MY WORK, STAFF, AND CHIEFS 57 



under keepers, had in charge only one of the 

 thirteen " walks," or keepers' beats, in the Forest. 

 They had no authority over the under keepers, who 

 each had a similar " walk " which he considered 

 his own, free of supervision. 



Everything was in a state of chaos, and I 

 set to work to clear out what was verily an 

 Augean Stable. First of all, I had to persuade 

 the Treasury to give me one other head keeper 

 at a somewhat lower salary than the four exist- 

 ing ones. Each of these, and they were all 

 excellent men, continued at their existing wage, 

 but their places were each cut down to the limit 

 I had decided on, as they fell vacant, and new 

 men were appointed at what was quite an ample 

 wage. I divided the Forest into five districts, 

 containing so many "walks" each, and placed 

 each of my five men in charge of one, with twelve 

 under keepers among them. Each man had so 

 many under keepers under his authority, and these 

 men had no defined districts, to the boundaries 

 of which they confined their energies as before, but 

 had to attend to whatever duties were set them 

 in any part of the district of the head keeper 

 wherever he chose to send them. He was en- 

 tirely responsible for their good work, and was 

 supported heartily if he had any well founded 

 complaint to make against any of his subordinates. 



