By the Rev. Canon J. K Jackson, F.S,A. 163 



was also wonderfully skilled in the calling of quails by a pipe, to 

 come under a net spread for the purpose. With this instrument 

 his imitation of the voice of the hen quail was such as would bring 



I the other victims up to his very feet. All these instructions I 

 carefully imbibed." 



One anecdote I must give at a little greater length, as it is told 

 by Mr. Chafin with an honest simplicity, and brings out very well 



; the singularities of that extinct species of animal, the gentleman 

 poacher of Cranborne Chase :— 



" My good friend [he says] was much respected by the neigh- 

 bouring clergy and the principal inhabitants of the parishes near ; 

 many of whom had a talent for music and were much devoted to it. 



| They established a musical club at a little inn called The Hut, 

 situate on Salisbury South Plain on a little eminence which gave a 

 commanding prospect of the Chase, and extensive view of a fine 

 country even as far as the Isle of Wight rocks. The meetings of 

 the members of the club for their concerts were on Mondays, every 

 other one in summer, and monthly in winter. My friend was the 

 leader of the band, notwithstanding the great contrariety in the 



1 mode and manner of execution. It was his usual custom, on the 

 Sunday before the club-day, to walk to the Hut, and arrange the 



: musick-books and instruments for the next day : but this he never 



[; did till after he had attended divine service in his parish Church 



! which he never neglected. He was no bigot, but truly religious 

 and a strict adherer to the Established Church. 



I " In the two pursuits of which he was the leader [*.*., the deer 

 catching and the music] he never suffered them to be entirely dis- 

 united : but generally carried in his pocket some wire nooses of his 

 own composing, intermixed perhaps with music of his own composing 

 also. 



« On a certain Sunday, after his religious duties had been duly 

 performed, in the middle of the month of August, on a very hot 

 day, he took his customary excursion to the Hut ; and while he was 

 standing at the door with the host for the benefit of the air, and 

 admiring the beautiful prospect, a more interesting one arrested 

 ! his attention ; for he spied a herd of fat bucks leave a large wood 



