E^'COUNTEE WITH rOACIIERS. 37 



wards, by which they were deceived in the way he re- 

 treated ; and when he found many hares' runs, in any of 

 the large fields, those in which he could not set snares 

 (from not having a sufficient number) he smoked 

 with tobacco, the scent of which prevents the hares 

 going through them. However, I can assert that one 

 of the best gamekeepers I ever had was formerly a great 

 poacher in Norfolk; and this man, by his activity in 

 Avaging constant war against the four-footed vermin and 

 birds of prey, got up in the course of two seasons a large 

 stock of pheasants. The poachers of the vicinity gave him 

 little trouble, knowing that he was a very determined cha- 

 racter, and fully up to all their proceedings. Previous to 

 m.y engaging him he had lived as gamekeeper with the 

 late 8ir William Clayton, who gave him an excellent cha- 

 racter. I lost his services, for in a night affray with 

 two poachers, who were shooting pheasants on the perch, 

 he mortally wounded one who had always declared 

 he would never be taken alive. jNIy gamekeeper was 

 tried at the Chelmsford Assizes for the crime of murder ; 

 ])ut the verdict of the jury was manslaughter, and he 

 was imprisoned for a year : he afterwards lived as head 

 gamekeeper to the late Mr. Conyers of Copt Hall. In 

 one encoimter vdth some poachers in Norfolk he had 

 a narrow escape of his life, a ball having passed through 

 the croA\Ti of his hat. I should never feel anxious to 

 engage a gamekeeper who boasted of his being a good 

 shot : if he is able to destroy with his gun hawks, carrion 

 crows, magpies, jays, brown owls, &c., that is quite suf- 

 ficient as regards his shooting ; the owner of an estate 

 goes to the expense of preserving the game for the 

 amusement of himself and his friends, and not for his 

 gamekeeper. A lady possessing a considerable property 

 generally requires a gamekeeper to shoot the game for 



