304 POSITION ON THE BOX CH. XIV 



at least three to five inches away from the body ; 

 if it is not, there will be no room to draw it back 

 for a sudden stop, and the body will have to be 

 thrown back ; a most ungraceful motion. 



The evidence seems to show that the coachmen 

 ot 1820 to 1840, whom we suppose to have been 

 the best, held their hands somewhat low and out, 

 with a straight arm, as it is sometimes called. 



The left hand should be kept opposite to the cen- 

 tre line of the body, so as to be ready to move in 

 either direction, and not to be too far away from the 

 right hand ; but it is sometimes a relief in a long drive 

 to drop the arm almost straight down by the left side 

 for a short time. In doing so, however, it must be 

 remembered that the off side reins are shortened, 

 and it will be necessary to pull them out a little, to 

 prevent the team from going over to the right. 



The driving-seat must not be so steep that the 

 coachman hardly sits upon it, but only leans against 

 it, which is fatiguing, because the weight of the body 

 does not sufficiently assist the pull of the arms with 

 a troublesome team, and the coachman may be even 

 pulled off the box should a wheeler fall ; neither 

 must it be too flat, as that brings the knees in the 

 way of the reins and diminishes the effect of the 

 legs in resisting a pull. The cushion shown in Fig. 

 $7 and in Plate XXVII. is of a proper shape, and 

 is such that the knees are somewhat bent and the 

 feet rest comfortably on the foot-board, without the 

 ankle's being strained, which will happen if the lower 



