between them and the passengers. As for myself, when the weather permitted it, I invariably went outside, which the Americans seldom do, and was always very good friends with the drivers. They are full of local information, and often very amusing. There is, however, a great difference in the behaviour of the drivers of the mails, and coaches which are timed by the post-office, and others which are not. If beyond his time, the driver is mulcted by the proprietors; and when dollars are in the question, there is an end to all urbanity and civility.

A gentleman of my acquaintance was in a mail which was behind time, and the driver was proceeding at such a furious pace that one jerk threw a lady to the top of the coach, and the teeth of her comb entering her head, she fainted with the pain. The passengers called out to the driver to stop. "What for?" "That last jerk has struck the lady, and she has fainted." "Oh,

that's all! Well, I reckon I'll give her another

jerk, which will bring her to again." Strange

to say, he prophecied right; the next jerk was very violent, and the lady recovered her senses.

Mr. E., an employé of the American government, was travelling in the State of Indianathe passengers had slept at an inn, and the coach was ready at the door, but Mr. E. had not quite finished his toilet; the driver dispatched the barkeeper for him, and Mr. E. sent word he would be down immediately.

"What is he about?" said the driver impatiently to the bar-keeper when he came down again.

66

66

Cleaning his teeth.”

Cleaning his teeth!" roared the driver, indignantly; "by the," and away went the horses at a gallop, leaving Mr. E. behind.

The other passengers remonstrated, but without avail; they told him that Mr. E. was charged with government despatches-he didn't care; at last, one of them offered him a dollar if he would go back. They had proceeded more than a mile before the offer was made; the man

immediately wheeled his horses round, and re

turned to the inn.

The Rev. Mr. Reid gives an anecdote very characteristic of American stage-coach travelling, and proving how little the convenience of the public is cared for.

"When we stopped at Lowell to change horses, a female wished to secure a place onward. We were already, as the phrase is, more than full; we had nine persons, and two children, which are made to go for nothing, except in the way-bill. Our saucy driver opened the door, and addressing two men, who, with us, would have been outside passengers' Now, I say, I want one of you to ride with me, and let a lady have your seat.' The men felt they were addressed by a superior, but kept their places. 'Come, I say,' he continued, you shall have a good buffalo and umbrel, and nothing will hurt you.' Still they kept their places, and refused him. His lordship was offended, and ready to lay hands on one of them; but, checking him

6

self, exclaimed, 'Well, if I can't get you out," hang it if I'll take you on till one of you gets out.' And there we stood for some time; and he gained his point at last, and in civiller terms, by persuading the persons on the middle seat to receive the lady; so that we had now twelve inside."

I once myself was in a stage-coach, and found that the window glasses had been taken out; I mentioned this to the driver, as it rained in very fast-" Well, now," replied he, "I reckon you'd better ax the proprietors; my business is to drive the coach." And that was all the comfort I could procure. As for speaking to them about stopping, or driving slow, it is considered as an unwarrantable interference.

I recollect an Englishman at New York telling me, that when in the Eastern States, he had expressed a wish to go a little faster-" Oh,” said the driver, "you do, do you; well, wait a moment, and I'll go faster than you like." The

fellow drove very slow where the road was good;

but as soon as he came to a bad piece, he put his horses to the gallop, and, as my friend said, they were so tossed and tumbled about, that they hardly knew where they were. "Is that fast enough, Mister," said the driver, leering in at the coach window.

As for stopping, they will stop to talk to any one on the road about the price of the markets, the news, or any thing else; and the same accommodation is cheerfully given to any passenger who has any business to transact on the way. The Americans are accustomed to it, and the passengers never raise any objections. There is a spirit of accommodation, arising from their natural good temper.*

*This spirit of accommodation produces what would at first appear to be rudeness, but is not intended for it. When you travel, or indeed when walking the streets in the Western country, if you have a cigar in your mouth, a man will come up-"Beg pardon, stranger," and whips your cigar out of your mouth, lights his own, and then returns your's. I thought it rather cool at first, but as I found it was the practice, I invariably did the same whenever I needed a light.