164 FIELD AND HEDGEROW 
declining—these forest grounds of heath and bracken 
were free to all comers, and great numbers of squatters 
built huts and inclosed pieces of land. They cleared 
away the gorse and heath and grubbed the fir-tree 
stumps, and found, after a while, that the apparently 
barren sand could grow a good sward. No one would 
think anything could flourish on such an arid sand, ex- 
posed at a great height on the open hill to the cutting 
winds. Contrary, however, to appearances, fair crops, 
and sometimes two crops of hay are yielded, and there 
is always a good bite for cattle. These squatters con- 
sequently came to keep cows, sometimes one and some. 
times two—anticipating the three acres and a cow; 
and it is very odd to hear the women at the hop-picking 
telling each other they are going to churn to-night. They 
have, in fact, little dairies. Such are the better class of 
squatters. But others there are who have shown no in- 
dustry, half-gipsies, who do anything but work—tramp, 
beg, or poach ; sturdy fellows, stalking round with toy- 
brooms for sale, with all the blackguardism of both races. 
They keep just within the law; they do not steal or 
commit burglary ; but decency, order, and society they 
set utterly at defiance. For instance, a gentleman | 
pleased with the splendid view built a large mansion 
in one spot, never noticing that the entrance was oppo- 
site a row of cottages, or rather thinking no evil of it 
The result was that neither his wife nor visitors could go 
in or out without being grossly insulted, without rhyme 
or reason, merely for the sake of blackguardism. Now, 
the pure gipsy in his tent or the Anglo-Saxon labourer 
would not do this ; it was the half-breed. The original 
owner was driven from his premises; and they are said 
to have changed hands several times since from the 
same cause, All over the parish this half-breed element 
