +nearest coach proprietor. If another kicked a commercial traveller out +of his buggy, he was at once offered to the coach proprietor. If a +gentleman's carriage-horse took to any bad habit, which rendered him +unfit for his work, or unpleasant to the coachman to drive, he also +was offered to the coach proprietor; and I once came into possession +of a very good horse at the price of ten pounds from this last cause. +He had taken to jibbing, probably because he had a very light mouth, +which caused him to resent the bearing rein, and was offered to me for +the above-named sum, at which I immediately closed. The coachman +brought him to my stable in time for him to be harnessed and take his +place in the team going out that evening, and he stayed to witness the +start, quite expecting, I make no doubt, to see some fun. I put him at +lead, by the side of a very good horse, though, by the by, he had +brought a coach to grief when placed alongside of the pole. Of course, +there was no bearing rein, and he only just stood for a moment till +the bars began to rattle against his houghs, when he started off with +a bound and a hop, and never gave the slightest trouble. + +Horses also got into coaches in consequence of unsoundnesses, which, +though little or no detriment to them for work, reduced their market +value very considerably; and I once became possessed, for the sum of +eighteen pounds, of a very fine horse, nearly thorough-bred, and only +five years old, because he had become a roarer, and which had been +bought as a hunter for one hundred guineas only a short time +previously; but though he ran over a nine-mile stage with some very +heavy hills upon it, having no weight on his back, he never made the +slightest noise. There are other causes of unsoundness, such as +crib-biting, which are no detriment to a coach-horse, though lowering +their value in the market. + +Then, again, if a horse fell and chipped his knees, whether it arose +from any fault or not, he was, as a general rule, sold out of a +gentleman's stable; and I once picked up an excellent horse merely for +fear he should break his knees. He was a very well-made animal, with +the exception that he turned his toes in. He was the property of a +clergyman, who must have known little or nothing about horses, and, I +suppose, some knowing friend who thought he _did_ know must have +alarmed him by telling him that the horse was certain to come down +with such a pair of forelegs; so, to save a greater loss, a horse +worth thirty pounds at least came into my possession for twenty. So +far from falling, he was a safe goer, both in saddle and harness. + +The instances to which I have alluded may be classed perhaps more as +shortcomings and failings than vice, but to those must be added many +whose tempers were apparently incorrigible, and they could only be put +in a coach, as those who travelled post would not put up with them. + +Just one word _en passant_ on that mode of travelling, as it must be +quite unknown to the majority of people now living; but, as one who +can recollect it, I venture to say that a well-built comfortable +carriage with four post-horses was the perfection of travelling. It is +not to be denied that it took a day or two to get over the same +distance as is now travelled by a train in a few hours, but the inns +on the road were good, generally afforded comfortable accommodation, +the cooking was also good, and the wine very fair, of which it was +usual to order a bottle for the "good of the house." Some of them had +a special character for what were called sleeping-houses, and +travellers would continue their journey for an extra stage for the +purpose of reaching one of these houses for the night. The attention +paid to posting travellers was very great. Upon the carriage stopping +at the door, the entrance was perceived to be lined by the hostess, +waiters, chambermaids, etc., and the universal question was, "Will you +please to alight?" If they elected to proceed, the cry was immediately +raised, "First and second turns out," and in a minute would be seen +approaching two mounted postboys, with two other men leading the hand +horses, and in about three minutes they were off again, dashing along +at about nine miles an hour. If, however, the day's journey was ended, +the dusk of evening was exchanged for a comfortable private +sitting-room with a bright fire--no public rooms in those days. At the +time appointed a comfortable dinner would be served, the _piece de +resistance_ being very commonly placed on the table by the host +himself. Indeed, one of the great recommendations of the inns of those +days was that the host and hostess interested _themselves_ in the +comfort of their guests. If we add to this the fact that at the +beginning of the journey you were taken from your own door, and at the +end of it landed at your own or a friend's door, without the +experiences of a crowded railway station, there may be something to be +said in favour of it. + +I can imagine I hear someone say, "Oh, yes, it might have been +pleasant enough for those swells who could afford to pay for four +horses, but how about the smaller fry who were obliged to be contented +with the modest pair?" Well, I must confess that the odd mile or two +an hour did make a difference, and posting in a travelling carriage +packed with all its boxes, and containing four or five persons about +it, such, in fact, as was called by the postboys a "_bounder_, having +everything except the kitchen grate," was often, especially in winter, +not unattended with discomfort and tediousness. How well can I +recollect, when quite a child, at the end of a day's travelling of +seventy or eighty miles on a winter's day, when twilight was fast +sinking into darkness, envying the people who I could see through the +windows of the houses, sitting round a blazing fire! And, indeed, the +blacksmith, blowing up the fire on his hearth and making the sparks +fly from the iron by the blows administered by his brawny arms, +possessed much attraction. This, however, was quite made up for on the +down journey later in the year. This, indeed, was unalloyed delight. +After having been "cribbed, cabined, and confined" in London for five +months, with nothing more nearly approaching to the country than Hyde +Park and Kensington Gardens (and in those days there was not a +flower-bed in either of them), when one emerged from the suburbs, +which was sooner done in those days than now, and the eye beheld the +fields and green hedges, made brilliant by wild flowers, it seemed a +very Elysium; and to hold in one's hand a posy of dog-roses was bliss +itself, even though they had received a peppering of road dust. I have +always loved a dog-rose since, and shall continue to do so as long as +I live. The longest summer day was hardly long enough for taking in +such happiness. No amount of railway travelling will ever leave behind +such happy reminiscences of childhood. Then, again, there was time and +opportunity for other things, which can never be the case in railway +travelling; amongst which was the childish pleasure of being fitted +with a new straw hat whilst the horses were being changed at +Dunstable. It was not all _couleur de rose_, neither was it all labour +and sorrow. Like all other things in this world, it had its lights and +shades. + +Perhaps it may be urged against this that there is no time for such a +mode of travelling now. It may be so, but, as a nearly worn-out old +roadster, it strikes me there may be too much haste for comfort. It +was undeniably slow and expensive, though it may be doubted whether +people generally spent more money in travelling than they do now. The +facilities offered by railways cause the present generation to move +about a great deal more freely than did their ancestors. + +But all this is skirting, and I must return to the scent, which was, I +think, very much the sort of horses which we coachmen had to drive. +They were, indeed, often a very queer lot, but they had to be driven, +and were driven. Of course, four of this sort were not put all +together; there were always one or two steady ones among them. But +even if they had been, and all had determined to do wrong, it is most +improbable that all would have gone wrong in the same way, and one +could have been played off against another. This is one great +advantage in four. In single harness, if the horse takes to bad ways, +you have the whole team against you, but that is, as I have said, very +unlikely with four. Perhaps this may account for the old saying that +"half the coachmen were killed out of gigs." + +When I got a horse that was very troublesome, I always found that +doubling him, that is, making him run his stage double, brought him to +his senses in the course of a week or two. Some may say it was not +right to risk the lives and limbs of the passengers, by using unruly +horses, but, practically, very little danger was incurred. I will not +say that no accidents ever occurred from this cause, but they were +very rare. If an accident should have happened, and a life been lost +from that cause, the old law of "deodand" would have touched up the +proprietor's pockets severely; besides which, horses of this +description were only entrusted to the hands of well-tried men. + +Notwithstanding all this, however, accidents did occasionally happen +from this cause, and sometimes of a very serious nature, one or two of +which I will now produce. The first was an exceedingly calamitous one, +and I think I cannot do better than use the words of a friend of mine, +who was an eye-witness to the scene, as they will be more likely to +convey a full idea of the horrible appearance presented by the mingled +heap of injured human beings and horses, with the coach on the top of +them, than anything I can say at second hand. He says: "I was staying +at the 'White Horse,' at Hockliffe, for a few days, and on the first +night I was disturbed by a man knocking at the front door and +shouting, 'Get up, the "Greyhound" is overturned and all the +passengers are killed.' Upon hearing of this terrific slaughter," he +proceeds to say, "I got up, and with others started to the scene of +the catastrophe, which was about a mile and a half distant, opposite +to a large mansion called 'Battleden House,' then the residence of Sir +G. P. Turner, and there we found a mass of human beings and horses all +of a heap. The coachman was under the coach with his leg broken, many +of the passengers dangerously injured, and two horses had legs broken. +It was a shocking sight to witness, and melancholy to hear the +squealing of horses, and the passengers moaning." + +After all, however, it was found that there was not so much damage +done here to the passengers as would have been expected. None were +killed, nor any so seriously injured but that they were able to be +conveyed to their destinations in a few days. + +The cause of the accident originated in the near side wheeler +accomplishing what she had tried to do many times before, viz., kick +over the pole, which broke, when, of course, all control was lost, and +the coach was overturned into the ravine where it was found. + +In the other case no injury was sustained by anyone except the culprit +himself, who must have been an exceedingly violent brute. + +In October, 1839, when near Maidenhead a horse in the Bristol mail +kicked so violently that he broke the pole-hook and harness, and put +out his own shoulder in his fall. + +Blind horses, again, found their way into coaches, and, if high +mettled ones, performed very good work. The worst of them was, that +they became too knowing about the corners, and when at wheel, where +they were generally driven (though in Ireland I have had both leaders +blind), if the coachman was not on the look out for it, might hang him +into one. Some however, were very bold, and high couraged. I recollect +one which ran in the lead of the "Greyhound" out of Shrewsbury, of +this sort. He was so handsome a horse, that, if he had been all right, +he would have commanded at least a hundred guineas for a gentleman's +carriage, but being blind, of course, was only fit for a coach. One +day, when I was travelling by that coach, and was as usual driving, he +quite won my heart by the high couraged manner in which he elbowed his +way through the large droves of cattle which were being driven along +the road from Shrewsbury fair. + +The reader will now understand how it came to pass that the average +value of coach-horses was so low, as these blemished, unsound, and +vicious ones never cost more than fifteen pounds, and very often not +much above half that sum. I once purchased a good mare for the very +modest figure of twenty-five shillings. It may be asked, how was it +possible to buy a horse fit to run a coach, or indeed do any fast +work, for such a sum? to which I reply, that she had only one place +where she could possibly be utilized, and that at the time she came +into my possession coaches were continually being supplanted by +railways, and therefore there was very little demand for such as her. +She had neither size nor form for a wheeler, even if she would have +condescended to go there, and only of use on one side at lead, I +forget which, and I suppose would very promptly have made fragments of +any carriage behind her in single harness. She was, however, a real +good leader where she chose to go, and I drove her in a match team of +chestnuts for a considerable time. I bought her with confidence, as I +had frequently driven her in another coach previously. + +Talking of only going on one side, I do not think coachmen always +consider this enough. There is a theory with many gentlemen, and their +coachmen, that the sides should be changed frequently; but with hard +work, such as that in a coach, horses do their work better and easier +to themselves by always going in the same place. At one time I was +horsing a coach, and driving one side, as it was called, another +coachman driving the other; and, consequently, we both drove the same +horses over some stages. He said to me, "That in one of my teams, one +leader could not go up to the other." I asked him on which side he +drove him. He replied, "I put him on the off side, because I can get +at him better there." I said, "You try the near side," which was where +I always drove him, "and you will not want to get at him." Of course, +if a horse begins to hang to one side, it has become time to change +him. + +The vices which most commonly brought horses into coaches were jibbing +and kicking. I do not recollect to have ever known a case of either of +them being thoroughly eradicated, though they were sufficiently kept +under to render them of little moment; but they were liable to return +if a fresh hand took hold of them, especially if he showed any signs +of indecision. It is astonishing how soon horses find out a change of +hand. + +The great thing to attend to with jibbers is not to keep them +standing. If they have time to plant themselves they will give +trouble; but if the coachman is up and off at once, they will +generally start. + +With kickers at wheel I never found two or three good punishments over +the ears to fail in bringing them into subjection, or, at any rate, +sufficiently so, though a "ventilated" front boot might occasionally +be the result. With a road coach, however, this did not much signify. +A leader might be harder to tame, as he cannot be got at in the same +way. I have heard it said of some one that he was so excellent a whip +that he could hit a fly on a leader's ear. I can only say I never saw +it done. But if a leader will not stand still to kick, he can be +driven; kick and keep going doesn't much matter. + +In justice to the horses, however, it must be said that they are not +the only ones to blame. No small number of them are rendered vicious, +or unsteady, by mismanagement, and irremediable mischief is not +unfrequently produced from quite unexpected causes. To give one +instance: I am convinced that many a leader is set kicking by the +pole-chains being too slack. + +I fancy I hear someone say, "What on earth have the pole-chains to do +with the leaders?" Well, I will try and show how intimately they are +connected. + +When pulling up or going down-hill, the wheel horses must come back +towards the coach sufficiently to tighten the pole-chains. They will +thus be nearer the coach, or further off, by just that number of +inches. Then, as the leaders' reins are held in the same place as the +wheelers', they must also come back by the same number of inches, +which may, in the case of very slack pole-chains, be sufficient to +allow the bars to fall upon the leaders' houghs, which is a fertile +source of kicking; and it is a very true saying that a horse which has +once kicked in harness is never to be trusted again. + +For a large number of jibbers I believe the bearing rein to be +responsible. But, after all, horses are queer creatures. They have as +many fads and fancies as men and women. Some will kick for being +touched in one spot, and some in another. I drove a leader for some +time who was easily set kicking by the bar touching him above his +houghs; but upon lengthening his traces by two or three holes, so as +to let the bar fall below the hough, in case it should touch him, he +was quite contented. And, again, some horses will kick when touched by +a low pole, others by a high one. + +Coupling reins also are frequently so arranged as to be a cause of +discomfort to horses. It is manifest that when one horse carries his +head high, and his partner low, the coupling rein of the former should +be above that of the latter; and, again, if one horse tosses his head, +and his coupling rein is the under one, he must cause much annoyance +to the other, especially if he has a light mouth. + +Parliament has now passed a Bill for the purpose of regulating the +traffic in horseflesh. Such an Act, if it had been placed on the +Statute Book, and had resulted in creating a demand for horseflesh for +food, would have been a great boon to stage coachmen formerly, as they +would not have been called upon to wear out the old horses. It would +have paid the proprietors better to put them up to feed when they +became stale, and fatten them for the market. It would also have +prevented much suffering to horses. + +And now, if any reader is astonished at the price of horses, if he has +never heard of a less price for a set of harness than sixty guineas, +he will be incredulous when I mention the cost of that generally used +with coaches. Eighteen pounds was the top price usually given, and I +have driven with well-shaped and good-looking harness which only cost +sixteen. Indeed, at Walsall, which was the chief emporium for +low-priced harness, if two or three sets were taken at the same time, +they could be had for eleven pounds each. Collars were not included. + +Of course, such harness as this did not last long, and, perhaps, was +not the cheapest in the long run; though I doubt whether the leather +was not better then than it is now, being all tanned with oak bark. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE ROADS. + + +As the railways are dependent upon the excellence of the permanent way +for the pace at which they can travel, so were coaches indebted to the +good state of the roads for the great speed at which they were able to +perform their journeys by day and night; and it may be safely said, +without fear of contradiction, that in no other country had they been +brought so near to perfection, although a good deal of improvement +still remained to be done, and would have been effected if the railway +era had been postponed for another decade. Everything that could be +thought of to lighten the draught was being adopted. Not only were +hills cut down and valleys filled up, but on one hill on the Holyhead +road, between Dunstable and Brickhill, a tram of granite had been laid +on one side of the road to render the draught lighter to carriages +ascending the hill, though it had been very greatly eased by a deep +cutting through the chalk. I was one day travelling up by the +"Wonder," and when going up this hill, Harry Liley, who was driving, +although it was a hard frost, put the wheels upon the tram to show me +what a help it was to the horses. If it was of so much benefit when +the frost had hardened the road, what must it have been when the road +was soft? If these trams had become general, they would have saved the +extra pair of horses which used to be frequently employed to pull the +fast coaches up the worst ascents. Notwithstanding all that had been +done on the main roads, there remained miles and miles of cross roads +which were traversed by coaches at high speed, where little had been +effected in the way of lowering hills, and it was then that the +greatest care and skill were required to ensure the safety of heavily +loaded coaches. + +It must be recollected that up to quite the latter end of the great +coaching days no patent breaks were in use. They were not invented +till about the year 1835, and were very slow in coming into use. I +knew a case of the Post-Office authorities refusing their sanction for +the proprietors to have one attached to a mail coach at their own +expense, because they thought it would break the contract with the +coachmaker, and I can quite imagine that the breaks were no favourites +of those who miled the coaches, as there was not only the original +cost, but the use of one has a considerable influence in wearing out +the hind wheels. + +I had on one occasion undertaken to horse a coach over a stage, when +the coach was supplied by one of the proprietors, and to save his hind +wheels he wanted to omit the break. I immediately said, that no horse +of mine would be put to a coach which was sent out without a break, as +I believed them to be a great security against accidents. I have known +of one instance, however, where, a break caused an accident instead of +preventing it, but then the hind wheels must have been in a shameful +condition, as they both broke upon its application. + +I really think that wheel horses held back better in the days before +breaks came into use than they do now. It was then necessary to take a +hill in time, as it was called, which meant going slowly over the +brow, and about half-way down it; and horses were, by this means, +better educated in holding than they are now, when it is not generally +necessary even to slacken the pace at all, as the pressure upon the +horses can be regulated by the break. This is also an enormous help to +a fast coach, even if it did not render the use of the skid almost +unnecessary. + +I was once talking this subject over with little Bob Leek, who, from +having driven the "Hirondelle" for some years, was a very competent +judge, and I remarked that I thought a break was worth a mile an hour +to a coach. He replied, he thought it was worth two, and I have little +doubt he was right over hilly roads, such as some which the +"Hirondelle" travelled over. + +It was to the system of turnpike trusts, now unfortunately no more, +that this country is indebted for the general excellence of its roads, +and against which I never heard more than two objections raised. One, +that it was very unpleasant and annoying to be obliged to stop at the +toll bars and pull out the money when the fingers were cold, and the +other, that it was a very expensive method of collecting money. The +first of these objections, I think, may be passed over in silence. It, +no doubt, is unpleasant to do anything which requires the use of the +fingers when they are cold, but surely that should not be held to be +sufficient reason for putting an end to a system which in the main +worked well. To the second a plea of guilty must be returned; but with +mitigating circumstances. Indeed, there was no necessity for it at +all, if the trustees had carried out their work well. + +The "pikers," as they were called, did, no doubt, make a good living +out of the business, but so do most middlemen, and they need not have +been permitted to make an exorbitant profit. But before going further, +perhaps, I had better explain what a "piker" is, as they, like the +dodo, no longer exist. Well, then, they were a class of men who leased +the turnpike tolls, each of them generally taking all the gates in a +larger or smaller district. Sam Weller said they were "Misanthropes +who levied tolls on mankind;" but, as a general rule, these men did +not collect themselves, but employed others to do it, who resided in +the houses. Of course, these "pikers," like other people, thought +their first duty was to themselves, and they usually put their heads +together previous to the lettings of the gates, and agreed to divide +the spoils amicably, instead of bidding against one another. There was +nothing, however, to prevent the trustees putting in collectors, the +same as the pikers did, and by that means find out the real value of +the tolls, and at the same time keep Mr. Piker up to the scratch. +This, indeed, was often done, but when it was omitted, great losses +were incurred, as I have found to my own advantage. + +The tolls were not levied under the General Turnpike Act of +Parliament, but under local Acts, and it was usual to insert in these +local Acts a clause compelling coaches to pay toll both going and +returning, even if drawn by the same horses. This, I think, was a +decided hardship, but it was generally mitigated by the pikers +allowing them to pay for only three horses instead of four, making six +a day instead of eight, and this led to a contest which I once had +with a piker. + +At the first gate, a short distance out of Machynlleth, the lessee of +it refused this concession to the "Harkaway" coach; therefore, when +the day arrived for the annual letting, my partner and myself outbid +him and took the gate, putting in a collector, and at the end of the +year, after paying for the collecting, we had fifty pounds to divide +between us. Now, I think I have shown that if proper care was taken by +the trustees, no necessity existed, on this score, for abandoning the +turnpike system, for in this one example they gratuitously threw away +at least sixty pounds a year, which ought to have been available for +repairing the roads. + +In another trust on the same road, the trustees tried to be a little +too sharp. As I have already said, the tolls were levied under local +Acts, and in this case, the special clause relating to coaches had +been, either intentionally or inadvertently, omitted, and we +consequently claimed that the coach should, like all other +conveyances, be exempted from paying if returning with the same +horses. The trustees, however, contended that a public conveyance was +liable to pay both ways, independently of a special clause to that +effect. The question was referred to counsel's opinion, which was +given in favour of the coach, and this so exasperated the trustees +that they proceeded in hot haste to erect a new toll-gate to catch it +after the change of horses. + +In their hurry, however, they forgot that there were yet three months +before the annual letting of the gates, and they found themselves face +to face with the difficulty that no one could be persuaded to become a +lessee for that short period. + +In this dilemma, we coach proprietors stepped in, and, _faute de +mieux_, were accepted as lessees, the result being that, instead of +paying the toll at the end of the three months, we retired from the +business with a profit of thirty shillings, after paying the expenses +of collecting. + +On the day following, the stables were changed to the other side of +the gate, and the coach ran through free with a ticket from the +previous one. + +These seem small things to write about, but they afforded some +interest and amusement at the time, and may be worth mentioning as +being a sample of the life. + +The turnpike system, no doubt, like all other human inventions, had +its defects, but to it we are indebted for the excellence of our +internal communications; and I cannot help thinking that it was unjust +both to the bondholders and the ratepayers to allow it to die out. +Though the former were fairly liable to the diminished value of their +property caused by the rivalry of the railways, they, or those before +them, had honestly lent their money upon the understanding that the +Acts of Parliament would be renewed from time to time, and it was +little short of robbery to allow them to expire. Hardships, no doubt, +did exist in some districts from the excessive number of the toll +gates, especially in Wales, where it was no uncommon thing to be +called upon to pay at three gates in a distance of ten or twelve +miles. + +This was found so burdensome that it produced the Rebecca riots in +South Wales, which led to the passing of an excellent Act for that +part of the Principality, and if that Act had been extended to North +Wales and England, the turnpike gates would, most probably, have been +standing at the present day, and I know not who would have been losers +by it, except the doctors and the timber merchants and other hauliers. +At any rate, the cost of repairing the roads fell on those who enjoyed +the benefit. The system, on the whole, worked well, and might easily +have been made to work better, and I entertain no doubt, indeed, I +know it, that large numbers of those who clamoured against it, would +now recall it if possible. If it was expensive to collect the tolls, +it appears to be impossible to collect a wheel and van tax. + +It is easier to destroy than to build up, and I only hope that, after +the same length of trial, it may not be found that it would have been +wiser if we had remained contented with the old form of county +government, which had done its work so well for a great number of +years. + +Since the above was penned the South Wales Turnpike Act has expired, +thereby saddling £25,000 a year upon those who do not use the roads, +instead of upon those who do. Where is Rebecca now? + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A SCIENTIFIC CHAPTER. + + +I had intended to conclude my remarks on the subject of the mail +coaches, but have been induced to invest in another chapter by an +ingenious proposal which was brought to the notice of the +Postmaster-General in the year 1807. If it led to no results, at any +rate it shows that there were those who took a keen interest in the +subject. + + [Illustration] + +The Rev. W. Milton, Rector of Heckfield, Hartford Bridge--the same +reverend gentleman whose acquaintance we have previously made as the +advocate of broad wheels--invented a coach, which he claimed would +prevent overturns and breakdowns. The body of it was this shape, which +I give as it appears in the minutes on the subject, still preserved at +the General Post-Office. It is certainly singularly deficient in +graceful curves, and I can only suppose that it is meant to indicate +the manner in which the luggage box was placed. At any rate, we are +told that the coach was so constructed that nearly all the luggage was +carried in a box below the body of the carriage, which was not higher +than usual; but the appearance of the coach was deemed heavy, and as +the load was low, it was thought that the draught would be heavier +than the coaches then in use. Many coaches which loaded heavily with +luggage were already furnished with a receptacle for it denominated +the "slide," which was fixed under the hind axle, and thus, no doubt, +did add considerably to the draught; but to remedy this, as we shall +see, Mr. Milton makes use of unusually high wheels. + +To prevent breakdowns the coach was fitted with idle wheels on each +side of the luggage box, with their periphery below the floor, and +each as near as was requisite to its respective active wheel. These +idle wheels were ready, in case of breakdowns on either side, to catch +the falling carriage, and instantly to continue its previous velocity, +till the coachman could pull up the horses. The bottom of the luggage +box was fourteen inches from the ground, and the idle wheel five or +six inches. The following extracts will convey a better idea of the +value of the invention. It evidently received a practical trial:-- + +"Mr. Ward, the coachman, soon found what he might venture, and he took +the coach accordingly over such ground as would most assuredly have +caused an overturn of any stage-coach with its usual load. This was +repeatedly done in the presence of six insides and ten outsides, +besides the coachman. Seven parts, perhaps, in ten of the load, which +was nearly three tons, lay on the hind wheels. These, by the +patentee's directions, were six feet high, and with no dishing, and, +as he deemed, sufficiently strong. They did not fail; but it was the +opinion of Mr. Thomas Ward, and all the practical men on the spot, +that they were not such as could show the principle of safety as to +dangerous and side-long ground up to its full extent. As it was, +however, any common coach would have gone over at fifty different +places during the stage which this coach took without the least +symptom of overturning. A linch-pin of one of the hind wheels was +taken out. The coach went on, and presently off came the wheel, and +down dropped the carriage about seven inches on a small idle wheel, +which immediately continued the motion without the least inconvenience +to the outside passengers or puzzle to the horses, and the shock was +not greater than what was produced by taking over a stone in the +night, and, if it had been required, the coach might have been taken +five or six miles by means of the idle wheel; and Mr. Thomas Ward very +confidently thinks these two circumstances of safety would invariably +attend any stage-coach so constructed." + +So confident was the reverend patentee that he wrote the following +challenge: "I have no fear that either science or practice can +effectually controvert the following remark: Supposing, in a +stage-coach as at present, that the centre of gravity be four feet +above the main axle, and the width on the ground the same in two +cases, then the higher the wheels the greater will be the danger of an +overturn from an equal cause. It is not so with me, for the higher the +wheels the deeper may the luggage box be, so that the antidote follows +the growth of the danger; and here, from the full conviction I have of +its truth, I wish to offer the following opinion: Let seven or eight +parts in ten of the total load be within the hind wheels, and let them +be at least six feet high, on horizontal cylindric arms, by this +disposition, compared against the present, more than one horse in +forty would be saved or spared, for the goodness of the draught would +come out even through the intricacy of the medium, the fore-carriage; +but in many coaches the door at the middle of the side does not permit +so advantageous a hind wheel, and that at the expense just mentioned." + +The invention was not accepted by the Postmaster-General, although it +was, to some extent, admitted to combine a principle of safety with +the celerity required in mail carriages. The cost, however, of such a +change in the mail coaches would have been very heavy, which, no +doubt, had a good deal to do with its rejection. + +The fact, however, is that these inventions were not wanted, clever as +they might have been and effective where required. The mail coaches +were not called upon to travel over "dangerous and side-long ground," +but upon fairly good roads at the worst, for which the coaches, as +then constructed, possessed quite sufficient stability, and the idle +wheels, however great the security they would have imparted to +heavily-loaded stage-coaches, were not required on the mails, where +the sustaining power was so great in proportion to the comparatively +light loads which they carried, that a broken axle was unknown among +them, and it was impossible for a wheel to come off with Mr. Vidler's +axle and boxes; and, of course, the idle wheels must have added to the +weight. + +Although these patent-safety coaches were rejected by the Post-office, +they did find favour in one or two quarters. One worked for some time +between London and Stroudwater, and several were in use in Reading, as +the following certificate will prove:-- + + "We, the proprietors of the Reading coaches, beg leave thus + jointly to inform our friends and the public that we have each of + us, during the last five weeks, tried the Rev. W. Milton's + patent-safety coach, built by Brown and Day. We are fully + persuaded that its draught will be as fair as that of any coach on + the road, and have such a conviction of the safety of its + principles, that we have no doubt that we shall be induced to put + them on as early as shall be convenient to every coach we have. + + "Signed, + + "WILLIAMS & CO., Coachmasters, London and Reading; + + "E. EDWARDS, Coachmaster, Reading; + + "J. MOODY, Coachmaster, London." + +It is very disappointing that no drawing appears to have been +preserved showing what these coaches looked like when they stood up +upon their wheels; but evidently the patent parts were capable of +being applied to the ordinary coaches, as is proved by the following +portion of an advertisement:-- + +"Any particulars regarding these coaches and the application of the +principles of it to stage-coaches at present in use may be