OF ALEXANDER. 133 



is of no use to trust to anything you hear about 

 an infallible method of catching poachers in all 

 countries. Where poaching has been exten- 

 sively and successfully carried on, the keepers 

 have no one to thank for it but themselves. 

 When keepers fall into a slack way of doing 

 their duties, either through wilful neglect or 

 incapacity, all the idle hands in the neighbour- 

 hood soon get to know it, and poaching, which 

 always offers strong temptations to the idle and 

 lazy, is carried on with more or less success ; 

 then, when a new keeper comes on the scene, 

 and finds such a state of affairs, his position is 

 not an agreeable one. 



Before I had been at Chilton House a week 

 I discovered the old signs, a hedge set with 

 snares, in a small spring called Oaken Copse. 

 I watched these snares all day, in company 

 with Tom Pounds, and at last he said : " I 

 think they've got wind as there's a new keeper 

 on, and that's why they won't come. Suppose 

 you go into Ramsbury and have half a pint of 

 beer ; take care to show yourself as you walk 

 away, and remain for an hour or so, whilst I 



