22 NATURAL HISTORY 



grandfather (mentioned in a perambulation taken in 1635), 

 grandfather, father, and self, enjoyed the head keepership 

 of Wolmer Forest in succession for more than a hundred 

 years. This person assures me, that his father has often 

 told him that Queen Anne, as she was journeying on the 

 Portsmouth road, did not think the forest of Wolmer 

 beneath her royal regard. For she came out of the great 

 road at Lippock, which is just by, and reposing herself on a 

 bank smoothed for that purpose, lying about half a mile 

 to the east of Wolmer-pond, and still called Queen's bank, 

 saw with great complacency and satisfaction the whole herd 

 of red deer brought by the keepers along the vale before 

 her, consisting then of about five hundred head. A sight 

 this, worthy the attention of the greatest sovereign ! But 

 he farther adds that, by means of the Waltham blacks, or, 

 to use his own expression, as soon as they began blacking, 

 they were reduced to about fifty head, and so continued 

 decreasing till the time of the late Duke of Cumberland. 

 It is now more than thirty years ago that his highness sent 

 down a huntsman, and six yeomen-prickers, in scarlet jackets 

 laced with gold, attended by the staghounds; ordering 

 them to take every deer in this forest alive, and to convey 

 them in carts to Windsor. In the course of the summer 

 they caught every stag, some of which showed extraordinary 

 diversion ; but, in the following winter, when the hinds 

 were also carried off, such fine chases were exhibited as 

 served the country people for matter of talk and wonder 

 for years afterwards. I saw myself one of the yeomen- 

 prickers single out a stag from the herd, and must confess 

 that it was the most curious feat of activity I ever beheld, 

 superior to any thing in Mr. Astley's riding-school. The 

 exertions made by the horse and deer much exceeded all my 

 expectations ; though the former greatly excelled the latter 

 in speed. When the devoted deer was separated from his 

 companions, they gave him, by their watches, law, as they 

 called it, for twenty minutes ; when, sounding their horns, 

 the stop- dogs were permitted to pursue, and a most gallant 

 scene ensued. 