had by +applying to Brown and Day, Coachmakers, Reading." And again they say, +"The safety of the plan depends upon the union of the two principles. +The same charge will be made for the application of the luggage box or +idle wheels, where either may be required separately, as for the two +together." + +The Postmaster-General appears to have been fortunate in the number of +his counsellors, but, judging by the following suggestion, it would +have required a very great multitude to produce wisdom. Indeed, a more +objectionable change could hardly have been thought of. + +By a memorandum at the General Post-Office, it appears that in +February, 1831, the Rev. W. C. Fenton, of Doncaster, made a suggestion +that postilions should be substituted for the coachmen. The suggestion +was rejected, as it was considered that the change of postilions would +necessarily be much more frequent than the change of coachmen, and +therefore the chances of delays would be greatly multiplied. It was +also thought that, were such a mode of driving adopted, it would be +the means of raising the fares, and the mails would again require +support. Many of the coachmen drove from forty to fifty miles without +a change. The Postmaster-General, Duke of Richmond, considered the +horses had enough to do without carrying additional weight. + +The horses would not only have had the weight of an extra man to share +among them, but they would have had to carry both men in a way best +calculated to distress them. The easiest way for a horse to move a +weight is by his draught, the worst when placed upon his back. + +Then again there was the difficulty of who was to pay the postilions. +They must have been changed at every stage, and I should think the +passengers, although in those days pretty well accustomed to giving +fees of one sort or another, would have objected to being _kicked_ by +two postboys at the end of every stage. + +I can fancy I hear one of the uninitiated exclaim, "I should think +they would object to such treatment as that at any time," but, in the +language of the road, the word _kicking_ had no brutal signification +attached to it--it only meant asking the passengers for their fees, +and the word _shelling_ was often used to express the same process in +less objectionable language. The word was understood something in the +way that an Irishman uses the word _kilt_, which the following +anecdote will explain:-- + +An English gentleman had rented some shooting in Ireland, and had gone +over to enjoy the sport. On the morning after his arrival, having +engaged a lot of boys to beat for him, he started off to look for +game, but before he had gone very far, after firing a shot, he heard a +great commotion and chatter among the boys. Thereupon he called out to +them to ask if anything was the matter, to which the answer he +received was, "Nothing your 'anour,' only you've kilt a boy." I need +hardly say, that, being a stranger to the country, he was very much +alarmed till he reached the spot where the boys were assembled, when +he discovered, to his infinite relief, that the word "kilt" conveyed +no mortal signification in that country. + +I will venture to give a few more instances of the propositions made +to the Postmaster-General. Some were certainly ingenious, but he very +wisely could not be induced to give up a system which had been well +proved, for what at the best, and however clever in itself, was +untried. + +On September 14th, 1816, Mr. Peter M'Kenzie of Paddington offered to +construct a steam engine to run on rails at the rate of fifteen miles +an hour. He asserted that the mountains of Wales or any other part of +the United Kingdom would not impede its velocity. To enable him to +build a small model he asked that a hundred and fifty or two hundred +pounds might be advanced to him. As may be supposed this was refused +him, and the plan was abandoned. This gentleman also claimed that in +1802 the idea of printing newspapers by steam first originated with +him. + +Mr. John England, writing from Aberdeen in August, 1820, wants the +department to adopt a travelling carriage or machine, which was +impelled by means of the expansion and contraction of compound fluids. +The machine was stated to weigh about 90 lbs. The plan was not +entertained. Again, in the year 1832 the same person submitted an +improved machine worked on the same principle, but, as may be +imagined, it met with no better result than the first. + +In the next suggestion we appear to be approaching the present railway +system, but I should suppose that he intended laying his rails by the +side of the turnpike roads. + +Mr. Thomas Gray, writing from Brussels in November, 1821, suggests +steam coaches on iron rails. In support of it, he stated that the +journey to Edinburgh would be done in half the time taken by the mail +coaches, and that the expense of laying the iron rails would be more +than covered by the extra passengers that could be carried in the +additional coaches which could be run. + +This also met with a cold reception, and no doubt appeared at the time +to be simply speculative, yet the light of time compels us to take a +different view, and to recognize in it the germs of a great invention. + +Mr. James Rondeen, of Lambeth, on June 3rd, 1823, submitted a scheme +to convey the mails by engines consuming their own smoke, of four or +six-horse power, which would cost from two hundred and fifty to three +hundred pounds each, and impel a coach at the rate of from fifteen to +twenty miles an hour. He estimated that there were two hundred and +eighty coaches running daily from London and on the cross roads, the +work of which, if his scheme was adopted, would be performed by +eighty-two engines. This scheme was considered an extraordinary one, +but the condition of its acceptance imposed by the inventor could not +be complied with. + +I should gather from what is said here, that Mr. Rondeen's plan was of +the nature of a traction engine to run upon the existing turnpike +roads, and, if I am right, the Postmaster-General of that day had a +better opinion of that mode of progression than of the system of +rails. No doubt, several descriptions of traction engines were tried, +but none succeeded, and I have heard of surveyors of turnpike roads +laying such extra thick coverings of stone on the roads as to clog the +engine wheels; but however this may be, experience has proved that +they are not capable of much pace, however useful they may be found +for slow traffic. + +A Mr. Knight, in January, 1822, suggested an elevated road or railway. +The carriage was to be slung from the road on rails above, and two +men, suspended in it at the bottom, would turn machinery to propel it +along the groove or railway. After the idea had been talked over by +Mr. Knight with the head of the mail coach department, the latter was +satisfied that it would be of no use to the Post-office. + +A Mr. Elmes of Regent Street, in October, 1823, offered to convey the +mails to any part of the United Kingdom at the rate of from fifteen to +seventeen miles an hour, by means of a mechanical carriage, which +could be worked by horses or not. He stated that his contrivance would +reduce the cost of conveyance to about a quarter of that then +incurred. It need hardly be said that this proposal was too indefinite +to be entertained. + +On the 25th of November, 1826, a Mr. Thorold, of Great Milton, +Norfolk, suggested the application of steam to mail coaches for +propelling them on turnpike roads. This plan appears to have been +considered feasible, as it is recorded that the plan was not adopted, +as it was considered best to wait until the idea was _seen_ in +practice. + +On April 27, 1826, a Mr. Cadogan Williams submitted a plan for the +rapid conveyance of mails by means of tubes. The outline of his plan +was this: That a square of cast-iron or brick be laid from one stage +to another, with its extremities communicating with vaults of +sufficient magnitude for the purpose; one vault having an +air-evaporating apparatus, and the other a condensing, such as is used +to blow iron furnaces worked by steam power. At the neck of the tube +joining the condensing apparatus should be two stoppers, on the +principle of those that are used in beer cocks. Between the stoppers +should be a door for putting in the box of letters. On closing it the +stoppers should be turned, and the condensed air would exert itself in +the box and produce its rapid movement. This was certainly very +ingenious, if somewhat complicated. At any rate, he was informed that +his plan was not applicable to the purposes of the department. + +And now comes a really wonderful proposal. A Mr. Slade, on May 14, +1827, offered to convey the mails at the rate of a mile a minute; but +he appears not to have been of a very communicative disposition, as he +did not state by what means this very high rate of speed was to be +obtained, but he estimated the cost for carrying out his plan at two +thousand pounds a mile. As may be supposed, this was considered too +visionary and costly to be enquired into further. + +And now I have got what I think will raise a smile. It will hardly be +believed, but so it was, that a Royal Engineer--an officer, I +suppose--suggested that the mails should be conveyed by means of +shells and cannon. His idea was to enclose the letters in shells and +then fire them to the next stage, three miles distant, and then to the +next stage, and so on to the end of the journey. He said a good +bombardier could drop the shell within a few feet of the spot where +the next one was stationed. + +As early as the year 1811 a trial was made of a drag, or break, +apparently a good deal resembling the breaks now so generally applied +to wheels. In that year a drag, as it was then called, was introduced +by a Mr. Simpson to the Post-office authorities, and was tried on the +Brighton and Worcester mails; but the advantages claimed for it by the +patentee were not borne out in practice. The advantages claimed were +that in case of the reins or pole breaking, or horses running away, +the drag could be at once applied by the guard without leaving his +seat, as it was put in action by a lever or shaft affixed to the body +of the coach, and worked by hand. It does not appear, however, to have +possessed sufficient attractions for it to be brought into general +use, as nothing more is heard of it. In the year 1811 I don't suppose +there was much to be feared from horses running away! + +Before quite taking leave of science I will venture to touch upon a +subject which, if not exactly science, is nearly related to it. At any +rate, it can only be solved, if at all, through the medium of science. +I can fancy I hear some votary of science exclaim with some +indignation, "What is this doughty question which is to puzzle +science?" To this I can only answer that if science has or can solve +it satisfactorily, I humbly beg its pardon for doubting its powers. +Well, the subject I am raising is expressed by the word _Traction_. +Traction, I mean, as connected with pace. What is the difference in +power required to move a given load at ten miles an hour and at five +miles an hour? I have somewhere seen it argued as if it was the same, +and that therefore the horses must suffer greatly over the latter part +of a stage, supposing that their powers were less and the weight to be +drawn remained the same. Of course, the weight does in one sense +continue the same, but every coachman who has had any experience in +driving will have observed how much longer time it requires to pull up +a coach going at a high speed than one at a slow pace; which of itself +proves that after the coach is once set in motion and has acquired a +fast pace, the exertion required to keep it going is considerably +reduced. Without for a moment forgetting the cardinal truth that "it +is the pace which kills," it is quite apparent that the disease and +the remedy, to some extent at least, travel together. Another fact +which can be attested by all old stage coachmen, and which goes +strongly to prove how much reduced the draught is by pace, is that +four light horses can get a load up a steep pitch at a gallop which +they would be quite incapable of surmounting at a walk. + +Then there is another item which adds to the complexity, which is +this--that the greater the weight, the longer the time required for +pulling up. It would seem, therefore, as if a heavy weight, to a +certain extent, assisted its own propulsion. The same circumstances +are observed on the railways, and, probably, from the hardness of the +metal on which their wheels run, it is still more apparent than on a +road. I was once travelling for a short distance upon a locomotive +engine without a train behind it, and upon asking the driver how long +it would take to bring his engine to a standstill, he said, "I could +stop it almost immediately now, but it would be very different with a +long train behind her." Probably there are few coachmen who have +driven any great number, of miles through whose brain this question +has never trotted, but without arriving at any solution of it. At any +rate, I confess my own ignorance, and only throw down the question at +the feet of science after the custom of the ages of chivalry, when the +herald threw down the gauntlet into the midst of the assembled +knights, to be picked up by the best man. + +The following narrative will convey some idea of the force of velocity +which appertains to the wheels of a coach travelling at a high +speed:-- + +As the "Mazeppa" coach was proceeding on her journey from Monmouth to +Gloucester, when descending a hill about three miles from the former +place at a fast pace, the tire of the near hind wheel came off, and +the impetus was so great that it caused it to pass the coach and run +on for nearly half a mile, thus proving that the power required to +draw a carriage when it has attained much speed must be very much +diminished. It only requires to be kept moving. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A NOTE ON THE HORN. + + +Many guards on the day coaches carried key bugles, on which some of +them were able to play exceedingly well, and helped to while away many +a half hour on the journey; but on the mails and night coaches, the +former especially, straight horns were employed. Formerly these were +all made of tin, hence the "yard of tin," but in later years a good +many copper or brass ones came into use, and a few, in quite late +years, adopted a twisted horn without keys, much like the infantry +field bugle used in the army. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + OBSTRUCTION ON THE BRIDGE.] + +These horns, of whichever sort, were generally efficacious in warning +carts, carriages, or other vehicles to get out of the way, but were of +little avail against the worst obstruction met with on the roads. At +that time all the sheep, cattle and pigs which travelled from one part +of the country to another were obliged to make use of the highways, +and though the drovers were possessed of marvellous skill in avoiding +the turnpike roads on account of the tolls, nevertheless large droves +and flocks were not unfrequently met with, and were the cause of +considerable delay, and also sometimes of altercation. I was once +forcing my way through a large drove of cattle, rather more +unceremoniously than the drover approved of, when he threw his heavy +stick at my head, and only narrowly missed it; and here perhaps it +will not be out of place to introduce a few cases which exhibit the +danger incurred by coaches from the presence of cattle and sheep, +whether in droves and flocks or straying on the roads. + +On November 7th, 1789, the Preston and Carlisle mail, after changing +horses at Garstang, when about three miles on the road to Preston, in +crossing a bridge over the Lancaster and Preston canal, encountered +some drove cattle in the road, when the coach was coming down the +bridge, which is a declivity, and the coachman pulled his horses too +much to the off-side of the road to avoid the cattle, and the off +wheels ran up the bank and upset the coach. Nobody seems to have been +injured. + +A curious accident happened to the Devonport mail _en route_ to Bath, +on November 7th, 1839. The guard's report says: "A short distance from +New House, a bullock straying on the road became frightened at the +light of the lamps, and attempted to leap the hedge, but falling back +against the leaders, the horses all sprung across the road, and +running the coach into the hedge, threw the coachman off the box, and +the wheels passed over him." He, the guard, then proceeds to say that +he only lost one hour and a half's time, but gives no account of what +became of the coachman. His whole thoughts appear to have been +concentrated on his business, and he reminds one of the anecdote about +the trainer and the old woman. + +As a string of race-horses were out at exercise one morning, one of +them bolted and came into collision with some obstacle which threw him +down, seriously injuring him, and killing the lad who was riding him. +The unfortunate lad was soon removed, and the trainer was lamenting +over the horse when he was accosted by an old woman, who happened to +be passing by at the time, and began to condole with him on the +accident. He replied, "Ah! it is a bad job, indeed, I am afraid he +will never be able to run for another race;" but, says she, "How's the +poor boy?" "Oh! drat the boy, he's dead," was the answer. + +Sheep were sometimes the cause of accidents. On January 10th, 1840, +when the London and Hull mail was within a mile of Peterborough, the +horses shied at a flock of sheep, and ran the coach into a ditch six +feet deep, overturning it, and causing three hours' loss of time. + +And now, having indulged in a stave on the guards' horns, perhaps the +coachmen's whips may feel themselves neglected if I have no word to +say about them, and on this subject it must be admitted that rather +different opinions prevailed. _Tot homines tot sententiæ._ Some +preferred, I think most professionals did, a stiff crop and a light +thong, but others, especially amateurs, were in favour of a supple +stick with a heavier thong. The latter are no doubt easier to manage +in a high wind, and can also be caught up with greater facility; but, +in my humble opinion, the former are far preferable for general use, a +supple stick and a heavy thong being insufferable in wet weather. + +In the selection of a whip it is easy to observe whether the person +selecting is an old hand or not. If he is he will pick out a crop +without knots, or with as few as possible, whereas the tyro is nearly +sure to take the knotty one. The large knots, of course, tend to keep +the thong, when caught, from slipping down towards the hand, but it +ought to be caught tight enough to stay in its proper place without +them, and sticks always break first at the knots. + +Some people are now in favour of long crops. I fancy a cricketer might +as well demand a bat of extra length. In old days W. and T. Ward, who +were by odds the best whipmakers, never thought of turning out whips +with crops of greater length than five feet two or three inches to the +holder, and most were not quite so long. Beyond this length it becomes +almost impossible to obtain a good balance. A very long stick must be +top heavy, and I will defy anyone to use a long top heavy whip as +effectually as one that is of a more handy length. + +Even when the cattle were good, and but little whip was required, +thongs soon became rotten from the sweat of the horses and the rain, +and to avoid the frequent necessity for new ones, what were called +"three quarters and middles" were made, which coachmen were generally +able to splice on for themselves. Thongs also wear out more quickly if +they are not kept supple, for which purpose a dressing of two-thirds +hog's lard and one-third bees wax will be found very efficacious. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE HOLYHEAD ROAD. + + +I have endeavoured to show in a previous chapter, on the subject of +coachmen, with what rapidity the carrying business of the country +increased and multiplied, but, perhaps, this may be better elucidated +by taking some particular road and district, and devoting a separate +chapter to the subject; and probably no better road can be selected +for this purpose than that from London to Holyhead, which, judging +from the amount of money and care expended upon it, one may naturally +conclude was better adapted for great speed than any other, and this, +I believe, really was the case. Some particular portions of other +roads might have been better--for instance, the Hartford Bridge +flats--and as great, or possibly still greater pace accomplished; but +for the distance over which this road extended, no other could vie +with it; and I will venture to say, that on no other were an equal +average number of miles of fast work performed; and we must recollect +that it is one thing to go very fast for a short distance, but another +to keep that pace up for the distance of from one hundred miles and +upwards. Well, then, if we take this road, and make Birmingham, the +most important town on the road, a sort of centre of a district, we +shall obtain a pretty good insight into the subject. + +The metropolis of the Midlands has always been celebrated for its +public spirit, and it has nowhere been made more conspicuous than in +the way it met the demand for good coaches. + +In the year 1823, I find there were twenty-three coaches advertised in +_Aris's Gazette_ (which was the principal medium of advertisement +at that time in the Midlands) to run out of Birmingham to all parts of +the country, though no doubt there were others, for it would appear +that some inns, from which coaches ran, did not avail themselves of +that medium of publicity. Probably, therefore, after making all +allowances, we shall not err much in putting the total number at +thirty. + +Four years later, in 1827, the number of those advertised had risen to +no less than thirty-eight, and making the same allowance for those not +advertised, the total can hardly be placed at less than forty-five, an +increase of fifteen in four years. From this time the number was +steadily added to, till by the year 1835, which may be called the +culminating point (making allowances for those not advertised, of +which three occur to my memory at once--namely, the "Rocket" night, +and "Triumph" day coaches, through Oxford and Henley to London, and +the "Erin-go-bragh" from Liverpool, driven by Tolly, all three horsed +by Mr. Waddle from the "Hen and Chickens," in New Street), there must +have been at least sixty. During these years also the pace had not +been neglected, as several of these new coaches travelled at great +speed, and the pace of those of older standing had been increased. In +the year 1826, considerable stimulus was given to speed by a great +acceleration in the time of the Holyhead mail. About which time the +"Union" commenced to perform the journey from Shrewsbury to London, +through Birmingham and Oxford, in four hours less time. The "Oxonian" +also, over the same ground, was accelerated five hours. + +It will tend to exhibit the great keenness with which the competition +was carried on, if I here introduce two advertisements which appeared +in the newspapers during this period. + +In the month of June, 1834, the following advertisement appeared in +_Aris's Gazette_:-- + +"The 'Greyhound,' only carrying passengers and small parcels, leaves +Birmingham at a quarter past nine in the evening, arriving in London +at a quarter to eight on the following morning. This coach has an +imperial on the roof to prevent luggage being placed there, and +passengers' luggage must be sent to the office in time to be forwarded +by the 'Economist.'" + +An attempt was at one time made to light this coach with gas, but the +practice was, I believe, discontinued. Unless it proved of very great +benefit in the power of light, it had certainly one great drawback, +which was that the necessary apparatus occupied the whole front boot, +causing that receptacle to be altogether useless for the carriage of +parcels. + +Again, in July, 1835, the following advertisement appeared in the +_Shrewsbury Chronicle_:-- + +"Isaac Taylor, ever grateful for the distinguished support he has +received from the public, announces a new and elegant fast day coach +to London, called the 'Stag,' every morning at a quarter before five, +arriving at the 'Bull and Mouth,' opposite the General Post-Office, at +seven the same evening. I. T. has been induced to commence running the +'Stag' to prevent the celebrated 'Wonder' being in any way injured by +racing, or at all interfered with in the regularity which has been +hitherto observed in that coach." + +It will be observed here, that the "Stag" was advertised to run the +distance of one hundred and fifty-four miles in fourteen hours and a +quarter. Whether this pace was really intended to be always maintained +may perhaps be doubtful. Probably it depended a good deal on the +amount of racing with the "Nimrod," but of this more will be heard +presently. For the present, however, we will retrace our steps for a +few years, and take a journey or two with the "Tally-hoes," and go +more into particulars than has yet been the case. + +Previously to the great improvement which I have denoted in the night +travelling, a great advance had been established in the day work by +the three "Tally-hoes." These coaches were put on the road about the +year 1823, and were among the fastest coaches in England. Why all +three bore the same name I never heard, and cannot understand, unless +it were with the view of intensifying the keenness of the opposition, +which, as they were all on the road at the same time, was very great. +I suppose, however, that it was found to create inconvenience in +practice, as they were soon supplied with distinctive titles--one +being designated the "Independent Tally-ho," another the "Eclipse +Tally-ho," and the other the "Patent Tally-ho." They were timed at ten +miles an hour, but when racing, as was frequently the case, were not +particular to a mile or two, and, of course, went much faster. Indeed, +on the recurrence of what may be called the coach festival, May 1st, +they more than once covered the distance, one hundred and eight miles, +under seven hours. The "Independent Tally-ho," started from London +from the "Golden Cross," Charing Cross, horsed by Horne as far as +Colney, and driven by Andrew Morris to Dunstable, where the box was +filled by an old friend of mine, to whom I am indebted for assistance +in compiling this book, but whose name I am not at liberty to mention, +who also horsed it as far as Stoney Stratford. Out of Birmingham it +started from the "Nelson," horsed by Radenhurst, and driven to +Daventry and back by Harry Tresslove, who was an excellent waggoner, +and always galloped the five-mile stage between Dunchurch and the +"Black Dog" in eighteen minutes. The road was straight, hard, and +flat, and ran between a splendid avenue of trees--perhaps some of the +finest elms in the world--the property of Lord John Scott. The stage +was horsed by the landlord of the "Bell," at Dunchurch, who could +afford to do the work well, as he reaped the benefit of the coach +breakfasting at his house on the up journey, and dining there on the +down one. + +The "Eclipse Tally-ho" was horsed out of Ludlow on one side by Mrs. +Mountain, from the "Saracen's Head," Snow Hill, and consequently +sometimes called "Mountain's Tally-ho," and on the other side by +Chaplin, from the "Swan with Two Necks," Lad Lane, as far as Colney, +and driven by Tom Boyce, who also horsed it over twenty-five miles of +the lower ground. It was horsed out of Birmingham by Waddle. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + GALLOPED THE FIVE MILE STAGE, IN EIGHTEEN MINUTES.] + +The "Patent Tally-ho" ran from the "Belle Sauvage," Ludgate Hill, and +horsed by Robert Nelson as far as South Mimms, and was driven out of +London by old Bob Flack, who also horsed twenty-five miles of the +lower ground. + +It will be observed that a change had come over coaching, in that the +coachmen were covering a good many stages of the lower ground. +Probably this arose partly from the innkeepers, now that the +opposition had become so exceedingly keen, not caring for the +business, and also partly from the great change which had taken place +in their social position and character. They were become quite a +different class of persons to what they had been a generation before, +and, indeed, such might be expected to be the case, as the occupation +was one which brought them into contact with gentlemen, and it was +entirely their own faults if they derived no benefit from such +association. The pace, in consequence of the severe competition, had +also become so severe that the old style of coachman, who had been +accustomed to take it easy, and stop at most of the roadside inns he +passed, and got half-seas over before arriving at the end of the +journey, could no longer be employed, and their places had to be +filled with an altogether different class of men. Indeed, it was no +longer the disgusting work, in which he was most esteemed who could +hit the hardest, and had for its supporters only the lower grades of +society, but had become one which no gentleman need be ashamed to be +occupied in, or have lost his self-respect by embracing; and, +doubtless, if coaching had not been supplanted by railways, the press +of competition, which is felt by all classes, would have induced more +of them to turn their attention to it. + +In new countries, such as our colonies, what a man's employment is, so +long as it is honest and respectable, goes for little or nothing, +provided he is a gentleman in every sense of the word. He may drive a +bullock dray in the morning, and associate with the _élite_ in the +evening--at least, so it was when I knew Australia a "long time +ago," which would appear to be a better system than our own more +exclusive one. Probably, however, it would be impossible to carry it +out in an old and wealthy country like that in which we live. + +The dust kicked up by the Tally-hoes was not long laid in Birmingham +before the three Shrewsbury coaches came bustling through the town on +their journey to London. Of these the "Wonder" probably had the most +world-wide fame of any coach in England. It set the fashion of day +coaches running long distances, and was the first ever established to +cover much above one hundred miles in a day, the distance from London +to Shrewsbury being one hundred and fifty-four; and it was unrivalled +in its punctuality. It was horsed by Sherman out of London, from the +"Bull and Mouth" to St. Albans, to which place he worked most of his +coaches on that road, though he extended the distance in the case of +one Birmingham night coach for some time as far as Daventry, a +distance of seventy-four miles. Whether this was done because he +considered it too good a thing to part with, or that it was so poor a +concern that no one would join him in it, I do not know. The "Wonder" +was driven out of London by Wood as far as Redbourn, from whence Harry +Liley worked till he met John Wilcox, when they both turned back; and +between Birmingham to Shrewsbury, Sam Hayward occupied the box. I need +hardly say that on such a coach, which was the pride of the road, they +were all first-rate artists. + +The "Wonder" was allowed to enjoy the fruits of its enterprise, and to +go on its way unmolested for several years; but by the year 1830, or +thereabouts, its success as a good loading coach tempted opposition, +and the "Nimrod" was called into existence. It started from London on +alternate days from the "Bull Inn," Holborn, and the "Belle Sauvage," +Ludgate Hill, horsed from the former by Horne, and from the latter by +R. Nelson, and worked by them, side by side, to Redbourn, and driven +by my old friend already mentioned on the "Independent Tally-ho," who +drove it to near Stoney Stratford and back, making a drive of one +hundred miles a day. On one occasion, in consequence of the up coach +being delayed by a broken pole, he was obliged to drive on till he met +it below Daventry, which lengthened the day's work to about one +hundred and seventy miles without a rest. + +This distance is, I think, one of the longest ever driven at one time. +Mr. Kenyon has been known to drive the "Wonder" the whole journey from +London to Shrewsbury, which is nearly equal; but I fancy it has seldom +if ever been exceeded, except by the memorable drive of Captain +Barclay, who undertook for a bet to drive two hundred, and won it. But +to return to the "Nimrod." + +The opposition of these two coaches was, as one would have thought, +fierce enough, but it was not sufficient to satisfy the wounded +feelings of the "Wonder" proprietors, who were indignant at anyone +presuming to oppose the coach of which they were so justly proud. +After a few years, therefore, the "Stag" was ushered in by the glowing +advertisement I have given in a previous page. It was started to run a +little in front of the "Nimrod," which was followed by the "Wonder," +and was therefore pretty well nursed. The orders given to the "Nimrod" +coachman were, if the "Wonder" pressed to keep first, which caused him +of course to run into the "Stag," and then, as may well be imagined, +the racing became somewhat exciting, and the "Wonder," we may rely +upon it, did not always act up to the pacific course laid down for her +in the advertisement, and the result was that the three coaches +sometimes arrived all together at the "Peacock" at Islington two hours +before time. Perhaps the greatest wonder would have been if a coachman +had been found who would not have joined in the fun when it was going +on under his eyes. + +When the proprietors found they could not kill one another by racing, +they tried the suicidal plan of cutting down fares, which were +reduced, between London and Birmingham, from two pounds eight +shillings inside to thirty shillings, and outside from thirty +shillings to one pound. This, coupled with the wear and tear of horse +flesh caused by the pace, was, of course, ruinous, and one of them +told me that he lost fifteen hundred pounds in a little over twelve +months by it. Why an agreement could not have been come to whereby the +coaches should have run at different times seems to be a puzzle. One +would have supposed that it would have answered better for them to +have set out with an hour or two between them, which would have +afforded better accommodation to the public. I can only imagine one +reason which actuated them, which is, that every traveller would have +taken the first coach as long as there was room for him in it, for +fear of the others being full, and so the first would have had an +undue advantage, and little or nothing might have been left for the +last. + +There was also another fast night coach between London and Birmingham, +called the "Emerald," driven out of the latter place by Harry Lee, +whose complexion was of a very peculiar colour, almost resembling that +of a bullock's liver, the fruit of strong potations of "early purl" or +"dog's nose," taken after the exertions of the night and before going +to roost. + +Besides all the coaches I have named, the Oxford road was not +neglected. The well-known "Tantivy" commenced running over it between +Birmingham and London about the year 1832, and must have proved +successful, for in 1835 the same proprietors put on another fast day +coach, called the "Courier," to start at a quarter before seven in the +morning, and precede the old-established coach, which started two +hours later. + +There was also a third road between the great Metropolis and that of +the Midlands which ran through Warwick, Banbury, and Buckingham, and +which was traversed by the Birmingham mail, and, if I recollect right, +also by a night coach called the "Crown Prince." + +It was not, however, on the London roads only that coaches increased +and multiplied, for in the year 1834 the "Fairtrader" commenced +running to Liverpool, and three other new coaches were advertised in +other directions--namely, the "Red Rover" to Brecon, the "Beehive" to +Manchester, and the "Criterion" to Chester. + +At this time, there was also an exceedingly keen opposition between +Birmingham and Derby. One of the coaches was horsed and driven by +Captain Baring, and the other was horsed by Stovin and driven by +Captain Douglas, who has been already mentioned as piloting the +Sheffield mail. He was a most determined fellow, and stood at nothing. +Indeed, the animosity between these two Jehus was quite alarming when +they encountered one another, and at last became so intense that they +resorted to the dangerous expedient of crossing one another, which, on +one occasion, caused Douglas to run into Baring's coach, thereby +causing a smash and bruising several passengers, but very fortunately +none were seriously injured. This is the only instance I ever knew of +coachmen driving opposition coaches entertaining a personal animosity +for one another. + +And now we have arrived at the last coach which was put on the road +between London and Birmingham. In the year 1837 a very fast day mail +was started to run to Birmingham and to go on to Crewe, where it +transferred mails and passengers to the railway for conveyance to +Liverpool, and was largely patronised by Irish M.P.'s, as it ran in +connection with the packet to the Sister Isle, and booked through. +Half a dozen of those notables of the day could frequently be seen +travelling by her at one time. It was timed at twelve miles an hour. +It was horsed by Sherman of the "Bull and Mouth" out of London, and +was driven by H. Liley, who had long experience on the "Wonder" over +the lower ground. At Redbourn, he was replaced on the box by my +before-mentioned friend as having driven both the "Independent +Tally-ho" and afterwards the "Nimrod," and he drove till he met the up +coach tooled by Jonathan Morris, when they changed, each one returning +to the place from which he started, and it was taken into Birmingham +by T. Liley, a brother of Harry. He had previously driven the "Eclipse +Tally-ho," and Jonathan Morris had had his experience upon the +"Hibernia," already mentioned as running between Liverpool and +Cheltenham. He was pitted on that coach against Jordan, who drove the +"Hirondelle," and was noted as a "butcher," but was possessed of great +strength and had adamantine nerve, and only a first rate practitioner +had a chance with him. Jonathan was quite a different class of +coachman, and saved his stock as well as the pace and load would allow +him, and I have myself seen him trot by Jordan in ascending the Wyle +Cop in Shrewsbury, when the latter had nearly flogged his horses to a +standstill. Perhaps I should add, in fairness to Jordan, that, though +he had a beautiful team, it was composed of light horses, and that the +other coach was drawn by horses possessing more size and power for +enabling them to get a load up a steep ascent. I have been particular +in giving the antecedents of these coachmen, as, of course, they were +picked out as especially qualified for the great pace at which this +mail was timed, and it was a feather in their caps. Indeed, it may be +said that, as at that time the end of coaching was within measurable +distance, they represented "the survival of the fittest." + +About this time the Postmaster-General started several day mails +besides the one just mentioned. There was one on the Brighton road, +and one between Birmingham and Shrewsbury, which left the Holyhead +road at Shiffnal, and, passing through Ironbridge, joined it again +about four miles from Shrewsbury, and probably there were others of +which I have no cognizance. