THE DIARY
OF
COLONEL PETER HAWKER
AUTHOR OF 'INSTRUCTIONS TO YOUNG SPORTSMEN'
1802 — I 8
OO
WITH AN INTRODUCTION
By sir RALPH PAYNE-GALLWEY, Bart.
IX TWO VOLUMES— YOL. I.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
LONG i\I AN S. • b 'S. E fe" n' AND CO
AND. NEW. YORK -15 EAST. 16"^ STREET
(AJl rights rcservcd'\
H
V'l
89-46855
INTRODUCTION
1 HAVE GREAT PLEASURE in acceding to the request that
I should write a short introductory notice of Colonel Peter
Hawker, the Author of this Diary and of the well-known
' Instructions to Young Sportsmen.' Colonel Hawker's posi-
tion among sportsmen and writers on sport is mainly owing
to the great reputation he achieved with reference to the art
of killing wild fowl, and he may most justly be termed the
father of wild-fowling, for he brought this sport to such
perfection that his name will always suggest itself wherever
duck shooting is practised in our Islands.
Although Colonel Hawker's present reputation is mainly
based on his proficiency in this one branch of sport, it must
not be forgotten that he was equally celebrated in his own
day for his knowledge of and success in game shooting.
The immense popularity of Colonel Hawker's book
' Instructions to Young Sportsmen ' was due to the large
amount of original information it contained, and to the
terseness, accuracy, and common sense with which it was
written ; it is in fact a work every line of which was evidently
penned from actual personal experience and nothing else.
It is true that ' Instructions to Young Sportsmen ' may not
seem original in these days, but this is because almost every
writer on shooting since the first edition of the book was
published has so freely borrowed from it.
There is no doubt the Colonel's book stood unrivalled for
quite fifty years as a manual on guns and shooting, and on
vi COLOxNEL HAWKER'S DIARY
all connected with killing game and especially wild fowl, and
in many respects its contents are, with possibly a few altera-
tions, such as the substitution of breech-loaders for muzzle-
loaders, just as useful to the present generation as they were
to the last and to the one before that, particularly in regard to
all details of coast fowling.
The steel illustrations in the later editions of Colonel
Hawker's book are splendid examples of sporting pictures,
and some of them are reproduced in this Diary. I consider
the one facing page 146 is the best. The best edition of
* Instructions to Young Sportsmen ' is the ninth (1844), which
was dedicated to the Prince Consort. The tenth was brought
out ten years later, and the eleventh in 1859. The two latter,
being somewhat abridged by the Colonel's son, are not so
interesting as the last published in the Author's lifetime, i.e.
the one of 1844. The first edition was printed in 18 14, the
last (the eleventh) in 1859.
This Diary only contains extracts from its original, the
whole of which if given intact would fill several more
volumes. In it the Author was in the habit of setting down
almost everything he did, thought, and said during fifty
years, adding comments on nearly every shot he fired, how-
he killed, and why he missed. The Diary bears the impress
of truth and close observation from beginning to end, and
contains numerous quaint and highly original remarks very
characteristic of the Colonel. There are some very interesting
accounts of its writer's journeys to the Continent both before
and after the fall of Napoleon, and of his expeditions to the
North to shoot moor game. These latter records will doubt-
less entertain sportsmen of the present time when they read
of the Colonel's delight at bagging a few brace of grouse
at places where now hundreds are killed in one da}-. I
should say, after perusing this Diary, that Colonel Hawker
was the keenest and most hardworking shooter ever known ;
such entries as — * breakfasted by candlelight, walked hard
INTRODUCTION vii
all day in a deluge of rain, bagged 3 cock pheasants ;
gloriously outmanoeuvred all the other shooters, came home
very satisfied and dined off one of the birds ' — will show
the thorough sportsman he was. That the Colonel was
a marvellous shot there can be no doubt whatever, and
in the style of game shooting he pursued has probably no
equal in these days ; as a snipe shot he has never been,
and perhaps never will be, equalled — fourteen to fifteen snipe
without a miss in as many single shots, and with a flint gun,
speaks volumes as to his skill. My idea of the Author of this
Diary has always been that he was the * hardest ' man, in
regard to health, that could be imagined ; but it will be seen
that he was continually fighting against illness, and frequently
incapacitated by his severe Peninsular wound ^ ; and the way
in which he was, to use his words, wont to * quack himself
up,' to enable him to take the field with his gun, is worthy of
admiration as an example of British pluck. Colonel Hawker
was, it may easily be seen, a man of vast energy, and a very
shrewd observer. Nothing, apparently, could escape him,
whether on his travels abroad or in pursuit of game and wild
fowl at home. He was, besides, a most accomplished musician
and musical critic, and was intimately acquainted with many
of the celebrated pianists and operatic singers of his day.
