LE LONG DU SENTIER 



the very bountif ulness of the woods and 

 the waters. Where it has been the custom 

 for generations to take when the need 

 arose, it is not easy to instil sudden re- 

 spect for a line in an Act of Parliament, 

 or an imaginary line (disregarded by 

 birds and beasts) dividing two tracts of 

 forest. Even a fence, where no fence 

 was, is resented as an attempt to with- 

 draw from the common store things that 

 have been free as air from time of mem- 

 ory. The habitant who gathers a crop 

 of half grown partridges from his 

 mountain side, is encouraged in break- 

 ing the law a second time by those who 

 buy them for the table. After offering 

 a well nigh irresistible inducement to 

 illegality, such abettors are heard to 

 complain that some favourite spruce or 

 birch has disappeared from their en- 

 closed grounds, and are not consoled by 

 knowing that it has gone into the foun- 

 dation of a house, or the shafts of a cart. 

 Notwithstanding such evil example, the 



255 