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE BRIGHTON ROAD. + + +So much has already been written about the Brighton road that, +perhaps, it may seem presumptuous in me to re-open the subject, but as +I have noticed the Birmingham road, I will venture to dwell very +shortly upon the Brighton one, as they may be said to have been the +antithesis to each other, much in the same way as now the business of +the southern railways differs from that of what are called by way of +distinction the heavy lines. No observant person can, I think, arrive +in London from the south and drive through town straight to one of the +large railway stations in the north, without being struck with the +difference of the traffic. So it was in the coaching days; on one road +business was paramount, on the other a little time for pleasure could +be indulged in. I do not mean to say that they carried on the old +practice of throwing away ten minutes or a quarter of an hour at each +change of horses; far from it. The work was admirably done, but it had +not about it the severe utilitarianism which was the prevailing +feature with the other. The horses on the northern road showed, as a +rule, more blood, and the coaches gave the idea of their having been +built with a view to carrying loads at a high rate of speed. Nothing +seemed wanting to ensure pace with safety, whilst, at the same time, +there was nothing to lead anyone to suppose for a moment that they +were anything but stage coaches. + +On the other hand, on the road to the fashionable watering-place, some +of the coaches, from the small amount of lettering upon them, and +bright pole chains, might at first sight have been mistaken for +private drags. + +Notwithstanding all this pace, it must not be supposed that a journey +by one of those fast coaches on the northern road was a hurried, +uncomfortable day's work, with no time to eat a comfortable meal. On +the contrary, though only twenty-five minutes were allowed for dinner, +so much assistance was generally given in waiters to carve and wait +upon the passengers, that a by no means bad dinner could be made in +the allotted time; and to show that the food was not otherwise than +palatable, I may instance the case of a medical gentleman residing at +Brickhill (I think), but, at any rate, in the town where the up +"Wonder" dined, who, whenever possible, went in with the passengers +and made his dinner with them. + +I will now venture on a few circumstances and anecdotes connected with +the Brighton road, which may help to portray the differences I have +been describing in the two roads; but, before doing so, I should like +to remark that anyone writing at this time on the subject is liable to +make mistakes, as those coaches in some cases changed hands, as, for +instance, at one time the "Age" was the property of and driven by Mr. +Stevenson, and at a later period was in the possession of Sir St. +Vincent Cotton. Of this coach it has been written by Nimrod that "Mr. +Stevenson had arrived at perfection in his art and had introduced the +phenomenon of refinement into a stage coach." I never happened to see +this coach in his time, but can well remember Sir St. Vincent Cotton +on the box of his neat brown coach, with bright pole chains. A friend +of mine says, "Well I remember Harry Stevenson, with his beautiful +team, starting from the 'White Horse Cellars,' and calling for his box +passenger at the United Service Club, and from thence to the 'Elephant +and Castle,' the final stop before departure for Brighton, and his +guard, George Carrington, who was the essence of neatness and +politeness to his passengers." + +This coach was for a short time driven by Sackville Gwynne, who ran +through all his property, and died in Liverpool, where he was driving +a cab. + +It would be tedious to enumerate half the coaches, nearly thirty in +number, which ran out of Brighton every day, and many of them the best +looking turns-out in the kingdom. A few as specimens will suffice. +First and foremost came the "Times," starting at seven in the morning, +arriving at Charing Cross at twelve, and returning to Brighton at two, +driven by Sam Goodman. Bob Brackenbury, a first-rate amateur whip at +that time, used to drive from Brighton to Sam Goodman's farm, a +distance of eleven miles, and back again in the evening. Then there +was the "Dart," another up and down coach, driven by Bob Snow, a +first-rate artist. Some may even now remember his rubicund face, which +he had just helped to colour with a pint of sherry after his dinner, +as he mounted his box like a workman, when returning from the "Spread +Eagle," Gracechurch Street, with his faultless drab great-coat, and a +bale of white muslin round his neck; and such top boots! The "Elephant +and Castle" was his first stopping-place, to meet the West End branch +coach; and here he always replenished his inner man with a glass of +hot brandy and water with a spoonful of ground ginger in it, as he +said, to assist his digestion. After he started from there, it was +woe-betide the poor horse that offended him before he reached Reigate, +where the "Dart" stopped for dinner, and in those days the city +merchants and stockbrokers knew how to take care of themselves. His +only opponent was the "Item," driven by Charles Newman, who was always +wretchedly horsed, and could not come near him. + +Another well known face on this road was that of John Willan, who, +after having lost a good fortune on the turf, started the "Arrow," +which was also horsed by Horne and Sam Goodman. This coach was mostly +supported by the _élite_ of the sporting world. The turn-out was +altogether most unique. + +The late Duke of Beaufort had some horses at work on this road at one +time. He horsed a coach called the "Quicksilver," and Bob Pointer was +the coachman (one of the best waggoners in England). He drove till he +met Charley Harker half way, and then turned back. One very fine day +the Duke went, as was not unusual, with some friends to see the +"Quicksilver" start from the Red Office, and there found our friend +Bob, not in the most upright position, just about to take hold of the +ribbons from the off-wheeler's back. As soon as his Grace saw how +matters stood he took them out of his hands, and drove up till he met +the other coach, which he drove back, and after kicking the passengers +handed the money to Bob, telling him not to let him see him in that +state again. The warning, however, was not attended to for long, for, +although the best of coachmen, he was a very wet 'un. + + +I will now ask the reader to fancy himself for a moment transported by +the touch of Columbine's wand into the Midlands, and set down in the +fashionable town of Cheltenham, which, fifty years ago, was justly +famed for its fast and well-appointed coaches, as well as for its +health-giving waters. Though situated far inland it was, like +Brighton, very much dependent on the same element for its prosperity, +and was frequented by much the same class of people, though the +efficacy of the waters at one place depended upon external, and at the +other upon internal application. Still they resembled one another in +drawing together a society of persons who had little or no occupation +except that of either bathing in or drinking the water. + +The High Street of Cheltenham presents now a very different aspect to +what it did at the time I am writing about, when the seats on the +sunny side were occupied by visitors looking at the coaches passing to +and fro or turning into the "Plough" yard. It was a sight worth coming +for to see those well-horsed coaches. There were, first, the London +coaches arriving: the "Magnet," driven by Jemmy Witherington, and the +"Berkely Hunt," with Frank Martindale on the box, who was always the +pink of neatness--indeed, as he once said to me a good many years +afterwards, "You know, I was a bit of a dandy in those days." + +Then there was also the London day mail with four greys, running +alternately to the "Plough" and "Queen's Hotel," and later on in the +day the "Hirondelle," driven by Finch, a rather wet soul, and the +"Hibernia," arrived from Liverpool, both of which coaches are +incidentally mentioned in another chapter, and were two of the fastest +in England. Besides them, there were others running to Bath, Bristol, +Leamington, Birmingham, and other places, and by the time all these +had been inspected, it was time to think of dinner. + +And now, having already made this chapter something of a "fugitive +piece," I will, for the second time, make use of the fairy wand, and +by one of its miraculous touches translate us back again to the +Brighton road, which, being the one on which so many amateurs have +become professionals, may be not inappropriately called the border +land between them, and, therefore, as rather pointed out for +considering the difference between them. Of course, in one sense, the +demarcation is as plain as the nose on one's face. The man who drives +for pay is a professional, at any rate for a time; but the question I +would now raise is not that, but one more likely to prove an apple of +discord--I mean what allowance should be made between them in +estimating their proficiency in driving. What might be good for one +might be decidedly under the mark for the other. To more fully explain +my meaning, I will take a strong case. Sir St. Vincent Cotton, as is +well known, drove professionally for some years on the Brighton road +after having been acknowledged to be a first-rate amateur, and the +question is, how soon after taking to the box professionally could he +have been expected to pass muster with the professionals? Perhaps some +will say that he was quite as good a coachman before as after he took +to the bench professionally. No doubt his is a strong case, and I only +give it as one in point; but, for myself, I very much doubt whether, +even in those _coachy_ days, it was possible for a man to get +sufficient practice, only as an amateur, to make him equal to one who +drove professionally. + +Doubtless, among the professionals there were men who never with any +amount of practice became good coachmen; but then we must remember +that in all classes and conditions of men some are to be found who, +from indolence or taking no pride in their work, never even reach +mediocrity, whilst others are too conceited to learn; but these were +in a small minority, and in driving, as in all other crafts, practice +makes perfect. If it confers no other benefit, it must strengthen the +muscles, and, no doubt, imparts a handiness, readiness, and resource +which nothing else can produce. The difference is, perhaps, oftener to +be observed in the whip hand than the rein one. A well-practised +professional with a pair of sluggish leaders will make every cut tell, +and then bring the thong up to his hand without staring about to see +where the wind had blown it to; whereas, it would too often be the +case with an amateur that, for want of having had sufficient practice, +half his cuts fell flat, and not unfrequently, especially on a windy +or wet day, he will get hung up in some part of the harness or in the +pole chains, or possibly even round the stock of the wheel. + +It is not only in the art of driving that this difference is to be met +with, but it extends to huntsmen and jockeys. In neither of these +occupations does a gentleman attain to sufficient proficiency to be +called more than a good amateur, which implies that he is not equal to +a professional, or at any rate to a good one. Now, why is this? Surely +not because he was born a gentleman, and is, therefore, disqualified +by nature. Still less, because education has unfitted him. No--it is +simply because he does not give up his time to it, but only follows it +as a recreation. Cricket might, perhaps, at first sight, contradict +this rule, but in truth, I believe it only tends to confirm it. The +gentlemen are able to hold their own with the players, but then, +whilst the cricket season lasts, they work as hard as the +professionals. + +To come to the point, then, how soon after taking to the bench +professionally ought an amateur to cease to claim any indulgence in +criticism? I do not, of course, mean a muff, whose natural inaptitude +might render him proof against any amount of practice, but one called +"a good amateur whip;" and, probably, it would not be erring much to +say that a period of from one to two years, with sixty to eighty miles +of driving a day, including a fair share of night work, is sufficient +to land him at the top of the profession, if the _gift_ is in +him. + +Talking of the "gift," reminds me of a conversation which once took +place between the late Mr. J. Taylor, who kept the "Lion" yard in +Shrewsbury, and the well known "Chester Billy." They had been talking +on the subject of driving, and the latter finished it by saying, +"Well, master, it is a gift," to which the other replied, "It is, +Billy, and it's a pity you never got it." I need hardly say, the old +man turned away rather disgusted, and, no doubt, with the firm +conviction that his master was no judge. + +Perhaps, in opposition to what I have said, I may be directed to some +instances where very fine samples of driving have been executed by +gentlemen. I will only mention two of them. The first took place in +times long ago, and is thus described by Nimrod. "Perhaps one of the +finest specimens of good coachmanship was performed by Sir Felix Agar. +He made a bet, which he won, that he would drive his own four horses +in hand up Grosvenor Place, down the passage into Tattersall's yard, +around the pillar which stands in the centre of it, and back again +into Grosvenor Place, without either of the horses going at a slower +pace than trot." So long a time has expired since this feat was +performed, and all spectators have passed away, that it is impossible +to criticise it in any way. Many, however, must be still alive who +remember the old Tattersall's, and they will be able to appreciate the +difficulty of the task. + +The other is quite of a recent date, only occurring last summer, and +was performed by my friend, Mr. Pryce Hamilton, who was the victor in +the obstacle competition. Not having seen this, I am unable to say +anything about it, but make no doubt that those who laid out the +course did not err on the side of leniency to the coachmen, and that +it was a feat of no easy performance. But, then, these things are +hardly tests of every day coachmanship. No doubt they require very +neat handling of the reins, but, of course, the horses have +individually the best of manners, and the teams are as hardy as it is +possible to make them; but if the whip had been wanted in Tattersall's +yard, perhaps Sir Felix might have lost his bet. + +Perhaps, it may be thought by some that the time I have stated is an +unnecessarily long apprenticeship. It may be for some, but for myself, +I can answer that, whether from natural stupidity or not, it was no +more than I required. Driving, if by that is understood a perfect +knowledge of the art, is, like most other things, a plant of slow +growth, and, to any one who has given much thought and attention to +it, it is surprising how long he finds something to learn. For myself, +although I had done many hundreds of miles of spare work for different +coachmen, and out of different yards, with the approval of the +proprietors, I did not find that I had been able to overcome +shortcomings and defects, of which I was conscious, till I had driven +regularly for three summers, and, perhaps, even then many remained of +which I was unconscious. + +If there are any who think there is no difference between amateur and +professional coachmen, I would ask them why there was not one of the +owners of the "Old Times" put up to drive the justly celebrated match +instead of Selby? + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +EARLY DAYS. + + +Though it is rather a singular coincidence that my earliest +experiences should be laid in the same neighbourhood as has been more +than once mentioned by the late Mr. Birch Reynardson in "Down the +Road," if the incidents are different, I suppose it will not signify +much if the road is the same. + +I have no recollection that we ever did actually drive opposition to +one another, but it is not impossible that we may have done so, as I +was in the habit of driving the "Royal Oak," which he mentions as +running opposition to the "Nettle," on which coach he frequently +handled the ribbons. However this may be, I can recollect well that he +bore the character of a good, powerful coachman, and I only hope I may +be able to approach him at all in my powers of description. + +His spirited narratives carry one's thoughts back to scenes of a +kindred nature, after a lapse of half a century, nearly as fresh as if +it were only yesterday. For, reader, I am another old coachman, having +driven one coach ninety-three miles a-day during one summer, and have +worked another about fifteen thousand miles a-year for three years, +besides others for myself, or for other coachmen. + +I well recollect the "yard of tin"; indeed, when a youth, I possessed +one, and flattered myself I could blow it pretty well. Such, indeed, +was my passion for the road, that I was not satisfied till I could +perform every feat performed by coachmen or guards. To pass from the +back of the coach to the front, or _vice versa_, was sometimes +accomplished by guards, and, of course, I must do the same, creeping +between the hind wheel and the body, whilst the coach was proceeding +at the rate of ten miles an hour. This was not a very easy +performance, but to get up and down whilst the coach was in motion was +not at all difficult, and doing this once led to my being mistaken for +a professional guard. + +I was travelling through North Wales, from Oswestry to Bangor, by a +pair-horse coach, which, of course, did not aspire to much pace, and, +as the day was wet, the road was heavy, which brought the two-horse +power to a walk up some of the hills, slight as Mr. Telford's +engineering skill had made them. Upon these occasions I got down to +walk, and as my pace was faster than that of the horses, I was part +way down the next hill before they overtook me, when, motioning to the +coachman not to pull up, I returned to my seat by his side, and after +having done this once or twice he said, "I beg your pardon, sir, but +were you ever a guard on any coach?" + +It is somewhat strange that Mr. Reynardson and I should both have good +reason for remembering the Llanymynech toll-bar, but its existence was +nearly being impressed on my mind by a far more serious accident than +killing poor piggy. + +Many years ago, about the year 1836, before I had the honour of +wearing His Majesty's uniform, I used to indulge my love of driving by +starting from my father's house, about three miles from Welshpool, +about five o'clock in the morning, and walking to that town for the +pleasure of driving the "Royal Oak" coach, which started at six, and +returning the same day by the down coach. Thereby getting a drive of +about eighty miles, and the pace was fast, especially if the "Nettle" +was supposed to be near, for we knew by experience that it followed +very quickly; so there was pretty well enough of practice to be had. + +On one of these mornings, when we were about two miles on our journey, +Harry Booth, the coachman, who was sitting by my side, whistled to the +horses, which started them off beyond my powers of holding them. I +said, "For goodness' sake be quiet," when he coolly replied, "I +thought you wanted to drive." Fortunately, however, they came back to +me after going a short distance, and we completed the nine miles to +Llanymynech in thirty-five minutes from the start. + +This was, perhaps, a rather rough way of learning to drive, and +something like throwing a fellow into deep water to teach him to swim. +At any rate, it taught me to gallop, and a coachman who could not do +that was of little use on a good many coaches in those days. + +This, however, is a digression, as it was on the return journey of +that day that I nearly came to grief at the Llanymynech toll-bar. It +occurred in this way-- + +The "Royal Oak" did not carry a guard, and Tom Loader, the coachman, +having resigned his seat to me when the coaches met, had retired to +the one usually occupied by that functionary. As, however, he was not +accustomed to guard's work, he was deficient in the activity necessary +for slipping the skid pan under the wheel whilst the coach was in +motion, and when he tried to do so at the top of Llanymynech hill he +failed in the attempt. Consequently, we got over the brow of the hill +without the wheel being locked, and, as there were no patent breaks in +those days, there was nothing for it but a gallop, as the wheel horses +were unable to hold the big load of passengers and luggage, and, of +course, the lurches of the coach became considerable, to say the least +of it. The turnpike gate, which was at the bottom of the hill, was +rather a narrow one, and a collision seemed not altogether improbable, +when, just as the leaders reached the gate, the passenger sitting on +the roof seat behind me became so much alarmed that he seized hold of +my right arm, thereby rendering any use of the whip impossible if it +had been necessary, which, fortunately, it was not, as the coach was +then in a safe direction, though rather too near the off-side +gate-post to be pleasant. If the whip had been wanted to make the +off-wheel horse pull us clear of the post I was helpless, and a +collision would have been attended with an awful smash, as we were +going at the rate of a mile in five minutes at the time. Killing the +pig would have been nothing to it. + +Whilst on the subject of toll gates I am reminded that I did on one +occasion break one all to pieces, and, though chronologically out of +place here, I am tempted to introduce it. + +It occurred many years subsequently to the affair at Llanymynech, when +I was residing at Aberystwith, and, as often happened whilst there, I +was working the Shrewsbury and Aberystwith mail between the latter +place and Newtown for one of the regular coachmen, who wanted a few +days' rest. One morning on the down journey, on our reaching the toll +gate at Caersws, the gatekeeper threw it open to allow the mail to +pass, but, as he did not throw it sufficiently far back to hold in the +catch, the high wind blew it back again, causing it to come in contact +with the stock of the near fore wheel. Of course, it was too late to +pull up, but, fortunately, the gate was old and very rotten, and +doubled up with the collision. It was broken all to pieces, but, with +the exception of a few slight cuts on the horses from splinters of +wood, no injury was sustained. The toll-bar man was disposed to give +some trouble, but little Rhodes, the post-office guard (for it was one +of the last mails that carried them), shut him up with the remark that +the penalty for delaying the mails was fifty pounds. + +Before taking leave of the subject of racing, such as was carried on +by the "Royal Oak" and "Nettle" coaches, I am induced to make a few +remarks about it. Perhaps, some one on reading what I have said, may +be disposed to exclaim, "how dangerous it must have been!" and, +indeed, Mr. Reynardson says in "Down the Road," speaking of these +coaches, "they were often too fast to be quite safe, as I sometimes +used to fancy." To this, the result of his practical experience, I +will not demur, suffice it to say that, though I have known a coachman +of the "Royal Oak" fined for furious driving, I never knew a case of +one scattering his passengers. Of course, it was not altogether +unaccompanied by danger, but, judging by results, it could not have +been very serious, as the accidents which occurred from it were not +greater than were produced by other causes. Indeed, there are some +reasons why they may have been less. When coaches were running strong +opposition, everything, horses, coaches, and harness, were all of the +very best, and none but real "artists" could be placed upon the box. +(I think I hear a whisper that sometimes boys got there.) They were, +therefore, secure from any accident caused, as was sometimes the case, +by carelessness and penuriousness, which, to my own knowledge, have +been productive of some very serious ones, as I shall show. + +About twenty-five years ago, during one summer, two accidents occurred +on the road between Dolgelly and Caernarvon, which might easily have +been prevented--one of which was accompanied by serious loss of life, +and which was to be attributed entirely to the use of old worn-out +coaches and harness, or inferior coachmen and horses, such as, if the +pace had been greater, no one would have ventured to employ. To the +other accident there was a rather comic side, though not, perhaps, +exactly to the sufferer. The coach was upset a few miles from +Barmouth, on the road to Harlech, and the coachman's shoulder was +dislocated; whereupon, a medical practitioner, who was passing at the +time, mistaking the injury for a fracture, splintered it up. This +treatment, of course, did not tend to mend matters, and the shoulder +continued so painful that upon arriving at Caernarvon another surgeon +was called in, who perceived the real nature of the injury, and +reduced the dislocation. + +Then, again, as a fact, there was not so often, as may be supposed, a +neck-and-neck race with two coaches galloping alongside of each other. +Such things did occur at times, when the road was wide enough to admit +of it; but much oftener the coachmen did not try to give one another +the "_go-bye_," except when the leading one was called upon to stop to +pick up or put down a passenger, or for any other purpose. It was +understood that on those occasions, if the opposition was close +behind, the one which stopped should pull to his own side of the road, +leaving space to pass. Then the other one, getting in front, would +"_spring 'em_" to try, if possible, to complete his next change of +horses and be off again without being passed. + +No coachman, who knew his business, or was not utterly reckless, would +think of racing down hill, though occasionally, no doubt, they did +take liberties at the top of a hill and come to grief. There could, +however, be no danger in trying to pass when ascending a hill, and +then was the opportunity for the coachman with the lightest load or +strongest team to challenge his opponent. Of course, the leading one +would not give his rival the road if he could help it, and I have had +my near-side leader's bar rattling against his off-side hind wheel +before he would give me room to pass; but there was no danger involved +in that, as, being on the ascent, I could have pulled up at any +moment. + +As to there being any danger in merely galloping a coach, I am sure +there is not, even at a high speed, provided the wheel horses are well +matched in stride, the team well put together, and kept well in hand, +and when there is sufficient draught to keep the leaders' traces +tight. This will be apparent from the fact that, however much a coach +may have been lurching previously, as soon as the leaders commence +drawing, she becomes perfectly steady. Of course with the pole chains +too slack there would be danger. + +Then, again, the build of the coach has a good deal to do with it. For +very fast work, coaches were generally kept what was called near the +ground. Those which were built by Shackleford, of Cheltenham, for the +"Hirondelle," which raced with the "Hibernia," between that town and +Liverpool, at a pace as great if not greater than any coaches in +England, were contracted to be made so that the roof should not exceed +a certain height from the ground. I forget now what the exact +measurement was, but it was some inches less than the general build, +and to enable this to be done the perch was slightly bent. + +The "Hibernia" coaches also, which were supplied by Williams, of +Bristol, were admirably adapted for the work they had to perform, +being low and remarkably steady, but heavier than those of their +opponent. Indeed, Williams's coaches were not favourites with coachmen +on account of their weight, but as they were generally contracted for +by the mile, those were most profitable to the contractor that +required the least repairs. I have heard of a coachman complaining to +Mr. Williams about the weight of his coaches, to which the laconic +answer was a five-shilling piece, and "Don't you bother about that." + +These two coaches always made the first of May a day for more than +ordinary racing, and performed the journey on those occasions at a +very accelerated pace. I am afraid, at this distance of time, to say +exactly by how much the time was shortened, but certainly by two or +three hours, and as the ordinary time was twelve hours and a half to +cover the distance of one hundred and thirty-three miles, the pace +must have been very severe. + +On one of these annual festivals there was a lady travelling inside +the "Hirondelle," and one of the proprietors, thinking she might be +alarmed at the terrific pace the coach was going at, offered to "post +her" the remainder of the journey without extra charge. She, however, +was quite equal to the occasion, and replied that she was much obliged +by the offer, but that she liked going fast. This showed well, not +only for her nerve, but also that the driving was good, and that the +coachmen "made their play" judiciously. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +OLD TIMES. + + +It may seem strange to those who have never had any experience of road +travelling, that the memory of hours spent in journeys, when the +passengers by public conveyances had only the choice between passing a +whole day, and still more, a night, exposed to all the vicissitudes of +the British climate, or else in what, compared even to a third-class +carriage on a railway, was little better than a box upon wheels, +should conjure up reminiscences of happy hours passed under +circumstances which must naturally appear to those who have never +tried it, absolutely insufferable. Such, however, I believe to be the +case, and I very much doubt whether anything like the same +affectionate reminiscences will linger about the present luxurious +mode of travelling. + +At the present age, in consequence of the generally increased luxury, +there has arisen an impatience of discomfort unknown to previous +generations. Whether this arises from the fact that journeys are now +so soon accomplished that one never feels it necessary to try and make +the best of it, and affords no opportunity for a trial of pluck and +endurance, dear to the heart of an Englishman, I know not; but that +there is something deeply seated in human nature, which takes delight +in recounting what it has gone through in the way of suffering is +certain; or, perhaps, it may be that there was something which +addressed itself to the love of sport, innate to man, in travelling +behind four horses. This point I will not venture to decide. Certain +it is that coaching has always been supposed to be nearly related to +sporting. In the daytime, especially in fine weather, there is +something very exhilarating in passing quickly through the air, and +hearing the rapid steps of four horses on the hard road; and then +there was, at least by day, just time enough, even on the fastest +coaches, to run into the bar occasionally, whilst the horses were +being changed, to have a glass of brown sherry, and exchange a word +and a laugh with the pretty barmaid--for they were all pretty! At any +rate, these things helped to break the monotony of the journey. Again, +if the traveller desired to become acquainted with the country he was +passing through, he could be in no better place for seeing it than on +the outside of a coach, which by passing through the towns on the +route afforded a much better idea of what they were like in +architecture and other things, than by only skirting them, as must +necessarily be the case on a railway. I often fancy that entering a +town from a railway station is something like sneaking into a house by +the back door. Night travelling, no doubt, had its serious drawbacks, +but they were, to some extent at least, alleviated by a stoppage of +sufficient time to get a good supper, such as would warm up the +cockles of the heart, and enable the passengers to start again warm, +and with a fresh stock of pluck to endure what they could not cure. At +any rate, they knew no better. + +I tell my grandson that he loses twelve hours of his holidays from +Eton now, since he does not have what I look back upon as a downright +jolly night. Instead of not leaving college till the morning of +breaking up as at present, the "Rocket" coach of the old days, from +London to Birmingham and Shrewsbury, used on the previous evening to +come to Slough empty, where it arrived about seven o'clock, and at +which place we boys who were going long journeys in that direction +were allowed to join it; and right well we filled it, inside and out, +though the latter was the most coveted position, as being thought more +manly. I recollect on my second journey home, though it was the +Christmas holidays, my anxious parents having secured an inside place +for me, I exchanged it with another boy, "without receiving the +difference," so that I might not travel inside, and after that I was +left to my own choice. + +As it was known some days before what the load would be composed of on +those nights, an extra good supper was provided at Oxford, to which we +did ample justice, and, as the coach was pretty much at our service on +that occasion, there was time to enjoy ourselves thoroughly, which we +did to our hearts' content, and started off again warm and comfortable +and as "jolly as sand-boys," though I must admit we did know what cold +feet were before arriving at Birmingham about eight o'clock on the +following morning. That, however, coach travellers expected, and +would, perhaps, have been rather disappointed without it. + +On these nights the coach used to be so heavily loaded with luggage +that things were hung to the lamp-irons, and everything else that +could be pressed into the service, and on one sharp, frosty night some +small articles were slung under the hind axle, amongst which was a +basket of fish; unfortunately, this had been allowed to hang so low +down that it came in contact with the hard, frosty road, and when the +place was reached where it was to be delivered, nothing could be found +but the basket with the bottom out, the cod and oysters having been +scattered on the road. + +The "Rocket" was not so fast a coach as its name might imply, and old +Rook, who drove one side between Birmingham and Shrewsbury, though a +good coachman of the old school, was not very particular to ten +minutes or so, but would sometimes stop and take a little pleasure on +the road; and I well remember passing through Bilson when a bull was +being baited on a piece of open ground between the houses, and close +to the roadside, and he pulled up to watch the operations for some +time. There was a story told of him, that he had a friend who was a +pig dealer, whose business frequently caused him to be walking in the +same direction as the coach, and if there was room he would give him a +lift. One day he came up with his friend walking at his very best +pace, when, as usual, he offered him a ride, to which he replied, "No +thank you, old fellow, not to-day; I am in a hurry, and can't while." + +I cannot say that the return journey carries with it the same +pleasurable recollections, even after this distance of time. The +"Triumph" coach by which it was performed, was a night one between +Shrewsbury and Birmingham, and travelled by day above the latter town, +but as it had only a pair of horses up to there it was a very slow +affair, starting from Shrewsbury at eleven o'clock at night, and not +arriving at Birmingham before six on the following morning. To send a +boy back to school on a two-horse power, which consumed seven hours in +covering forty-four miles, seems rather like "adding insult to +injury." The only amusement we could by any possibility indulge in was +when we came to a turnpike gate, when the collector was sleepy and +slow in opening it, to cry out "Fire!" as loud as we could to alarm +him. We found that the cry of "Murder!" had no effect. + +My recollection also reminds me that we did not always travel home by +the "Rocket." One Easter holidays three of us started from Eton to +post to London in one of the old yellow post-chaises, when soon after +passing Slough, the demon of mischief taking possession of us, we +determined to have some fun on the road, for which purpose we changed +half-a-crown into coppers, and using them as missiles, made a stealthy +attack upon the shop windows as we drove along. This fun lasted very +well till after changing horses at Hounslow, but upon passing through +Brentford, whether we had become too bold and careless, or whether the +inhabitants of that town were a sharper race, I don't know, but we all +of a sudden found ourselves the object of much interest to them, and a +man running out of a shop, seized hold of our horses' heads, and +calling us all the young blackguards he could think of, presented his +little account for broken glass, etc., etc. I need hardly say that +this was immediately settled without haggling, and telling the +post-boy to make the best of his way, we soon left the town of +Brentford, and further hostile attention on the part of its +inhabitants, behind us. + +In the previous generation a case occurred when a journey home from +Eton was performed on a much grander scale than that which I have just +recorded, and as it was of necessity performed by road, may not be +inappropriately introduced in this place. + +The then Bishop of Worcester, Dr. Cornwall, had two sons at Eton, and +on a certain Election Monday they started to go home to their paternal +mansion at Diddlesbury, situate in Corvedale in the county of Salop, +where the Bishop resided a good deal of his time. The family temper +was of rather a hasty nature, and something occurred after the young +gentlemen had proceeded a certain distance on the journey which +stirred up this hereditary failing, the altercation becoming so strong +that they parted company, each one ordering out a post-chaise and four +for his own individual use; and it ended in first of all one of them +arriving at his destination in a post-chaise and four from Ludlow, +followed in about a quarter-of-an-hour by the other brother in a +similar conveyance. Report does not say how the Right Rev. father +received his sons, but if he had a spice of the family temper, he +probably gave them a "_mauvais quart d'heure_" as the Frenchman +says. At any rate, one thing is certain, that it would puzzle the +picturesque little town of Ludlow at the present time to turn out +"_two fours_" without a long warning. