AND TRICKS OF TRESPASSERS. 263 



and (under a hope that their masters would not offer 

 themselves as a target to every puppy who came to 

 poach on them) talk of " satisfaction " " pistols " 

 " fighting in a sawpit * and hold forth vaunting 

 proposals, in which, if they were once taken at their 

 word, they would, in all probability, like most bul- 

 lies, or sot disant heroes, who prattle too much about 

 " fighting," be the very first to sport the white 

 feather ! 



Though last not least, among the successful plans 

 of the day poacher, is that of taking a double gun, 

 and an old steady pointer, when travelling, and 

 cutting out the game from the farther end of the pre- 

 served fields, which flank the turnpikes (as a cruiser 

 would a flotilla from under a battery) : or, if the fields 

 are so large that he might be coursed and caught, 

 simply to draw them within a short run of his 

 carriage. A keeper, in this case, would do well to 

 gallop quietly round to some likely field in advance, 

 for which our friend would be pretty sure to turn 

 out again ; and here the keeper, by hiding himself, 

 might pop on him, with all the necessary articles to 

 put an end to his progress. For stopping one, who 

 carries a gun to shoot birds feeding as he travels 

 along the road, the better way would be to tie down 

 the innkeepers, by a threat of withdrawing your 

 custom, not to allow their postboys or coachmen to 

 stop for such purposes ; and, through a fear of getting 

 in a scrape, these men would most likely contrive to 

 pass by, or frighten up the game. 



