people were
more than usually interested owing to the severity of the weather.
This particular coach changed horses at the Old Crown, and when the
vehicle rattled up the street it was noticed that the horn did not
sound, and, on pulling up, the driver went sharply round to scold the
guard. Poor fellow! He was found frozen to death, fast on his perch!

Sometimes the passengers by coach found themselves in contact with
rough characters. In 1825, for instance, the Lynn coach contained
three men being taken up to London for trial on a charge of burglary.
When ascending Barkway hill the three men took advantage of the slower
pace of the coach and began to descend with a view to escape, but the
attendant immediately brought a pistol to their faces and one who had
actually got off the coach was "persuaded" to get up again by the
determination of their attendants to "have them in Newgate this night
either dead or alive." They got them there alive and they were
transported.

In the coaching days of this century the old highwaymen had for the
most part disappeared, but a notable instance was afforded in this
district in which the Mellishs, then residing at Hamels Park, were
concerned. There were really two incidents, one in which Colonel
Mellish fired at a highwayman and killed him, and in the other Captain
Mellish was robbed, and as the highwayman rode away, not satisfied with
his triumph, he turned and fire at the carriage, and the ball passed
through the window and killed Captain Mellish!

Mr. Cross, the driver of the Lynn coach, gives an instance of three
rival coaches on the road, of which he was driving one, and that a race
for the lead resulted in accomplishing one stage at the extraordinary
pace of 20 minutes and a few seconds for an _eight miles course_,
which, if timed correctly, was at the rate of _24 miles an hour_! But
three of his opponents' horses never came out of the stable again!

One of the most alarming stage coach accidents in England was that
between the Holyhead mail and the Chester mail near St. Albans in 1820.
There had been a race between the two coaches from just this side
Highgate, to near St. Albans. When going down a hill both
drivers--Perdy, of the Holyhead, and Butler, of the Chester coach--put
their horses into a furious galop, the velocity of the coaches
increasing at every step. There was plenty of room, but as Butler
found the Holyhead gaining a little upon him, it is said he wildly