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +COACHMEN: WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? + + +Coachmen, as they used to be, are now nearly, or quite, lost to sight, +and it is difficult to describe them. Most of the descriptions given +of them have been, more or less, caricatures; still, from the time of +Tony Weller, they have been a rather peculiar people, although that +character, as depicted by Dickens, was more in keeping with a previous +generation, and even highly coloured for that, and as unlike what they +were in the palmy days of coaching as were two men I saw at Hatchetts +a summer or two ago, dressed in such great-coats as were never seen +down any road, and with such hats upon their heads as, I should think, +never made their appearance anywhere, unless it was on the stage. They +were a sort of Gog and Magog of the road. + +The coachman of the fastest and best days, which really lasted for a +comparatively small number of years, was better educated, and was +rarely slangy in his dress, which was well suited to his avocation, +and, except in winter, would not generally attract attention. At that +season, however, he did require to be well protected against weather, +for he had to face all sorts, and that for nearly a whole day or night +at a time. On one journey the rain might fall incessantly, on another +our changeable climate would produce clear weather accompanied by +intense frost, whilst on the following day there might be a driving +snow, the wind blowing the flakes into the eyes till it was almost +impossible to see the road. + +Now all these alternations of weather had to be taken into account, +and, I believe, the art of resisting them had well-nigh reached +perfection; therefore, with the dread before my eyes of wearying some +of my readers, I am tempted to enter with some minuteness into the +subject, as, judging from the garments now usually worn, the art is +lost in the present day. It was a well established fact that two +moderately thick coats gave more warmth and kept out wet better than +one which was very thick, and besides which, a very thick coat becomes +insufferably heavy after being out many hours in the rain. + +Indeed, a great change had taken place in the dress of coachmen. As +the pace increased, and better bred horses were employed, and greater +activity was required in the coachmen, the cumbersome old great-coat, +with innumerable capes, had to make room for garments which interfered +less with the movements of the wearer. I need hardly say to those who +have had much experience, that there is no hope of keeping dry and +warm if the neck is not secured by an ample upper neckcloth; for, +tying up this part of the body not only excludes the wet and cold, but +also has the effect of keeping in the natural heat of the body. +Nothing chills worse than a cold draught passing up the sleeves and +coming out at the neck, and to prevent this what were called +coachman's cuffs were employed. These consisted of a piece of cloth +about six inches in length, which buttoned over the sleeve of the +ordinary coat, and when over these were added, first, a strong cloth +coat, and over that a waterproof cape with sleeves, and ample enough +to spread well over the apron, no wet and little cold could penetrate. +Protected in this way, and with a relay of dry woollen gloves and +whips, a not unpleasant day might be spent on the coach box even when +the elements were unpropitious. + +When a man is cased in all these clothes, he can hardly help being a +little stiff in his movements, and this imparted a peculiar gait which +betrayed the occupation. The left hand also generally acted as a tell +tale, as the rounded position in which the wrist was necessarily held +during many hours of the day could not be altogether thrown off at +other times. It was not uncommon for guards in the fast day coaches to +wear red coats, not the post-office guard's livery, as I have seen at +Hatchett's, but an ordinary hunting coat. + +As roads improved pace increased, and fast day coaches gradually +appeared, notably the three "Tallyhoes" between Birmingham and London, +distinguished from one another by the words "Eclipse," "Patent," and +"Independent;" also the "York House," Bath, and the "Berkely Hunt," +Cheltenham. + +It was not, however, till about the year 1825 that the "Wonder" +commenced running between Shrewsbury and London, a distance of one +hundred and fifty-four miles, and it ceased running the whole journey +through in the year 1840 or 1841. And this having been the first coach +which attempted to cover so long a journey in one day, it marks with +sufficient accuracy the time during which coaching was at its zenith. +Of course, there were many fast and good coaches running after this +date; but subsequent to the year 1842, most of the roads, taking their +start from the Metropolis, were, more or less, pressed upon by +railways, and the coaches were either taken off altogether, or else +the distance run was curtailed. We may therefore put down about +twenty-five years as the period during which the coaches covered the +roads, though many equally good ones continued to run in Scotland, +Wales, and other remote places for many years later. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + EXTRA PAIR OF HORSES FOR FAST COACHES, FOR STEEP + ASCENTS.] + +During this quarter of a century the fun was fast, not to say furious, +and with such rapidity did coaches increase and multiply, that it is a +wonder how the demand for coachmen was satisfied, for to become one +fit to be entrusted with a fast coach, and one which loaded heavily, +necessitates no little practice. + +From whence then was this demand supplied? Principally, I believe, +like that in other trades, on the hereditary principle. It was no +uncommon thing for old coachmen to have several sons at work; but, as +the box of a good day coach was a lucrative post, a considerable +number of men were gradually attracted to it from superior positions +in life. The value of a "drive" differed very much, according to the +loading of the coach, distance driven, whether single or double +journey, or whether the passengers were what was called "_good +cloth_," or the contrary; but one which did not bring in twenty +shillings a day was not thought much of, and some were worth double. + +This may appear a large remuneration to be received for a day's work, +seldom occupying more than nine or ten hours; but I know it is not +overstated, as I have not only been told it by others, but have myself +fingered forty-five shillings in one day. Perhaps, however, I should +add that I was then driving as much as ninety-three miles a day, and +had no guard. + +There were also other sources from which money was made, and from +which coachmen driving slow coaches were enabled to make amends for +the inferior quality of their passengers; and, indeed, in quite old +days, the best wheel of the coach was often his. The late Mr. Jobson, +who for many years kept the "Talbot Hotel" in Shrewsbury, and horsed +the "Nimrod," which ran opposition to the "Wonder," had previously +driven the "Prince of Wales" coach between that town and Birmingham, +during which time he had the opportunity of buying up the guineas, +when they were called in by the Mint, at a trifle under their standard +value, and being able to dispose of them at their full price he +realised a handsome profit. + +Again, fish was not an unusual article to be made the subject of +trading, and I once was tempted to embark in this business myself, +but, as the sequel will show, not with satisfactory results. When I +was driving the "Snowdonian," I was frequently asked by friends and +acquaintances on the road to bring some fish from Caernarvon, as the +towns through which I passed were badly supplied with it. +Accordingly, one morning, hearing that a good catch of fish had been +brought in, I invested, before starting, in forty pounds of very nice +small salmon at sixpence a pound, with the expectation of obliging +friends, and at the same time making some profit for my trouble. +However, I was soon undeceived. As I went from place to place I +announced with a feeling of much complacency that I had got the +long-wanted article, but in most cases the answer was that they did +not want salmon--any other fish would have been acceptable. +Consequently, when I arrived at the end of my journey, I found that +more than half was left in hand. Pickled salmon was the standard dish +on my table for a fortnight. It was my first and last appearance in +the character of a fishmonger. I tried no other sort of fish, as I +thought they were too dainty if they could not eat salmon. But perhaps +I have digressed too far, and will return to where coachmen sprang +from in the required numbers. + +I once sat by the side of a Captain Douglas, who had seen service in +the Peninsular war, and was then driving the Birmingham and Sheffield +mail out of the former town, and a quiet, nice coachman he was. He had +a long stage of sixteen miles to Lichfield, and brought his team in +fresh at the end of it. + +From the officer coachman I come to the private. He was named Marsh, +and had served at Waterloo with the 14th Regiment, and after leaving +the army, had driven a coach between Maidstone and London for many +years. When I first became acquainted with him, he had, like a good +many others, followed the receding tide to the west, and was driving +one side of the Aberystwith and Shrewsbury mail, between the former +place and Newtown, during which time I occasionally worked for him; +but, like an old soldier, he was always, if possible, ready for duty. +It is curious enough that I first came across him on a Waterloo day, +when he modestly remarked, upon the subject being alluded to, "I +happened to be there." I had lost sight of him for some years, till I +observed a notice of him in the _World_ newspaper of July 11th, 1888. +It occurred in a short account of Lord Albemarle, and mentioned the +interest he took in "the old soldier Matty Marsh, private 14th Foot, +who was wounded at Waterloo, witnessed the funerals of Wellington and +Napoleon, drove a coach from Maidstone for many years, and recently +died at the advanced age of ninety-four years." I never heard him +allude to either of the funerals, and don't very well see how he could +have been at that of Napoleon's; but so far as I know, he may have +attended both. + +A few postboys were elevated to the "bench," notably little Dick +Vickers, of the Holyhead mail; but few of them were equal to the task, +and, indeed, some of them could not even handle four-horse reins +sufficiently well for black work, and consequently the night coachmen +were occasionally pressed into this service, much to their dislike, +and this once led to a rather droll scene. A gentleman, who had taken +to professional coach driving, found himself one day let in for the +job of driving a hearse, and, of course, was obliged to get himself up +for the occasion something like a mute, when catching sight of himself +in a glass, he was so much struck with his personal appearance, that +he remarked, "Well, if only some of my family could see me now, I +wonder what they _would_ say?" + +Indeed, it is difficult to determine from what ranks and professions +the large body of coachmen required in those days was not recruited. I +suppose few would have looked among the list of publishers for one, +but, nevertheless, one, at any rate, from that business was drawn into +the service of the road, not having been successful in the former +trade. A letter from an old friend of mine, also a coachman, will, I +think, interest or amuse some readers, and will show that he possessed +a considerable amount of grim humour, as well as some acuteness in +business. + +"Many years ago," says my friend, "I took up my residence for a short +time at the 'Kentish Hotel' in Tunbridge Wells--the best hotel there, +and at that time there were very few houses built upon the Common. +After stopping there some time, the season ended, and the exodus of +visitors had commenced, I took the box seat on Stockdale's coach. I +must tell you he had been a large publisher in Piccadilly, but failed, +and then took to the road, this being the first coach he had driven, +and being part proprietor. He was an exceedingly good amateur whip, +but still, not a first-rate artist, as he would try to make you +believe. + +"A short time before we started, a lady with her maid, who had been +stopping in the hotel, sent her luggage to be placed on the coach, and +upon Stockdale seeing it, he said to the porter, 'How many passengers, +Tom?' 'Two, sir,' says Tom. 'Scale it, Tom,' says he, which he +immediately did. When twelve shillings was demanded for extra luggage, +the lady said, 'I never paid it before, and have taken two inside +places.' 'You see, _ma'ame_,' says he, 'I horse this coach over +Maramscote hill, and I cannot carry your luggage for nothing; you will +bring the kitchen range next time if you have nothing to pay.' + +"Having seated myself very comfortably on the box seat, our friend +Stockdale and myself lit our cigars, going at a fair pace till we were +descending Maramscote hill, the skid-pan being on the wheel. The wheel +horses did not step well together, and we rocked very considerably, +which led me to observe he had better be careful, or he would put the +passengers down to count them. Upon this he turned round to me, +looking daggers, and asked me to look what was painted on the board at +the side of the hill, and looking, I read, '_Dry rubbish may be +thrown here_.' You may be sure I did not offer any more advice for +the remainder of the stage; but our _contretemps_ soon cooled +down, and when we were changing horses, 'I say, governor!' says he, +'forget the dry rubbish, and come in and take a little cold brandy and +water. It's the only place I ever go into on the road, for it's the +only place where you can escape being poisoned.' After our refreshment +we went at a very jolly pace, having Robert Nelson's horses, which +were first-rate, and soon arrived at the Belle Sauvage, Ludgate Hill, +where we found a great bustle of coaches, and luggage just come by +other coaches, arriving from different parts of the country, and +porters were calling out, 'Any passengers for Leeds "Courier," "Hope," +"Halifax,"'" etc., etc. + +It was not only necessary that a coachman should be able to drive +well, which required time and practice to acquire, but, what was of +nearly equal importance, he had to learn how to get his coach quick +through the country. Indeed, his was a position of no small +responsibility, for he had the lives and limbs of the passengers in +his hands, and as, when was sometimes the case with a strong +opposition, his orders were simply "_be first_" his was no very +enviable situation. When he could do all this with the minimum of wear +and tear of the stock, he was a very valuable man to his employers. + +As a rule, I think they were fairly careful of the stock, though +certainly on slow coaches, when a little time lost could be recovered +without much difficulty, the horses by no means always reaped the full +benefit of the time allowed them. This, however, it must with justice +be admitted, was not altogether the fault of the coachmen. The +proprietors were too prone to encourage delay for the custom it +brought to the "bar," and if a coachman was heard to decline the offer +of a glass of sherry or brandy and water from his box passenger, he +might expect black looks. + +Of course, with the fastest coaches, such delays were impossible, +neither could the coachman find time to pull up and patronize the +house of a friend, as was frequently done by his brethren on the +slower drags. + +I have heard of the late Mr. Isaac Taylor, of Shrewsbury, when he +wanted to select from among his coachmen one fitted for a fast coach, +adopting the following plan: One of his coaches was driven by a man +who he knew to be coachman enough for the job, but he was not so sure +about his power of getting through the country. He, therefore, one +day, quietly seated himself inside this man's coach, and after a time +his doubts were confirmed, for on pulling up at a roadside inn, the +landlady, without observing him, said to the coachman, "Mr. So-and-So, +how will you have your eggs done to-day? Shall they be poached or +boiled?" I need hardly add, he remained on the slow coach. + +A smart coachman usually took his place in changing horses, and it is +quite possible, as I know from experience, having been timed by a box +passenger, to effect the change in one minute and a half, with only +one horse-keeper, assisted by coachman and guard; but to do this, each +one must know his own place; they must not be tumbling over one +another. The best drill I ever knew for this purpose was as follows: +As the coach gradually stopped, the guard got down, and ran forward to +unhook the near leader's outside trace, and then drew the near lead +rein through the territs, after which he changed the near wheel horse, +and finished by running the near lead rein. The horse-keeper, on the +off-side, unhooked the remaining lead traces, uncoupled the wheel +horses, and changed the off-side one. The coachman, getting down from +his box as fast as he could, finished changing the leaders. The horses +had, of course, previous to the arrival of the coach, been properly +placed; one wheeler on each side of the road, and the leaders coupled. + +This, of course, could only be carried out when the team was pretty +quiet to "put to," for with queer tempered ones, all sorts of dodges +had to be resorted to, attended sometimes with considerable loss of +time. + +Occasionally, it would be necessary to run a leader's rein the first +thing, and then the coachman had to bustle up to his box as quick as +he could, trusting to the horse-keeper and guard to get the traces +hooked as best they might. Again, some wheelers could not bear to be +poled up till after the coach was started. Horse-keepers were often +exceedingly smart at this sort of work, though they varied a good +deal, so much so, that it was no uncommon thing for "queer ones" to +start better from one end of the stage than the other. + +These said horse-keepers were a rough lot, and no great wonder, for +they had rough work to do. They were frequently expected to attend to +eight horses, four out and four in, every day, or to take charge of +six, with eight out and eight in, during the course of the day. But, +what was worse than the work, they constantly had vicious horses to +attend to, and such as it was dangerous to approach in the stall. To +meet this difficulty, I have known a long cord used, with one end +fastened to the head collar, and the other made fast to the +stall-post, by which the horse could be pulled back far enough to +enable the horse-keeper to keep clear of his heels whilst entering the +stall. I was once travelling at night, when, upon arriving at the end +of a stage, the coachman said to the horsekeeper, "Mind what you are +about with that horse," pointing to a fresh one, "he bit a piece out +of a man just before starting." It struck me as not a very enviable +position to be left, in the middle of a dark night, to look +single-handed after four dirty horses, and one of them a "savage." + +But to return to changing horses, for it was an item of the very +greatest importance in fast work. It was necessary at times to use a +twitch with kickers, or to strap up one foreleg, though I have known +this latter insufficient to keep the hind feet on the ground, and was +once compelled to "Rarey" a mare before she would suffer herself to be +put to the coach. She was, from some cause or another, the worst +tempered horse I ever met with. When I first knew her, she was the +property of a gentleman residing at Dolgelly, but her temper was so +violent and untractable, that she had got the better of one or two +breakers, and the ostler at the "Wynnstay Arms" at Machynlleth, having +undertaken to conquer her, she had been taken there for that purpose. + +It happened that I had promised to drive, a day or two afterwards, for +another coachman, who wanted a rest, and as his coach did not start +till after I had arrived with the "Harkaway" from Barmouth, and was +back again in time for my return coach, I was able to oblige him, +little thinking what I had undertaken. + +On looking over the team before mounting my box, what should I espy +but this very animal at off-lead. "Oh," says I, "then this is the way +you are going to be broken? Well, we shall see how we can agree." And +taking up the reins, I mounted the box. Cautioning the horse-keeper +not to touch her, but to keep alongside the other leader through the +archway out of the inn yard, and to be sure and make him carry his bar +well, we started, the hitherto unmanageable mare giving very little +trouble, and, after a few more journeys in the coach, she was +considered to have finished her education, and returned home. + +I suppose, however, that she was not much to the taste of her owner, +as she was very soon purchased, for a small sum, by my partner, Mr. E. +Jones, of the "Ship Hotel," Dolgelly, and put to run in the +"Harkaway." I drove her for many months, and considered that she was +quite subdued, though it was always necessary to strap up a foreleg +when putting her to the coach, and she was always nasty in the stable. +All of a sudden, however, as spring came on, she returned to her old +tricks, and thought so little of having a leg strapped up, that she +kicked her bar over the top of the coach, and was so violent that it +was impossible to "put her to." I determined, therefore, to "Rarey" +her, so, getting a long rope, and fastening it to the foreleg which +was not strapped, and passing it over her withers, I gradually pulled +her down, and, after the most approved "Rarey" fashion, sat upon her. +After a few minutes, I allowed her to get up, but she seemed still to +be very light behind, so I put her into her place at near-lead, all +the while keeping a strain upon the rope, and so kept her peaceable +whilst the traces were hooked, the rein run, etc. Then, handing over +the rope to the guard, I got into my place, when it became, "Let 'em +go, and take care of yourselves." The brute went right enough for +about a couple of hundred yards, when all of a sudden, she ran her +head into the near-side hedge, and set to kicking in earnest; but as +this movement exposed her flank, I was soon able to make it too hot +for her, and she finished the stage to Dolgelly quietly. I drove her +again the next day, but she continued so violent that, as we carried a +great many ladies and children at that time of year, she was taken +away for fear of alarming them, especially as some parts of the road +were not of the safest. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +GUARDS. + + +The guard of the olden day was generally exceedingly quick in putting +on the skid and taking it off, which with fast coaches travelling +hilly roads, before the patent break was in use, was of first-rate +importance. Most of them were able to do the former without entirely +stopping the coach, but only a very few could unskid without the +coachman pulling up and backing his horses. It required a man of +unusual strength and activity to unskid whilst the coach was in +motion, as it was necessary for him to twist the wheel back out of the +pan with the right hand, and at the same moment to seize the chain +with the left, and hang it to the hook on the coach, and these +skid-pans were not a very light weight. + +Probably few of my readers will know the manner in which wheels were +dragged in a frost, therefore I will try and explain it here. It is +manifest that the usual way of doing it would have been not only +useless, but absolutely mischievous, as it would have had a tendency +to pull the hind part of the coach into the side of the road when it +was slippery. The method adopted, therefore, was to tie a strong chain +round the felloe of the wheel, in such a position that it pressed upon +the ground and broke up the surface sufficiently to get a good hold on +it. This chain was then fastened to the safety hook. + +Guards were frequently obliged to work very long hours, as it was +usually the case that, on coaches running long distances, one of them +would cover the ground driven over by four coachmen. In severe weather +this was naturally very trying, consequently, they did not work every +day. For instance, the "Wonder," from Shrewsbury to London, a distance +of one hundred and fifty-four miles, had three guards, each of whom +worked two double journeys and then rested for one. The object of +these men going the whole journey no doubt was that there should be no +break in the parcel department, which might have caused delay or loss. + +Talking of the "Wonder" reminds me that, fast as it travelled, the +proprietors had intended doing better. The late Mr. Taylor, who horsed +it out of Shrewsbury, told me that it had been in contemplation to +expedite it so as to perform the journey in thirteen hours instead of +sixteen, and that, to enable this pace to be kept up, the stages would +have been limited to six miles each, and the coach was not to stop to +pick up passengers, or for any other business, except at the changes. +This idea, however, was abandoned when it was seen that the railways +would certainly obtain possession of the traffic. + +I question whether the public would have been satisfied with the +proposed arrangement. They would have complained very much of being +obliged to go two or three miles to get on to the coach when it passed +their own doors. But really that part of the plan was hardly +necessary. Horsed as the "Wonder" was, and travelling over such a +first-rate road, it would not have puzzled it much to do twelve miles +an hour; but then every stage exceeding seven miles must have been +divided. + +Some guards were quite natty with their parcels and luggage. I was one +day, when driving the Aberystwith and Shrewsbury mail, amused with Jem +Large, who was one of the guards on it at the time, and perhaps the +best to get a coach through a country that I ever drove. He had, as +usual, before leaving Shrewsbury, packed the front boot so carefully +that he could lay his hand upon everything in it even in the dark. +When, however, the mail arrived at Welshpool, it was found necessary +to change the coach, and as Jem was occupied with Post-office +business, he was unable to attend to the front boot, and, +consequently, what he had placed at the top of one was promptly +consigned to the bottom of the other. When we reached Caersws a +passenger left us, and Jem opened the boot to take out his +portmanteau; but what did he see? Instead of what he wanted being at +the top, it was now at the bottom, and with many groans and anathemas +he began to dive in pursuit of it, and as he disappeared further and +further the language which I heard from under my feet became more and +more pointed, till at last it became quite unparliamentary, even for +the present day. + +The situation of guard was a very responsible one also in a pecuniary +point of view, as he had the power of defrauding his employer to a +very considerable extent, and the temptation to do so was enhanced by +the pace the coach travelled at; more especially was this the case +when the opposition was keen, and I fear it was sometimes too strong +to be resisted. + +To obviate this he always carried with him a "way-bill," and the +theory was that it was compared by the book-keeper with the number of +passengers on the coach at each stage. It often happened, however, +that by the time the parcels had been given in and compared with the +way-bill, the horses were changed and the coach was off again without +the passengers having been counted, and thus having afforded +opportunities for what was called "shouldering," that is, pocketing a +passenger's fare, or "swallowing him," as it was sometimes +denominated. + +Everything had to be done at the "change," as there was no convenience +for the guard to go over his parcels, as is done in a van on the +railways. By the bye, I wonder what John Ash would have thought of +himself if he had got down from the back of the "Wonder" with a pencil +behind his ear? + +To a certain extent, what were termed "shorts" were allowed, as it was +customary for all passengers' fares not exceeding two shillings to be +the perquisite of the coachman and guard on coaches, and of the latter +only on mails, as he was the servant of the proprietors, carrying the +way-bill and having charge of the parcels. The Post-office guard was +occupied with his bags; but his was a rather anomalous position, +receiving only the munificent sum of ten shillings and sixpence a week +from the Post-Office, and being supposed to eke out a living by fees +from the passengers, to whom he had little or no time to attend. Of +quite late years, however, this was corrected, and the few who were +then employed were more liberally dealt with. They received as much +as seventy pounds a year from the Post-Office; but then they were not +supposed to take fees from the passengers, or, at any rate, not to ask +for them. So much was this system of "shorts" an acknowledged thing, +that I have had two shillings handed to me by the book-keeper as I was +getting on to my box, with the following remark, "I took it from him, +thinking he might fork out something more when he gets down." These +perquisites, however, were not altogether untaxed, as coachmen were +expected to subsidize the wages of the horse-keepers to the amount of +one shilling a week, and sometimes more. + +Talking of parcels brings to my mind a rather comical scene I once +witnessed. It so happened that one day I came across one of the +"Tourist" coaches, running between Caernarvon and Dolgelly, which had +pulled up at a wayside inn about thirteen miles from Tan-y-bwlch. I +was attracted by the coachman, whose name was, if I recollect rightly, +Roberts, intently studying the address on a small parcel. It evidently +caused him great trouble to decipher it, as he first turned it up, and +then he turned it down, but neither right side up nor wrong side up +could he satisfy himself, and, at last, looking up and seeing me, he +came for assistance out of his difficulties, saying he was not a very +good scholar. When I looked at the address, I said, "You should have +left this at Tan-y-bwlch." "Well, dear me," said he, "that was a bad +job; indeed, it is doctor's stuff." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +WHERE DID THEY ALL GO TO? + + +Having indicated to some extent the sources from which the great +demand for coachmen were supplied, I will venture to dwell, for a +moment, and not without feelings of regret, on the subject of their no +less rapid disappearance from the scene. It will, I am aware, have +little or no interest to many: well, then, let them skip it; but some +there may be, into whose hands this little volume finds its way, who +have sufficient remembrance of old days to be interested in it, and, +at any rate, it shall not occupy much space. + +It is always a melancholy thing to see any class of men suddenly +deprived of their means of subsistence from no fault of their own. It +is very easy to say that if one trade fails another must be found, and +to some political economists this appears to be a sufficient solution +of the difficulty, but it by no means has that effect on the +sufferers. A man who has thoroughly learned one handicraft, can very +seldom become a proficient in any others; and it is always the +inferior workmen who are left out in the cold. Driving, like other +trades, was not learned without much practice, and does not fit a man +for any other business. Where, then, did they vanish to? + +The guards could, and I believe did, to a large extent, find +employment on the railways in the same capacity, and, probably, some +coachmen also; but this could not absorb all, or, indeed, any very +large proportion of them. His means of subsistence consisted in his +power of driving horses. He could not drive a steam engine. It is +difficult to say where they all dispersed to. A considerable number, +no doubt, found employment upon omnibuses in London and other large +towns; but that was a sorry life, indeed, like slavery compared to +freedom, to one who had been accustomed to the cheery work on a coach. + +Many of those who had had the good fortune to drive good paying +coaches, and had been thrifty, invested their savings in inns, and, in +some cases, in hotels of some importance. A few, some of whom I have +previously mentioned, followed the receding tide, and obtained drives +upon summer coaches. One who could horse a stage was pretty sure of +getting a drive on one of them, as there was frequently some +difficulty in finding people to cover the middle ground. Some few took +to farming, but I cannot call to mind anyone who prospered as an +agriculturist. + +I fear the larger part died off rapidly. They were never a long-lived +class of men. Strange as it may sound, the natural healthiness of the +employment tended to shorten their lives. The constant passing through +the air promoted great appetites, which, for the most part were fully +gratified, and this, together with insufficient exercise, produced +disease. I have known some who took a good walk before or after the +day's drive, who lived to a hale old age, but too many seemed to think +that the driving was sufficient exercise, though it could only have +been very bad teams that made it so; worse than were put to coaches of +late years. + +Joe Wall, who drove the Manchester "Telegraph" out of London, used to +take his exercise in a very aristocratic manner, as he always kept +one, and sometimes two hunters, at Hockliffe, where he left the coach, +and enjoyed his love for sport, as well as getting healthy exercise, +and occupying the time which would otherwise have hung heavy on his +hands, and possibly might have led him into mischief. This, however, +had its drawbacks, and, on one occasion, was very near leading to a +difficulty of no small magnitude. He had, as usual, been out hunting, +and had, unfortunately, experienced a bad fall, which incapacitated +him from driving the return coach, and, at first, it seemed as if it +could not find its way to London that evening, for it was not every +one, even though he might call himself a coachman, who was capable of +driving a coach at the pace at which the "Telegraph" was timed, on a +dark winter's evening, along a road crowded with so large a number of +vehicles of all descriptions as would be the case on one approaching +the metropolis. As good luck, however, would have it, an efficient +substitute turned up in the shape of a very able and experienced hand, +who had driven equally fast coaches. A few became horse-dealers, and I +knew one who was for many years the highly-valued stud-groom to the +late Sir W. W. Wynn, but, if I ever heard it, I have quite forgotten +what coach it was that Simpson drove. I believe he was a good +coachman, but he had the misfortune, though by no fault of his own, to +capsize the hound van, nearly killing that prince of huntsmen, John +Walker. + +I once knew a guard who had previously followed the occupation of +clown in a circus. His experience there had made him active enough for +anything, but he and the coachman did not, I fancy, get on very well +together, as the latter used sometimes to speak of him in derision as +"my fool." