CH. XX AMERICAN COACHING 475 



called the chain-team or the chain-horses. As a 

 rule, the ends of the reins have no buckles. 



The lead-traces are never lapped nor crossed. 

 The harnessing is somewhat loose ; that is, the 

 traces and the pole-pieces are long- and the horses 

 travel far apart. The pole-pieces are straps of un- 

 changeable length (27 inches), and are fastened to 

 the pole-head, a strap attached to the hames being 

 passed through them (see Plate XV.). 



In the White Mountains no great speed is at- 

 tempted ; the roads in many places being soft and 

 sandy, with long ascents. Six horses are frequently 

 driven, the load being usually three tons : — one ton 

 for the coach, one for the passengers, and one for 

 the bao-orao-e. The time is about seven miles an 

 hour down-hill, and five, up-hill. 



In the West, on some routes, the pace is often 

 fast ; the horses, small active mustangs, being driven 

 at a gallop. 



It is doubtful whether or not it would be worth 

 while to attempt any comparison between the Eng- 

 lish and the American methods of handling- the 

 reins. The professional coachman on each side of 

 the water is firm in his opinion that the man who 

 drives as he does, knows how to drive, and that 

 he who drives differently, knows nothing about the 

 matter. 



One can hardly assert that a man who, ever since 

 he was a boy, has successfully driven a coach fifty 

 miles a day, winter and summer, over all kinds of 



