48 Saddle and Sirloin. 



Office authorities came down hot and heavy upon the 

 guard when they were appealed to. A traveller was 

 most indignant on one occasion, and actually seized 

 hold of the reins, because, when Mr. Teather, junior, 

 was driving his own horses, the guard would not inter- 

 fere. He achieved nothing by his letter to " the 

 powers that be," as there was a change of cabinet 

 about that time, and Mr. Teather's request to know 

 which Postmaster-General he was to address in his 

 defence, was allowed to remain unanswered. Mr. 

 James Parkin was one of the privileged ones, and his 

 favourite ground was out of Penrith to Carlisle. He 

 gave it up when the railways encroached and the 

 horses became worse, as he did not care to be " a 

 screw-driver." He was a very steady coachman, but 

 rather too slow for the mail, as he had not the energy 

 to slip it into them over the galloping ground, and 

 make up his time. In fact, the guard was perpetually 

 holding u D his watch, and admonishing him to send 

 them along. Mr. Ramsay,* of Barnton, was " good 

 enough, when the cattle were good," but he liked to 

 choose his ground. Mr. Nightingale, the great cours- 

 ing judge of that day, was the man to " take a coach 

 through the country." He took the horses as they 

 came, kickers or jibbers, and thanks to very fine 

 hands and strong nerves, he kept his time to a second. 

 Parson Bird was also well up to his work, and he 

 was such a good-hearted fellow, that when the regular 

 coachman from Keswick to Kendal broke his leg, he 

 took his place for six weeks, and collected the fees for 

 him. A lady gave the parson half-a-crown, and going 

 to a ball at Kendal that night, was introduced to her 

 coachman of the morning, who at once asked her to 

 dance. She was highly indignant ; but, on the matter 



* For particulars of the late Mr. Ramsay's coaching career in con. 

 nexion with Captain Barclay and The Defiance, see " Field and Fern' 1 

 (North), pp. 195-210. 