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +SOME CHARACTERS. + + +There was a great character who drove out of Machynlleth at that time. +His name was David Lloyd, and he worked the mail between that place +and Dolgelly round by Towyn and the coast. When he came to a certain +long fall of ground, he would put his team into a gallop, and then, +taking a small twisted horn, which he slung in a strap over his +shoulder, would blow almost without ceasing, especially when it was +dusk, as was more or less the case during a considerable part of the +year, and, as his right hand was fully occupied with the horn, if he +wanted to take a pull at the reins he made use of his foot. + +It was dark for the greater part of the year before he reached the end +of the journey, and, as his sight was not very good at night, he would +sometimes say to his box passenger, "If you please, sir, will you tell +me what is coming towards us." Perhaps the passenger after looking, +would say "A cart," to which David would reply, "Then I was get out of +his way;" but if the answer was "A gig," or "A carriage," he would +say, "Then he was get out of my way," and would keep straight on. + +Dolgelly at that time contained a few boon companions, some of whom +were rather given to practical joking. One morning there happened to +be on the box seat one of these gentlemen, and when they had proceeded +a few miles on the road, he pulled a pill-box out of his pocket and +took some of the pills. Upon seeing this, David said to him, "If you +please, sir, what have you got there?" He replied, "Only a few pills, +which I find very beneficial after a hard night." "Well, indeed," says +David, "I had a rather heavy night; was you please give me some of +them?" "All right," says he, "hold out your hand," when he poured +several pills into it; and upon David asking how many he was to take, +he said, "Take them all," which he did; and the sequel was, that he +drove his coach to Machynlleth, but another man brought it back in the +evening. + +For two summers, when I was driving the Aberystwith and Kington +"Cambrian," I had Ben Haslam as guard, who was also something of a +character, and quite one of the old coachmen. He had driven for many +years out of London on different coaches, and, like a good many +others, had followed the receding tide, and had got down to +Herefordshire, where coaches lingered for several years, and then on +to Wales, where, at that time, railways had not penetrated. + +He was full of anecdotes connected with the road, and towards autumn, +when the down loads were usually very light, I would sometimes get him +to sit by me on the box that he might enliven the way with some of +them. + +He had one story which amused me, of the only really crusty coachman I +ever heard of. They were, as a rule, very cheery, genial spirits, and, +indeed, had not much cause to be otherwise. There were few pleasanter +lives. They were generally made a great deal of, indeed, perhaps +rather too much so at times, although, as a body, they bore their +honours becomingly. Between the patronage they received from the +gentlemen and the deference shown them by the horse-keepers and +others, it is hardly to be wondered at if sometimes their heads were a +little turned, and they became rather too big for their boots. There +was a story told of one, who was rather cheeky, giving great offence +to a parson, who was his box passenger, by saying that he was not +going to drive the next day, but should send his curate. They were, +however, not very unfrequently taken down a peg by a lick from the +rough side of a crusty proprietor's tongue; but on the whole, they +were, as Tony Weller said, "priviledged indiwiduals." + +But to return to the crusty coachman. His name was Spooner, and he +drove out of Oxford, and, though often causing trouble with the +passengers by his want of urbanity, he was too valuable a servant to +get rid of. As was not so very unusual with him, he had been lately +called to account for some want of civility to a passenger, whereupon +he announced his determination never to speak to one of them again, +and he kept his word, till one day, a gentleman who was going to +travel by his coach, asked him some question, but after repeating it +several times and eliciting no reply, turned to the proprietor, who +was in the office, saying, "Your coachman is so surly, he won't answer +a single question I put to him." The proprietor asked him what he +meant by not answering the gentleman, to which he replied, "If I do +speak to him he will only complain, like that other fool did the other +day." + +On another occasion his whole coach was occupied by musicians, coming +to play at a ball at Oxford, and, as he did not expect very good pay +from them, he was not in the best of tempers. It happened that at the +last change of horses before arriving at Oxford, a boy, who had been +sent with a fresh horse, was returning by the coach, and, as every +seat was occupied, he sat upon the footboard by the bandmaster's feet, +and after they had gone a short distance, pulled a Jew's harp out of +his pocket and began to play upon it. Upon this the bandmaster asked +the boy to allow him to try what he could do with it, saying, "He +could play a good many instruments, but had never tried a Jew's harp." +The new instrument proved too much for him, whereupon old Spooner +looked at him with scorn and contempt, and said, "You are a pretty +sort of a man for a bandmaster, and cannot play a Jew's harp." + +He also narrated how, when the Great Western Railway was opened over +only certain lengths, and coaches were employed over the other ground, +some of those were conveyed certain distances on trucks, and the +coachmen travelled in their respective coaches. Of course they did not +overflow with affection for their rivals, and the way they tried to +annoy them was by getting out of their coaches and applying the breaks +to the wheels of the trucks. + +This reminds me of how very slow all those connected with coaches, as +also those who took a warm interest in them, were to realize the fact +that their occupation was fast leaving them, and that the railways +would, before many years, have entirely superseded the old system of +travelling. + +We were not, however, the only people who were somewhat sceptical on +the subject, though with us, no doubt, the wish was father to the +thought; but the _Times_ newspaper, whilst admitting the financial +success of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, warned investors +against speculative imitation, saying, "Where there are good roads and +convenient coaches, it would be a mistake to alter existing +arrangements." + +Every little failure of the railways raised our spirits and gave +strength to the hope that they would fail, as all attempts to utilize +steam upon ordinary roads had hitherto done. At first, they were +unable to keep time in frosty weather, as the driving-wheels kept +turning round and round on the same spot of the slippery rail. + +In the beginning of January, in the year 1838, I was travelling down +to Shrewsbury by the Holyhead mail. It was the first night of the long +frost and snow-up of that winter, which continued for two months, and +the roads were so much blocked up with snow, that for a few days the +coachmen and guards held a sort of wake at Dunchurch. On the night I +travelled down the frost set in exceedingly sharp, and the only up +mail that kept time was the Holyhead, which had come by road the whole +distance through North Wales. The other mails, whose bags had been +brought to Birmingham by what was then called the Grand Junction +Railway, were after time, as the trains could make but slow progress +on the slippery rails. The coachman and I, two silly creatures as we +were, made ourselves happy with the conviction that railways must +always be a failure for fast work, and that the coaching business was +not in such great danger after all. No doubt this opinion was +entertained by a good many others, and led to losses, by inducing some +coach proprietors to oppose the railways instead of coming to terms +with them. + +It was on this journey, if I recollect rightly, that I had my last +experience of that conveyance, long since quite lost to sight, and now +nearly so to memory, that perhaps I may be pardoned if I linger for a +few moments to raise it, or its ghost, before the eyes of the present +generation, especially as I have seen some not very accurate +descriptions of them. + +The old hackney coach, though frousty and damp, was generally roomy +and easy, as it had nearly always commenced its career in gentlemen's +service, and had consequently been built by one of the best +coachmakers of the day, and so far was decidedly better than the +modern "bounder." It carried about it a character of decayed +respectability, not to say grandeur, and upon entering one of them it +was not impossible for a gentleman to be greeted by his own +quarterings upon the panel. They were as ramshackling looking things +as could be imagined, with occasionally, wheels of different colours, +and the horses and coachman, together with his clothes, seemed made to +match. + +But to return to coaches proper again: one called the "Dart" used to +run between Oxford and London, driven by a coachman who was commonly +known by the name of "Black Will;" and one fine morning the box seat +was occupied by an Oxford Don, who thought he would enjoy the air on +his journey. After they had gone a short distance he addressed our +friend Black Will, saying, "Are you the coachman they call Black +Will?" His answer was, "Blackguards call me Black Will, but gentlemen +call me Mr. Walters." It is needless to say that this shut up the Don +for the remainder of the journey. + +Dick Dicas drove the "Cambrian" between Llangollen and Dolgelly for +several years, and one day it so happened that among the outside +passengers there was a ventriloquist. As they drove along the road a +man was seen walking leisurely across a field in the direction of the +coach, when the ventriloquist threw his voice so as to make it appear +that he was calling to it to stop. Of course, Dick pulled up, thinking +he had got another passenger; but as he did not quicken his pace, he +began to get impatient, for he was not a Job under any circumstances, +and called out to him to "Come on," and "Do you suppose I can wait +here all day for you?" At last, as he approached nearer, he said, +"What do you want with me?" when friend Dick answered, "Why, you +called me to stop." "I did nothing of the sort," replied the man in +the field. "I tell you you did," said Dick, waxing warmer. "Well, I'm +not coming with you, anyhow," said the leisurely man; whereupon there +was nothing left for Dick to do but to drive on, not in the best of +tempers, as may be supposed. Whether he ever knew of the trick played +upon him I do not remember to have heard, but if he did find it out in +time, I suspect he made it hot for the ventriloquist. + +At one time Cambridge could boast of a clever poet as a coachman. Tom +Cross was his name, and he drove the Lynn coach from the "Golden +Cross," Charing Cross. He wrote "The Conflagration of Rome," and "Paul +before Nero," and some wags among the undergraduates said the idea was +given him by the fat from the bacon he was frying in the garret +igniting. But be that as it may, they were very clever compositions. I +fancy it was this man who published the first book on coaching which +has appeared in print. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +MONOTONY. + + +I have sometimes been asked if I did not find it very monotonous to be +always travelling the same road day after day. Some might have found +it so, but I never did. There was never wanting something to break +through the monotony. One was brought into contact with fresh +passengers every journey, and constantly some fresh incident arose. +Indeed, on many roads the scenery alone would beguile the time. In +leafy England there are few roads on which there is not something to +admire even if other parts are devoid of attraction, and with the real +lover of scenery, the eye does not easily tire of looking at the same +picture. I must admit that I have been especially favoured in this +respect, as my drives lay through some of the most lovely scenery in +Wales, notably the valley of the Mawddach, so eulogistically spoken of +by the late Judge Talfourd; and also the magnificent scenery of +Snowdonia. I can never forget the remarkable reflection in the water +with which I was once favoured at Port Madoc, on the down journey from +Caernarvon to Aberystwith. As we passed over the embankment and +bridge, which at that place unite the counties of Caernarvon and +Merioneth, the whole of the mountain range for many miles round, +including Snowdon and the remarkable peak-shaped Cnicht, together with +many other mountains, whose names I cannot now call to mind, were +reflected in the clear water of the estuary, which was then at full +tide, as clearly as they could have been in a mirror. It was a sight +not to be erased from memory. + +Then, again, he was a fortunate man who drove seventy or eighty miles +a day, who had no horse to deal with which would not pretty +effectually banish _ennui_ for one stage. Again, the coach was +the bringer of the news of the day, and, moreover, never stayed long +enough in one place but that it was always "welcome in and welcome +out," and this brings to my mind a rather amusing incident--at least, +it was good fun to one side--which occurred at a contested election a +good many years ago. + +On the occasion of a warmly-contested election for Montgomeryshire, in +the year 1862, I had been to Welshpool to vote for my friend Mr. C. W. +W. Wynn, and when, on my down journey, I arrived at Machynlleth, there +being no electric telegraph, great anxiety was felt to know the state +of the poll. This I gave them as far as it was known when I left +Welshpool, but the returns from some of the strongest Conservative +districts not having then been received, it was very far from +perfection. However, it being favourable to the other side, they +jumped at it, and it was not my business to undeceive them; so in +their flush of confidence and the height of their happiness, they +backed their man freely. The next morning, when I returned with my up +coach, the final result of the poll was known, which was in favour of +the Conservatives, and they had only to pay and look pleased, which, +to their credit, I believe they did very good-humouredly. + +I think I have now shown that if there is monotony in always driving +the same road, it may, at any rate, be monotony with variations, and a +strong opposition at once scattered it all to the winds, as one day +one would be in front, and on another the other one. + +Night driving had always a strong fascination for me. The sensation of +always, as it were, driving into darkness, not knowing what would +appear next, kept up the zest of the thing. I do not mean to say that +I was in love with poking along in a dark night with only two +indifferent lamps; but having time to keep, and plenty of light, I did +enjoy. No fast coach could be said to be efficiently lighted without +five lamps--two on each side and one under the footboard. The best +lamps for throwing a strong light forward which I ever used, were made +by Messrs. Kay and Johnson, of Edinburgh. They were what were +designated "Argand burners," and being constructed strong and without +unnecessary ornament, were sold to stage coachmen for four pounds ten +shillings the pair. As they only threw their light nearly straight +ahead, they required to be supplemented, except upon very wide, good +roads, by other lamps placed lower down on the coach, which threw a +strong light to the side; and with them, and one under the footboard, +if there were no fog, the darkest night could be set at defiance. I +always-used the best sperm oil, as I found that colza oil had a +tendency to become thick from the shaking of the coach, which caused +the brightness of the light to become dimmed. + +At night, also, a coachman must depend upon his hands to tell him how +his horses are working, and as he may never see some of the teams by +daylight at all, his left hand is all he has got to rely upon to +inform him how the horse-keepers are doing their duty by the stock, +and whether they are doing well or not. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +TANDEM. + + +I have never been very much of a tandem driver, for having been +entered upon stage coaches, and driven them for a good many hundred +miles before getting hold of a tandem, I must confess I rather looked +down upon it, and regarded it somewhat in the light of a toy. + +The first time of my embarking in one I felt like the proverbial tin +kettle to the dog's tail. There was no weight behind the horses to +bring them to their collars, and they appeared to be almost drawing by +my hands, like the Yankee trotters. Of course, that sensation went off +after a little practice, and, though it is a team that requires +careful handling, it is one exceedingly well adapted for heavy roads, +as there is great strength of horse power in proportion to the load +which is usually placed behind them. This not only enables one to +ascend steep hills with ease, but also greatly facilitates the +descent, as it is almost impossible to place a sufficient load upon +only two wheels to overpower the shaft horse. It was in the act of +descending hills that most coach accidents happened, by the load +overpowering the wheel horses; and, of course, the load on a tandem +cart can never be top heavy, which was another fertile source of +accidents to coaches. + +When I first tried my hand at tandem I was quartered at Chatham, and +being cut off from the coaches I had been accustomed to drive, my +hands itched for the double reins, and I condescended to the hitherto +despised tandem; but upon my first attempt, I soon found myself +brought up with the leader on one side a small tree and the wheeler on +the other. Rather a humiliating position for one who thought himself a +coachman! At that time, however, I little realized how much practice +is required to master the science of driving, though I must confess +that something short of that ought to have kept me clear of the tree. + +This brings to my recollection a scene which occurred during the time +I was quartered in that garrison, which throws some light on the +manners and customs of military life half a century ago. + +It so happened, as also occurred to Mr. Pickwick and his friends on +another occasion, that a ball was held at the Assembly Rooms in +Rochester, and a good sprinkling of officers from the barracks were +present, among which I counted one. When the small hours of the +morning were reached, and it was time to return home, another officer +and I, each in full uniform, jumped on the boxes of two of what were +then termed "dicky chaises," and raced nearly as fast as the old +screws could gallop along the streets of Rochester and Chatham up to +the barracks; and upon our arriving there the gates were thrown open, +and we did not finish our race till we reached the officers' quarters. + +It was, however, in the Australian colonies that I did most of my +tandem driving, and as the roads in those new countries were often, to +say the least of it, imperfectly made, and houses were few and far +between, causing a journey of sixty or seventy miles in the day to be +sometimes necessary, I found it a team by no means to be despised. + +It was early in the year of 1840 that I landed at Hobart Town (now +abbreviated to Hobart), from the good ship "Layton," of five hundred +tons burden, after a voyage of nearly five months, which had brought +out four hundred convicts, who were in those days sent out under a +small military guard; and it was not long after finding myself on +terra firma before the old craving took possession of me, nor long +after that before it was gratified, as already a good foundation had +been laid. + +A dear old brother officer, many years dead, who had gone out with a +previous guard, had had a tandem cart built; and he also supplied +leader and harness, I finding wheeler and coachman, as he did not care +for driving; so I think I had the best of it. However, both were +satisfied, which is not always the case. + +In that lovely island, then called Van Diemen's Land, but now +Tasmania, there were many miles of roads as good as any to be found in +England, constructed by convict labour, and admirably engineered over +the hills. Indeed, the greater part of the one hundred and twenty +miles between Hobart and Launceston was good enough for almost any +pace, as I can vouch for from having driven the whole distance both +ways. + +I was not, however, allowed to remain in that delightful island for +long, but was sent away with a detachment of two companies to the +colony then called Swan River, but now changed to West Australia; and +there we bid adieu to roads such as are generally understood by that +word. All that was ever done there at that time was to cut off the +trees, when they were in great numbers, about a foot from the ground; +so anyone may imagine how the horses stumbled over one stump and the +wheels bounded over another. In other places, where the trees were few +and the bush thin, nothing was done unless it were what was called +"blazing," which consisted of cutting off a piece of bark from some of +the trees to indicate what was meant to be a road; but in many parts +nothing at all had been done, and the traveller had nothing to show +him the road except a few wheel marks, and was obliged to thread his +way between the trees as best he could. Even in the settlements there +was no attempt at macadam. + +These were just the circumstances to show off a tandem to the best +advantage and for finding out its merits, which I soon had an +opportunity of doing, as an agricultural gathering was to be held at a +place called York, about eighty miles from the capital, Perth, where +we were quartered. + +My old friend and I determined to make a start for the scene of +festivity. The tandem cart, which had come with us, was looked over, +and the harness rubbed up; but the difficulty was how to get horsed, +as we had none of our own at that time. However, without very much +trouble we engaged two of some sort, though one of them turned out to +be as much plague as profit, as the sequel will show. He was in the +lead, and for a good while we were quite unable to make him budge an +inch in the right direction. At last we saddled him, and my companion +mounting, armed with a good stick, began to lay about him so +vigorously that the brute made off fast enough; but his rider was so +intent on keeping him moving that he quite forgot to look what +direction he was going in, and led the way off the road into the bush, +though, indeed, there was little difference between them. I was almost +falling off my box from laughter, much less was I able to make myself +heard to recall him into the road. At last, however, the direction was +changed and the road regained, but I don't think I have ever laughed +so much before or since, so ridiculous was the scene. + +Well, we managed to get as far as the first settlement on the road, +about ten miles, where a good many others, all riding, had collected +from different parts, and were bound to the same destination; and here +we met with a Good Samaritan indeed, in the shape of a friend who had +settled in the colony, and was riding a very nice quiet mare, which he +most kindly exchanged with us for our leader. The only drawback to +this arrangement was that she was followed by a foal at her heels, +which every now and then would pass between the leader and wheeler, +and it was as much as I could do to avoid injuring it. + +We travelled pretty comfortably, however, in this manner for a good +many miles till it became dark, when it was necessary to light the +lamps, as there remained some miles to be covered before arriving at +the end of the day's journey; the delay at starting having thrown us +behind time. + +If it was difficult to thread the way among the stumps and avoid +running over the foal in the daylight, I leave the reader to judge +what it was after dark; sufficient to say that we jumped and bumped +first over one stump and then over another, the horses continually +blundering over them as well. However, all's well that ends well, and +we reached the journey's end at last for that day. A solitary hostelry +it was in the midst of the bush, miles distant from any other +habitation, generally little used, but on the present occasion full to +overflowing. As we approached the house in the dark, voices as of +quarrelling reached our ears, for it so happened that a certain naval +officer, who was not usually given to falling out, but who, like many +others of his craft, was safer "aloft" than on a horse's back, had +just ridden up at a sharp pace to the house, and the landlord, +appearing at the door with a light at the same moment, made the horse +stop short, which caused the rider to be deposited on the ground, and +he, thinking it had been done intentionally, was very wrathful; mine +host, also becoming heated, made use of the words that had caught my +ears as I drove up, which were, "If the gentleman wants a game of +fives, I am his man." After a few minutes, however, peacemakers +appeared upon the scene, explanations took place, and harmony was +restored. + +The house was so crowded that none but those who had taken the +precaution to bespeak beds beforehand could get them, and, of those, I +will not venture to say how many slept in the same one. The rest of us +had to deposit our carcases where we could, and I got possession of a +sofa, in what I suppose must be called the coffee-room, where I lay +down and went to sleep, but only for a very short time, as the bugs, +the most voracious I ever met with, nearly pulled me off it. I then +tried the floor, but with, if possible, worse results, so, like the +man in the song of the "Cork Leg," "I soon got up and was off again." + +By this time I had had enough of the inside of the house, and +therefore betook myself out of it, where I found some natives in their +small tents made of bark, and gathering some wood and getting a light +from them, I soon had a fire, and lying down by it, with the driving +cushion for a pillow, passed the rest of the night in peace and +comfort. Probably by this time a railway has been constructed through +this country, and for all I know a grand company hotel may have taken +the place of the old "Half-way House" in the bush. + +These said natives always went about in those days, and probably do +now--though perhaps civilization and Bryant and May may have rendered +it unnecessary--well provided with a light; and it was the usual +thing, when meeting them in the bush, to see one or two women carrying +what was termed a fire stick, which consisted of two pieces of bark +placed together, and of such a nature that it kept alight for a +considerable length of time; nor, indeed, to anyone who had witnessed +the labour it was to them to strike a light in their primitive +fashion, would this carefulness of the household fire excite any +wonder. I will endeavour to explain how they did it. + +As was my frequent custom, I was passing a few days in the bush, +hunting kangaroos, and the first evening upon arriving at our camping +ground, we told the native, who was accompanying us as guide, that he +must strike a light, but he replied, "No, white fellow make fire." We +said, "Black fellow have no fire to-night if he no make it;" and after +a good deal of persuasion he was prevailed upon to set to work, which +he did in the following manner:-- + +First, he cut a sort of reed which grew upon a shrub, which went by +the name of the black boy, bringing one end to a point. He then got a +flat piece of stick, about a foot in length, in the middle of which he +made a small hole, just large enough to hold the pointed end of the +reed. Then after heaping a small quantity of the dryest old leaves he +could find upon the flat stick, he inserted the point of the reed into +the hole in it in an upright position, then holding the stick firm by +sitting down and putting his feet upon it, he commenced to rub the +reed backwards and forwards between his hands so energetically that in +the space of about ten minutes or less, some smoke made its +appearance, which was very soon followed by fire. It was certainly an +ingenious way of striking a light, but decidedly laborious, and very +primitive even in comparison with the old tinder-box and matches, +which I can recollect as the only means the _civilized_ world had +of obtaining a light. + +Like other savages living in fine climates, where food could be +obtained with little labour, they were naturally indolent, of which I +had an amusing instance on one occasion. + +I was walking one very hot summer clay along what, by courtesy, was +called a street in Perth, which--though laid out with the view of +being at some future time, and now probably is, a wide and handsome +thoroughfare--consisted at that time of deep sand, when, from a native +sitting basking in the sunshine on the opposite side, I was accosted +in a plaintive tone with the words, "White fellow, money give it 'em." +I pulled some small coin out of my pocket, and held it out in my hand +for him to fetch, but instead of exerting himself to get up, he said, +"Oh, white fellow bring it 'em." After this length of time I cannot +charge my memory with what the result was, but suppose he had to fetch +it. + +It is much to the credit of the settlers in this colony that these +children of nature had, at that time, and I dare say it is the same +now, been always kindly treated, and so far from the advent of the +white man being the signal for the diminution of the dusky one, the +Aborigines, in some parts of the colony at the time I am speaking of, +were actually increasing in numbers. Especially was this the case with +the tribe which lived round Perth, and it was accounted for in this +way. + +They had a rough and ready way of maintaining the balance of power +among themselves, which was that upon the death of a man in one tribe, +one of his relations speared one belonging to some other adjoining +tribe to keep the balance even, and as what was called the Perth tribe +was supposed to be under the protection of the whites, they were left +pretty much unmolested in this way. + +Though averse to anything like labour, some of them made fairly good +shepherds, but the same man was not allowed by his tribe to work +continuously. I heard of a case in which one man regularly served a +settler in the capacity of shepherd for six months in the year; that +is to say, he worked for three months, after which he went away for +the same length of time, sending another to fill his place; at the +expiration of which time he returned to his charge for another three +months. If he had taken service permanently, his tribe would have +speared him, so jealous were they of their liberty, and, like many +others better instructed, rejecting the good things within their +reach. + +I have made a long digression, which I hope has not wearied the +reader, and it is time to return to the solitary hostelry in the bush, +which was the only one at that time where any accommodation could be +obtained for the whole journey between Perth and York. + +At an early hour of the morning all the guests at the "Half-way House" +were astir, comparing notes of their nocturnal experiences, and +getting breakfast; and when in due time a start was effected, there +was a goodly cavalcade, we two being the only ones on wheels. Riding +is the universal mode of traversing the bush. + +At the "Half-way House" we had met with the man from whom we had hired +our horses, and he changed with us, giving us the one he was riding, +so that we were enabled to return the mare and foal to our kind +benefactor, and we reached our destination the same day without any +further adventures. + +We had been kindly asked to stay at the house of a settler close to +the settlement for two or three days, and he received us with that +true and genuine hospitality which so universally distinguished the +residents in all parts of Australia, and nowhere more than in the +colony I am now writing about. Of course, the accommodation they could +offer was not particularly commodious, but the welcome was warm, and +nothing that could be obtained, and no trouble that could be taken, +were considered too much to make the guests comfortable. + +Though accommodation was always made in the house for the guests, +there were sometimes no stables, and the horses were obliged to be +tethered in the bush near the house, and, consequently, no one ever +thought of going from home without having a tether rope coiled round +his horse's neck. Of course, in so sparsely populated a district, +houses were few and far between, and, consequently, there was but +little society, though a matter of twenty miles or so would not deter +one resident from visiting another; and as news was scarce in these +backwoods, anyone coming from the more accessible parts, and therefore +a bearer of news, especially if it emanated from the "Old Country," +was very acceptable. + +As I remarked before, however, occasionally, at the less busy times of +the year, one settler would ride over to pay a visit to a neighbour +fifteen or twenty miles distant, and having arrived at his +destination, after removing the saddle and bridle, and tethering his +horse, would offer himself at the house, where he was certain of +finding a hearty welcome. + +There was a story told of one having done this who, after enjoying +himself till well on in the night, and having been rather powerfully +refreshed, thinking it time to return home, replaced the saddle and +bridle upon his horse, but forgot all about the tether rope, and, +consequently, continued riding round and round in a circle, whilst he +most complacently thought he was pursuing his homeward journey. + +After partaking of our good friend's hospitality for two or three +days, we retraced our steps to Perth, without anything occurring +worthy of note; but fully convinced, by experience, of the peculiar +adaptability of tandem for travelling over bush roads. It would hardly +be possible to use a four-wheel carriage under such circumstances. + +In those out-of-the-way places people cannot be very particular, and +are obliged to improvise things as best they can. On one occasion, +when visiting a friend in the bush, I came across two others, who were +driving an unusual team. I can only designate it as an "inverted +pick-axe." It consisted of a horse, as usual, in the shafts of a +dog-cart, with two abreast in front of him. Upon remarking on the +peculiarity of the turn-out, and asking how it answered, I was told +that the team was not very handy. The cause of this did not require +much time to discover, for there were no coupling reins to the +leaders, who were only kept together, like G O horses in a plough, by +a single strap. With the help of some strong string I rigged out +coupling reins, and they went on their way rejoicing. + +The danger commonly alleged against tandem is that the leader can turn +round and face you. I never had this happen to me, but fancy it is +little to be dreaded if the coachman will not loose his thong, but +keep it caught up ready to administer a good dose of double thong over +the horse's face as soon as he comes within reach. If worst comes to +worst, however, a two-wheeled conveyance is able to turn on its own +ground, and follow the horses, even if it is in the wrong direction. