1 62 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



bone and barrel ; thev could do their mile in four minutes 

 easy. The carriage (a Stanhope phaeton with a hood l ) 

 was hung on telegraph springs, an imperial fitted under 

 the fall of the hood behind, and overhanging the body 

 to the breadth of the front seat, strapped to a dee on 

 either side under the body, another narrow imperial 

 strapped on to the front dash, and the groom's box fitted 

 under the hind seat. The ' three feet of tin,' a necessity 

 on long journeys, hung at my whip hand in its basket. I 

 never enjoyed anything more than this and other similar 

 travels in my life. 



Watching the Kingsbridge stage-coach start, when I 

 was at Plymouth a year or two ago, I noticed a very 

 peculiar hind-boot. Instead of carrying luggage like 

 other stages, it is adapted for carrying passengers, and 

 seats two. It has a barred window at either side, and 

 one in the door behind. Rather a trial for the hind bed, 

 I should say, but necessitated, no doubt, by the fares 

 outnumbering their boxes. 



1 This carriage was too light for road work : the mail-phaeton with perch 

 is the thing. 



