122 The Chase 



purpose, lying about half a mile to the east of 

 Wolmer Pond, and still called Queen's Bank, saw 

 with great complacency and satisfaction the whole 

 herd of red deer brought by the keepers along the 

 vale before her, consisting then of about five hundred 

 head. A sight this, worthy the attention of the 

 greatest sovereign ! But he farther adds that, by 

 means of the Waltham blacks or, to use his own 

 expression, as soon as they began blacking, they 

 were reduced to about fifty head, and so continued 

 decreasing till the time of the late Duke of Cumber- 

 land. It is now more than thirty years ago that 

 his Highness sent down a huntsman and six yeoman- 

 prickers, in scarlet jackets laced with gold, attended 

 by the stag-hounds ; ordering them to take every 

 deer in this forest alive, and to convey them in 

 carts to Windsor. In the course of the summer 

 they caught every stag, some of which showed 

 extraordinary diversion : but in the following 

 winter, when the hinds were also carried ofF, such 

 fine chases were exhibited as served the country 

 people for matter of talk and wonder for years 

 afterwards. I saw myself one of the yeoman- 

 prickers single out a stag from the herd, and must 

 confess that it was the most curious feat of activity 

 I ever beheld, superior to anything in Mr. Astley's 

 riding-school. The exertions made by the horse 

 and deer much exceeded all my expectations ; 

 though the former greatly excelled the latter in 

 speed. When the devoted deer was separated from 

 his companions, they gave him, by their watches, 

 law, as they called it, for twenty minutes ; when, 

 sounding their horns, the stop-dogs were permitted 

 to pursue, and a most gallant scene ensued. 



The Rev, Gilbert White. 