Longparish House and its water meadows, so often alluded
to by the Author of this Diary, and the river Test, in which
he caught literally thousands of trout (when trout could be
caught therein without first crawling for them like stalking
a stag, and then throwing a floating fly), are just as of yore.
So is Keyhaven near Lymington, save that there are few or
no ducks and geese to be seen there now. The cottage which
Colonel Hawker built is still standing, and is the large one
shown facing in the view on page 146.
I must not omit to record that the Colonel served with the
greatest bravery and distinction under Wellington, and when
' A bullet went clean through his thigh, the bone of which it severely shattered.
viii COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY
merely a boy led his squadron, and won the word * Douro ' for
the colours of his regiment, the then 14th Light Dragoons.
The recognition of this gallantry by his old corps is feelingly
alluded to in the note on page 163, vol. ii.
In figure Colonel Hawker was over six feet and strikingly
handsome, and up to the end of his life was very erect. He
was, no doubt, somewhat of an egotist, but it was in a good-
natured way, and a confirmed but amusing grumbler against
his personal ill-luck, and his constant enemy the weather ;
he was, however, an instructive and witty companion, and a
conversationalist who always commanded attention, particu-
larly when he related his long and varied experiences of
sport, the adventures of his younger days in the Peninsular
war, or conversed on music, literature, and travel.
Colonel Peter Hawker was born in London, December
24, 1786, He was the son of Colonel Peter Ryves Hawker,
who died in 1790, by Mary Wilson Yonge, a daughter of an
Irish family. His great-grandfather, Colonel Peter Hawker
(who died 1732), was Governor of Portsmouth in 1717, and
his father commanded the ist Regiment of Horse. It is
worthy of note that his ancestors served in the British army
without a break from the days of Elizabeth,
Colonel Hawker was gazetted cornet to the ist Royal
Dragoons in 1801, lieutenant 1802, and then reduced to half-
pay by the peace of Amiens ; he exchanged into the 14th
Light Dragoons in 1803, and obtained his troop in 1804;
with this regiment he served in Portugal and Spain, and
in 181 3 retired from active service in consequence of a severe
wound received at the battle of Talavera in 1809. In 181 5
he was appointed major of the North Hampshire Militia,
and in 1821 was made its lieutenant-colonel by the Duke
of Wellington, and afterwards a deputy lieutenant for his
county.
Colonel Peter Hawker first married, at Lisbon in 181 1,
Julia, only daughter of Major Hooker Barttelot.
INTRODUCTION ix
In 1844 he married (secondly) Helen Susan, widow of
Captain John Symonds, R.N,,and daughter of Major Chatter-
ton. Colonel Peter Hawker died in London at No. 2 Dorset
Place, August 7, 1853, and is buried at ]\Iarylebone Church.
Colonel Hawker had by his first marriage two sons, —
Richard, who died young, and Peter William Lanoe, for
some time a captain in the 74th Highlanders (who married
in 1847 Elizabeth, daughter of John Fraser, of Stirling, N.B.) ;
and two daughters, — Mary, who married Mr. Charles Rhodes
in 1842, and Sophy, married in 1843 to the Rev. Lewis
Playters Hird.
