84 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



places to favour the gad-about, the Postmaster-General 

 has pitched his tent half a dozen times in fresh spots ; 

 in Canterbury Lane — but that was long ago; in 

 St. George's Street, opposite the church dedicated to 

 that saint ; afterwards, six doors lower down ; then, 

 again, at the corner of Whitehouse Lane. Another 

 bold shift planted it opposite Guildhall Street ; finally 

 — a nomad no longer — it halted on the site where I 

 have known it for about twent3^-five years, and where 

 it now seems likely to remain. 



The mails on the Dover road were no more exempt 

 than other mails from attacks of freebooters. In 

 August, 1814, poor Cephas Bates, with a foreign mail 

 from Dover in his charge, on drawing near to Canter- 

 bury, was set upon, opposite the guide-post to Bar- 

 frestone and Eythorne, by two men, robbed, and 

 violently beaten. One ' villain ' had large whiskers, 

 the other had none to speak of; one wore a short 

 jacket, the other a long one. By these marks they 

 were to be known. 



Time wore on until, on the night of June 6, 1826, 

 came the robbery near Chatham. Seven mail-bags 

 and a box of letters mysteriously disappeared from 

 the night mail between that town and Eainham. 

 The empty receptacles were found next morning in a 

 field near Chatham Hill. A reward of one hundred 

 guineas stimulated search after the robbers. I think 

 it was in connection with this latter case that a 

 skilfully-planned alibi was set up, which brought off 

 the adroit principal scot-free. 



