MY WORK, STAFF, AND CHIEFS 59 



cases became keen and intelligent observers of 

 wild life. 



The old-fashioned head keepers, when in the 

 employ of the Lord Warden of the Forest an 

 office which fell into abeyance at the death of 

 H.E.H. the Duke of Cambridge in 1850 were 

 rather a different class of men to those now ful- 

 filling what is left of their duties. They drew 

 very good salaries and had good lodges (so have 

 the head keepers now), and had in the days of 

 the deer very responsible duties to perform, and 

 a good deal of money passed through their 

 hands. The Lord Warden provided a uniform : 

 green coat, gold-laced hat, white breeches and 

 top boots. Everybody always rode about the 

 Forest in those days and until recently. Even 

 the under keepers always had their rough pony 

 to get about upon. But the bicycle has done 

 much to knock minor horsemanship on the head. 

 In my time we found horses best, if we really 

 needed to get about in the Forest in all condi- 

 tions and to all remote places. 



Altogether the Forest keeper of former days 

 was apt to be somewhat of a personage, and 

 many of them were much respected and looked 

 up to locally. 



Some of them succeeded to their offices from 

 father to son for generations. Most people now 