The late Captain Hawker, of the 74th Highlanders, left a
son and a daughter. His son, Mr. Peter Hawker, formerly of
the Royal Xavy, the present owner of Longparish House,
married in 1883 the eldest daughter of Colonel Alfred Tippinge,
late Grenadier Guards ; and his sister, Miss Hawker, is the
talented authoress of ' Mademoiselle Ixe.'
Besides his celebrated ' Instructions to Young Sportsmen '
Colonel (then Captain) Peter Hawker published anonymously,
in 1810, 'The Journal of a Regimental Officer during the
Recent Campaign in Portugal and Spain ; ' ^
' Instructions for the best Position on the Pianoforte ; '
' An Abridgment of the New Game Laws, with Observa-
tions and Suggestions for Improvement,' an appendix to the
sixth edition of ' Instructions to Young Sportsmen,' which
was dedicated to William the Fourtn.
In 1 820 Colonel Peter Hawker patented his very ingenious
hand-moulds for use on the pianoforte.
Ralph PAYNE-GALL^VEV.
Thirkleby Park, Thirsk : August 1893.
' Verj- scarce ; if any reader of this could kindly lend me a copy, I shouk
feel extremely indebted. — R, P.-G.
VOL. I. a
LIST OF PLATES
THE FIRST VOLUME
Portrait of the Author. By A. E. Chalon^ R.A. . Froiitispiece
Sketch Map of Parson Bond's Preserves. By
Colonel Peter Haiuker to face p. 12
Sketch Map of Solent and Coast. By Cohmel Peter
Haiuker ,,132
Hut Shooting on the French System. By Colonel
Peter Haiuker ........ „ 1 84
Commencement of a Cripple Chase, after firing
two pounds of Shot into a Skein of Brent
Geese and two Wild Swans. By Colonel Peter
Hawker „ 258
First of September &c. 1827. By J. Childe . . „ 318
THE DIARY
OF
COLONEL PETER HAWKER
CHAPTER I
1802 '
June 2jtJi. — Arrived at Longparish House.
September. — Altogether killed 200 head of game this
month.
Instances of uncertainty in killing jack snipes : The first
thirteen shots I had at these birds this year I killed without
missing one ; have since fired eight shots at one jack and
missed them all.
1803
January 26th. — Sketch of a bad day's sport : Being in want
of a couple of wild fowl, I went out with my man this morning
about ten o'clock. The moment we arrived at the river 5
ducks and i wigeon flew up ; we marked the former down,
and just as we arrived near the place it began to snow very
hard, which obliged us to secure our gunlocks with the skirts
of our coats. No sooner had we done this than a mallard rose
within three yards of me. I uncovered my gun and made all
possible haste, and contrived to shoot before it had gone
twenty yards, but missed it, which I imputed to the sight of
^ My second season of sporting (age 16^ years).
VOL. I. B
-Jh
2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 1803
m}^ gun being hid by the snow. My man fired and brought
it down, but we never could find it ; and another mallard
coming by me, I fired and struck him, insomuch that before he
had flown a gunshot, he dropped apparently dead, but we were
again equally unfortunate notwithstanding our dogs were with
lis. \Miile we were loading, the 3 remaining ducks came by,
a fair shot. Having reloaded, we went in search of them,
but could not succeed. On our road home, coming through
the meadow, the wigeon rose in the same place as before. I
shot at it, and wounded it very much ; we marked it down
and sprung it again ; it could hardly fly, from its wounds. Un-
luckily, my gun missed fire, and my man was unprepared,
thinking it had fallen dead. We marked it into a hedge ;
before we had reached the place we spied a hawk that had
followed it ; from the same place the hawk was, the wigeon
flew out of the hedge close under my feet. I fired at it, but,
■owing to agitation, had not taken a proper aim ; however, a
chance shot brought it to the ground ; my dogs ran at it ; it
flew up again, but could not rise to any height, but continued
to clear the hedges, and we never could find it again. To
add to our m.isfortunes, we both tumbled into deep water.
