COACHING IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 99 



jmstor who visited England in 1782. His narra- 

 tive shows that those who were obliged to ride 

 cheajoly had a choice of the basket and the roof, 

 and that although the roof then had no seats, it 

 was provided with little handles, to hold on by. 

 But they were of little use, and when the coach 

 rolled like a ship upon a stormy sea the chances of 

 being flung overboard Avere still as many as ever. 

 But he, like others, having tried both basket a.nd 

 roof, preferred the latter, and returned to it, 

 groaning with the shocks received in the " rumble- 

 tumble." 



Rowlandson's picture of a stage-coach in 1780 

 shows the same preference. Only one jjassenger 

 is seen in the wickerwork appendage, while the 

 roof, innocent of safeguards or seats, is covered 

 with sprawling passengers who are content to take 

 their chance of an involuntary flight, so that 

 they escape the certain inconveniences of the 

 "conveniency." 



" I observe," says Moritz, " that they have 

 here a curious way of riding, not in, but upon, a 

 stage-coach. Persons to whom it is not convenient 

 to pay a full price, instead of the inside, sit on the 

 top of the coach, without any seats or even a rail. 

 By what means passengers thus fasten themselves, 

 securely on the roof of these vehicles I know 

 not ; but you constantly see numbers seated there, 

 ai^parently at their ease and in perfect safety. 

 This they call riding on the outside, for Avhicli 

 they pay only half as much as those aa ho are 

 within. 



