240 DRIVING. 



come and have another ride with me.' After a bit we got 

 on, and chatted away. Our route from Richmond was 

 under the Star and Garter, over Ham Common to Kingston- 

 on-Thames, where we changed at the King's Arms, thence 

 through Leatherhead, where we stopped at the Swan to water, 

 and changed at the White Horse at Dorking ; going then 

 through Mickleham, we passed the Running Horse Inn, where 

 old John Scott used to stay for Epsom, and in the stables of 

 which many Derby winners have slept on the eve of and 

 after their victory ; and so by Burford Bridge, at the foot of 

 the celebrated Box Hill. On our up-journey we dined at 

 Dorking. 



The first stage out of London was twelve miles from Hyde 

 Park Corner. From Kingston King's Arms to Dorking fourteen 

 miles, making twenty-six miles ; by Westminster Bridge, Tooting, 

 Merton, Ewell, Epsom, and Leatherhead it is twenty-three 

 and a half miles. Our next change was at Horsham, thirteen 

 miles, where on the down journey we dined at the King's 

 Head. Thence we ran through Cowfold to Henfield, eleven 

 and a half miles, and from there into Brighton, thirteen miles : a 

 pleasant stage down, but up it was a twister ; the first six miles 

 out of Brighton uphill, and yet such a gradual rise a great part 

 of the way that it took a practised coachman to find out it was 

 uphill. Altogether it was about sixty-four miles ; for I think it 

 is impossible to get our route to Kingston in twelve miles cer- 

 tainly, from White Horse Cellar. When we arrived at Brighton 

 my box passenger pulled out a golden sovereign. ' Young 

 man,' said he, ' I never enjoyed a ride on a coach more in my 

 life. Take this, and if the box seat is not booked I will ride up 

 with you to-morrow,' and he did, and stood another sovereign, 

 on receiving which second one I remarked, ' Thank you very 

 much ; this is a good job for old Clark.' ' Who is old Clark ? ' 

 ' That fat old fellow standing down there ; he is our ballast ; 

 when the coach is empty we take him down to make the 

 springs ride pleasantly, when it is full we send him up to London 

 or down to Brighton by luggage train in a truck by himself.' 