June \tJL — Left Longparish House to join the 14th Light
Dragoons on the march at Hythe.
September \st. — Folkestone. 4 partridges and i landrail.
I went with Major Talbot and his brother : we were out from
half-past four in the morning till eight at night, and walked
above five hours before we saw the first brace of birds.
Major Talbot killed a brace, and his brother i bird ; a brace
of birds and i rabbit were shot between us by means of firing
at the same instant.
1804
February i ZtJi. — Left Folkestone to be quartered at Dover,
till further orders.
JMarcJi 6th. — Left Dover for Romney.
i8o4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 3
May yd. — Romney. Went out in the evening, saw several
very large shoals cf curlews, but could not get near them ; just
as it grew dusk I laid myself down flat on the sands : every
flock assembled into one prodigious large flight, and pitched
within ten yards of me. I put them up with the expectation
of killing not less than twenty, and my gun missed fire.
June lAftJi. — Romney. Shot an avoset (swimming). This
is a bird rarely to be met with but on the Kentish coast. The
above is its name in natural history ; it is here known by the
name of cobbler's awl, owing to the form of the beak, which
turns up at the end like the awl.
September 1st. — Romney. In a bad country we had never
been in before ]\Iajor Pigot and I bagged nine brace and a half
of birds, exclusive of several we lost. We sprung one covey
too small to fire at ; ^lajor Pigot picked out the old hen and I
the cock, and bagged them both. There were sportsmen in
almost every field. In the course of the day, my old dog Dick
caugrht 8 heds^ehog-s.
Xoveuiber 2'^rd. — Marched from Romney to be quartered
at Guildford.
December 2yd. — Left Guildford to stay a week at home at
Longparish House.
1805
May 2Zth. — ^Marched from Guildford to Chertsey.
Jmie iith. — Marched from Chertsey to Wandsworth.
lyth. — Marched from W^andsworth to Hounslow Barracks.
26th. — II brace of carp with a draw net, average weight
one pound.
2yth. — 21 brace of carp and 3 dozen dace (casting net).
October ijth. — ^ly new gun, No. 45 36, arrived from Manton.
^ist. — I followed a teal for near four hours before I
could get a shot at it, and after I fired it flew almost out of
sight and dropped within a few yards of my servant John, who
happened to be riding by and who picked it up.
4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 1805
Decei)ibcr 27//?.— Marched into the town of Hounslow.
As we were getting close to the town, a mallard flew up and
came round several times within shot of the troops. I rode
on to the Colonel's, borrowed his long gun and returned to
where the bird had dropped, which was within thirty yards of
the turnpike road, in a large pond. After looking for him for
some time I heard him fly up behind me from the very place
I had been beating, therefore it appeared I must have gone
within a few yards of him ; I had, however, a tolerably fair
shot, but the gun, being very foul, hung fire, and 1 missed
him.
1806
February loth. — I jack snipe, i rabbit, and 2 hares. The
hares ran out of a hedge together. I killed them right and left
immediately in front of Lord Berkeley's house at Hounslow ;
and while I was hiding under the hedge, fearing a keeper
might be on the look-out at hearing the gun, a dragoon ran
and picked up both the hares, gave a view hollow, and held
one up in each hand in order to be seen from the windows of
his Lordship's mansion. Of course I retreated immediately,
and luckily got off unseen.
Game killed by me up to February ist, 1806 (at Houns-
low) : 46^ brace of partridges, 1 2 brace of hares, 4 brace of
pheasants.
Fowl, rabbits, and snipe, killed up to April ist, 1806
(at Hounslow) : 8 brace of rabbits, 23^ couple of snipes,
I couple of teal. A wild duck, ox-eyes, rails, fieldfares,
redwings, herons, larks, &c.
j2C)ie 22;/<7^.— Went a gudgeon fishing at Walton-on-
Thames with a party ; had good sport and returned in the
evening.
