224 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



On hearing this, and ruminating on the expense of 

 posting, the old gentleman consented to the proposal, 

 and at eight o'clock the next morning they were under 

 weigh. When they had got out of the park, the uncle 

 told his nephew that he had been brushing up his recol- 

 lection, and he believed he could say, that this was only 

 the fifth time he ever had been in a gig; m n j s Jjf e> 'Oh,' 

 said the nephew, ' my horse beats you by chalks, for he 

 never was. It is needless to add, that the old gentleman 

 began to claw, (as we call it on the road), and was out of 

 the gig in the twinkling of his eye. 



One great advantage arising from the present style of 

 gig-building is, that it has pretty nearly exploded tandem- 

 driving, as the low seat of the driver precludes his having 

 any power over a leader. In a former letter, I ventured 

 to assert that hunting bag foxes with harriers was only 

 doing things by halves, but driving tandems partakes 

 still more of the mongrel system. 



It cannot, however, be denied, but that in the hands 

 of a skilful tandem-driver (quite distinct, I repeat, from a 

 coachman), where a leader and wheeler will shift their 

 places, in no way can the power of horses in harness be 

 so available as in a light tandem j 1 but under any circum- 

 stances danger is at hand, as a man is always at the 

 mercy of his leader. It is told of a gentleman who was 

 conscious of this power in his horse, that, being on the 

 point of starting for a drive out of some yard in London, 



1 The shape of the original tandem cart body was taken from the front 

 boot of a coach with box seat, and having a seat, such as the guard had on 

 the mails, at the back. — Editor. 



