190 THE NEW FOREST 



and I, without the slightest knowledge of all 

 this turmoil and bad blood, was launched into 

 the thick of it in complete innocence of the 

 temperature of the hot water into which I was 

 officially desired to plunge. Very hot it was too ! 



However, I got hints from reliable friends, 

 both inside of and far away from the Forest ; 

 and, while I realised that an unfair, and indeed 

 impossible situation, had been brought about, I 

 determined to let a couple of seasons go by while 

 I followed the sport of both packs, and could 

 judge of them for myself. What amazed me 

 was the intense bitterness of feeling which the 

 official managers of either pack displayed towards 

 the promoters of the other form of sport, while 

 all the while they each of them followed and 

 subscribed towards the maintenance of the pack 

 they said they were opposed to! In fact, each 

 faction cordially approved of the proceedings of 

 the other, provided only that they were allowed 

 to dictate them ! 



After two years' watching of the working of 

 New Forest hunting, conducted in close friend- 

 ship with the masters of all three packs, and 

 having all their grievances poured into my ears, 

 I came to the conclusion first, that there was 

 abundance of room for all of them in the Forest, 

 and that under proper regulations (and here I 



