THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST. 175 



of woodcarts all on the wrong side, all straggling in 

 such a manner that we were fain to draw our vehicle 

 into the ditch) and on every cart were one or two wood- 

 men lying in a state of senseless intoxication, and 

 leaving their horses to find their own way home a task 

 which they certainly performed with an accuracy that 

 warranted the confidence reposed in them. 



Many of these men would not be sober until the 

 Tuesday, they would sleep off their headaches on Wed- 

 nesday, on Thursday and Friday they would earn a 

 week's wages, and on Saturday they would set off to 

 the public-house and renew the last week's scenes. This 

 kind of life suits their lawless natures, and they would 

 rather lead this wild and reckless existence than be- 

 come honoured and useful members of society, as they 

 might easily do, considering the wages which they can 

 earn. Perhaps their wives and children might hold a 

 different opinion, especially from Saturday evening to 

 Wednesday morning. 



Vipers are delightfully plentiful in the New Forest, 

 and during our limited sojourn I saw three distinct 

 varieties, the common, the light grey, and the yellow, 

 the last-mentioned being the largest living viper I 

 ever saw. Apropos of vipers, it so happened that some 

 farmers were paying a passing call when a labourer 

 brought me a moderate-sized viper suspended to a string, 

 and hung it on a post. Acting on the impulse of the 

 moment I flung my knife at the reptile, and by a 

 wondrously fortunate shot drove the blade fairly through 



