282 llEMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



an "TV at tins recommencement of hostilities after he 

 had surrendered, was administering to the villain 

 some severe punishment when Toomer and a brother 

 of Hall's came up and begged him to desist. The 

 deer-stealer was sent to the hulks, but what reward had 

 Joseph Hall? None; and though he was six weeks 

 in the doctor's care, and for a year or more spit blood 

 from the kicks he received, and, in short, very nearly 

 lost his life in doing his duty, he loas left to defray the 

 medical expenses he had incurred. There are keepers 

 in that forest who shunned a conflict with this deer- 

 stealer, and also with another from whom this young 

 man took a murderous weapon ; and yet these men 

 are as well paid, and are as much in favour, as the 

 o-allant vouno^ Hall. Under such circumstances as 

 these, how is it to be expected that keepers or wood- 

 men will do their duty ? 



There is not a keeper in the New Forest that I am 

 aware of, who systematically destroys tlie lesser vermin 



the forest is a nursery for all sorts of vermin — 



which, having destroyed the greater part of the forest 

 game, then infest the neighbouring manors of gentle- 

 men to a most objectionable and destructive extent. 

 I asked a keeper once why he did not destroy the 

 vermin, and he replied, " nothing was allowed for 

 doing so." I then inquired, " what are your wages, 

 your house, and your land for ?" This was a puzzling 

 question, but he met it by saying, " no powder 

 and shot was allowed, and no traps." The number 

 of vermin of all sorts bred every year in the New 

 Forest is enough to stock all England ; and in com- 

 mon fairness to neighbouring proprietors, this nui- 

 sance should not be permitted on the Crown lands. 

 In France the forest-keepers keep a regular list of all 



