THE OLD COACHING ROADS. 51 



led to the painting of a sensational coaching picture, 

 as was the case with the Exeter mail when a lioness 

 escaped from a travelling caravan of Wombwell's, 

 and sprang on one of the leaders near Winterslow 

 Hut, on Salisbury Plain, October 20, 1816. The 

 event was not lost on the artists of that day, who 

 duly depicted it. The appearance on the ground 

 of a large dog which attacked the lioness, and thus 

 diverted her attention, together with the arrival of 

 one of the keepers from the caravan, prevented 

 further injury to the horse, which lived to work for 

 some years in coaches. 



When steam-power was introduced into the agri- 

 cultural districts in the shape of thrashing-machines, 

 a very strong prejudice (perhaps not altogether un- 

 naturally) was excited in the mind of ' Hodge,' 

 who began to look upon his occupation as gone ; and 

 so strong was this fear that it led to an extensive 

 system of incendiarism, and threatening letters, signed 

 ' Swing,' were frequently received by farmers, warn- 

 ing them against the employment of the machines, 

 and giving them to understand that on their failing 

 to take the hint they would in all probability find 

 their corn-ricks burnt down some morning. The 

 threatening was carried on so extensively and syste- 

 matically that it caused quite a panic in the agri- 

 cultural and corn-growing parts of the country. A 



4—2 



