88 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



j)eriences. Of course, what his colleague suffered he 

 m turn underwent ; and as he was a much bigger, 

 taller man than Fredericks, standing over six feet, 

 and broad in proportion, his distress must have been 

 greater still. Once he had an eventful trip. He 

 lost forty-eight minutes in the run from Calais to 

 Marseilles by a tragedy and a variety of other circum- 

 stances. 



At St. Etienne, a child ran across the road, and 

 unhappily was knocked down by the fourgon and 

 killed on the spot. Further on the journey a not 

 unusual incident stayed progress : the wheels were 

 found to be insufficiently lubricated. Four times 

 they caught fire, and had to be cooled and greased 

 afresh. Linch-pins tumbled out and wheels came 

 off. The fourgon came in collision with a cart, the 

 postillion was flung from his saddle, was found to be 

 seriously injured, and had to be left behind. At 

 Neuilly, on going up a hill, eight horses being yoked 

 to the fourgon, the leaders, though ridden by a fresh 

 postillion, revolted and drew it down a bank. The 

 two couriers jumped for their lives, got safely out, 

 flung themselves on the horses, cut the harness, 

 and righted the wrecked conveyance. This happened 

 twice. 



Such were some of the experiences incidental to 

 posting the Indian mail across France. 



In Dover, at the museum in Market Square, in the 

 Plomley room, will be found the model of the King 

 George passage-boat, which carried his Majesty's 