29///. — W^cnt a gudgeon fishing at Walton ; had indifferent
sport. In the evening tried for barbel, and killed 2 ; the one
small, the other 6 lb.
i8o6 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 5
July A,th. — Went a fishing at Walton ; in the morning killed
2 dozen gudgeon ; in the evening 4 barbel. Their weights
were : (i) 9I lb., (2) 3 lb., (3) i lb., (4) \ lb.
ijth. — Marched from Hounslow Barracks to Alton in
Hampshire, to remain with my troop till further orders.
3 \st. — Marched to Winchester, to remain till further orders.
August 1st. — Rode over to my home at Longparish and
killed 8 trout (fly fishing), and returned in the evening to
Winchester.
I2th. — At Longparish. 7 trout.
2ist. — At Longparish. 8 trout, and shot i heron, i snipe
and I green sandpiper. Received my new double gun.
No. 4699, from Manton.
September ist. — Longparish. 30 partridges and 2 hares.
N.B. — 3 brace shot and lost besides.
Altogether I killed in September 53^ brace of partridges,
5j brace of hares, i brace of quails, and i landrail (at
Longparish).
22n(^. — Marched to Fareham, for the purpose of conveying
the horses of the 17th Light Dragoons to Salisbury.
2^t/i. — Marched to Romsey.
26t/L — Marched into Sarum.
^ot/i. — Received an order to join at Winchester.
October \2tl1. — Marched from Winchester to Romsey, on
our way to Dorchester.
I yJi. — Marched from Romsey to Ringwood. X.B. — Drove
over in the morning before the troops and killed 6 partridges,
I pheasant, i teal (flying), and I rabbit.
\Afth. — Marched to Blandford ; remained there till the
1 8th, when we marched into Dorchester Barracks.
November ^tJi. — Marched to Sturminster, to remain during
the election at Dorchester.
24///. — 3 woodcocks, 2 rabbits, and i pheasant.
Previous to killing the last woodcock I missed both barrels
at him, and followed him for near two hours.
6 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 1806
25///. — 4 cock pheasants.
It rained incessantly during- the time I was beating for
them, which obliged me to secure the lock of my gun under
my iacket, and consequently lost much time in firing ; yet,
although the wind was high and the covers thick, I missed
but one shot.
December i^tli. — Went on leave to Longparish.
1807
January 1st. — Returned to the regiment at Dorchester.
22nd. — 4 pheasants, i hare, i woodcock, and i wood pigeon.
Notwithstanding it blew a hurricane, and rained almost
the whole time I was out, I only discharged once without
bagging ; I had then a shot going rapidly down the
wind, and greatly intercepted by trees. It was at a phea-
sant, which I marked down and killed afterwards. I saw
but 5 pheasants, i cock, and i hare all day ; so (with the
exception of i pheasant which rose out of shot) I brought
home all I sprung up.
2/\th. — In the morning, going past a lake, I saw 5 tufted
ducks, which I fired at on the water with the long gun at
about 70 yards, and winged one of them. Old Dick imme-
diately dashed in after it, and on getting near it some tame
ducks fluttered from under the banks of an island, which he
sprang at, and in consequence lost the bird I so much wished
to have brought home. On my return by the same place, a
mallard flew over my head, which I winged (a very long shot)
and lost. While beating the ditches for snipes I spied a very
fine trout, which, with a piece of whipcord and a stick, I in-
stantly snared ; and he proved, when dressed, to be very well
in season.
Game killed up to February ist : 182 partridges, 33 phea-
sants, 43 hares, 2 quails, and 2 landrails. Total, 262 head.
