78 THE COACHING ERA 



afterwards the porter at the booking-office showed him a 

 parcel and asked him if he could make anything of the 

 direction which he confessed fairly beat him. The address 

 certainly did not err on the side of lucidity being thus: 

 "Ga-d-M -pha-c-h." 



"Why, I do believe it's meant for me," said Bayzand 

 after some cogitation, and translated the inscription as 

 meant for the "Guard of the Mazeppa coach." 



The porter thought it might as well be that as any- 

 thing else, and suggested the parcel should be opened. 

 When it was untied it was found to contain a thousand 

 cigars wrapped up in greasy paper, and a dirty note bear- 

 ing the words "for your kindness to us chaps. Hope to 

 see you soon." The guard smoked the cigars and was 

 much touched by the kindness of the gift, but he never 

 saw either of the sailors again. 



William Bayzand was known as the business guard 

 from the number of commissions he undertook, whilst 

 John Blyth on the same coach was called the musical 

 guard from his skill on the key-bugle. Key-bugles were 

 far more popular on the road than the orthodox coach 

 horn, but they were eyed with disfavour by the Post 

 Office, which went so far as to forbid the guards on the 

 mail-coach to carry them. The key-bugles were, however, 

 inexpressibly dear to the guards' hearts, and not to be 

 thrown lightly aside for a mere whim of the authorities. 

 As a matter of fact, the prohibition gave added zest 

 to a performance on these instruments and, though the 

 guards so far conformed as to blow their long coach 

 horns decorously as they passed through the streets of 



