132 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



father and mother were living at Chute Lodge 

 then, but they both soon died, and after that I 

 went back again to Chilton House. A Major 

 Symons had taken it, and the shooting attached. 

 Whilst I was there I caught some nine or ten 

 poachers, but I will only relate the circum- 

 stances of one capture, as it began in a rather 

 desperate affray, and ended in a ludicrous one. 

 (Ex uno disce omnes. Eds.} 



An oldish man, of the name of Alexander, 

 lived at Littlecote ; he was a confirmed poacher 

 both of game and fish, and as cunning as they 

 make 'em. He was most daring too, and no- 

 body could catch him, although he had often 

 been known to visit his snares and traps in open 

 day, under a keeper's very nose, and yet had 

 not been nobbled. All this Tom Pounds, the 

 General's river and fish keeper, told me, adding 

 that Alexander was also very strong and deter- 

 mined. 



All my life, I have only gone one way to 

 work to catch poachers, and I believe it is the 

 only safe way ; I always do all the watching 

 myself, and never entrust it to anyone else. It 



