THE BRIGHTON COACH, 34> 



a fine day, so that we might not be almost washed from our seat, as 

 was the case when traveUing on the Virginia, we at length settled on 

 a day for the trip, and awaited it with some composure, seeing that 

 the skyey influences had not been quite so unpropitious for a few 

 days as during the greater part of the summer. Alas ! what was our 

 disappointment when the day came to find that a sun which shone 

 bright and fair at seven o'clock in the morning was quite hidden by 

 nine, when the wind came howling over the hills, driving before it 

 thick storm-clouds that boded ill for our prospects of pleasure. As 

 old-fashioned people would say, we laid in the country the previous 

 night, and consequently had a short journey by rail to reach 

 "Hatchett's,"and sad itwas as we sped along to see whole fields flooded 

 in the Harrow country, and the hay being washed about from one 

 side to the other like a ship in a storm. Still, we hoped, as it were,, 

 against hope, and flattened our nose against the window in the front 

 room at " Hatchett's," only to see the splash and hear the continual 

 drip, drip of the rain as it came down on road and pavement. The 

 Dorking drove up, and started without a passenger. Then came 

 Hubble with the Boxhill, and proved a sort of Job's comforter by 

 inquiring if we were well waterproofed, predicting a very sufficient 

 soaking for us if we were not. He, too, drove off with the coach to- 

 himself, and we were left again to meditate on our fate. At length 

 we see Thorogood drive up the Brighton with four very useful bays. 

 The weather seems better for a time, and when Mr. Freeman takes 

 his place on the bench it scarcely drops at all, so we take heart of 

 grace and resolve that the weather has decided to clear up at noon, 

 according to custom. How woefully are we undeceived, for ere 

 Hyde Park Corner is reached it is down upon us again with tropical 

 violence, and so wet is it as we go on that the welcome which the 

 bevy of pretty girls in the South Lambeth Road accord to all the 

 coaches day after day is scarcely noticed in our eff"orts to keep our- 

 selves dry. We have had tramways down to Vauxhall Bridge, and 

 passing the "Swan" into the Brixton Road, drop on to them again, and 

 right lustily they sway the coach about at intervals, for our pace was 

 good, the bays being of the sort that can get along, and make a long 

 journey seem a short one. The near-wheeler, we hear, is a rare 

 horse, and has worked the whole season through without a single 

 rest day, but his companion is new to the work, having only been at 

 it a day or two, but is a rare short-legged stamp of mare, such as 

 would carry a pretty good weight to hounds, which, we are told, has 

 been her vocation up to the end of last season. 



At length the abominations of the tram are done with, though 

 only for a time, as we find afterwards, and passing the pleasant 

 -villas between Brixton and Streatham,we pull up at the "Greyhound"^ 

 in forty-five minutes, not very bad work from "Hatchett's." Our 

 next team, a roan and chestnut at lead and black and chestnut at 

 wheel, were a very useful lot again, with plenty of power about 



