2 8 THE EXETER ROAD 



driver's box, was considered to be aj^propriated to the 

 baggage of the three outside and four inside passengers, 

 which was the MaiVs entire complement. One of the 

 outsiders shared the box with the driver, and two 

 occupied the seat on the roof behind him, their backs 

 to the horses, and facing the guard, who had a seat 

 all to himself. The accommodation provided for these 

 two was not of a very comfortable description. They 

 were not, indeed, crowded, as the four who occupied a 

 similar position on another coach often were ; but 

 they had a mere board to sit on, whereas the seats on 

 the roof of an ordinary stage coach were provided 

 with cushions. The fares by the mail were nearly 

 always somewhat higher than those by even equally 

 fast, or, in some cases, faster, coaches ; and it seems 

 unreasonable, therefore, that the accommodation 

 should have been inferior. I can only supj)ose that 

 the patrons of the mail were understood to be com- 

 pensated for its material imperfections by the superior 

 dignity of their position. The ?>ox-seat, however, was 

 well cushioned. 



' But if the despatches, which it was the mail's busi- 

 ness to carry, could once upon a time be contained in 

 the hinder-boot, such soon ceased to be the case. The 

 bulk of postal matter which had to be carried was 

 constantly and rapidly increasing, and often as many 

 as nine enormous sacks, which were as long as the 

 coach was broad, w^ere heaped upon the roof. The 

 huge heap, three or four tiers high, was piled to a 

 height w^hich prevented the guard, even when stand- 

 ing, from seeing or communicating with the coach- 

 man. If to these considerations the reader will add 



