I20 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



and the night was pitch dark, all went well Avith 

 the mail until nearing the Lugg Bridge, near 

 Hereford, where the little river Lugg, rushing 

 furiously in spate to join the Wje, had under- 

 mined the masonry. No sooner did the horses 

 place their weight upon it than the arch gave 

 way, and the coachman, Couldery the guard, and 

 the one passenger, were precipitated into the 

 torrent and swept away for more than a mile 

 down stream. It was midnight when the accident 

 happened, and until dayhreak the three, at 

 separate points, clung to rocks and branches, from 

 which they Avere then rescued by search-parties. 

 The coachman and guard recovered from the 

 exposure, but the j^assenger died. 



Charles Ward, that fine old coachman, Avho 

 kept on the road in Cornwall for many years 

 after coachini? had ceased over the rest of Eng- 

 land, tells amusingly of the happening that befell 

 the cross-country Bath and Devonport Mail, in 

 some year unspecified. It might have been a 

 most serious accident, but fortunately ended 

 happily. The coach Avas due to arrive at Devon- 

 port at eleven o'clock at night. On this par- 

 ticular occasion all the outside passengers, except 

 a Mrs. Cox, an "immense woman," who kept 

 a fish-stall in Devonport Market, had been set 

 down at Yealmpton, Avliere the coachman and 

 guard usually had their last drain. They Avent, 

 as usual, into the inn, and very considerately 

 sent out to Mrs. Cox a glass of " something 

 Avarm," it being a very cold night. The servant- 



