CHAPTER XII 



FOX-HUNTING JEHUS, PAST AND PRESENT 



The old road and its influence —The origin of steam-rolled roads — 

 Cuthbert Bede's title "Down the Road"— Mr. C T. S. Birch 

 Reynardson, the gentleman stage-coach driver — Old professional 

 whips — Tom Hennesy's crooked whip — The revival of coaching — 

 The music of a trotting team — The coach welcomed all down the 

 road — Mr. Alfred Vanderbilt's "Meteor" coach — The size of a 

 coaching stud — The Earl of Lonsdale's postilion and harness horses 

 —The Earl of Lonsdale's driving feat against time — Coach-driving 

 competition at Hurlingham and Ranelagh — The coaching Marathon 

 race — Mr. Lewis Priestman's " Venture " coach — The team of greys 

 — Hunt horses as coach horses — Young horses — Hirelings — The ap- 

 pointment of the " Venture " coach and harness — A coach drive from 

 Scarborough — A Yorkshire view — Reliable teams in heavy traffic — 

 A sporting chestnut team — The end of the journey — A pleasant 

 thought for the future of coaching. 



" Alas ! alas ! where have they gone, 

 The coach, the bays, and greys ? 

 Alas ! alas ! where is it gone. 

 That ' Light of other days ' ? 



The sun has set that once shone out 



So bright upon those teams ; 

 The night has come, and all that's past 

 Seems but as fleeting dreams." 



— C. T. S. Birch Reynardson 

 l^frovi " Down the Road "). 



Residing within sight of a fine old main-road 

 prompts the spirit of travel quite as much as the 

 accident of being near water stirs the inclination to 

 become a disciple of Isaac Walton. Of late years 

 the wide coach roads that intersect the counties 

 hunted by the Leicestershire packs have proved 

 the greatest service to the large division who now 



