136 The Confessions of a Poacher. 



than he sees, and no one knows better than 

 he that the enemies most to be feared 

 are those who are least seen ; and the man 

 who has tasted the bitterness of poaching 

 penalties will do everything in his power to 

 escape detection. Probably the greatest aid 

 to this end is knowing the country by heart ; 

 the field-paths and disused bye-ways, the 

 fordable parts of the river, and a hundred 

 things beside. The poacher is and must be 

 suspicious of everyone he meets. 



In planning and carrying out forays I was 

 always careful to observe two conditions. No 

 poaching secret was ever confided to another ; 

 and I invariably endeavoured to get to the 

 ground unseen. If my out-going was observed 

 it often entailed a circuit of a dozen miles in 

 coming home, and even then the entry into 

 town was not without considerable risk. The 

 hand of everyone was against me in my 

 unlawful calling, and many were the shifts I 

 had to make to escape detection or capture. 

 To show with what success this may be carried 

 out, the following incident will show. 