MarcJi gt/i. — Marched with my troop to Bland ford, to
remain during the assizes at Dorchester.
i8o7 COLONEL HAWKER^S DIARY 7
May 10///. — Left Dorchester to remain at Longparish
during the Hampshire election.
wtJi. — The election began and ended in favour of Sir H.
Mildmay and Mr. Chute.
2////. — Longparish. Killed 20 brace of trout with a fly in
three hours.
315/. — Joined the regiment at Dorchester again.
June 2gth. — Marched to \Ve}^mouth.
July loth. — Received orders for the regiment to march
from Dorchester, Weymouth &c. to Guildford and Basing-
stoke.
I2th. — Marched to Blandford.
i^th. — To Salisbury.
14///. — To Andover. \\>nt over to Longparish : had
some indifferent sport fly fishing.
17///.— Joined my troop at Basingstoke.
22nd. — Marched away from Basingstoke to Bagshot.
2'^rd. — Marched from Bagshot to Hounslow.
27///.— The regiment were reviewed.
29///. — The regiment marched on their way to the east
coast of Sussex. I went on leave to London.
August 1st. — Went to Lord Bridgewater's at Ashridge
Park. (Killed a number of rabbits here.)
yth. — Returned to London.
lOth. — Left town on my way to Sussex.
iiih. — Joined the regiment at Blatchington.
I2th. — Went over to my troop at Bexhill.
14///. — Went on leave of absence to Longparish.
September ist. — Longparish. 40 partridges and 2 hares.
I had only one gun, and shot with the same three dogs the
whole day. Rested two hours in the forenoon, and left off
.shooting by six o'clock.
Game bagged the first week : 91 partridges and 3 hares.
October 26tlL — A woodcock. I found him in some very
low wood where cocks seldom resorted, and taking him for a
8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 1807
nightjar, did not think it worth while to disturb the cover by
firing, and refused an excellent shot at him ; but soon dis-
covering my mistake, I followed and flushed him again, and
fired twice at him, and although the wood was not four acres
he escaped, and completely defeated us. But being the first
that had been seen here this year I was so unwilling to give
him up, that I went home and returned with all the rabble
I could muster, and placed Buffin in a tree to mark. We
began with beating where he first sprang from ; we had not
gone thirty yards before one of Siney's terriers flushed him,
and I brought him down.
November 20th. — Received a new double gun from Mr.
Joseph Manton, No. 4326.
1808
Game bagged from September ist, 1807, to February ist,
1808: 217 partridges, 11 pheasants, and 31 hares. Total,
259 head.
February ^t/i. — Received an order to join the regiment.
/th. — Left Longparish and joined at Eastbourne to-day.
loth. — Went to Bexhill Barracks.
March lyth, — Went up to London. I rode the fat mare to
Tonbridge (above 35 miles) in three hours and ten minutes,
from whence I took the young mare to Westminster Bridge
(30 miles) in two hours and forty-five minutes.
20th. — Returned (on horseback) to Bexhill in a little more
than eight hours.
Wild fowl, rabbits &c. bagged up to April 1st, 1808: 72
snipes, 5 wild ducks, 5 woodcocks and 14 rabbits. Total, 96
head; adding game, total 355 head; exclusive of herons,
wood pigeons, moorhens, fieldfares, rails, &c.
May i^tJi. — Marched from Bexhill to Pleydon Barracks.
\6tJi. — Went a fishing with a casting net and stop net, and
killed 1 1 tench (average weight above i lb.), 5 jack, i eel, and
a large quantity of roach.
i8o8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 9
iJtJi. — Went with the same nets to the canal, where we
killed a large basketful, consisting of bream, jack, perch,
eels, roach and dace.
July 6th. — Marched away from Pleydon Barracks to
•Cranbrook.
20th. — Arrived at Ipswich with my troop.
2gth. — Arrived at Norwich Barracks.
September yd. — Returned to Ipswich ; while on the road
tried some stubbles and killed i partridge, and 2 more shot
and lost in the corn.
8///. — 1 8 partridges, besides a brace shot and lost. