234 THE NEW FOREST 



country like the New Forest, and it seemed right 

 that this county pack should have the local 

 country. 



This was soon arranged, and from that day 

 to this, the excellent pack kennelled at Wilton 

 has provided a capital fortnight's sport in the 

 New Forest streams. 



Mr. Tracy had a large and excellent band of 

 followers, wearing the green coat and white 

 breeches of his hunt uniform, who lived near and 

 helped him on the widely scattered streams 

 which in three or four different counties consti- 

 tuted his " country." These brought great 

 assistance to the master when he visited the 

 New Forest, and imported no little conviviality 

 and good fellowship into our hunts. They are 

 in possession of the country now, and, though 

 the master himself has so far yielded to the 

 burden of years that he no longer carries the 

 horn himself, he has able substitutes, and the 

 sport goes as well as ever. Long may it 

 continue to flourish ! 



Badgers are now very numerous in the New 

 Forest. When I first came, I found there were 

 a good many, and for thirty years I never 

 allowed them to be destroyed, deeming them, 

 generally speaking, harmless creatures, such as 

 ought to be protected in a State Forest amongst 



