NIGHT WATCHING. 417 



six wooden pheasants. I always used to place 

 these false birds in conspicuous places, where 

 they could be easily seen from the walks in 

 the woods, having three or four birds clustered 

 in one tree, to entice the poacher to shoot at 

 them in the hope of killing two or three at one 

 shot. Sometimes a live bird gets in amongst the 

 dummies and is killed, but this rarely happens. 



Instead of taking out drink for my men I 

 used to bring them home to my house, when 

 we had finished work for the night, and put 

 before them a good home baked loaf, some 

 home cured bacon, salt beef, or any other 

 meat I happened to have in the house, to- 

 gether with cheese, home made wine, coffee 

 or cocoa. I generally took cocoa myself, 

 except when my wife had made a basin of 

 porridge and put it in the oven to keep warm ; 

 sometimes I swallowed a basin of thick milk. 



I should strongly advise you not to take any 

 drink out with you when night watching, and 

 if any of your men come there boozed you 

 may as well send them home again, for they'll be 



no good to you. 



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