28 Poachers and Poaching. 



the Bench. " He deserved no quarter and asked 

 none. Poaching was -right by the Bible, but 

 wrong by the Law." One of the Justices deigned 

 to remark it was a question of " property," not 

 morality. "Oh!" rejoined the "Otter," "because 

 blue blood doesn't run in my veins, that's no 

 reason why I shouldn't have my share." And 

 after a moment's pause : " But its a queer kind 

 o' property that's yours in that field, mine in 

 the turnpike, and a third man's over the next 

 fence." 



The end of it was, however, a fine of ^5, with 

 an alternative. And so the case ended. But 

 that day the keepers and their assistants had 

 forgotten the first principles of watching. The 

 best keeper is the one that is least seen. Only 

 let the poacher know his whereabouts, and the 

 latter's work is easy. It was afterwards remarked 

 that during the trial of the "Otter "not a poacher 

 was in court. This fact in itself was unusual and 

 significant. It became more so when he was 

 released by reason of his heavy fine being paid 

 the same evening. More than one woman had 

 been seen labouring under loaded baskets near 

 the local game dealer's, and these were inno- 

 cently covered with mantling cresses, and so at 

 the time escaped suspicion. Upon this memor- 

 able day the pheasants had been fed by unseen 

 hands and had vanished. The only traces left by 

 the covert side were fluffy feathers everywhere. 



