ANECDOTES OF FORESTERS. 113 



very apt to meet one the next day who will at any rate 

 have a try, even if he does not succeed. The butler and 

 the footman are usually good friends with the stalker 

 and next day you will find yourself in for a tramp which 

 will considerably astonish you, for these sort of remarks 

 are apt to be taken literally, and the first chance will be 

 seized of having a " feel " at you, just to see what you 

 are made of; there will likely enough be more walking 

 than stalking that day. 



The forester is as strict an observer of the Sabbath 

 as the rest of his countrymen, and on one occasion, when 

 a royal personage was invited to cross over the hill for 

 a few days' stalking in an adjoining forest, and selected 

 Sunday for his starting day, in order to be fresh for the 

 Monday's work, all went well up to a certain point ; the 

 luggage was packed on the ponies, and all was ready 

 for a start, when the rifle in its mackintosh cover was 

 handed last of all to the forester who was to show the 

 way, and he quietly but respectfully declined to carry 

 it. At last he consented to do so if the rifle were " made 

 into a parcel " ; so it was taken to pieces, and the stock 

 and the barrels each packed up separately in brown 

 paper and tied with stout string, and this done the 

 procession started. 



One more story of the cannie Scot and I have done. 

 A certain Sassenach, having -rented a forest for many 

 years, took such a fancy to it, that on its coming into 

 the market for sale he at once purchased it. For two 

 years after it became absolutely his own he lavished 

 large sums in building a splendid house and making 

 improvements. A miniature Balmoral arose, and then, 



