274: THE WILD-FOWLER. 



drunken, mischievous rabble that frequent the ale-houses about Christ- 

 mas for the nominal purpose of wild- fowl shooting." And then, 

 under the cloak of defence in behalf of the " poor fishermen " in their 

 " honest calling," suggests the propriety of a wild-fowling licence. 

 There can be no doubt, from the severity of the colonel's tone, that 

 he himself was far more annoyed at the " vagabonds " and " vagrants" 

 than the " poor fishermen " for whom he professes to show so great a 

 sympathy. 



The neighbourhood of Lymington is not alone in being visited 

 " about Christmas" by inexperienced gunners. It is the same in almost 

 every wild-fowling locality around the coast ; and, so far from agree- 

 ing with Colonel Hawker in his opinion as to their spoiling the sport, 

 we consider their invasions of the waters altogether harmless. They 

 kill nothing j because, as the colonel remarks, they " fire indiscrimi- 

 nately at all distances." And it is not the unskilful who injure the 

 sport, but the skilful. Generally speaking, these (so called) " vaga- 

 bonds and vagrants " are clerks, apprentices, drapers' assistants, and 

 others belonging to highly industrious classes, who obtain a holiday 

 only once a year ; and it is the greatest possible enjoyment to such 

 young men (some of whom, I fear, are treated little better than 

 slaves) to borrow or hire a gun, and go out on the coast for the pur- 

 pose of shooting, or attempting to shoot, sea or wild-fowl ; and those 

 who can afford it, hire a boat, and are generally accompanied by the 

 very punters (the "poor fishermen") whose lamentations the colonel 

 would fain lay at the foot of the Legislature. The "poor fishermen" 

 are liberally paid for their services and the use of their boats j and, 

 so far from entertaining that spirit of sarcastic jealousy echoed by the 

 colonel towards these " vagabonds" and " vagrants," the fishermen are, 

 in fact, glad of the opportunity it affords them of earning a few shillings 

 for Christmas cheer ; indeed, if the " poor fishermen " had spoken their 

 minds, they would, one and all, much rather have been rid of the 

 colonel himself than the " vagabonds " and '< vagrants." 



My own experiences of " poor fishermen " induce me to speak 

 less favourably of many of them than the colonel has done. 

 These men look upon punting as their own rightful occupation j and 

 they consider gentlemen sportsmen, one and all, intruders upon their 

 domain, who ought not to interfere with the pursuit. They are 

 always jealous of gentlemen punters, especially those who make 

 successful shots. I have frequently heard, from their own lips, 

 statements which fully bear out these conclusions. 



