] COACHING. 



and labour of six Lorses, sometimes eight, 

 drew us tbrouo-h the sloug-h of Mireden and 

 many other places. We were constantly out 

 two hours before day, and as many at night. 

 Families who could afford to travel in their 

 own carriages contracted with Benson and Co., 

 and were dragged up in the same number of 

 days by three sets of able horses." 



These coaches must have been not only 

 very lumbering, but very dangerous convey- 

 ances, as the following newspaper paragraph, 

 dated the 2nd of September, 1770, will 

 prove : — 



" It were greatly to be wished that stage- 

 coaches were put under some regulation as 

 to the number of persons and quantity of 

 luggage carried by them. Thirty-four persons 

 were in and about the Hertford coach this 

 da}^ which broke down, by one of the traces 

 giving way. One outside passenger was killed 

 on the spot, a woman had both legs broken ; 

 very few of the number, either within or without, 

 but were severely bruised." 



Rich or poor, high or low, prior to this were 

 obliged either to walk or ride in the same 

 manner that Queen Elizabeth did from Green- 

 wich to London, behind her Lord Chancellor. 



