2 2 Hark Away, 



some special cases, as it is an expensive and risky 

 business at all times ; and in these days the price of 

 horses has been so greatly enhanced, owing to the 

 demand for every description, that, upon looking 

 back to the time when " Nimrod " w^ote his well- 

 known book, "The Chase, the Turf, and the Road," 

 now exactly fifty years since, I find the price is more 

 than doubled, as I read '' that the average price of 

 horses for fast coaches may be £25. Fancy teams 

 and those working out of London may be rated 

 higher — say £30; but taking a hundred miles of 

 ground, well horsed, the former is about the mark." 

 "When the Brighton coach horses were sent to the 

 hammer at the close of the season, they realised an 

 average exceeding £80 per horse at that dull period 

 of the year, w^hen the demand for carriage-horses is 

 usually somewhat slack. It would appear that, in 

 respect to coaches, the preference is given to Messrs. 

 Holland & Holland, of Oxford Street, as I find that 

 out of thirteen now on the road, or about to be 

 started, eleven have been supplied by that noted 

 firm ; and I must say that I think there is much wis- 

 dom on the part of the proprietors in their selection, 

 as there is a style and finish about them, as well as a 

 business-like appearance, that adds greatly to the 

 efi'ect of the turn-out. 



A somewhat amusing scene is to be witnessed 

 every morning between the hours of 10.0 and 11.30, 

 at Hatchett's, at one time the starting-point of all 

 the West of England coaches, and now the centre of 

 despatch for those of the present day. Numerous 

 are the lookers-on when the day is fine, and many 

 a veteran of the road may be observed critically 



