iS6 THE COACHING AGE. 



and returned with the two which had arrived, and 

 were taken back to be washed, oiled, and overhauled, 

 ready to go out the next night. 



It seems rather strange at the present time to hear 

 of two mail-coaches standing out in Holborn all day, 

 hut such was the fact, and two or three stage-coaches 

 used to stand out in the same way lower down at the 

 Bull Inn, and old Bell, in Holborn. 



Not having room for all his horses in the Bell and 

 Crown yard, Fagg had some stabling in Leather 

 Lane ; but he had no underground accommodation as 

 there was at the Swan with Two Necks, and Bull and 

 Mouth. 



I now come to a very noted and spirited female 

 coach and mail proprietor, and hope I shall not 

 be considered deficient in gallantry from having 

 mentioned so many before her. There were but two 

 in London, one of whom was Sarah Ann Mountain, of 

 the Saracen's Head, Snow Hill, now, like Hearn's 

 establishment at the bottom of Snow Hill, entirely 

 done away with. One at the top, the other at 

 the bottom of the hill ; by the construction of the 

 Holborn viaduct, both were, I suppose I may say, 

 improved off the face of the earth. 



Mrs. Mountain was a widow, and her business was 

 managed by her son Peter. The only mail she had 

 was the ' Louth,' which she horsed jointly with Fagg. 



