A Regular Coachman will get his Carriage and Horses cleaned and dressed as early in the morning as he can, and not wait lounging about to know when he will be wanted.
An active Stable-Man will begin his work by Six in the Morning: to set his Stable to rights, and Dress a pair of Horses, will take from an Hour and a Half to Two Hours.
Washing and Cleaning the Carriage and Harness will take from Two to Three Hours, according to the work on the Harness, &c.: including his time for Breakfast, &c., he will be ready by Eleven.
However late he comes home, a good Groom will oil and wipe the Bits, wash his Horses’ feet, give them a whisp down, &c.—to shake their Beds down, and give them Water and Corn, and to rack them up for the Night; if he has a Carriage, he will also dish-clout the Body of it, will take about from an Hour, to an Hour and a Half: therefore, when a Coachman is required to wait at Table, let him be Home a full Hour and a Half before he is so wanted.
THE HAMMERCLOTH.
When Coaches were first introduced, our frugal ancestors used to load the Carriage with provisions for the family when they came to London. The hamper, covered with a cloth, was a convenient repository, and a seat for the Coachman. This was afterwards converted into a Box. Hammercloth is therefore very probably a corruption of Hamper-cloth: it is now one of the principal Ornaments to a Carriage:—according to the fulness of the plaiting of the Cloth, its depth, and the quantity of Trimming thereon, is the cost thereof, which varies from £10. to £40.
After a dusty Journey, let it be well brushed: if it is not, and it gets wetted, it will be spoiled; the Lace and Fringe cuddle dust greedily, and ought to be diligently disturbed.
SCREWING THE BOLTS.
The shaking of the Carriage frequently loosens the Bolts and Nuts[23]; and if these are not attended to immediately, the Timber, Iron work, &c. will suffer material injury.—A Coachman may attend to this as well as a Coachmaker.
A Careful Coachman will gently try the Nuts about once a fortnight; but, in screwing them up, use no violence, and take care not to injure the Paint with the Wrench.