WHISTLING JOE. 
145 
means of destruction, till lie had not a head of game left. 
I made his lakes and ponds completely alive with water-rats. 
I drew them from all the farms round about into his ; nor 
was there a rat-catcher in the district that would come to 
his assistance for love or money. Lastly, I filled his house 
and outhouses ; and had he not taken fright, and sold his 
estate to go abroad, I would have kept on increasing them 
till they had eaten him alive in his bed. Nor do I repent of 
the act ; though to this day I have ever been looked upon as 
using supernatural agency. 
" But I must tell you that the chief means I used was 
trailing red-herrings, calves' taUs, (fee, with the exception of 
occasionally using what is known as ^tlie oil ofrats^ which is 
a most effectual thing. To obtain this oil, you must skin a 
sufficient number of rats, then take out their bowels, but 
leave in the heart, liver, and lights ; then put them into an 
earthen jar, tie them over with a sheet of paper or bladder, 
and put them into a hot oven ; there let them stand till they 
are quite dissolved, and the oil will float on the top ; skim 
it off with a teaspoon, put it into a small phial, and preserve 
till you want it for use. 
" When my kind patron Squire Wilson bought his estate, 
he sent for me to come and undo all that I had done. He 
knew John Black well, and all the circumstances connected 
with the trials, and also how I had served the late squire. 
He offered me a hundred guineas a year to be his game- 
keeper, which offer I refused, as I could not endure the idea 
of servitude. He then offered me that sum annually, if I 
would clear the estate, and restock the preserves with game, 
which offer I accepted, and did away with the necessity for 
a keeper ; for there was not a poacher round about, that 
would not sooner give me a head of game than take one. 
As for Bush and his companion, they had been transjoorted 
for highway robbery. Thus far I was secure ; and as Squire 
Wilson was going on his travels for three years, he gave 
orders to supply me with everything I wanted. I had the 
thing entirely in my own hands, and being on good terms 
with all the keepers round about, I was plentifully supplied 
with leverets and eggs, both pheasants' and partridges'. When 
the leverets were too young, I suckled them under cats or rab- 
bits, and as to the eggs, I hatched the partridges' under ban- 
