22 
NATURAL HISTORY 
grandfatliGr (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. 
