18 THROUGH SHERWOOD FOREST. [Nov., 



of the road, the tourist will be struck at once with the youth of 

 the trees composinf^ the part of the forest surrounding him. If 

 he expected immediately to see immense Oaks, bearing evidence 

 of centuries of age, he will be disappointed, because all around are 

 trees whose age can easily be computed. The last owner of 

 Welbeck, and of the title of Duke of Portland, commonly desig- 

 nated the * Invisible Prince,' was careful to keep up the forest by 

 planting thousands of trees, and every clump bears the year in 

 which they were planted. The visitor will' therefore have to 

 wander for a mile or two before he emerges in view of the 

 Veterans of the forest. He will, however, have a compensating 

 pleasure in noting the extreme regularity with which the trees 

 have been planted ; and on a day bright wdth genial sunshine, 

 the scene is almost beyond parallel. Along each plantation is 

 a magnificent glade, with grass of the freshest hue, and while 

 the undergrowth in the woods reaches several feet in height, no 

 stray bracken or furze is allowed to encroach on the gorgeous car- 

 pet of green. There may be seen picnic parties by the dozen ; and 

 if the visitor listens, he will catch the sound of a buzzing saw, and 

 come to the right conclusion that there is a saw-mill right in the 

 heart of the forest. Turning to the right, a very remarkable 

 sight is reached. This is the ' Shambles Oak,' the remnant of 

 an immense tree, with a trunk half hollow, and half destroyed 

 by fire by some forest Vandal. It is stated that here Robin Hood 

 used to conceal the venison he had procured in the chase, and 

 from the size of the interior, it may easily be conjectured what 

 amount of booty might be concealed. Like the first-named 

 * relic,' this ci-devant monarch of the forest is carefully chained, 

 and sustained, like a paralytic, with crutches and supports, so that 

 the traditional monument shall be allowed to escape the fate 

 Lucifer, ' to fall and never to rise again.' Travelling on, the 

 division line between the estates of the Duke of Portland, and 

 the Earl of Manvers, is reached ; and it will be seen that the 

 fenced line of one mile consists entirely of Holly trees of singular 

 height and size. Between the two estates a splendid glade runs 

 down to the confines, and a fine old Oak occupies the sole 

 position in the open space of green. Passing under the Norman 

 arch the traveller enters the second ducal estate, and the vdld 

 beauty of the scene astonishes him more than the orderly charm 

 which he met with in the forest he has left behind him. Here all 

 nature is in 'uproar wild and disarray,' presenting the most effective 

 contrast to the forest he has passed through. There is no 

 . neatly marked carriage-way of red and white sand, no beautiful 

 ■:glades of emerald green, and no groups of trees standing 



