3^6 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



them, and, moreover, seemed a steady, even lot to drive. These 

 took us on by Norbury Manor Farm, where, as in other places, 

 the speculating builder seems to be putting his foot down pretty 

 firmly, and so to the outskirts of Croydon, before reaching which 

 we met with another single tram line in course of construction, 

 and a very bad one it is for throwing the coach about. We heard 

 it is to run to Addington, and should never be surprised were it 

 to be carried on to meet the London one at Brixton, for the space 

 between there and Croydon that is yet unlined with houses is not 

 very great, and once get it covered there would probably be no 

 lack of passengers. If it should ever happen, though, it will 

 diminish the pleasure of coaching on this road in no inconsiderable 

 degree. As it was, it caused a good deal of twisting and crossing 

 from one side to the other to enable us to get along, and gave us 

 several good examples of the nicety to which four horses can be 

 driven when they are well put together, and a man has hold of 

 them who knows what he is about. 



It is very evident that Mr. Freeman's experience on the box 



for some years has not been thrown away, for we seemed to glide 



by all obstacles, and slip through difficulties as if by magic. It 



is a strange thing, but the last time we were on the Brighton the 



straight passage through Croydon was barred, we think then on 



account of either assizes or sessions being held there, and we had to 



turn aside and go down a back way. Now the road was up, or 



something of that sort, and we had to make a circuit of nearly the 



entire town ere getting once more into the right track. This, of 



course, takes time, and lays a little extra stress on the team, but they 



are equal to the occasion, for Mr. E. Woodlands, from whom we 



believe the horses came, knows what he is about far too well to send 



Mr. Freeman anything that is not equal to more than the required 



pace, and able to make up lost time on an emergency. Beyond 



Croydon we changed at a little roadside public-house, the name of 



which we could not learn, for it stood rather back from the road, and 



the weather was far too wet to induce us to vacate our seat for the 



purpose of seeing. Here a team of four greys were put to, the 



leaders as neat little nags as any one need wish to run their eye over. 



The off one having been bought in a selling race at Croydon, should 



be worth looking after when they come up for sale, as it must have 



a turn of speed, and although certainly not a weight-carrier it should 



make a quick nag for a light weight across a country, or a smart 



covert hack for any one who likes to pass as much time between the 



sheets of a morning as he conveniently can. Its companion is 



also very smart, and the near-wheeler struck us as being a capital 



sort, and at one part of the journey we noticed it trotting at ease 



while the rest were galloping. Altogether they were a very smart 



lot, such a team as Mr. Freeman says he likes to drive, as he prefers 



little quick ones to a larger and less handy team. They were as 