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE CONVICT SHIP. + + +In the last chapter the reader was casually introduced to a convict +ship, and as it is now about half a century since they became +obsolete, it may not be altogether without interest to some readers to +have a short account of them from one who can say _quorum pars +fui_. I will therefore venture upon a short digression, which, +though it introduces a subject foreign to the one which this little +book professes to treat upon, nevertheless may yet bring a coach upon +the stage when least expected. + +Probably to the mind of some readers the very name of a convict ship +will conjure up all sorts of horrors, culminating in a surprise, the +capture of the ship by the convicts, and in all who resisted them +being thrown overboard. + +Well, at any rate, no such thing occurred on board the "Layton," nor +did it ever on board any vessel carrying male convicts; though I have +heard that such a thing did happen once to one conveying women, which +having no military guard on board, the crew intrigued with the +prisoners and carried the ship into some port on the South American +coast. + +The convicts were under the immediate charge of a naval surgeon, and, +as I have already mentioned in the last chapter, he was supported by a +small military guard. When first brought on board every man had irons +on his legs, but upon the ship getting to sea, these were gradually +knocked off as the surgeon considered could be done with safety. + +One-third of the guard were always on duty on the poop of the ship, +with their muskets (it was in the time of old "Brown Bess," with flint +locks) loaded, and placed in a rack ready to hand; and to prevent any +sudden rush to attack them, a strong wooden barricade was erected just +abaft the mainmast, about seven feet high, with no opening through it +except a small, low door in each gangway, just large enough to admit +of one person passing through in a stooping posture. + +With very few exceptions, the convicts gave no trouble. They had a +saying among themselves that they were patriots, who left their +country for their country's good; and an opportunity occurred during +the voyage for some of them to do good service, which greatly improved +their condition upon landing. + +As is not very unfrequently the case in that latitude, when off the +Cape de Verd Islands, the ship was caught in a violent squall, when +the chief mate, who was in charge of the deck, "luffed up," and had +commenced to take in sail, till the skipper appeared on the scene, +who, without giving himself sufficient time to consider, immediately +put the ship before the wind. By this action the sails, which were +being reefed, were refilled suddenly, with the result of several of +the masts and spars being carried away; and the saddest thing was that +several of the crew, who were aloft at the time, went overboard with +the rigging, and three poor fellows were drowned, notwithstanding all +that could be done to save them. + +I believe sailors recognize two ways of acting under these +circumstances: the one what the mate did, to reduce sail; the other +what the captain did, to run before the wind. As a land-lubber, I give +no opinion between them; but a mixture of the two cannot help being +fatal, as was the case with us. Never shall I forget the crash, crash, +crash, of the falling masts. If, however, the skipper made a mistake +this time, he showed himself quite equal to the occasion at a +subsequent period of the voyage. + +He and I were pacing the poop together, when suddenly the cabin-boy +came up and whispered something to him which I did not catch, but +which had the effect of making him scuttle at double-quick time. In +about a quarter of an hour he returned, saying, "What do you think I +was wanted for?" Of course, I answered, "I do not know." "Why," he +replied, "they had set fire to a cask of spirits in the lazaret." +"What on earth did you do?" I said. "Well," says he, "I sat upon the +bunghole." This move on his part had the effect of excluding the air, +and, consequently, of extinguishing the fire. It was a quick, smart +thing to do, and saved what would have been an awful catastrophe--a +ship on fire at sea, with about five hundred souls on board, and not +boat accommodation enough for one hundred. + +At the end of nearly a five months' voyage we found ourselves sailing +up the beautiful Storm Bay, and never did land appear so lovely to my +eyes before. The anchor was soon let down in the river Derwent, and +the convict ship lay with her living freight off Hobart Town. + +It is wonderful how time passes on board ship where there is nothing +to mark it, and in this case the only break we had to the daily +routine was occasional tiffs between the surgeon and the skipper. The +former was anxious to get to the end of the voyage as quickly as +possible, as he received ten shillings a head for all the prisoners +that landed alive, and was sorely put out when every effort was not +made to keep the old tub moving. The skipper, on the other hand, being +paid by the month, preferred his comfort, and was fond of making all +snug for the night in rough weather, and turning in, whilst we +soldiers looked on with patience, if not contentment, for, as was the +usual custom, we had received an advance of four months' pay upon +leaving England, and didn't much care about landing till some more had +become due. It is poor fun to go on shore with an empty pocket. + +I believe it was unfortunate for the convicts that the system of +transportation was obliged to be abandoned, as any of them in those +new countries were able to return to an honest life if they really +chose to do so, which, in an old and thickly populated country like +England, is a very difficult thing to do. At the time I am writing +about, the system of assigned servants was in practice, and though it +was liable to much abuse, and was largely abused, still it had this +advantage, that it admitted of their return to ordinary life long +before their sentences had expired. + +The system though, as I think, good in itself was shamefully +administered, especially in the earliest years of the colony. At that +time any free man or woman who had settled in the colony was not only +entitled to a convict servant or servants, but could have any prisoner +they liked, and this naturally led to the grossest abuses, of which +the following is an example:-- + +Some men in England managed to find out that on a certain night, one +of the mail coaches (and here comes in the coach) was to carry a large +amount of bullion, which they concluded would be placed in the front +boot of the coach, as the safest place, and in this they were not +disappointed. They then secured the four inside places for that night, +and whilst on the journey set to work to make a way into the boot and +abstract the coin. Upon arriving at the end of the journey they +immediately handed this over to their wives, who were in readiness to +receive it, and straightway made off with it. The men were taken up, +tried and convicted of the robbery, and sentenced to transportation. +Soon after they landed in the new country they were assigned to their +respective wives as servants, and, as is said in the children's story +books, "lived very happily ever after." + +Such a glaring case as this of course could hardly occur a second +time, but sufficient care was never taken to see that convicts were +only assigned to those masters whose character and position warranted +it. At last, like many other things, good in themselves, it was +abandoned altogether, instead of the trouble being taken to administer +it properly. + +There was one institution I must mention connected with convict life, +as I suppose it was quite peculiar to Van Diemen's Land. A penal +settlement was established for those who committed offences after +their arrival in the colony, situated on a small peninsula called Port +Arthur, and separated from the mainland by a very narrow isthmus. + +Across this, called Eagle Hawk Neck, there was placed a line of savage +dogs, each one chained to a kennel with just sufficient length of +chain to prevent anyone passing through the cordon without being +seized, and at the same time short enough to prevent the dogs fighting +each other.[2] + + [2] Two works giving a vivid picture of convict life in + Australia have appeared--_The Broad Arrow_, and _For the + Term of his Natural Life_, by the late Marcus Clarke. + +What strides have been made since then! Whether greater by sea or land +appears doubtful; but one thing is certain--that the last forty years +has produced more change on both elements than the previous hundred. +In the year 1772 Captain Cook started on his voyage of discovery in a +vessel of four hundred and sixty tons--about the same size as those +that were in use at the time I have treated of; and I need not remind +the reader of the immense growth in the size of ships since then. The +time consumed in going from one part of the world to another has also +been altered in a no less remarkable manner. + +If to those who, at the present day, would shrink from trusting their +lives and comforts for a long voyage to any vessel of less than three +or four thousand tons, a ship of only five hundred tons, such as I +have already mentioned, seems uncomfortable, if not hazardous, what +will they say when I mention that the vessel on board of which I +returned to England measured only two hundred and eight tons--probably +about the same size as the largest boat carried on board some of the +leviathan steamers of the present day. + +But, however hazardous they may think it, I believe that so far from +any extra danger being incurred from sailing in these small ships, it +was not only as safe, but, judging from the accounts we read of the +damage sustained by these monsters of the deep in heavy weather, the +balance may be in favour of the smaller craft. They were so buoyant +that they rose with the waves instead of going through them, and, like +the little "Eudora," in which I made the homeward voyage, were like a +duck upon the water. + +In my own case, the small size of the ship had a special advantage, as +I was allowed to take the wheel whenever I liked, which could hardly +have been the case in a large one; and really the steering her over +the grand waves in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in half a gale of +wind was not very much inferior to driving a racing coach. + +One day, however, I was let in for rather more than I bargained for. +It was blowing an increasingly heavy gale off Cape Horn, such as it +knows how to blow in that part of the world in winter, and the hands +were all aloft taking in sail, when the skipper turned to me and said, +"I wish you would take the wheel and send the man forward, as I want +more strength aloft." Thus the whole crew were in the rigging, and if +by any mistake I had allowed the sail they were reefing to fill, they +must have been carried overboard with it. + +It may seem rather a happy-go-lucky way of sending a ship to sea, for +the crew to be so short-handed as to make it necessary to call in the +aid of a passenger in such an emergency, but those were the +"pre-Plimsoll days," and before ships' masters and other officers were +subjected to examinations. In one ship on board which I sailed, the +owner was overheard to say to a friend who had accompanied him on +board, "With such a captain and such a mate, I only wonder the ship +ever comes home safe again." + +If we return to the other element we shall see that though +improvements had taken place, to some extent, as early as the +beginning of this century, still little had been effected before the +year 1820. From that date great improvements were made in everything +connected with road travelling, so much so, that we in England +congratulated ourselves that it had pretty well arrived at perfection, +when, lo and behold! a new power asserted itself, and produced such a +metamorphosis that few persons not exceeding fifty years of age have +ever taken a long road journey in their lives. Road travelling is as +much a thing of the past as "pigtails," and if it were not for the few +coaches running in the summer from Hatchett's and other places in +London, the shape of such a thing would be forgotten by most people. +As it is, those give but a slight notion of what a long coach used to +look like when commencing its journey of 150 or 200 miles. + +It would be looked upon as a curiosity if one was placed in the Baker +Street Bazaar, or some other suitable site, loaded as they used to be. +Probably there are not twenty of us now living who have put one of +these loads on with our own hands, or would have any idea of how to +build it up. + + [Illustration: THE EXTRA COACH AT CHRISTMAS.] + +The loads, especially about Christmas, on the night coaches used to be +"prodigious," as Dominie Samson would have said. An inexperienced eye +would almost expect the coach to collapse under them when the load was +of such dimensions that the ordinary luggage strap was not long enough +to span the pile, but had to be supplemented with what was called a +lengthening strap, which consisted of a strap about four feet long, +with a buckle at one end, and the whole length perforated with holes. + +Nothing saved them but their admirable construction, which combined +the greatest strength with moderate weight; those built to carry the +heaviest loads seldom exceeding a ton or twenty-two hundredweight, and +the perch being short was favourable to draught. For a great many +years they were nearly all perch coaches, as it was pretty well the +universal opinion that under-spring coaches were not so steady or well +calculated for heavy loads and high speed. + +This opinion, however, was in later years considerably modified, and +most coachmen that I was acquainted with had arrived at a conclusion +favourable to the under-spring build. I can say this for them, that +the fastest work I ever did was on one of them, and also that the +heaviest load I ever drove was on another of that description; and I +cannot but "speak well of the bridges which carried me safe over," for +they performed their journeys admirably. They certainly possess the +advantage of weighing two or three hundredweight less, and, from the +splinter-bar being higher, the line of draught from the wheel horses' +collars to the roller bolts is straighter. Though they are lighter, +they lose nothing in strength when originally so constructed; but I +would not recommend anyone to convert a perch coach, as I once did so +with the result that the front boot came away from the body. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +DRIVING. + + +Those who aspire to distinction on the coach box now-a-days, are +deprived of two great helps, perhaps the two greatest helps, which +were enjoyed by their predecessors--I mean example and practice. + +As a lad I always, when travelling, got the box seat, if possible, and +never took my eyes off the coachman's hands; the consequence was that +when I became old enough to be trusted with the ribbons, I naturally +fell into the form which I had noticed in them, and then followed the +second help, which was the opportunity of driving sixty to eighty +miles a day. + + "Easy the lesson of the youthful train, + When instinct prompts and when example guides." + +It is very difficult to explain clearly the motions of the hands in +shooting or fishing, and it is no easier to do so in driving. A few +hours of careful observation are of more value to a beginner than a +great deal of instruction. If he starts in a bad form it is long odds +against his ever getting out of it. + +I have heard opinions broached by young men of the present day which +would not have found favour fifty years ago, and, though I will not +venture to say that no changes have taken place for the better since +then, I would call to mind the fact, that as driving was then the real +business of life to thousands, and that coachmen at that time had a +much more extensive practice than can be obtained now, the presumption +is that they were likely to have found out the right way to go to +work. Indeed, there were _artists_ in those days--men who would +drive any brute that could be harnessed, and could get any load +through the country at almost any pace and in all weathers, by night +or day. + +But before going further on this subject, perhaps it will be better to +lay a foundation. + +Before horses can be driven satisfactorily they must be properly put +together, and to this end everyone who aspires to be a coachman should +have a practical knowledge of how his team should be harnessed and +"put to the coach." It has been truly remarked that horses well put +together are half driven. + +Now, first, for a few faults, one of the greatest of which, and one +not very uncommon, is to have the pole chains too slack. If they are +hooked so that there is no strain upon them when the traces are tight, +they are slack enough, and more than that is bad, as it takes away the +power of the horses over the coach and of the coachman over the +horses, and has oftener than generally supposed been the cause of a +kicking bout, as I have endeavoured to show in a previous chapter. + +The London "'bus men" do have their pole chains very slack, and they +are right, because their horses are continually falling upon the +slippery streets, and it gives them room to struggle and get up again +with little danger of breaking the pole; but this does not apply to +road work, and there, if the pace is very fast, it is dangerous from +its tendency to make the coach rock. + +I am always puzzled when I see coachmen driving with the present +fashion of long coupling reins. What good can they see in them? Here +again the 'bus men, who I suppose set the example, have reason on +their side. They sometimes require to alter a coupling rein on the +journey, and, from being able to reach the buckle from their seat, can +do so at any stopping, without help from the conductor, who is engaged +with the passengers; but this can never be necessary with a +gentleman's drag or a coach. In the one case there is the groom, and +in the other, the guard, to do what is required--that is to say, in +the latter case, if there is time to do anything at all, for I +recollect on one occasion having to drive an eleven mile stage in an +hour, when the horsekeeper had carelessly reversed the reins by +putting the leading draught one's inside and the coupling reins +outside, but the pace was too good to alter. It appears to me that the +long coupling reins only add to the weight, which is necessarily +considerable, without conferring any benefit, and, indeed, when, as I +have seen them, they are so long that the buckle touches the left +hand, they can hardly be unattended with danger. + +When I first learned driving scarcely anyone thought of going without +bearing reins, they were considered by all, except a few who were +looked upon as innovators, to be as necessary as the traces. Their +utility, however, soon began to be questioned, and they rapidly came +into disuse in the coaches, and no doubt horses do work easier to +themselves without them, especially with heavy loads and fast pace. +Still they are of use occasionally, and I have employed a slack one to +the cheek of the bit when a horse has a trick of throwing out his head +and snatching at his reins, and so making it impossible to prevent his +rein slipping through the fingers, which should never occur. + +I believe that bearing reins may also be useful, and indeed a security +(though as a general rule I hate them) when, as is the fashion now, a +pair of high-bred powerful horses are put to draw a Victoria or some +other very light carriage, for doubtless a bit does act more +powerfully when accompanied by a bearing rein than without one. + +I dare say I shall be thought very old fashioned, but I do not think +that horses do generally go as pleasantly to the coachman with such +very light weights behind them, as when there is weight enough to make +them feel their collars. A team, to go pleasantly, should have a load +proportioned to its power, so that they may have something to pull at +besides the coachman's hand. It must be admitted also in their favour, +that bearing reins do prevent wheel horses rubbing and scratching +their bridles against the pole chains when standing still. + +Like many other old established institutions, they continued to have +their advocates for a long time, and by some very competent judges +bearing reins were considered necessary for safety, as will appear +from the anecdote I am about to narrate. When they were first being +dispensed with, Ned Cracknell, who drove a Birmingham day coach called +the "Triumph," left them off. Upon the coach arriving at Hounslow one +day, who should be standing there but Mr. Chaplin, commonly known as +Billy Chaplin, the proprietor out of London, and before Cracknell had +time to get on his box, though they were very quick in changing at +Hounslow, he observed that there were no bearing reins, and only +snaffle bits in the horses' mouths, whereupon he called out, "Hallo, +Mr. Cracknell, what monkey tricks are these you are playing? If you +don't put on the curb bits and the bearing reins, you don't take the +'Triumph' coach out of the 'Swan with Two Necks' again." Probably he +was quite right about the snaffle bits, as the following instance will +show:-- + +Seven mail coaches used to leave the "White Horse Cellars" every +evening, and at one time there was a great rivalry between the +Devonport mail, commonly called the "Quicksilver," driven by Captain +Davies, and the Stroud mail, driven by Harry Downs, a broken-down +gentleman, for here I may remark, though it is a fact well known to +most people, that in those days it was no uncommon thing to see +well-bred men driving stage-coaches. But to return. As the Stroud mail +with four bright bays, and the "Quicksilver" with four bright +chestnuts, were racing at a very merry pace, our friend Harry's bays, +having only snaffle bits, bolted across Turnham Green, which would +probably be a feat incapable of accomplishment now, and an old friend +of mine, who was travelling by it, and by the bye a very good coachman +himself, says, "I experienced a very unsmooth journey until we reached +the road again, and by that time the 'Quicksilver' was through +Brentford." + +Of late years there has sprung up a fancy that blinkers are not only +unnecessary, but absolutely an evil, and a good deal of newspaper +correspondence has been the result, without going very far towards +elucidating the subject. So far as I am able to understand the +controversy, the opponents of blinkers consider they have proved their +case when they tell us that horses, when accustomed to it, are not +frightened by seeing the carriage behind them, and that therefore +there can be no danger in going without them. That horses can be used +to seeing the carriage behind them without taking fright, there can be +no doubt, but that by no means ends the question. Those on the other +side say, and with truth, that in double harness, when the bridles are +without blinkers, one horse does occasionally, either from tossing his +head or some other cause, injure the eye of the other one by striking +it with the cheek of the bit. A well-fitting blinker is no discomfort +to a horse, and I think I can bring forward a case which will go very +far to prove that they may be of great use. + +One evening when I was driving the "Harkaway" coach on the down +journey, when within about a mile from Dolgelly, as we rounded a +sharpish corner of the road, the leaders caught sight of some boards +which had been left, very improperly, on the near side of the road, +and were so much frightened at the sight that they bolted right across +to the other side of the road, and, that being rather narrow, it was +as much as I could do to prevent the coach running into the off-side +hedge, which would most certainly have ended in a spill, and probably +have been attended with very disastrous consequences, for, as was +usual in summer, there was a good load of passengers and luggage. + +We must recollect that a horse, from the position of his eye, has the +power of seeing a long way behind him, which is necessary to his +safety in a wild state, as he depends very largely for defence upon +his heels; consequently, any object which alarms him continues in +sight for a long time, and in the case I have just mentioned, I am +certain that if they could have seen the object of their terror +another moment, nothing I could have done would have saved an +accident. + +Perhaps I shall be told that if these horses had never been driven in +blinkers they would not have shied at the boards; to which I can only +answer that saddle horses which have never had their sight restricted +in their lives are by no means free from the fault of shying. As I +have already remarked, a well-fitting blinker can cause no discomfort +to a horse, as it presses upon and rubs no part of the head, and, to +say the least of it, they may be a great safeguard against accidents. + +With regard to those other parts of the harness now more or less +disused, what shall be said? Well, a good deal will depend upon +circumstances. Where there is no bearing rein a crupper may not be +necessary upon level roads if the pads are well shaped; but if they +are not, or the road is hilly, those on the wheel horses may work +forward and wound the withers. With leaders this is less likely to +occur, for their reins run in a straight line through the pad territs; +but the reins, taking a turn from the wheel pad territs up to the +coachman's hand, have a tendency to work those pads forward. + +I have used a light pad for leaders made without a tree, which is what +I like best for them, and which, from fitting closer to the horses' +backs, hardly can work forward, and they are less likely to rub the +withers if they do; but probably this make would not be strong enough +for wheel harness except upon level ground, where there is very little +holding back. I must confess that I do hold to the old lines, + + "Here's to the arm which can hold 'em when gone, + Still to a gallop inclined, sir; + Heads in the front without bearing reins on, + And tails with no cruppers behind, sir." + +Without wheel pads the coachman must lose power immensely. He has not +only lost the leverage caused by the change of direction of the reins +from the pads to his hand, but he can hardly have his horses so well +in hand but that he will require to shorten his reins through his left +hand if, from any cause, he wants to get a stronger pull upon his +horses; and this, in my humble opinion, is inadmissible in really good +driving, except upon very rare exceptions. + +I fear I shall meet with a good deal of dissent to this statement, and +can fancy that already I hear some one saying that it is impossible. +Doubtless it is not easy, and requires much practice, more, perhaps, +than can fall to the lot of most men now-a-days; but that it is +possible I know, as I think I can make out clearly at a future time. + +Half a century ago I do not remember ever to have seen leading reins +run anywhere except over the heads of the wheel horses, between the +ears. + +Perhaps it was rather rough on the wheel horses to keep their heads up +with the bearing rein, and then put the weight of a pulling leader's +rein on the top of it; but there is a good deal to be said in favour +of head territs, and when horses are allowed to carry their heads as +low as they like, the principal objection to them is removed; and they +certainly help to keep the leading reins higher, and therefore less +likely to be caught under a leader's tail, which sets some horses +kicking, and, at any rate, interferes with the running of the rein. +When leading reins are run through the throat latch, they are very +easily caught by the tail, and when this is done, the best thing I +have found to keep the rein clear of a kicking leader is to pass both +leading reins through a ring, and then run the kicker's rein through +the inside of the wheeler's throat latch. I have seen the leader's +rein run through the outside of his bar, but fancy the other method is +better. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. + M&N. Hanhart imp. ONCE MORE RUNNING A STEEPLE + CHASE.] + +Occasionally a wheel horse will make himself exceedingly objectionable +to the one in front of him by tossing his head, and I once had a case +of this sort so bad that the leader's mouth had no peace. I ran the +rein direct from his pad to the wheel hame territ, and concord was at +once established. + +Before leaving the subject of the ribbons, perhaps I may as well touch +upon the subject of "pinning them." Shall they be pinned or shall they +not be pinned? It is not a subject of so much interest now as it used +to be, since, whether on a private drag or a modern coach, there is +generally time enough to buckle and unbuckle; but in former days this +was not always the case, for in very fast work there was not a moment +to spare. Is then the practice of going without the buckle dangerous +or not? Nimrod, in his article in the _Quarterly Review_ denounced it, +calling it a "mere piece of affectation." A Postmaster-General also +denounced the practice as being the cause of accidents. Of course, if +the reins are short, which they ought not to be, there is the danger +of their being drawn through the hand, but the plan I have adopted in +such a case has been to tie a knot in the end of the rein, so that it +was impossible for it to slip out of my hand. + +And now, having quoted two high authorities in favour of pinning, I +will cite the same number of instances which tend to favour the other +side of the question. The first occurred to the Gloucester and +Aberystwith mail about forty years ago when on its down-journey, and +was a rather curious incident. When the mail changed horses at +Torrington, just as it was starting, the leaders, both old +steeplechasers, named Blue Bonnet and Cleanthus, sprang off with such +force as to break the pole-hook, and, of course, took the swinging +bars with them, and the leading reins went through the coachman's hand +with the rapidity of lightning. Fortunately, however, these were not +buckled, and the horses got off clear, perhaps indulging in the idea +that they were once more running a steeplechase, and so they continued +their career till they arrived at the toll-gate at Stoke Edith, which, +trying to jump, they broke into atoms, at the same time clearing +themselves of most of the harness, indeed, all except the bridles and +collars, and were found some time afterwards grazing quietly by the +side of the road. Now if the reins had been buckled it would have been +impossible for the coachman to unbuckle them quick enough to allow the +horses to get clear off, and an accident of a very serious nature +would most likely have happened, as, it being an election day, the +mail was very heavily loaded with passengers and luggage. + + [Illustration: J. Sturgess del. et lith. M&N. Hanhart imp. + MET THE LOOSE HORSE TEARING DOWN THE HILL.] + +The other case occurred to a coach which we put on in summer between +Dolgelly and Machynlleth as a sort of auxiliary to the "Harkaway." It +was only a three-horse power, and one morning on the up journey the +leader was so alarmed by a dog running and barking at him that he +sprang round suddenly, and the bar very fortunately twisted out of the +pole-hook as he did so; and Jack Andrews, who was driving, not having +buckled his reins, had only got to let them run through his fingers to +release him entirely from the coach. As I was following with the +"Harkaway" about half a mile behind, I was astonished to meet the +loose horse tearing down the hill towards us, terrified by the bar +banging about his houghs and the reins dangling at his heels, I feared +I should shortly come upon a smash, which certainly must have been the +case if the horse had not been able to go away clear of the coach. And +now, gentle readers, I leave you to take your choice, premising that, +for myself, I lean to unpinned ribbons. + +Perhaps it may not be generally known now that, long years ago, in the +days of the slow and heavy, it was the custom to use what was called +"the short wheel rein;" that is, they were just long enough to hook +upon the finger. In those days, also, coachmen did not catch their +whips, only giving the thong a few turns round the crop at the upper +ferrule. + +Having now, I think, said enough on the subject of harness, we are +ready to proceed to mounting the box. + +Nimrod has somewhere said that a good coachman could almost be +perceived by the manner in which he put his gloves on, or words to +that effect; but without going so far as that, I believe the way in +which he mounts his box is no bad criterion. How different to see a +practised hand approach his team with confidence, and the almost +mechanical way in which he handles the reins, from the hesitation and +fumbling so often apparent in a tyro. Let us picture him to ourselves +as he approaches his horses, how easily he catches his whip, the crop +held well up so as not to run the chance of the thong being entangled +in the wheeler's ears, and there are no festoons of the thong. Then +taking hold with the left hand of the leading reins, nearly up at the +territs, beginning with the near side, he gives them a pull sufficient +to satisfy himself that no impediment exists to their free running, +and passes them to the centre finger of the right hand; after which, +doing the same with the wheel reins, he places them on the forefinger +of the right hand, in which position they are ready to be transferred +to the left hand, only reversing the fingers. This will prevent any +necessity for sorting the reins after having mounted the box, and thus +enabling him to start without a moment's delay. The other two fingers +should be tightly pressed upon the reins to prevent them slipping. + +I should not have entered into all this minutiæ if I had not seen, on +one or two occasions, the reins divided by placing one finger between +the two nearside reins, and the other between the off-side ones. Then +there is another form to be equally deprecated, which, though seldom +seen in double reins, is far too common with those driving a pair, or +in single harness. I mean the thumb pressed down upon the reins and +pointing to the front, a position which must inevitably pin the elbow +to the side, and be destructive of all strength. + + [Illustration: A NEAT MEETING.] + + [Illustration: A MUFFISH MEETING.] + +But I have seen what is even worse. I once beheld a gentleman +performing in Hyde Park, who, finding himself seriously incommoded +with the slack of his reins, stretched out his right hand over the +left, seizing the reins in front of it, and then, like sailors hauling +a rope hand over hand, proceeding to pass his left hand to the front +and take hold of them in front of the right hand. I have frequently +seen this manoeuvre practised by coachmen driving one, or a pair, +but only this once did I see the trick played on a four-horse box, and +I should think, when it was completed, that the reins must have very +much resembled a pack of cards well shuffled, and admirably calculated +to land the coach in a ditch after dark. + +If there is leisure for looking carefully over each horse before +starting, the strain upon the reins, as previously recommended, is not +necessary, but when every moment of time is of importance, that is +quite impossible, and especially is it so at night, but for all +practical purposes it will generally be found sufficient; and to try +and point my moral, I will mention what happened to one of the best +coachmen I ever saw handle the ribbons. + +One evening, after dark, Charles Tustin, with the up Aberystwith and +Shrewsbury mail, as he was driving out of Newtown, found when he +wanted to turn at the end of the first street, that the near wheel +draught rein would not run, and consequently the coach came in +collision with the corner shop. + +Now if he had taken a pull at his reins, as I have ventured to +recommend, and as I have little doubt he usually did, he would have +found out that the horsekeeper had carelessly fastened the rein in +question between the hame and the collar. He was too good a coachman +not to make the least of an accident, and no harm happened to anything +except the glass in the shop window. + +There is, however, one exception to this rule, which is that some +horses are so exceedingly nervous that if they find out when the +coachman is mounting his box, they are immediately all over the road, +and these must be humoured. + +It is very important that the reins should be so arranged in the right +hand before leaving the ground that they can be transferred to the +left in working order immediately upon placing both feet on the +footboard, for some horses will brook no delay; and if the coachman is +not at once in a position to say, "Let 'em go, and take care of +yourselves," almost before he is seated, there may be a jibbing bout, +or a mess of some sort. With some teams it is, or at any rate used to +be + + "If you will not when you may, + When you will you shall have nay." + +I had at one time a leader of so nervous a temperament, though very +good tempered, that, having to pull up to take up a passenger in the +street just after leaving the inn yard, and where a brass band was +playing, he reared so high, that in his descent he fell clean over his +partner, but, as he had no vice, no injury was sustained except some +slight breakages to the harness. + +On being "put to" on one occasion he so alarmed the box passenger that +he took only one step from the footboard to "terra firma," and if he +had not been nearly as quick in getting back he must have been left +behind, as it was my taking up the reins and mounting the box which +started the horse off in his capers. + +With such horses as these, when the rein is run and the inside trace +hooked, it is time to be off, and the horsekeeper must hook the other +as best he can, but if the coachman is not smart with his reins he +cannot do it. + +I hope I shall not weary the reader with these digressions, and make +him exclaim, "What an egotistical old ass he is," but as I do not +pretend to say that no improvements have taken place in the art of +driving during the last forty or fifty years, I am endeavouring to +enforce my recommendations with facts which have occurred to myself or +those I have known. