340 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



inferiority of Scotch horse provender — the stock in the Defiance coach 

 was quite as good as I expected to find it. The road is a safe one, though 

 from its being weak, it is woolly, as coachmen say, in winter, and runs 

 heavy. The hills on it are nothing — in fact, I do not remember ever 

 dragging a wheel ; but there is one practice adopted on it, whilst under 

 repair, that is very highly reprehensible, and was the cause of the death 

 of an excellent coachman, named Webb, on the London and Birmingham 

 Emerald, a few months back. I allude to that of placing large stones to 

 force carriages to one particular part or side of it. Slight wooden 

 straddles, or horses, as they are called in the South, are the proper 

 instruments to be used for this purpose, which make no resistance, if 

 run against. 



The mention of harness reminds me of one circumstance relating to 

 that of the Defiance, which may not be unworthy of notice. At one of 

 the changes — there are sixteen in all — when it was my turn to take 

 hold of them, I observed a twitch on the ear of one leader, and upright 

 pad-turrets, nearly half a yard high, on the other. " A bolter and a 

 kicker," said I to myself; but dropping my hand to them, at starting, 

 they went well away. Now I admit these high and upright turrets 

 have not a good appearance, but they are still safer than the ring on the 

 reins, generally used as a preventive of kicking, in the South ; and safety 

 is the first consideration where people's lives are in our keeping. Such 

 a thing as a leader's rein running through a wheeler's throat-latch, instead 

 ef through his head turret, is, however, not to be seen with the Defiance. 

 ' Whether the strap, with two buckles, is to be found in each coachman's 

 pocket, I forgot to inquire. If not, I can only say it ought to be. 



Having fetched up the ten minutes^ which I mentioned having lost on 



