18
riding-fchool. The exertions made by the horfe and deer much
exceeded all my expectations; though the former greatly excelled
/ the latter in fpeed. When the devoted deer was feparated from
his companions, they gave him, by their watches, law, as they
called it, for twenty minutes; when, founding their horns, the
flop-dogs were permitted to purfue, and a matt gallant fcene
enfued.
L E T T E R VII.
"TO TH E S A M E .
T h o u g h large herds of deer'do much harm Co the neighbourhood,
yet the injury to the morals of the people is of more moment
than the lofs "of their crops. The temptation is irrefiftible ;
for moft men ate fportfmen by confliturion : and there is fuch an
inherent fpirit for hunting in human nature, as fcarce any inhibitions
can reftrain. Hence, towards the beginning of this century
all this country was wild about deer-ftealing. Unlefs he was
a 'hunter, as they affe&ed to call themfelves, no young perfon was
allowed to be polfefied of manhood or gallantry. The Wdlfhant
blacks at length committed fuch enormities, that government was
forced to interfere with that fevere and fanguinary ad; called the
black aBm, which now comprehends more’felonies than any law that
? ever was framed before. And, therefore, a late bifliop oiWinclefier,
■ » Statute 9 Get. I . c .a a .
when
W h e n -urged -to re-ftock kFalthm-thafi", tefofed, front, a motive
worthy 0 a prelate, replying drat “ -it had done rpifchief .enough
“ -already.” . . a
Our-old race of deer-ftealers are hardly cxtmft y e t: it was but
a little while ago that, .over their ale, they ufed to recount the ex,
plaits o f their youth; fuch as watching the pregnant W J to her
lair, and,-when the-calf was dropped, paring it’s feet with a penknife
to the quick to prevent itis.efipipp, -till ft was large and fat enough
to be killed 5 the fhoqting at one qf-their neighbours with a bulled
in a turnip-field by moonlhipe, miftakiug him for a deer ; and the
lofingadog in the followingextraordinary manner.:— Some fellqws
fufpefting that a calf mew-fallan was depofitcd m a certain fpot of
duck fern, went, with a fluncher, to furprife it ; when the parent-
hind ruflred out of the brake, and, vaft fpnng with all
/
broke itfliort-m two. , sit.
Another temptation to idlenefe and-(potting was a number of
rabbits, which pofieffed tall tho hillocks and dry places : but thele
being inconvenient to thebpntlmeR,
when they came to takeaway the deer, .they permitted-thelcountry
people to deftroy, them all. • . .
Such forefts and waftes, .when their .allurements to irregularities
are removed, .are of confiderablc ferviee to neighbourhoods that
.verge upon them, hy.fomifhing. them with peat and turf , for their
firing; -with fuel for the burning their lime .; and with afoes for
■ their gcaffes; and;by maintaining their geefe .and their, ftock of
young cattle at little or no expenle. t
The maanor-farm of the parilh of Gnatham has.an admitte
« T h is chafe remans un-ftocked to this day; the bilhop was Dr. HmAly-
D a claim,