132 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



became a cabdriver in Liverpool. In this occupation he 

 was much liked by his brother whips, and was respectful 

 but distant to strangers who employed him in his pro- 

 fessional capacity, although cheerful and pleasant with 

 friends who saw him at home. He died at the a^e of 

 seventy-three, and almost up to the day of his death he 

 mounted the box with the greatest regularity, undeterred 

 by a painful internal complaint ; nor was his mental 

 vigour less remarkable than his bodily activity. 



The horses attached to the Birmingham Mail {vid 

 Banbury), on December 26, 1836, ran into a drift of snow 

 about two miles from Aylesbury, on the London side. 

 The off leader fell, and got under the pole. The off 

 leader's rein, two traces, and a splinter bar were broken. 

 After setting all right they made another effort to get on, 

 but it was of no use, as the snow got deeper the further 

 they went. The drift in some places was full a mile 

 long. It was blowing a perfect hurricane with a fall of 

 small snow, and the horses shook with extreme cold. 

 They were therefore taken off, and the guard, W. Price, 

 brought the ba^s to London on horseback. He rode 

 one horse himself, and had a led horse carrying the 

 London bags. Two other horses, with the bye-bags, 

 were ridden the latter part of the way by post-boys. 

 They were constantly deviating from the road, and 

 nothing but a general knowledge of localities, with good 

 nerve, enabled Price to accomplish the journey. On 

 reaching London he was in a most distressing state of 



