164 FIELD AND HEDGEROW 



declining — these forest grounds of heath and bracken 

 were free to all comers, and great numbers of squatters 

 built huts and inclosed pieces of land. They cleared 

 away the gorse and heath and grubbed the fir-tree 

 stumps, and found, after a while, that the apparently 

 barren sand could grow a good sward. No one would 

 think anything could flourish on such an arid sand, ex- 

 posed at a great height on the open hill to the cutting 

 winds. Contrary, however, to appearances, fair crops, 

 and sometimes two crops of hay are yielded, and there 

 is always a good bite for cattle. These squatters con- 

 sequently came to keep cows, sometimes one and some- 

 times two — anticipating the three acres and a cow ; 

 and it is very odd to hear the women at the hop-picking 

 telling each other they are going to churn to-night. They 

 have, in fact, little dairies. Such are the better class of 

 squatters. But others there are who have shown no in- 

 dustry, half-gipsies, who do anything but work — tramp, 

 beg, or poach ; sturdy fellows, stalking round with toy- 

 brooms for sale, with all the blackguardism of both races. 

 They keep just within the law ; they do not steal or 

 commit burglary ; but decency, order, and society they 

 set utterly at defiance. For instance, a gentleman 

 pleased with the splendid view built a large mansion 

 in one spot, never noticing that the entrance was oppo- 

 site a row of cottages, or rather thinking no evil of it. 

 The result was that neither his wife nor visitors could go 

 in or out without being grossly insulted, without rhyme 

 or reason, merely for the sake of blackguardism. Now, 

 the pure gipsy in his tent or the Anglo-Saxon labourer 

 would not do this ; it was the half-breed. The original 

 owner was driven from his premises ; and they are said 

 to have changed hands several times since from the 

 same cause. All over the parish this half-breed element 