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +DRIVING. + + +Well, the ideal coachman is now on his box, and I hope with straight +knees, feet close together, and well out in front of him, shoulders +well thrown back, and arms hanging naturally, and without any effort, +to his sides. The left arm should be straight or nearly so, and hand +lightly resting against the outside of the left thigh, with the wrist +slightly rounded and the thumb a little turned up; that is to say, +when the horses are drawing. The difference between his hand when in +this position and when the elbow is bent and the hand brought up +towards the body, should be just the difference between slack and +tight pole-chains. When more power is wanted the hand will be raised +and the wrist turned so as to bring the back of the hand to the front. +This will throw the elbow a little forward, which will add greatly to +the strength of the arm, and by this time the right hand would most +probably have taken hold of the off-side reins, which of itself lends +much to the power of the other. + +I fear I may have made myself but imperfectly understood, but perhaps +the accompanying sketches may assist in explaining what I mean. + +The reins, by right, should never be allowed to slip through the +fingers. It looks bad, to say the least of it, to see a coachman +shortening them, and, at night especially, is not safe. + +I know that this is not easy to do, and perhaps impossible to most +amateurs, as it requires constant practice to give the necessary +strength to the fingers, and the difficulty is much enhanced by well +cleaned reins, especially if they are thin. + +I know that many good coachmen differ with me as to the position of +the left arm, and, like a dear old friend of mine, and good coachman, +now no more, say that a straight arm is not neat. For myself I am +unable to see the want of neatness in it; but even if there is I +cannot consent to sacrifice strength, and I am convinced that no man +can, under all circumstances, be thoroughly powerful on his box, who +drives habitually with a bent arm. + +With the fear of being called egotistical before my eyes, I will again +endeavour to enforce what I have advanced by a case in point. + +One afternoon on the down journey with the "Harkaway," when within +about a mile from Dolgelly, the skid-pan, though nearly a new one, +broke off at the neck, and the force of the jerk upon the safety hook +broke that also. The whole weight of the load consequently, and it was +a bumper, came immediately upon the necks of the wheel horses, +naturally somewhat startling them; and if I had lost hold of their +heads for a second, they would most likely have been frightened, and +refused to hold, when there would have been nothing but galloping for +it, but by having the left arm in the position I have endeavoured to +explain, I was enabled at the same moment to apply the brake, and keep +a firm hold of the horses' heads. + + [Illustration: DOWN HILL.] + + [Illustration: A SUDDEN EMERGENCY.] + +It is from driving with a bent arm that one hears people say they +cannot work their own brakes. If I had been in that form on the +occasion I have mentioned, I must first of all have used the right +hand to shorten the reins through the left, before I could have +employed it to put on the brake. As it was, the wheelers landed the +coach down the hill without serious difficulty, though one of them was +only four years old, and by no means a strong holder. + +I cannot understand how any coachman can like to have his brake worked +for him. The want of it differs so much from day to day, depending +upon the load, the state of the road and other causes, that nothing +but his own left hand can tell him how to work it. I am sure I should +have been impossible to please. It is a most invaluable thing when +properly used, but is very liable to be abused. Few things are more +aggravating than to see it so applied as to cause horses to draw down +hill, as I have often witnessed. The change from drawing to holding +back, brings fresh muscles into play, and must therefore be a great +relief to horses, as we know the change from up hill to down, and vice +versa, is to us when walking. + +Before leaving the subject of reins, which may be called the "key of +the position," I would venture to raise my voice against what is too +often done, which is to pass the right hand across to pull the near +side reins. Hands across is very proper in a country dance, but a +little of it goes a long way in driving. It is more honoured in the +breach than in the observance. + +If the team is well "put together" and the reins are properly held in +the left hand, the wrist should be sufficiently supple to lift a near +wheel horse nearly off his legs. + +It is a good test that all is as it should be if, upon pulling up to +unskid, the wheelers will back the coach off the skid-pan without any +difficulty. Of course, the right hand must be used to the off-side +reins, which itself is a help to the left, but no shortening of the +reins through the fingers of the left hand should be wanted, and to +reach the right hand out to grasp the reins in front of the left, as I +have seen done, is absolutely insufferable. + + [Illustration: THE TEAM EXTENDED.] + + [Illustration: THE TEAM GATHERED.] + +I was once talking on this subject to Charles Tustin, with whose name +I have already taken liberties, when he remarked that a coachman +should take up his reins at the beginning of a stage, and never have +to alter them in his left hand till he throws them down at the end of +it. Some drivers I have seen appear to think it a sign of a light hand +to be constantly fiddling with the reins. I believe it is more a sign +of a fidgeting hand, and I am quite sure, from experience, that +hot-tempered horses settle down much better without it. The less their +mouths are meddled with the better. + +There is one use, however, to which the right hand may sometimes be +applied, which is to take hold of the near lead rein and loop it up +under the left thumb upon turning a sharp corner to the left, and also +if a near wheel horse throws himself against the pole in going down +hill or pulling up, to do the same with his rein. From the position a +horse in this posture has placed his pad territs in, the rein will +naturally become slack and useless, and by shortening it in the way I +have described, the left arm resumes its power, and, what is of nearly +as much importance, the right is free to use the whip, which will +probably be wanted at such a crisis. + +One hint may not be out of place here as it may not have occurred to +some, and that is, when bringing up the right hand to take hold of the +off-side reins, not to reach forward with it, but to bring it up just +touching the left, and to seize the reins immediately below that hand. +The right hand can then be passed along the reins as far as is +necessary, placing a finger to separate the lead and wheel, when +either can be pulled separately as may be required. + +This may seem to some so small a thing, as not to be worth bothering +about, but it is by attending to minutiæ that the accomplished +coachman is made; neither is it of such very small importance, as I +have known a coach upset for want of its being attended to, and it is +especially necessary at night when everything is done by feel. + +Old Griffie Williams, as honest a fellow as ever lived, but not the +most accomplished of coachmen, who for many summers partly horsed and +drove the "Tourist" coach between Aberystwith and Dolgelly, when +descending a hill on his up journey, wanted to pull his horses out of +the near side of the road, and, reaching forward too far with his +right hand, he took up the near wheel rein together with the off-side +ones. Of course, the more he pulled at the reins the harder he pulled +the near wheeler towards the near side of the road, and it ended in +the wheels running up the hedge bank, and putting the coach on its +side into the road. + +Fortunately he was, as usual, going slowly, and very little harm was +done to anyone. Upon my asking him afterwards how he came to scatter +his passengers, he replied, "Inteed, I was put them down as nice as +was go to bed." + +Young coachmen may possibly mistake the weight inseparable from +four-horse reins from having got them too tight, but upon looking they +may see that the curb-chains are slack, and if that is the case the +reins are not too tight. It is not desirable to hold horses too hard, +but if a lot of slack is out a coachman is helpless if a horse falls +or anything else goes wrong. Moreover, horses generally go better for +being well held together. A coachman driving a coach, such as they +used to be, who loosed his horses' heads, was generally soon brought +to the use of his whip, whilst the same horses, well held together, +would be fresh at the end of their stage. + +I can now call to mind an instance of this. About half a century ago +it was a common lounge in Shrewsbury for those whose time was not +fully occupied, to collect at the top of the Wyle Cop, where the "Lion +Hotel" was situated, to see the "Hirondelle" and "Hibernia," Liverpool +and Cheltenham coaches, come up the hill, and perhaps sometimes a bet +might be made as to which would be first, for they did a good deal of +racing. Of course, I never let the opportunity slip when I was in that +ancient borough of forming one of this number. + +The late Mr. Isaac Taylor had, at that time, a team of chestnuts as +good as could be put to a coach working in the "Hirondelle" on the +down side between Shrewsbury and Leighton, a stage of about eight +miles. Little Bob Leek, a very clever coachman, used to drive the up +side from Shrewsbury, and Jordan, a very powerful man, the down side. +When they met they changed coaches, each returning over his own +ground, which he drove double. Shrewsbury was, I believe, the correct +place for the coaches to meet at, but, as the opposition was keen, it +depended on the racing whether they met in Shrewsbury or a few miles +on either side of it; and I have seen this same team driven by Jordan, +and when he was hard at work with his whip to get up the hill, ascend +it another day when driven by Bob Leek with ease, and he sitting on +his box as if he had nothing to do. And, strange as it may appear to +some, I believe one of the best tests that can be applied to a +coachman is that he should appear to do nothing. I suppose, however, +that this rule applies to most other crafts, for what a man does well +he does easily to himself, and one who is always hard at work may be +set down as a muff. I know from experience that this rule applies to +steering a ship. If a helmsman is seen to be constantly at work with +the wheel, it is a sure proof that he is not a good hand at it. Just +the movement of a spoke or two occasionally is generally enough in the +hands of a good helmsman. + +And now I will bring the subject of driving to an end by giving a few +hints, which, though simple in themselves, and probably known to many +of my readers, may not have suggested themselves to some modern +coachmen, for the simple reason that they have never felt the want of +them, but which were well known to those coachmen whose business it +was to get a coach through a country with all sorts of cattle, and +when every little dodge was a help. + +One of the commonest evils which befell coachmen was to deal with +jibbers, they caused the loss of so much time. A kicker, especially if +a well-bred one, would kick and keep going too, but a jibber sometimes +stuck to the same ground if not got off with the first attempt. As a +rule, flogging is of no use, though I have a few times in my life +succeeded in making it too hot for them; and, of course, with three +good starters one wheeler may be dragged on if he does not lie down. +Sometimes, however, a whole team was not to be trusted. + +I was once travelling from Aberystwith to Oswestry by the "Engineer" +coach, and, as usual, was working, when, upon nearing Machynlleth, +Wigram, the coachman, said to me, "You will find the next a good team, +but they are all jibbers." I asked him if any one of them was a better +starter than the others, to which he replied, "Well, perhaps the off +wheeler is a little." The hint was sufficient, and as soon as I was on +the box I laid the whip quietly over the off wheeler before trying to +start the others, and then immediately pulling the leaders across to +the near side, and at the same time speaking to them, the start was +effected without any trouble. + +Perhaps it may be thought by some that this was no very great test, as +the horses were always what was called "running home," that is, they +had always their own stable at each end of the stage. At the risk, +therefore, of tiring the reader and being accused of egotism, I will +venture to mention one other case where there was no assistance from +that cause; and as a failure to start makes a fellow look foolish, +there can be no harm in impressing upon the minds of young coachmen +what will, in nine cases out of ten, save them from being placed in +such a situation. + +I was quartered with my regiment, the 72nd Highlanders, in the Royal +Barracks, Dublin, so many years ago that the Garrison Steeplechases +were run off at Maynooth instead of Punchestown as at present, and we +had got up a regimental drag for the occasion, of which I was +waggoner. As we were starting to return home, the off wheeler jibbed, +much to the delight of the Paddies, who had come there for a day's +"divarshun," and had some fun in them in those days. Of course, a +small crowd was fast collected, and everyone was giving advice and +wanting to help, the old Irishman's remedy of lighting a fire under +him not being forgotten. I made everyone stand clear, and would not +allow anybody to touch a horse, and then, after giving them a minute +or two to settle down, I laid the whip lightly over the near wheeler, +and then pulling the leaders across to the off side, spoke to them, +and we were off in a jiffy. The pulling the leaders across is very +important, as it greatly facilitates the draught. + +There is also another good result which frequently follows the pulling +of the leaders across in case of a jibbing wheeler, which is, that as +he will probably have only placed his legs with the view of resisting +forward motion, a sudden rough lateral bump of the pole may disconcert +his plans and render it necessary for him to move his feet, in which +case he is more than half conquered, unless, indeed, he lies down, +which the coachman should be too quick to permit. + +I think I have already remarked that flogging makes flogging, +especially if the horses' heads are loosed too much. It adds, no +doubt, somewhat to the labour of the coachman, but for all that he +should always keep a good hold of his horses' heads, and a pull of the +reins and then giving back again I have often found more efficacious +than a good deal of whip. This movement used sometimes to be called by +the uncomplimentary name of the "Blackguard's Snatch," but, in spite +of an ugly name, it often had salutary results, and with a weak team, +heavy load, and time to keep, a coachman could not afford to despise +anything. + +I have known sluggish leaders very much astonished when hit on the +inside. Having only been accustomed to the punishment coming from the +outside, they do not know what to make of it when coming from another +quarter. It is not difficult to hit the near leader from behind the +off pretty sharply, but it is by no means easy to do the same on the +other side. It requires the elbow to be well raised, and the back of +the hand turned well downwards, for, of course, the thong must be sent +under the bars. If done well these are very neat hits. + +Very hard-pulling leaders are often easier brought back by sending the +other one well up to them than by pulling at them. I have had a raking +leader, irritated by a very slow partner, try to bolt, and by hitting +his partner have brought him back directly; but he must be "hit sly," +so as to make no noise with the whip. The same thing will occur when a +hard-pulling leader has a harder puller put alongside him--he comes +back at once. + +With two leaders of unequal strength it is a good plan to cross the +inside traces. It is an assistance to the weaker one, and tends to +keep the coach straight. + +Check reins are often of use to bring these sort of horses together, +and I have, with a very hard puller, had a long one from his nose-band +back to the pole-hook. + +Lastly, what about kickers, which were, perhaps, the most numerous of +all the reprobates that found their way into coaches. I have known a +short stick placed between the bottom of the collar and the horse's +jaws so as to keep the head raised, in which position he cannot kick +badly; but I never used one myself, as I never knew a good dose or two +of counter irritation over the ears fail to make a sufficient cure of +a wheel horse to enable him to be driven, and a little kicking by a +leader does not so much signify if he will keep moving at the same +time. + +There was an old saying, "Point your leaders and shoot your wheelers," +which, perhaps, some of the younger generation may not have heard. It +does not very often require to be put in practice, especially at the +present time, as it is only really necessary in awkward turns, such as +the "Swan with Two Necks," in Lad Lane, in former days, and, more +recently, the "Belle Vue" yard at Aberystwith. Of course, there were +many more, but these two will suffice as specimens of what I mean. The +latter I have known a coachman of long experience fail to get into, in +consequence, as I suppose, of his not observing this precept. + +To get into this yard two turns had to be taken in a very limited +space. The first was to the left, into a street just about wide enough +for two coaches to pass, and as soon as the coach and horses were +straight after completing this turn, it was time to point the leaders +to the right for the narrow entrance to the yard, and if that +operation was not accompanied by a shoot of the wheelers to the left, +the off hind wheel would not pass clear of the gate post. + +This "shoot" is a momentary thing, and should be done by a twist of +the left wrist. If the right hand is called in to assist it looks bad. +More like a man playing the harp than driving four horses, and, +moreover, it is wanted to the off-side reins at the same time. + +If the turns are in the contrary direction, of course the manipulation +of the reins must be done with the right hand. + +The "point and shoot" would be a great assistance at an "obstacle +contest." + +While on the subject of turns, perhaps I may be allowed to offer +another small hint, which, though stale news to many, may be a useful +wrinkle for others. It is a good plan, when rounding a sharp corner +with a top-heavy load, to make the turn so as to place the outside +wheels as much as possible on the crest of the road. This can be +effected, if the angle is to the left, by keeping near to the off-side +of the road as you approach the bend, and then making a rather short +turn so as to hug the near side hedge, by which means the outside +wheels will be placed on the highest part of the road, just when the +coach most requires the support, and this also gives the coachman more +freedom in case of his meeting any vehicle in the middle of the turn. +Should the angle be to the right instead of the left, the principle is +just the same. + +There yet remain two or three other subjects connected with driving, +which, though of comparatively little importance in the present day, +must, nevertheless, be taken into account in the making of a perfect +"waggoner:" these are the power of using the whip and a capacity to +judge of pace. + +We commonly hear a man called a good whip, thereby meaning a good +coachman; but the fact is that comparatively few coachmen in the +present day use their whips really well, for the simple reason that +they are not called upon to do so. Still the necessity might arise, +and then the power of doing so might save an accident. At any rate, a +man who can only use one arm is but half a coachman. + +From what I have said on previous occasions, it will not, I think, be +supposed that I am an advocate for "hitting 'em all round," but in +days of yore no man could be considered really safe who was not able +to hit when necessary, and to hit hard. + +I received an early lesson on this subject when I was at work on the +Birmingham and Manchester Express, taking a lesson from Wood, who was +my first mentor. There was at off wheel what was called a +"stiff-necked one" that no pulling at was able to turn if he took it +into his head to resist, and I was helplessly approaching a coal cart, +when Wood said, "Why don't you hit him?" I obeyed the hint with so +satisfactory a result, that I have never since forgotten it, and have +to thank it for getting me out of accidents, one of which at once +recurs to my memory, and may perhaps tend to impress it on the minds +of others. + +I was driving a coach on the Dover Road, and as we were ascending +Shooter's Hill a four-horse posting job appeared coming towards us at +a good pace, when, upon pulling the reins to draw to the near side of +the road, I found that the off wheel horse refused to obey them, and +persistently hung to the off side. The posting job was coming nearer +with rapid strides. The reins were evidently useless, and it was a +matter for the whip, whether I could hit hard enough. If I could not, +nothing remained but to pull up, and ignominiously beckon to the +postboys to pass on the wrong side. + +However, I dropped into him with such effect that he became in as +great a hurry to cross the road as the proverbial duck before thunder. +But perhaps this old road joke may convey no meaning to many in the +present day, so I may as well explain. + +It was a favourite conundrum, when some ducks hurried across the road +under the leaders' noses, and apparently at the imminent risk of their +lives, "Why do ducks cross the road before thunder?" Do you give it +up? Because they want to get to the other side. + +Perhaps I may be permitted here to introduce another old road story. A +boy in charge of a sow and pigs was asked by a passenger the following +question: "I say, my boy, whose pigs are those?" _Boy._ "Why, that old +sow's." _Querist._ "I don't mean that, you stupid boy. I want to know +who's the master of them." _Boy._ "Oh, the maister of 'em? why, that +little sandy 'un. He's a deuce of a pig to fight." + +But to return to ducks for just one minute. It is commonly said that +it is impossible to run over a duck, and in truth, clumsy as they +appear to be on their legs, it is very nearly so, though I did once +accomplish the feat. I was driving fast round a rather sharp turn in +the road, when I suddenly found myself in the middle of them, and one +was unable to waddle off quick enough to save his life. + +Then, again, to be a judge of pace, although of little importance now, +should form part of a coachman's education. If a gentleman driving his +private drag thinks he is going at the rate of twelve miles an hour +when he is only going nine, it amuses him and hurts no one, neither is +it very essential for those who drive the modern coaches from +Hatchett's and other places. They, with few exceptions, only run by +day, so that the coachman can consult his watch at every milestone if +he likes, and the horsing is so admirable and the loading so light +that he can experience no difficulty in picking up some lost time. In +the old days, however, it was very different. If only five minutes +were lost, it was often difficult to recover it with full loads and +heavy roads, and, perhaps, weak teams. Moreover, at night the +time-piece could only be seen at the different changes, and then, if +the coachman was no judge of pace, he might easily find at the end of +a ten miles' stage that he had lost five or ten minutes. + +To be a good judge of pace requires experience, as the pace that +horses appear to be going is very deceptive. When the draught is heavy +horses step short, and, though their legs move as rapidly as usual, +time is being lost, or at best only kept with difficulty; whilst, on +another day, when circumstances are different, load lighter and road +hard, the horses step out, and the result is that over the same stage +and with the same team, instead of losing time it is hardly possible +to throw it away. + +Again at night horses always seem to be going faster than they really +are, and perhaps this may have had something to do with the idea that +horses go better by night than day, so happily explained, as Mr. +Reynoldson tells us, by Billy Williams, who said it was because the +driver had had his dinner. + +Apropos of Billy Williams, I may relate an anecdote of him, which I +had from undeniable authority, but which I do not think is generally +known. + +His Honour, as he was called, the late Honourable Thomas Kenyon, used +not unfrequently to ask him, or some other coachman, to spend a day or +two at Pradoe, and he also made a practice of driving his own drag to +Chester races on the Cup day. On one of these occasions it happened +that Billy was at Pradoe, and was to accompany the party to Chester. +The day being hot, and His Honour thinking that Billy, whose get up +was always breeches and top boots, would be more comfortable in +lighter clothing, made him a present of a pair of white trousers, such +as were commonly worn by gentlemen of that period. Billy having +received them, went to put them on, and returned looking quite smart +and cool. It turned out, however, afterwards, that he had only worn +them over his usual garments! + +There remains one other item to mention, which, though not absolutely +a part of driving, is yet of so much importance that without it all +knowledge may fail at an important crisis. + +Nerve is the article I mean, or what may be called the next door to +it, that confidence which is begotten of practice. An inferior +coachman with this is generally safer than one who is his superior in +neatness and knowledge, but without this gift. When a man's nerve +fails him, he loses his head, and then he is unable to make use of any +knowledge he possesses, whereas, one with nerve and strength would +pull through a difficulty and save an accident. Nerve, no doubt, is +largely constitutional, but it is capable of being very much +strengthened by use and practice. + +But of all things to try nerve commend me to the locomotive engine. + +Though I had driven coaches for many years under all imaginable +circumstances, and my nerve had never failed me, I must confess that I +never thoroughly understood what it meant till I had had the +experience of a ride on a locomotive engine. To find myself travelling +at a high speed, without there being the slightest power of guidance, +caused a sensation I had never experienced before. + +All that the engine-driver could have done, if a pointsman had made a +mistake, was to try and stop the engine before it ran into anything +else; whereas, on a road, when the driver has the power of guiding as +well as stopping, if he is unable quite to accomplish the latter he +may do so sufficiently to enable him to escape a collision. + +To explain my meaning I will shortly narrate what has happened to +myself. + +I was driving rather fast over a nice level length of road, and was +overtaking a waggon drawn by three or four horses. The waggoner very +properly pulled to his own side of the road, and anticipating no +difficulty I kept on at the pace I was previously going, but just as +my leaders arrived within a short distance of the waggon, the horses +overpowered the waggoner and crossed the road immediately in front of +them. To stop the coach was impossible, but I was just able to check +the pace sufficiently to enable me to pull across to the near side of +the road, and pass on the wrong side. + +In the case of a railway there would be no such chance. There they +could only stop, or have an accident. One gets used to everything +after a time, and, I suppose, if I had been an engine-driver, I should +become so accustomed to this as to think nothing of it; but, as it +was, I never felt so helpless. I cannot conceive a greater trial of +nerve than to be driving at the rate of twenty miles an hour, or more, +among a labyrinth of rails, and entirely dependent on other people for +safety. + +It is not very long ago since I saw in a newspaper an account of a +pointsman being found dead in his box! + +I am reminded of the hackneyed saying of an old coachman in the early +days of railways: "If a coach is upset," he said, "why, there you are; +but if an accident happens to a railway train, where are you?" + +It is now upwards of twenty years since the last time I handled +four-horse reins, and more than fifty-five since the first time, and I +am not going to say that no improvements have taken place during that +long period of time. Possibly some may have been found, but I must +confess that those I have heard of do not appear to me to come into +that category. + +It is a common reply to those who stand up for old systems that they +were slow. That, at any rate, can hardly be alleged in the present +case, for, though I admire the very smart thing done by poor Selby +between London and Brighton, I think, when we consider the fast work +habitually done in coaches in days of yore, and still more on the +first of May and other special occasions, it must be admitted that the +pace has, to say the least, not increased. Indeed, allowing for +stoppages, taking up and putting down passengers, which lost many +minutes in a journey, and the heavy loads carried, by neither of which +was the "Old Times" troubled, I think the Brighton feat, good as it +was, has often been surpassed. The three Birmingham Tally-ho's +generally had a spurt on the first of May, and more than once +performed the journey of a hundred and eight miles under seven +hours--the best record, I believe, in existence. + +Pace, however, at last, is a relative thing, and eight or nine miles +an hour on one road may be really as fast as twelve or thirteen on +another. I can safely say that, though I have driven some fast coaches +in my time, I never had a day of harder work to keep time than in +doing eighty miles in ten hours. What with one weak team in the early +part of the journey, hilly roads, a heavy load, and frequent delays +for changing passengers and luggage, the last stage of nine miles had +to be covered in forty-two minutes to bring us in to time and catch +the train. + +Before finally bidding adieu to the subject of driving, it may perhaps +be allowed me to say a few words about harness and the fitting of it. +Of course it hardly needs saying that a coachman _ought_ to be +familiar with every strap and buckle of it, though this intimate +knowledge may be dispensed with by those who only drive their own +teams, and are always waited on by one or two good and experienced +servants. Indeed, from what I witnessed in Hyde Park several years +ago, I have had my suspicions whether these same servants are not +sometimes utilised on early mornings in training the teams, and +putting them straight for the masters' driving in the afternoon. I +once saw a drag brought round to the right at the Magazine without the +gentleman in charge of the box touching the off-side reins with his +right hand at all; and I fail to see how this could have been +accomplished unless the horses were as well trained to it as circus +steeds. + +Still, however perfect these men may be as gentlemen's servants, their +experience has not generally led them to attend very closely to the +exact fitting of the harness--the collars particularly--which used +often to be the plague of their lives to stage coachmen, and even +might give trouble to a gentleman, if driving an extended tour. A few +hints, therefore, from an old hand may perhaps not be thrown away. +With horses freshly put into harness their shoulders are always liable +to be rubbed, and they require the greatest care and attention; and +one thing should always be insisted on in these cases, which is to +wash the shoulders with cold water after work, and to leave the +collars on till they have become quite dry again. But if care is +necessary in the case of gentlemen's work, what must have been that +required with coach horses--especially if running over long stages, +with heavy loads and in hot weather. Of course, a good deal depended +upon the care of the horse-keeper; but nothing he could do had any +chance of keeping the shoulders sound if the collars "_wobbled_" +which they certainly always will do if the least light can be seen +between the collar and the upper part of the horse's neck. Then, +again, it is most important for the collar to be the right length to +suit the individual horse. One which carries his head high will +require a longer one in proportion than one which carries it low, +because the former position of the head has the effect of causing the +windpipe to protrude. On stage-coach work we never cared so much about +the weight of the collar as the fitting, and offering a fairly broad +surface to the pressure. Two or three pounds extra weight in a collar +is nothing compared to the comfortable fitting of it, as we ourselves +know to be the case with half-a-pound or so when walking a long +distance in strong boots. + +If a wound should appear, after all the care that can be taken, a +paste made of fullers' earth with some weak salt and water will nearly +always effect a cure, if the collar is properly chambered, so as to +remove all pressure from the part. In case of a shoulder showing a +disposition to gall, I always carried in the hind boot two or three +small pads, which I could strap on to the collar, so as to remove the +pressure temporarily till it could be chambered; and any gentleman +embarking on a driving tour would find this to be a good precaution to +take, especially if he is going into out-of-the-way districts. + + +I will conclude in the words of Horace-- + + "Si quid noviste rectius istis, + Candidus imperti: si non his utere mecum." