1 8 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DA YS OF YORE 



harness. The coachmen and guards, unwilliui^ 

 to })e beaten in this loyal competition, pro Aided 

 themselves with huge nosegays, as big as cauli- 

 flowers When, as in the reign of William lY., 

 the King's birthday fell in a pleasant time 

 of the year, the procession of the mails was 

 a beautiful and popular sight, attracting not 

 only the general public, Ijut the very numerous 

 sporting folks, who welcomed the opportunity of 

 seeing at their best, and all together, the one 

 hundred and two noble horses that drew the 

 mails from the Metropolis to all parts of the 

 kingdom. Everything, indeed, was very special 

 to the occasion. Each coach Avas provided Avith 

 a gorgeous hammer-cloth, a species of upholstery 

 certainly not in use on ordinary journeys. No one 

 Avas alloAved on the roof, but the coachman and 

 guard had the privilege of tAvo tickets each for 

 friends for the inside. Great, as may be supposed, 

 Avas the competition for these. E'or the con- 

 tractors themselves there Avas the cold collation 

 provided by Vidler and Parratt at Millbank, at 

 three o'clock, Avhen the jDrocession Avas over. 



The route varied someAvhat \\'\\\\ the circum- 

 stances of the time, ahvays including the residence 

 of the Postmaster- General for the time being. 

 Punctually at noon it started off, headed by a 

 horseman, and Avith another horseman betA^'een 

 each coach. Nearing St. James's Palace, it Avas 

 generally reduced to a snail's pace, for the croAvd 

 ahvays assembled densely there, on the chance 

 of seeing the King ; and the authorities of that 



