ROBBERY And Adventure 151 



Fortunately for the peace of mind of our grand- 

 fathers, the startling adventure that l^efell the up 

 Exeter Mail at Winterslow Hut, on the night of 

 Octol)er 20th, 1810, was unique. The coach had 

 left Salishury in the usual Avav, and had proceeded 

 several miles, when what Avas thought to be a 

 large calf was seen trotting beside the horses in 

 the darkness. When the lonely inn of Winter slow 

 Hut was reached, the team had become extremely 

 nervous, and could scarcely l)e kept under control. 

 At the moment when the coachman pulled up, 

 one of the horses was seized by the supposed calf, 

 and the others of the terrified team l)egan to kick 

 and plunge violently. The guard very promptly 

 drew his blunderbuss, and was about to shoot 

 this mysterious assailant, when several men, 

 accompanied by a large mastiff, came on the 

 scene; and it appeared that this ferocious " calf " 

 Avas really a lioness, escaped from a travelling 

 menagerie, and these men come in pursuit. The 

 dos: was holloaed on to the attack, and the lioness 

 thereupon left the horse, and, seizing him, tore the 

 Avretched animal to pieces. 



At length she was secured by a rope, and taken 

 off in captivity. The leading horse was fearfully 

 mangled, but survived, and was exhibited for a 

 time, with great financial success, by the show- 

 man Avliose lioness had wrought the mischief. 

 When the interest had svibsided, " Pomegranate " 

 — for that Avas the name of the horse — Avas sold. 

 He had been foaled in 1809, and Avas a thorough- 

 bred, Avith rather too much spirit for his OAvner, 



