THE BRIGHTON ROAD. 107 



Timbers, and all was right enough ; but being too busy 

 with his cigar (the march of intellect !), he let his team get 

 well on the crown of the hill, just above his change, before 

 he attempted to pull up. The consequence was they 

 could not be stopped ; and away we went. I have no 

 hesitation in saying, with a top-heavy load, or with any- 

 thing like a ditch at hand, nothing could have saved us 

 from being floored ; for from his awkward pulling and 

 hauling at them (he had his reins clubbed into the bargain), 

 instead of keeping his coach steady in the middle of the 

 road, we were alternately in the watercourse on each 

 side, and we pulled up at last only in consequence of 

 the horses crettino- to their own stable door. In his next 



o o 



team a little fanning was necessary. And Dominie 

 Sampson himself could not have made a more diabolical 

 attempt at hitting a near leader. I can scarcely, however, 

 expect to be believed, when I tell you that he actually hit 

 his off-side passenger on the roof behind him every time 

 he endeavoured to hit his off-side wheel horse. Such 

 nevertheless was the fact. But to cut a long story short, 

 we got to London safe and sound in rather more than 

 six hours, having been in jeopardy of our lives the whole 

 time. 



• Now I would not have you imagine, Mr. Editor, that 

 I am more nervous on a coach box than my neighbours : 

 on the contrary, having been much attached to, and 

 worked a great deal on ^} le ro ad ever since I was the 

 height of a whip, I have no reason to be so ; but I must 

 confess that with such "impostors" (as Bill Williams 

 used to call them) it is rather nervous work, and I think 



