BEARING REINS. 103 



tice as proof. I also have been on the Continent a good 

 deal, and have seen the fallacy of that argument. I have 

 also travelled a good deal in mails and fast coaches, and 

 never yet saw a horse fairly down in one of them. I have 

 seen awheel horse sometimes all but down, and only kept on 

 his legs by a bearing rein. In posting in France and Italy, 

 I have seen horses fairly down ; and about four years ago, 

 between St. Denis and Paris, in a diligence, I saw all five 

 horses down together. Luckily it was on level ground, 

 or we should have had all our necks broken. The very 

 reason the French postilion gives for wearing those 

 enormous jack-boots is to save the rider s leg in case of 

 his horse falling on him. 



' That such is frequently the case is proved by their 

 using those boots still. Some time ago I was travelling 

 in a diligence, and remonstrating with the co7iducteur — 

 Anglice guard — on the absurdity of those enormous boots. 

 Presently, in crossing a check of the road, the near 

 wheeler tripped, and his rider not holding him up, down 

 he came. The postilion quietly slipped his leg out of the 

 boot, none the worse for the weight of the horse on it. 

 " There's for you," said the Frenchman ; " if that postilion 

 had been dressed as an English post-boy his leg would 

 have been broken." "True," I exclaimed, "but then an 

 English post-boy would not have allowed his horse to 

 fall with hint? ' 



