was a good sportsman. His portrait has been left us by Tom Hood, who knew this "jovial elf," as he called him, well.

A snow-white head, a merry eye,

A cheek of jolly blush;

A claret tint laid on by health

With Master Reynard's brush.

The few remaining red deer at this period kept mostly to the adjoining Hainault Forest-the last of all is said to have been removed from Epping Forest to Windsor in 1827. Nevertheless, in 1888 it was said that some still existed in the Forest, whilst a small herd is recorded a year previously in Takeley Forest, near Hatfield, Broad Oak, the progeny of a single Epping Forest hind lost by hounds during a chase.

A few words as to the above-mentioned Hainault Forest may here not be out of place.

This beautiful expanse of wild woodland, originally the eastern portion of Waltham Forest, is now unfortunately only represented by about eight hundred acres, which a few years ago were saved for the enjoyment of the public by the endeavours of several gentlemen locally interested, foremost among whom was Mr. E. North Buxton.

Hainault Forest consisted of some seventeen thousand acres in 1793, which had shrunk to four thousand in 1851, of which the King's woods comprised rather more than half. Even at this time the forest in question was a wild tract of uplands and dells covered

with dense underwood, pollard oak, and hornbeam, broken by breezy stretches of common overgrown with furze, broom, and heather.

In 1851 the Commissioners of Woods and Forests (whose action, to its eternal shame, was endorsed by the House of Commons) recommended that Hainault Forest should be completely destroyed and converted into arable land. Two years later all the old oaks, including the remains of the Fairlop Oak of ancient memory, were dragged up by steam ploughs, and in six weeks the beautiful forest had disappeared, the only portion left untouched being a small and very pretty wood by Lambourne.

As an act of criminal vandalism, the disafforestation of Hainault stands almost alone, as will be realised when it is stated that more than a hundred thousand trees were cut down on the Crown farm alone, and what formerly had been a tract of great woodland beauty was converted into one of the most uninviting-looking districts possible-scarcely a tree being left to relieve the dreary uniformity of the long, rigid, rectangular roads.

To return to the subject of the Epping Hunt. Gradually the hunting days narrowed down to the one day, on Easter Monday, when the hounds used to meet at "The Bald-faced Stag." Regular hunting men then began to laugh at the whole thing, and for many years before the Easter Monday hunt had become a mere cockney carnival it was frequently declared that the main object for keeping it up was to serve the neighbouring inns and public-houses,

and to put something into the pocket of the huntsman, for whom a collection was made.

In the early nineteenth century the usual attendance, upon the most moderate calculation, was from two to three thousand horsemen, and seven or eight hundred vehicles of different descriptions, in addition to numbers of pedestrians. Pugilistic encounters succeeded each other in different rings for the amusement of one class, whilst the E.O. gentlemen, and other owners of gambling concerns, entertained their friends in booths erected for the purpose. The usual hour for the commencement of the hunt was half-past twelve, at which time the deer was liberated amidst the crowd, the hounds being close up to his haunches. With great difficulty the poor animal would make his way between coaches and carts, and through every description of horse and foot, till at length he broke view, by gaining the covert. Some years the deer gave the assembled company much pleasing and unexpected gratification, by leading the chase over the open part of the Forest, in view. Those in charge of the hounds, however, seldom continued to run him for more than half an hour, when, if, as usually happened, he took soil, they drew off the hounds and left him to enjoy his ease, their idea being that they would take him with a good run on the following morning, when the cockney Nimrods should be sleeping in their beds.

In 1810 the Easter Epping Hunt was rendered more interesting than usual by Colonel Thornton, who gratified the cockney sportsmen by allowing a stag to be turned out before his hounds.

It was a very fine day, and vast numbers assembled to see the sight. The ladies in carriages surpassed in number, splendour, and beauty all that had ever appeared there before. Several real sportsmen, friends of Colonel Thornton, together with many Newmarket men, taking the opportunity of hunting on that day, on their way to Newmarket Races, added sporting lustre to the scene. By those accustomed to attend this annual assemblage the numbers were estimated at above thirty thousand, the very trees being occupied by persons of all descriptions, eager to view the gay

crowd of horse and foot.

At twelve o'clock the Colonel arrived in a sporting barouche, drawn by four cream-coloured Arabians, together with ladies who, like himself, were dressed in scarlet. Before opening the hunt he pledged the assembled company in a gold goblet shaped like a fox's mask, a trophy, it was rumoured, won by the Colonel in consequence of a wager as to the powers of his pack of hounds.

Much excitement was caused by the arrival of the huntsman, whippers-in, and helpers, mounted or leading six high-bred chestnut horses, said to be descendants of Eclipse, and with them the hounds, all of the same colour, fawn and white.

The deer (which was a celebrated animal known as Mrs. Clarke) was now ordered by the Colonel to be uncarted, which was done with great difficulty, the populace being so extremely anxious, and leaving no opening for it to get off. The quarry (renowned as having furnished an extraordinary run over Salisbury

Plain) was ornamented, according to the old custom, of the Epping Easter Hunt, with gay-coloured ribbons, which many of the cockneys, who had but an imperfect sight of the animal, supposed to be part of its natural hue. In clearing a way through the people, this deer leapt over a gig and horse, creating much alarm, and then dashed into the Forest. The huntsman was compelled, from the concourse of people, to make a considerable circuit before he could lay on his hounds.

The deer, as may be imagined, was headed at every instant. The hounds, however, settling to their scent, drove him out of the Forest, which induced the Colonel to order them to be stopped, to prevent that mischief which, as he said, must unavoidably happen to many an honest farmer, should the hunt find its way over their land.

The hounds, returning into the Forest, soon ran into a herd of deer, when a fine old one was singled out, and after a run of great speed and close hunting, through clouds of dust, on roads hardened by easterly winds, and baked by an intense sun, in about three hours was gallantly run into and killed, to the admiration of every good sportsman, who had conceived it impossible that any hounds could have afforded sport under such circumstances.

The deer that was first turned out escaped from the cause before-mentioned, but was followed for ten or twelve miles by horsemen who conceived the hounds to be coming in their rear. The game then taking soil, some of the London sportsmen, anxious