EAST AND SOUTH-EAST 8l 



The department at one time maintained at 

 Gravesend a shipper of mails. Many years ago, on 

 the occasion of an official visit, I saw the old gentle- 

 man on the pier there. He explained, though not to 

 me, the method of embarking ship-letter mails, as the 

 outward-bound vessel came down stream at speed from 

 one of the docks up the river. 



* We ship them,' said he, ' as we used to harpoon a 

 whale, having a long staff with a hook instead of a 

 spear at one end, and a line at the other. Then, as 

 the vessel comes down, we lie as near her course as we 

 dare for safety, and harpoon her as she passes ; that 

 is, we catch hold of a rope, or port-hole, or what not, 

 with the hook, and pay out the line steadily, until by 

 degrees it tightens and our little boat is going as fast 

 as the big vessel. Next we haul up close alongside ; 

 they throw us a rope, we tie it round the bags, 

 they haul 'em up, and all's done, except the shout- 

 ing.' 



The reporting officer had to turn this account into 

 strictly official language, and then thought he had 

 rendered a most picturesque report. 



From London Bridge to Dover, through Eochester 

 and Canterbury, the distance is seventy-one miles — 

 i.e., by avoiding Chatham. Originally the London 

 coach ran through Chatham town, along the High 

 Street and up Chatham Hill, stopping by the way at 

 the Mitre. But to save time was especially im- 

 portant, as, in view of the Continental mails and 

 Government despatches, and the racing speed at 



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