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CH. XXIII 



CHAPTER XXIII 



ACCIDENTS 



While it is often said that a man who has had 

 many accidents knows how to avoid them and how 

 to ' get out of a scrape' with the least damage, it is 

 not agreeable to obtain experience in this way, and 

 to avoid accidents altogether is desirable. 



It is important, first of all, to have coach and 

 harness in the best order ; it is almost criminal to 

 use rotten harness or any weak tackle ; next, con- 

 stant watchfulness is absolutely necessary, and no 

 man is a <jood or a safe coachman who does not, 

 all the time, see what is going on around him, in 

 front, at his side, and among the horses, no matter 

 what else is engaging his attention. His ear must 

 catch the slightest unusual sound about the coach ; 

 a break is generally preceded by some warning. 

 He must not court danger by driving too close to 

 any object or to a doubtful-looking edge of the road. 

 But apart from the accidents arising from bad 

 judgement or carelessness, there are many which 

 even attention will not altogether avoid. 



On slippery pavements the best of horses may 

 fall ; against this, india-rubber pads in the front feet 

 or all round, are the best preventive. 



With soft snow on the ground, balls are formed 



