THE NEW FOREST IN AUGUST. oil 



of green bracken and the new sufficiency of grass. The forest- 

 ponies look almost fat, and their young offspring sleek and 

 happy — little recking of the cruel wintertime ahead. The 

 Deer-Hounds have summered well, and looked muscular and 

 ready on this early byeday at the New Park — as well they 

 need be, to fight their way through the choking mass of fern. 

 How they could get through it at all, if a southerly wind were 

 blowing and the sun of August had its proper power, is beyond 

 conjecture — and fortunately matters not now, for to-day a cool 

 sea-fosr was drifting aloft and the air was more autumn than 

 summerlike. Grass and heather were dripping with recent 

 rainfall ; and the ground was fit to trust almost anywhere — the 

 turf rides of the inclosures sound but pliant, and open forest 

 and the commons alike well watered and safe. The old natural 

 — or apparently natural — woodland is the most fascinating part 

 of the New Forest. The old timber is never thinned out for 

 conversion into income ; the Royal Navy no longer claims the 

 best oaks ; Nature has it all her own way; and accordingly the 

 modern Briton may here find his only remaining native forest 

 thrown open in its happiest form. 



As I rode up, with customary unpunctuality, the scene by 

 Brockenhurst (Rhinefield Walk, I fancy) was picturesque, 

 almost mediaeval, and just breaking into life. Groups of horse- 

 men and ladies fair were scattered under the trees along its 

 edge ; the hounds were mustered in couples held by their 

 attendants ; the huntsman was galloping up, with horn at 

 mouth and tufters at heel ; while the woodlands opposite were 

 ringing to lusty and repeated view holloas. A brace of buck 

 (are they brace or couple ?) were afoot, had left the bushes for 

 the wood, the Master had given the office, and the pack was to 

 be laid on at once. If hounds are eager and excited when 

 blown out of covert to a fox away — when already they have 

 been working at liberty, perhaps for hours — how much more 

 trying to their keen temperament must it be to find themselves 

 suddenly freed from leash with the certainty — as they know 

 well — of the burning scent of a deer awaiting them ! But they 



