o 



28 GETTING DOWN CH. XIV 



occupied with the ladder, or if one of the grooms is 

 to drive away, the reins remain tucked into the 

 harness until they are taken out by the person who 

 is to drive away, and, if they have been kept to- 

 gether when tucked in, they can be seized exactly in 

 their proper places when taken up (p. 287). 



There is a difference of opinion among authorities 

 as to whether the brake should be put on after the 

 coach stops, on a level ; all agree that it should be 

 on if a coach is standing on an up or down grade. 

 I must express myself strongly in favour of putting 

 it on after stopping, since there are good reasons 

 in favour of so doing- and none that seems to me 

 of any real force, against it. 



In getting down from a coach, the passengers 

 cause a little shaking of the vehicle, which is apt to 

 produce a slight forward movement, and this, com- 

 municated to the horses, causes them to step for- 

 ward, with the result of displacing the ladder while 

 some one may be descending ; this, the brake pre- 

 vents. At a change, the coachman is on the ground 

 and frequently women only are left on the top of the 

 coach. The consequences, should the horses get 

 away under these circumstances, might be frightful, 

 and they are very much less likely to do so with the 

 brake on. At a change, the wheelers just put-to, 

 ma) - push over the horse-keeper at their heads, or 

 there may be some carelessness in holding them. 

 Several instances are on record of accidents of this 

 kind, and I once witnessed one, fortunately attended 



