114 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



111 trying to stop them he was kicked on the 

 leg, and fell under the Avheels, which passed over 

 him and broke the other leg. 



Poor Upfold recovered at last, and might 

 have looked forward to immunity from any more 

 accidents; hut Eate had not yet done Avith him. 

 When nearing Salvington Corner, one night in 

 Eehruary 1810, he Avas observed by Pascoe, a 

 coachman Avho Avas Avith him, to pull the Avrong 

 rein in turning one of the aAvkAvard angles that 

 mark this stretch of road. 



" Upfold, Avhat are you at Avitli the horses ? " 

 he asked. 



" I have pulled the Avrong rein," said Upfold. 



" Then mind and pull the right one this time," 

 rejoined Pascoe ; but scarcely had he said it Avhen 

 the coach toppled over. Nearly every one Avas 

 hurt, but Upfold Avas killed. His pulling the 

 Avrong rein Avas inexplicable. The unfortunate 

 man kncAV the road intimately, and the Avitnesses 

 declared he Avas absolutely sober; and so the 

 country-folk, AA^ho kncAV his history and hoAV often 

 accidents had come his Avay, Avere reduced to 

 the fatalistic remark that " it had to be." 



184^1. Novemher 8th. — ^Rival coaches leaving 

 Skipton started racing on the Colne and Burnley 

 road. The horses of one grcAV unmanageable and 

 ran aAvay. The passengers, alarmed, began to 

 jump off, and a Manchester man, name unknoAvn, 

 who had been sitting beside tlie coachman, laid 

 hold of the reins to help the coachman pull the 

 horses in. In doing so, he pulled their heads to 



