The Sport of Our Jincestors 



and they come in collision with a class of persons superior 

 to those who formerly were stage-coach passengers, by 

 whose example it has been impossible for them not to profit 

 in all respects. A coachman drunk on his box is now a rarity. 

 A coachman quite sober was, even within our memory, still 

 more so. But let us press this question a little further : do 

 the proprietors guard against accidents to the very extent oj 

 their ability ? We fear not : too many of them, to touch 

 only one point, allow their coachmen to omit the use of the 

 hand or end-buckle to their reins, which to our own know- 

 ledge has lately been productive of several accidents. This is 

 new^ and it is a mere piece of affectation, and should be put 

 a stop to ; for surely if a coachman fancies he has not time 

 to ' pin his ribbons ' before mounting the box, he can do so 

 after having proceeded a short distance on his stage ; and he 

 cannot say he has not time to unbuckle them before he comes 

 to the end of it. It is evident, that with reins unbuckled 

 at the ends, should either of them drop out of his hand, all 

 command over his team is gone. Moreover, in the hands 

 of the best coachman, a wheel-horse will now and then 

 drop, and should he not fortunately in this case be dragged on 

 the ground so as to stop the coach ^ up he jumps, and, ex- 

 pecting the whip, rushes forward with his head loose, his 

 reins having been drawn through the coachman's hand. 

 Had it been buckled at the end, such an occurrence could 

 not have happened ; and if, after our warning, damages are 

 sought for on this score, coach-proprietors may depend on 

 it they must be prepared to smart. It is also now become 



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