OI.D TIMES AND OIvD CHARACTERS 



Walker's most narrow escape occurred when the 

 Cockermouth Otterhounds hunted a drag up 

 Watendlath Beck. The Hue led them to a steep 

 ghyll behind the smuggler's house, and there some 

 of the field discovered the still. They prompt iy 

 helped themselves, not wisely but too well, with 

 the result that they were found lying drunk 

 all the way from Barrow House to Keswick. 

 The authorities got to hear of it, and planned a 

 raid for the following day. Walker was from 

 home on the day of the hunt at a sheep-clipping 

 at Wythburn, but on hearing the news he at once 

 took his departure, and during the night he and 

 his family worked like beavers, and removed all 

 signs of the still, sinking the paraphernalia in 

 Watendlath Tarn. On the arrival of the Revenue 

 Officers the next day they fully thought they had 

 been hoaxed, and of course found no evidence on 

 which to make a conviction. Walker eventually 

 emigrated with his family to Australia. It is 

 difficult to say when " I^anty " Slee's career 

 came to an end, but in 1853 he was caught 

 " red-handed," and fined one hundred pounds. 

 The whiskey, made with large quantities of 

 potato starch, was real " hot-stufi," and anyone 

 who got "tight" on it was generally incapa- 

 citated for several days. The dalesfolk are 

 quick witted and good at repartee. Mr. J. R. 

 Ball, of Little Corby, relates a story in this con- 

 nection. He was on one occasion speaking of the 

 size of his county Cumberland. Quick as light- 

 ning came the retort, * ' Aye, but if Westmorland 

 were rowled oot flatwheear wad yer Cumberland 

 be?" 



Mention has already been made of the woman 

 "Mayoress" at Troutbeck. Nanny, the wife 

 of Jack Parker, huntsman to the Sinnington, 



259 



