Poachers in Petticoats. 167 



might have died in it but for one of his watchers, who, 

 chancing to come that way on his rounds, found and 

 released him. For this sharp practice on the poacher's 

 part no prosecution followed, nor was any action taken 

 afterwards, which may be thought strange. But the 

 gamekeeper was a new hand in the neighbourhood, be- 

 sides the culprit being altogether unknown to him. And 

 possibly he had no desire to identify him, not liking to 

 make a noise about an affair in which he had himself cut 

 such a ridiculous figure. Of course, the poacher kept it 

 dark enough, and it is only known to the initiated. 



POACHERS IN PETTICOATS. 



A keeper employed in the Government Forest of Dean, 

 whose enclosed boundary is but a few stones' throw from 

 my house, tells me a sorrowful tale of his troubles with 

 poachers. He says poaching by snare and trap is so 

 rife throughout the Forest that he can hardly go his 

 rounds, taking his dogs along, without one or other of 

 the canines getting caught in a " gin " the steel spring 

 trap. 



This I can credit, knowing how strong and numerous 

 is the fraternity of poachers all around the Forest borders. 

 Indeed, there are families in which this practice is 

 hereditary, and has been followed for centuries the 

 descendants of those who stole the king's deer, when 

 the antlered stag was among its denizens. And now 

 that there are no deer in it to be stolen these thrifty 

 people of the modern day have transferred their industry 



