THE THIEF AND POACHEK. 99 



And tills because there was no Immediately 

 resident gentleman, and no sort of preservation of 

 game. 



One miliealtliy state of things induced another. 

 Every idly-inclined and dishonest man, seeing 

 how his fellows could fare, then tried to erect a 

 mud hut, in order to enjoy the illegal pursuits 

 he saw luere not restrained by anj/ exercise of 

 landed power ; and, on the suggestion of the 

 previous squatters before him, he was told 

 '^io bide some high wind setting the desired 

 way towards the fir woods, and then in the 

 nocturnal hours to light a fire" — the habit 

 having been, on occasions of these really in- 

 cendiary fires^ to give the loppings of the 

 dead trees, and the half-charred poles, '-'- to the 

 poor'' — to the very men who purposely set the 

 woods on fire. If this encouragement of the most 

 serious crime is what is termed being ^^good to 

 the poor," why then Heaven, in th.at respect^ make 

 me '^had'' to them for life. 



If it is ivromj in us, the game-preservers, to 



keep in our woods a quantity of game, for our 



anmsement and tliat of our friends, and to the 



very great employment of labouring men and 



IT 2 