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE END OF THE JOURNEY. + + +And now, ladies and gentlemen, "I leave you here," and trust I have +given you no cause for complaint on the score of either civility or +politeness to my passengers. I fear that in some places the road may +have been heavy and the pace slow. Perhaps it may be thought that the +style is incoherent, to which I can only say that such is usually the +character of chatter; and if I have written anything which has +afforded some interest or amusement, my most ardent hopes are +satisfied. + +The tale I have told has, in one sense, been told before, but so many +fresh phases and incidents were so constantly turning up in the old +mode of travelling, that it is not necessarily a twice-told tale. +Probably the first idea of most readers upon closing the book will be, +"How thankful I am that my lot was not cast in the days of my father +or grandfather;" and this naturally leads to the reflection that when +the busy wit of man had not produced so many inventions for evading +the minor ills of life, the first idea was to endure them; but now, +when fresh schemes of all sorts and descriptions are being propounded +every day to render life easy, it is to cure them; and if this does +not go to the length of making artificial wants, no doubt it is the +wisest course to adopt. + +To the old hand, however, who has not forgotten his early experiences, +this eagerness to escape all hardship may seem to savour of softness +and effeminacy, but I make no doubt that, though not called forth as +it used to be in the days of yore, there still exists in the youth and +manhood of Old England the same pluck and power of endurance when duty +calls, as there ever was; and that as long as we continue to cherish +our old field sports and games, we are not in much danger of losing +them. + +It were folly to stand up for road travelling as against the greater +convenience of railways; still, I confess to a lingering feeling of +regret that what was brought to such a state of perfection should have +so completely vanished, and I think I cannot express these feelings +better than by a short anecdote. + +Many years ago, when hunting with the late Sir W. W. Wynn's hounds, +when they had the advantage of the guidance of John Walker, I asked +him which pack, whether the large or small, showed the best sport and +killed the most foxes. His answer was, "Well, I really think the large +pack does kill most foxes and give the best sport altogether, but _I +like the little ones_." And if asked which is the best mode of +travelling, whether by road or rail, I must confess that, as a +travelling machine for conveying us from one part of the country to +another, the railway is the best both for safety, speed, and economy; +but having said this, I am constrained to make the same sort of +reservation as was made by John Walker, and say, "_I like the +coaches_." + +Most noticeable of all, perhaps, was the plucky effort made in 1837 to +revive the favourite "Red Rover" coach between London and Manchester, +which had been discontinued upon the opening of the London and +Birmingham and the Grand Junction Railways. It was "the last charge of +the Old Guard," and shared the same fate. It may be interesting, +however, to append a copy of this singular notice--one more evidence +of the reluctance of Englishmen to be beaten, even at long odds. The +very date at foot is significant, for the enterprise was embarked on +in the teeth of the approaching winter. + + THE RED ROVER REËSTABLISHED + + THROUGHOUT TO MANCHESTER. + + Bull and Mouth Inn. + + It is with much satisfaction that the Proprietors of the RED + ROVER oach are enabled to announce its + + REËSTABLISHMENT + + as a direct conveyance THROUGHOUT BETWEEN LONDON AND MANCHESTER, + and that the arrangements will be the same as those which before + obtained for it such entire and general approval. + + In this effort the Proprietors anxiously hope that the public will + recognize and appreciate the desire to supply an accommodation + which will require and deserve the patronage and support of the + large and busy community on that line of road. + + The RED ROVER will start every evening, at a quarter before + seven, by way of + + COVENTRY STAFFORD MACCLESFIELD + BIRMINGHAM NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE AND + WALSALL CONGLETON STOCKPORT + + + and perform the journey _in the time which before gave such + general satisfaction_. + + [Symbol: Pointing hand] It will also start from the "Moseley + Arms" Hotel, MANCHESTER, for LONDON, every evening, at nine + o'clock. + + EDWARD SHERMAN ) _Joint_ + JOHN WEATHERALD and Co. ) _Proprietors_. + + _LONDON_, + + _October 28, 1837_. + +An old song may come in here:-- + + "The road, the road, the turnpike road, + The hard, the brown, the smooth, the broad, + Without a mark, without a bend, + Horses 'gainst horses on it contend. + Men laugh at the gates, they bilk the tolls, + Or stop and pay like honest souls. + I'm on the road, I'm on the road, + I'm never so blithe as when abroad + With the hills above and the vales below, + And merry wheresoe'er I go. + If the Opposition appear in sight, + What matter, what matter, we'll set that all right." + +In the introduction I ventured to point out some inaccuracies which I +had observed in a statement made upon the subject of coach fares, and +as it is probably one which few remember anything about, I give a +statement of what would be about the profit and loss of a month's +working of a coach for a hundred miles. + + RECEIPTS. + + A Full Load on the Way-bill both ways. £ s. d. + 8 inside passengers 15 0 0 + 14 outside 25 4 0 + Parcels 1 0 0 + ----------- + £ 41 4 0 + ----------- + Month's receipts 988 16 0 + Deduct expenses 113 14 0 + ----------- + £875 2 0 + ----------- + + PAYMENTS. + + Daily + £ s. d. + 15 toll-gates, at 3s.[3] 2 5 0 + Hire of coach, per mile 2-1/2d. 1 0 10 + Mileage duty, 2d.[4] 0 6 8 + Washing and oiling coaches 0 2 0 + ----------- + 4 8 6 + ----------- + For 4 weeks 106 4 0 + + Monthly. + 8 road booking-offices £ 4 0 0 + 2 end booking-offices 2 0 0 + Making Share bills 1 0 0 + Oil and trimming lamps, say 0 10 0 + ----------- + Total £113 14 0 + ----------- + + [3] It was usual for coaches to come to terms with the + pikers to pay for three horses instead of four. + + [4] There had also to be paid £5 licence duty yearly when + the plates were taken out. + +This makes £8 15s. to be divided per mile, which, of course, would +give a very handsome profit; but full loading could not be expected +every day, and if it was reduced to half loads, it would not be such a +very fat concern. + +The cost of each horse was usually put at 17s. 6d. a week, including +blacksmith, and that, supposing a man to cover a ten-mile stage for +which eight horses would be ample if not running on Sundays, would +cost £7 a week, or £28 a month, leaving, at about half loading, say +£20 profit. But from this has to be deducted saddler, veterinary +surgeon, and wear and tear, the two latter of which depend, to a +certain extent, on circumstances over which he has not much control, +as it depends upon such things as sickness in the stables and +accidents. + + + + +[_APPENDIX._] + +His Majesty's Mails. + + [Illustration: V. R.] + + + + +G. P. O. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + + LIST OF MAIL COACHES WHICH WORKED OUT OF LONDON. + + { Hounslow, } From the + { Maidenhead, } "Spread Eagle," + { Reading, } Gracechurch Street, + Bath, { Newbury, } and + through { } "Swan with Two + { Hungerford, } Necks," + { Marlborough, } Lad Lane. + { Devizes, } + + { Aylesbury, } + { Bicester, } From the + Birmingham, { } "King's Arms," + through { Banbury, } Holborn Bridge. + { Leamington, } + { Warwick, } + + { Croydon, } + Brighton, { Reigate, } From the + through { Crawley, } "Blossoms Inn," + { Cuckfield, } Lawrence Lane. + + { Hounslow, } + { Reading, } From the + Bristol, { Newbury, } "Swan with Two + through { Marlborough, } Necks," + { Calne, } Lad Lane. + { Chippenham, } + { Bath, } + + Carlisle--_See Glasgow_. + + { Barnet, } + { St. Albans, } + { Dunstable, } + { Northampton, } + Chester, { Hinckley, } From the + through { Atherstone, } "Golden Cross," + { Lichfield, } Charing Cross. + { Stafford, } + { Nantwich, } + { Tarporley, } + + { Hounslow, } + { Bagshot, } + { Basingstoke, } + { Andover, } + Devonport, { Salisbury; } From the + through { Sherborne; } "Swan with Two + { Chard, } Necks," + { Honiton, } Lad Lane. + { Exeter } + + { Dartford, } From the + { Rochester, } "Swan with Two + Dover, { Sittingbourne, } Necks," + through. { Faversham, } Lad Lane. + { Canterbury, } + + { Ware, } + { Buntingford, } + { Royston, } + { Caxton, } From the + Edinburgh, { Huntingdon, } "Bull and Mouth," + through { Grantham } St. Martin's-le-Grand. + { Newark } + { Doncaster } + { Ferry Bridge, } + { York, } + { Northallerton, } + { Darlington, } + { Durham, } + { Newcastle, } + { Alnwick, } + { Berwick, } + { Dunbar, } + { Haddington, } + + { Basingstoke, } + { Andover, } + { Salisbury, } + Exeter, { Blandford, } From the + through { Dorchester, } "Bull and Mouth," + { Bridport, } St Martin's-le-Grand. + { Axminster, } + { Honiton, } + + { Barnet, } + { Hatfield, } + { Baldock, } + { Biggleswade, } + { Stilton, } + { Stamford } From the + Glasgow, { Grantham, } "Bull and Mouth," + through { Newark, } St Martin's-le-Grand. + { Doncaster, } + { Wetherby, } + { Boroughbridge, } + { Greta Bridge, } + { Appleby, } + { Carlisle, } + + { Hounslow, } + { Maidenhead, } From the + Gloucester, { Henley, } "Cross Keys," + through { Nettlebed, } Wood Street, + { Oxford } and + { Witney, } "Golden Cross," + { Burford, } Charing Cross. + { Cheltenham, } + + { Barnet, } From the + { Woburn, } "Swan with Two + { Newport-Pagnel, } Necks," + Halifax, { Market Harborough, } Lad Lane, + through { Nottingham, } and + { Sheffield, } "Bull and Mouth," + { Huddersfield, } St. Martin's-le-Grand. + + { } From the + { } "Golden Cross," + Hastings, { Farnborough, } Charing Cross. + through { Tunbridge, } and "Bolt in Tun," + { Lamberhurst, } Fleet Street. + + { Barnet, } + { St. Albans, } + { Coventry, } From the + Holyhead, { Birmingham, } "Swan with Two + through { Wolverhampton, } Necks, + { Shrewsbury, } Lad Lane. + { Oswestry, } + { North Wales, } + + { Barnet, } + { Hertford, } + { Biggleswade, } From the + { Stilton, } "Spread Eagle," + Hull, { Peterborough, } Gracechurch Street, + through { Folkingham, } and + { Lincoln, } "Swan with Two + { Brigg, } Necks," + { Across the Humber to } Lad Lane. + { Kingston-upon-Hull } + + { Barnet, } + { Bedford, } + Leeds, { Higham Ferrers, } From the + through { Kettering, } "Bull and Mouth," + { Nottingham, } St. Martin's-le-Grand. + { Sheffield, } + { Wakefield, } + + { Barnet, } + { St. Albans, } From the + { Coventry, } "Swan with Two + Liverpool, { Lichfield, } Necks," + through { Newcastle-u-Lyne, } Lad Lane. + { Knutsford, } + { Warrington, } + + { Caxton, } From the + Louth, by { Peterborough, } "Bell and Crown," + Boston, { Deeping, } Holborn, and + through { Spalding, } "Saracen's Head," + { Spilsby, } Skinner Street. + + { Barnet, } + { St. Albans, } + { Dunstable, } + { Northampton, } From the + Manchester, { Market Harborough, } "Swan with Two + through { Leicester, } Necks," + { Derby, } Lad Lane. + { Ashbourne, } + { Congleton, } + { Macclesfield, } + + { Ilford, } + Norwich, { Romford, } + by Ipswich, { Brentwood, } From the + through { Chelmsford, } "Spread Eagle," + { Witham } Gracechurch Street. + { Colchester, } + + Norwich, by { Epping, } From the + Newmarket, { Bury St. Edmunds, } "Belle Sauvage," + through { Thetford, } Ludgate Hill. + + { Kingston, } From the + Portsmouth, { Esher, } "White Horse," + through { Guildford, } Fetter Lane and + { Godalming, } "Bolt in Tun," + { Petersfield, } Fleet Street. + + { Hounslow, } From the + { Staines, } "Swan with Two + Southampton { Bagshot } Necks," + and Poole, { Alton, } Lad Lane, and + through { Alresford } "Bell and Crown," + { Winchester, } Holborn. + + } From the + {Hounslow, } "Cross Keys," + Stroud, { Henley, } Wood Street, + through { Abingdon, } and the "Swan + { Faringdon, } with Two Necks," + { Cirencester, } Lad Lane. + + { Lynn, } From the + Wells { Ely, } "Swan with Two + (Norfolk), { Cambridge, } Necks," + through { Royston, } Lad Lane. + { Ware, } + + { Uxbridge, } + { Beaconsfield, } + { High Wycombe, } + { Oxford, } From the + Worcester, { Woodstock, } "Bull and Mouth," + through { Chipping Norton, } St. Martin's-le-Grand. + { Moreton-in-Marsh, } + { Evesham, } + { Pershore, } + + { Romford, } + { Chelmsford, } + { Witham, } From the + Yarmouth, { Colchester, } "White Horse," + through { Ipswich, } Fetter Lane. + { Saxmundham, } + { Lowestoft, } + +So much for the main arteries, but the account would +hardly be complete without showing how the more remote +and out-of-the-way districts were provided for. I will, therefore, +add the routes of a few mails which might be considered +as prolongations of some of those already mentioned, but +they were worked under fresh contracts and with fresh +coaches. + +South Wales was served by three--one from Bristol and +two from Gloucester, as shown below:-- + + { New Passage Ferry, + { Newport, + Bristol to { Cardiff, + Milford Haven, { Cowbridge, + by { Neath, + { Caermarthen. + + { Ross, + { Monmouth, + Gloucester to { Abergavenny, + Milford Haven, { Brecon, + by { Llandovery, + { Caermarthen, + { Haverfordwest. + + Gloucester to Aberystwith, by Ross, Hereford, Kington, Rhayader, + and Dyffryn Castle. + +The Gloucester and Milford was, I think, driven out of Gloucester at +one time by Jack Andrews, a very good coachman, and over the lower +ground there was a man of the name of Jones. I may, perhaps, be told +that that is not a very distinguishing mark of a man in those parts, +perhaps it is not, but if the name failed to convey a knowledge of who +he was, he, at any rate, possessed one very characteristic feature +which was that he always drove without gloves whatever might be the +state of the weather. If he saw his box passenger beating his hands +against his body or going through any other process with the vain hope +of restoring the circulation into his well-nigh frozen fingers, his +delight was to hold out his gloveless hand and say, "Indeed, now there +is a hand that never wore a glove." + +And this recalls to my memory another anecdote which was told me a +great many years ago, and which, though it refers to the other +extremities, may not be inappropriately introduced here. It appertains +to a very well known character already mentioned, the well known Billy +Williams, often spoken of as Chester Billy. I am aware that tales are +sometimes engrafted on remarkable characters which are also told of +others, still I believe I shall not be doing a wrong to any one if I +tell this as "'twas told to me," of our old friend Billy. At any rate, +it is too good to be lost, so here it is. + +On one very cold winter morning it happened that Billy had a box +passenger who was stamping his feet on the footboard in the vain +attempt to restore the circulation of the blood, which led Billy to +remark, "Your feet seem cold this morning, sir," to which the +gentleman answered, "I should think they were, are not yours?" "No," +says Billy, "they're not;" adding, "I expect you wash 'em." "Wash +them," says the passenger, "of course I do, don't you?" "No," was the +reply, "I should think not, I _iles_ 'em." + +The Manchester mail was also prolonged to Carlisle, though the direct +Carlisle mail went by a rather shorter route, but then the populous +district on the west coast had to be provided for. It travelled +through Preston, Lancaster, Kendal and Penrith. This was, over some of +the ground at any rate, one of the fastest mails in England. + +Again, in addition to these, which may be said to have had their +origin in London, there existed a considerable number of what were +called "cross country mails," some of which ran long distances and at +high speed, connecting together many important districts. A few of +them I will mention, beginning with the Bristol and Liverpool, which +was a very fast one. + + { Aust Passage Ferry, + Bristol to { Monmouth, + Liverpool, { Hereford, + by { Shrewsbury, + { Chester, + { Woodside Ferry. + + { Bath, + Bristol to { Tetbury, + Oxford, { Cirencester, + by { Fairford, + { Faringdon. + + { Warrington, + { Manchester, + Liverpool { Rochdale, + to { Halifax, + Hull, { Bradford, + by { Leeds, + { Tadcaster, + { York. + + Bristol { Gloucester, + to { Wincanton, + Birmingham, { Droitwich, + by { Bromsgrove. + + Birmingham { Lichfield, + to { Derby, + Sheffield, by { Chesterfield. + +And no doubt there were several others in one part of the country or +another, but I have been unable to meet with any regular list of them, +though it is very unlikely that such a road as that between Bristol +and Exeter by Taunton, for example, should have been left out. This +road certainly had a fast coach on it. The "Royal Exeter" ran from +Cheltenham to Exeter through Gloucester and Bristol, driven between +Cheltenham and Bristol at one time by Capt. Probyn, and afterwards by +William Small. It was a fast coach, stopping for dinner at Nisblete's, +at Bristol, and then proceeding on its journey to Exeter. + +Then, again, there was a populous and important district through the +Staffordshire Potteries, from Birmingham to Liverpool and Manchester, +which must have been provided for somehow, but it is not impossible +that this may have been effected by the bags being conveyed to +Lichfield by the Sheffield, and then transferred to the down Liverpool +and Chester mails. + +There were also running short distances what were called third class +mails, which carried twelve passengers, and the coachman was in charge +of the bags. On one of them which ran between Shrewsbury and Newtown I +did a good deal of my early practice. + +And now, having given a list, more or less perfect, of the mails which +traversed England and Wales, perhaps a few words on the subject of the +pace at which they travelled may not be without interest. + +After singling out the London and Birmingham day mail, which was timed +at twelve miles an hour, it is impossible to say, at the present date, +which was the fastest coach. That the "Quicksilver" was the fastest +mail, I have no doubt, though I believe the palm has been disputed by +the Bristol, and perhaps some others; for if a passenger asked a +coachman which was the fastest, he was very likely to be told that the +one he was travelling in was. I cannot, however, believe that any of +these claims could have been supported by facts. "_Cui bono?_" We +can see at a glance why the Devonport should be pushed along as fast +as possible, because the journey was a long one; but the distance to +Bristol was only one hundred and twenty miles, and whether the mail +arrived there at eight or nine o'clock in the morning would have been +thought little of in those days, but in a journey of two hundred and +twenty-seven miles half a mile an hour makes an appreciable +difference. It would seem reasonable, therefore, that the longer mails +should have been accelerated as much as possible, and so I believe it +really was the case, and that the Holyhead was, after the +"Quicksilver," the fastest out of London. At any rate, I know that, +when travelling by it, we always passed all the other mails going the +same road, and that included a considerable number, as the north road +and the Holyhead were synonymous as far as Barnet, and, moreover, the +Post-Office was likely to have screwed up these two mails the +tightest, as one carried the Irish bags and the other had the +correspondence of an important dockyard and naval station. + +To single out the fastest coach would be still more impossible. The +"Wonder" had a world-wide reputation, which was well deserved, both +for the pace and regularity with which she travelled and the admirable +manner in which she was appointed in every way; but what gave that +coach its preponderating name was the fact of its being the first +which undertook to be a day coach over a distance much exceeding one +hundred and twenty miles. The Manchester Telegraph must have surpassed +the "Wonder" in pace, and, certainly, when we consider the difference +of the roads and the hills by which she was opposed in her journey +through Derbyshire, had the most difficult task to accomplish; and, +again, the "Hirondelle" was timed to go the journey of one hundred and +thirty-three miles between Cheltenham and Liverpool in twelve hours +and a half, which is a higher rate of speed than the "Wonder," which +was allowed fifteen and a half hours to cover the one hundred and +fifty-four miles between London and Shrewsbury, and on a far superior +road. + +I have been induced to enter into this subject because one sometimes +now-a-days meets with people who appear to have a somewhat hazy idea +about it, and talk glibly of twelve miles an hour as if it was nothing +so very great after all. Well, I am not going to deny that it can be +done, because I know that it has been effected by the Birmingham day +mail, as already stated, and I have also been told by an old inspector +of mails that in the latter days they did contrive to screw some +Scotch mails up to that speed; but I am sure I can safely say that no +mail or stage-coach ever was timed at even eleven miles an hour during +the main coaching days, however much faster they might have gone when +racing or on special occasions, though I believe it would have been +attempted, at any rate, if road travelling had not been put an end to +by the railways. + +Twelve miles an hour is very great work to accomplish. Why, when +stoppages of all sorts are allowed for, it means thirteen miles, and +that means galloping for the greater part of the way. + + Though the subjoined List is not comprehensive, nor indeed + absolutely accurate, it may be worth inserting, as conveying a fair + idea of what coaches ran. + + PRINCIPAL NIGHT MAILS SOME NOTED DAY COACHES + Time + (including + stoppages) + Miles from of Mail + London. TO h. m. + + 110-1/2 BATH 11 0 { "Beaufort Hunt," "York + { House," "White Hart." + + 50 BEDFORD "Times." + + 119 BIRMINGHAM 11 56 { "Tally-Ho," "Tantivy," + { "Greyhound," "Economist," + { "Rocket," "Eclipse," + { "Triumph," "Crown Prince," + { "Emerald," "Albion," "Day," + { etc. + + BRECON "Red Rover." + + 53 BRIGHTON { "Red Rover," "Times," + { "Age," "Quicksilver," + { "Pearl," "Dart," "Arrow," + { "Vivid." + + 121 BRISTOL 11 45 { "Prince of Wales," "Monarch," + { "Regulator." + + 50 CAMBRIDGE "Star." + + 95 Cheltenham (_see below_) { "Berkeley Hunt," "Rival," + { "Magnet," "Favourite." + + 181 CHESTER "Criterion." + + 217-1/2 DEVONPORT 23 45 "Quicksilver." + + 71 DOVER + + 176 EXETER 19 0 { "Telegraph" (165 miles) + { 17 hours; "Defiance" + { (168 miles), 19 hours; + { "Nonpareil," "Herald." + + 111 GLOUCESTER 11 55 + + 195-1/2 HALIFAX 20 5 "Hope." + + 68 HASTINGS + + 135 HEREFORD "Champion," "Tiger." + + 259 HOLYHEAD 26 55 + + 172-1/2 HULL 18 12 + + 197 LEEDS 21 0 "Courier," "Rockingham.' + + 201-1/2 LIVERPOOL 20 50 { "Umpire," "Fair Trader," + { "Express," "Erin-go-bragh." + + 148 LOUTH 16 0 + + 99 LYNN 10 33 + + 185 MANCHESTER 19 0 { Telegraph" (186 miles), + { 18 hours 15 minutes, + { "Beehive", "Estafette," + { "Peveril of the Peak," + { "Cobourg," "Red Rover." + + 129 MONMOUTH "Mazeppa," "Royal Forester." + + 113-1/2 NORWICH + _viâ_ + IPSWICH 11 38 "Shannon." + + 117-1/2 NORWICH + _viâ_ + NEWMARKET 13 0 "Phenomenon." + + 106 POOLE "Phoenix." + + 73 PORTSMOUTH { "Diligence," "Regulator," + { "Hero." + + 158 SHREWSBURY { "Wonder," 15 hours 45 + { minutes; "Nimrod," "Stag," + { "Union," "Oxonian." + + SOUTHAMPTON "Star." + + 105 STROUD 12 9 + + 195 WETHERBY + (Glasgow Mail) 20 36 + + 128 WEYMOUTH "King's Royal." + + 23 WINDSOR "Taglioni." + + 114 WORCESTER 12 20 + + 197 YORK + (Edinburgh Mail) 20 54 "Wellington." + + 30 LIVERPOOL AND PRESTON + + 129-1/2 EDINBURGH AND + ABERDEEN { "Defiance" (12 hrs. + { 10 min., including + { 30 min. Ferry). + + CHELTENHAM AND + LIVERPOOL { "Hirondelle," "Hibernia" + { (see above). + + SHREWSBURY AND { "ROYAL OAK," "NETTLE," + WELSHPOOL { "ENGINEER." + AND ABERYSTWITH + + NOTES. + + The fastest coaches were the "Defiance" (Edinburgh and Aberdeen), + the "Wonder" (Shrewsbury and London), for which alone 150 horses + were kept, and the mail from Liverpool to Preston. The next fastest + were the Holyhead, Exeter, and Scotch mails, and those to Bath and + Bristol (which last ones did not stop for meals on the road). The + slowest is the Stroud mail, but formerly was the Worcester mail, + which used to be most frequently overturned of any. The Hastings and + Brighton mails had only two horses. For some reason or other, with + which I am not acquainted, the Liverpool mail, and, I believe, the + Halifax also, though leaving London at the same time as the others, + had a day coach on the up journey, arriving at St. Martin's-le-Grand + about 7 p.m. One of the Birmingham coaches was lighted by gas for a + time, as far back as 1834. A coach running every day between London + and Birmingham paid annually for toll-gates the sum of £1,428. The + double miles of the mails travelling reached at one time 6,619 a + journey. + + + + +SCOTCH AND IRISH MAILS. + + +It is interesting to compare the running of the Edinburgh and Glasgow +coaches out of London. Both left St. Martin's at the same hour, but by +a different road. At Alconbury (65 miles out of London) the two +coaches must have frequently been in sight of each other on a +moonlight night--if punctual a bare four minutes divided them (not a +yokel in that part of Huntingdonshire but could discuss the merits of +the rival whips)--and at Grantham (108 miles out) they probably +transferred some mail bags picked up upon their different roads. + +At Doncaster (159 miles from London) less than a quarter of an hour +divided the two vehicles after travelling all through the night and +portion of the following day, a feat successfully performed that would +make the hair of a modern South-Eastern Railway guard stand upon end. +Indeed, tradition says that the up and down coaches nearly always +"crossed" within a few yards of the same bridge. Even that northern +metropolis, Newcastle, was treated with scant ceremony; as soon as +fresh horses were attached and the mail bags exchanged, the coach went +forward without pause, the next "stop and examine coach" after York +being at Belford (near Berwick-upon-Tweed). + +With the Edinburgh coach there were three halts only upon the road for +refreshments, and these were liable to curtailment in heavy weather +when any minutes had been lost on the way--at the ordinary stages the +changes of horses being sometimes made in less than a minute. + +The Glasgow coach, though over a considerably more uneven road, was +slightly the quicker of the two, the rival distances by road being +almost identical. This coach was not encumbered with heavy bags for +the Highlands, and had the additional stimulus for the first dozen +miles or so out of London of racing the Holyhead mail through Barnet. +This celebrated mail made its "first stop" (other than for change of +horses) at Birmingham, its second at Shrewsbury, its third at Corwen, +and its fourth at Bangor. The speed of this mail was no less than nine +and three-quarters miles an hour, or over ten miles if stoppages are +taken into account. + +At Shrewsbury five minutes only were allowed for refreshments, and the +timing of this coach was so close that it was due there one minute +before the beautiful, varied, and sonorous clocks of that proud +borough struck the hour of noon (11.59 a.m.). At Wolverhampton it was +timed to arrive also at one minute past the hour (9.1 a.m.), while the +timepieces of the guards were checked once or twice on the road by +special clocks, and the discrepancy, if any, taken note of in writing. + +Another notable piece of "good running" was shown by the rival mails +to Caermarthen, which reached there from town the following evening. +The Gloucester coach arrived at eight o'clock (224 miles), and was +followed at only half-an-hour's interval by the Bristol (238 miles) +coming by a different road the whole journey, and having often to face +a rough sea when transferring its passengers at Aust Passage, near +Chepstow. This last mail was one of the quickest of all out of London; +as far as Bristol it was expedited in 1837 to run at the speed of ten +miles and three furlongs an hour, prior to which time it had to cede +the palm to the celebrated Falmouth (or, as it was often miscalled, +Devonport--confusing it with the Plymouth coach) Quicksilver mail. No +doubt a higher speed still would have been attained in the winter +months had these coaches not to include so much night work in their +running. + +It is very difficult, unless precise dates are attached, to give now +the absolute distances travelled. Each year roads were straightened +out and bends removed, gradients modified, or minor deviations to +towns of less importance struck out. A list of such accelerations will +be found in Mogg's edition of Paterson and of the principal ordinary +routes traversed in Paterson, Leigh, or Cary. + +What prospects the Coventry bicycle might have had _before_ the +arrival of the telegraph and railway epoch it is difficult to +conjecture; but its speed must then have placed it in the first rank +of means of locomotion. + + + + +1837. Scotch Mails. DOWN. + + TO THURSO VIÂ EDINBURGH. + + Miles _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. -- + LONDON dep. 8. 0 night + 12-1/2 Waltham Cross arr. 9.25 -- + 22 Ware " 10.26 -- + 35-1/4 Buckland " 11.52 -- + a.m. + 45-1/2 Arrington " 12.57 -- + 60 HUNTINGDON " 2.30 -- + 65-1/4 Alconbury Hill " 3. 3 -- + 72-1/4 Stilton " 3.45 -- + 87 STAMFORD " 5.15 -- + 95 Stretton " 6. 3 day + 108-1/2 GRANTHAM { arr. 7.23 -- + { dep. 8. 3 -- + 115-3/4 Long Bennington arr. 8.53 -- + 122-1/4 NEWARK " 9.30 -- + 132-3/4 Scarthing Moor " 10.34 -- + 145-1/2 Barnby Moor " 11.49 -- + p.m. + 155-1/4 Rossington Bridge " 12.47 -- + 159-1/2 DONCASTER " 1.12 -- + 166-1/4 Askerne " 1.55 -- + 179-3/4 Selby " 3.21 -- + 194 YORK { arr. 4.54 -- + { dep. 5.34 -- + 207-1/4 Easingwold arr. 6.54 night + 218 Thirsk " 7.58 -- + 227 NORTHALLERTON " 8.52 -- + 243 DARLINGTON " 10.28 -- + a.m. + 261-1/2 DURHAM " 12.23 -- + 276 NEWCASTLE- { arr. 1.50 -- + ON-TYNE { dep. 1.53 -- + 290-1/2 Morpeth arr. 3.22 -- + 300-1/2 Felton " 4.23 -- + 309-3/4 ALNWICK " 5.17 -- + 324-1/2 BELFORD { arr. 6.47 day + { dep. 7.17 -- + 339-3/4 BERWICK-ON-TWEED arr. 8.47 -- + 353-1/2 Houndswood " 0. 9 -- + 369-1/4 Dunbar " 11.41 -- + p.m. + 380-1/4 Haddington " 12.45 -- + 397-1/4 EDINBURGH G.P.O. " 2.23 -- + (_Time on road_ 42 h. 23 m. _The quickest train + time the journey has been performed in was on + August 31, 1888, when the King's Cross train + arrived in_ 7h. 27m.) + 444 Perth arr. 9. 0 night + 466 Dundee " 11.15 -- + a.m. + 534 Aberdeen " 6.22 day + p.m. -- + 641 Iverness " 8. 6 night + a.m. + 783 Thurso " 8.10 day + + + TO GLASGOW. + + Miles. _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. + + LONDON dep. 8. 0 night + 11-1/4 Barnet arr. 9.18 -- + 25-1/4 Welwyn " 10.46 -- + a.m. + 37-1/2 Baldock " 12. 6 -- + 46-3/4 Caldecot " 1. 2 -- + 55-1/4 Eaton " 1.55 -- + 65-3/4 Alconbury Church " 2.59 -- + 75-1/4 Stilton " 3.56 -- + 90 STAMFORD " 5.28 -- + 98 Stretton " 6.18 day + 111-1/2 GRANTHAM { arr. 7.40 -- + { dep. 8.20 -- + 117-1/2 Foston arr. 8.56 -- + 125-1/2 NEWARK " 9.44 -- + 138-1/2 Ollerton " 11. 3 -- + 143 Worksop " 11.52 -- + p.m. + 151-1/2 Bagley " 12.40 -- + 159-3/4 DONCASTER " 1.26 -- + 174-1/4 Pontefract " 2.53 -- + [asterism] _Change for_ LEEDS _and_ WAKEFIELD. + 184-1/4 Aberford arr. 3.52 -- + [asterism] _Change for_ BRADFORD. + 191-3/4 WETHERBY. { arr. 4.36 -- + { dep. 5.11 -- + [asterism] _Change here for_ YORK. + 204 Boroughbridge arr. 6.23 night + 216 Leeming " 7.35 -- + 227 Catterick Bridge " 8.41 -- + 236 Foxhall " 9.35 -- + 240-1/2 Greta Bridge " 10. 2 -- + 250-1/2 New Spital " 11.10 -- + a.m. + 260 Brough " 12.15 -- + 268 APPLEBY " 1. 7 -- + 282 PENRITH " 2.28 -- + 293 Hesketh " 3.23 -- + _Manchester Mail_ 3.0 p.m., + reaches + _Carlisle G.P.O._ 4.48 a.m. + 303 CARLISLE G.P.O. { arr. 4.17 -- + { dep. 5. 0 -- + 312-3/4 Gretna arr. 5.55 -- + 322 Ecclefechan " 6.48 day + 332-3/4 Dunwoodie " 7.49 -- + 342-1/2 Beattock Bridge " 8.42 -- + 361 Abington " 10.26 -- + 370 Douglas Mill " 11.18 -- + 376 Lesmahagow Bar. " bags dropped. + p.m. + 387-1/4 Hamilton " 12.57 -- + 397-3/4 GLASGOW G.P.O. " 2. 0 -- + + (_Time on road, 42 hours._) + + + + +1837. Irish Mails. DOWN. + + + TO KINGSTOWN VIÂ HOLYHEAD. + + Miles. _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. + LONDON dep. 8. 0 night + 11-1/4 Harriet arr. ---- -- + 20-1/2 St. Albans " ---- -- + 24-1/2 Redbourne " 10.44 -- + 33-1/2 DUNSTABLE " ---- -- + a.m. + 42-1/4 Brickhill " 12.32 -- + 51-1/4 Stony Stratford " 1.26 -- + 59 Towcester " 2.12 -- + 71-1/4 Daventry " 3.25 -- + 79 Dunchurch " 4.11 -- + 90-1/4 COVENTRY " 5.18 -- + 108-1/2 BIRMINGHAM { arr. 7. 8 day + { dep. 7.43 -- + 116-1/2 Wednesbury arr. 8.28 -- + 122 WOLVERHAMPTON " 9. 1 -- + 134-1/2 Shiffnal " 10.14 -- + 142-1/4 Heygate Junction. " 10.59 -- + 144-1/2 Wellington " 11.20 -- + 152-1/2 SHREWSBURY { arr. 11.59 -- + p.m. + { dep. 12. 4 -- + 161 Netcliffe arr. 12.52 -- + 170-1/2 OSWESTRY " 1.45 -- + 176-1/4 Chirk " ---- -- + 183 LLANGOLLEN " 2.57 -- + 193-1/4 CORWEN { arr. 3.57 -- + { dep. 4.25 -- + 199-1/2 Tynant arr. 5. 1 -- + 206-1/4 Cernioge " 5.39 -- + 213-1/2 "New Stables" " 6.21 night + 220-3/4 Capel Curig " 7. 2 -- + 228-1/4 Tyn-y-maes " 7.46 -- + BANGOR { arr. 8.20 -- + { dep. 8.25 -- + Anglesea Ferry arr. 8.43 -- + _Here cross the Menai Straits at night by ferry until + the opening of Telford's Suspension Bridge, in 1826._ + Mona Inn arr. 9.43 -- + 259 Holyhead Post Office { arr. 10.55 -- + { dep. + 323 Kingstown arr. + 327 Dublin " + (_Time on journey, h. m. Present time on journey, h. m._) + + [asterism] _It may be curious to note that the present train + mail service is under the liability of a penalty of £1 14s. for + each minute it is after time through any avoidable cause._ + + + TO WATERFORD (P) VIÂ GLOUCESTER AND MILFORD. + + Miles. p.m. + LONDON dep. 8. 0 night + 12-1/4 Hounslow arr. 9.20 -- + 19-3/4 Colnbrook " ---- -- + 23-3/4 Slough " ---- -- + 29 Maidenhead " 11. 8 -- + 38-1/4 Henley-on-Thames " ---- -- + 43 Nettlebed " ---- -- + a.m. + 61-1/4 OXFORD { arr. 2.38 -- + { dep. ---- -- + 72-3/4 Witney arr. 3.58 -- + 80 Burford " ---- -- + 89-3/4 Northleach " 5.43 -- + 97-1/4 Andoverford " ---- day + 102-3/4 CHELTENHAM { arr. 7. 3 -- + { dep. ---- -- + 112 GLOUCESTER { arr. 8. 0 -- + { dep. ---- -- + 129 Ross arr.10. 8 -- + 139 MONMOUTH " 11.11 -- + p.m. + 156 Abergavenny " 12.53 -- + 176 BRECON " 3. 1 -- + 197 Llandovery " 5.22 -- + 224 CARMARTHEN " 8. 0 night + Haverfordwest " + HUBBERSTON " + + [asterism] _Compare the quicker relative time to Carmarthen made + by the Bristol mail immediately following, notwithstanding having + to cross the Bristol Channel._ + + + TO WATERFORD (P) VIÂ BRISTOL AND PEMBROKE. + + Miles _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. + LONDON dep. 8. 0 night + 12-1/4 Hounslow arr. 9.12 -- + 29 Maidenhead " 10.50 -- + READING " ---- -- + a.m. + 59 Newbury " 1.41 -- + Marlborough " ---- -- + 90 CALNE " 4.49 -- + Chippenham " ---- -- + 109 BATH " 6.32 day + 122 BRISTOL { arr. 7.45 -- + { dep. ---- -- + 134 New Passage Ferry arr. 9.12 -- + NEWPORT " ---- -- + p.m. + 166 CARDIFF " 12.53 -- + Cowbridge " ---- -- + Neath " ---- -- + 211 Swansea " 5.18 -- + 238 CARMARTHEN " 8.31 night + a.m. + 273 Hobbs Point " 12.34 -- + Pembroke " 1. 9 -- + + + + +Western and Foreign Mails.--1837.--Up and Down. + + + Falmouth Exeter Devonport + Mail.[5] Mail. Mail. + + ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND dep. 8. 0 p.m. 8. 0 p.m. 8. 0 p.m. + 12 Hounslow arr. ---- ---- 9.12 + 19 Staines " ---- 9.56 ---- + 23 Slough " ---- ---- ---- + 29 Maidenhead " ---- ---- 10.40 + 58 Newbury " ---- ---- 1.53 a.m. + 77 Marlborough " ---- ---- 3.43 + 91 Devizes " ---- ---- 5. 6 + 109 BATH " ---- ---- 7. 0 + 149 Bridgewater " ---- ---- 11.30 + 160 TAUNTON " ---- ---- 12.35 p.m. + 180 Collumpton " ---- ---- 2.42 + 29 Bagshot " 10.47 p.m. ---- ---- + 67 Andover " 2.20 a.m. 2.42 a.m. ---- + 84 SALISBURY " ---- 4.27 ---- + 126 Yeovil " ---- 8.53 ---- + 143 Chard " ---- 11. 0 ---- + 80 Amesbury " 3.39 ---- ---- + 125 Ilchester " 7.50 ---- ---- + Honiton " 11. 0 12.31 p.m. ---- + EXETER { arr. 12.34 p.m. 2.12 3.57 + { dep. 12.44 ---- ---- + 210 Newton arr. ---- 6.33 + 218 Totnes " ---- 7.25 + 190 Ashburton " 2.41 ---- + 214 PLYMOUTH " 5. 5 ---- + DEVONPORT { arr. 5.14 10. 5 + { dep. ---- ---- + 234 Liskeard arr. 7.55 + 246 Lostwithiel " 9.12 + 254 St. Austell " 10.20 + 268 TRURO " 11.55 + 279 FALMOUTH " 1. 5 a.m. + + _Naval Station for the departure of the foreign packets._ + + Miles from London:--HONITON, via Amesbury, 154; via Salisbury, 156. + EXETER, via Amesbury, 170; via Salisbury, 173; via, Taunton, 193. + DEVONPORT, via Amesbury, 216; via Taunton, 243. + + _Packet arrives from abroad._ + FALMOUTH dep. 1.45 a.m. + TRURO arr. 2.55 + St. Austell " 4.29 + Lostwithiel " 5.36 + Liskeard " 6.52 + DEVONPORT { arr. ---- + { dep. 9.30 4.45 a.m. + PLYMOUTH dep. ---- ---- + Ashburton " 12. 3 p.m. ---- + Totnes " ---- 7.30 + Newton " ---- 8.25 + EXETER { arr. 2. 0 ---- ---- + { dep. 2.20 11.50 p.m. 10.15 + Honiton dep. 4. 4 1.27 a.m. ---- + Ilchester " 6.49 ---- ---- + Amesbury " 11. 0 ---- ---- + Chard " ---- 2.55 ---- + Yeovil " ---- 4.30 ---- + SALISBURY " ---- 8.50 ---- + Andover " 12.19 a.m. 11. 0 ---- + Bagshot " 4. 2 ---- ---- + Collumpton " ---- ---- 11.38 + TAUNTON " ---- ---- 1.37 p.m. + Bridgewater " ---- ---- 2.52 + BATH " ---- ---- 7.30 + Devizes " ---- ---- 9.24 + Marlborough " ---- ---- 10.49 + Newbury " ---- ---- 12.42 a.m. + Maidenhead " ---- ---- 3.44 + Slough " ---- ---- ---- + Staines " ---- 3.46 p.m. ---- + Hounslow " ---- ---- 5.26 + ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND arr. 6.50 5.42 6.40 + + NOTES.--Greenwich time throughout. The mails left London + one hour earlier (at 7.0 p.m.) on Sundays. The Falmouth + (nicknamed the "Quicksilver") mail averaged over 10 miles an + hour between London and Devonport. + + [5] NOTE. The Falmouth mail was allowed 25 minutes stoppage + at Ilminster (8.58 a.m. to 9.23), notwithstanding which it + travelled between London and Exeter at the average speed of + 10 miles and 2 furlongs an hour. + + + SIMMONS & BOTTEN, + Printers, + LONDON, E.C. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An Old Coachman's Chatter with some +Practical Remarks on Driving, by Edward Corbett + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43895 *** |