136 COACHING. 



offences, and who were to be forwarded to 

 Portsmouth, for which purpose a Portsmouth 

 coach was to meet them at the " Bull and 

 Mouth," London. The coach had no other pas- 

 sengers except the two keepers who had charge 

 of the convicts. 



About nine in the evening the coach reached 

 Birmingham, where a new coachman and guard 

 relieved the former ones, and the coach pro- 

 ceeded to Elmedon, where the convicts partook 

 of some refreshment. After having gone on four 

 miles to Meriden, the guard's attention was 

 arrested by hearing one of the convicts fihng the 

 chain attached to his handcuffs. Without appar- 

 ently noticing the noise, he contrived to apprise 

 the keeper of the circumstance, who took the 

 guard's situation behind, the guard placing him- 

 self by the side of the coachman on the box. 

 After this alteration everything became quiet, 

 and there were no appearances of an attempt at 

 escape. 



The coach now approached Coventry, through 

 which it passed ; and after it had proceeded nine 

 miles, in a sequestered part of the road, where 

 trees extend on each side upwards of six miles, 

 and not a house is near, in an instant four of 

 the convicts seized hold of the coachman and 



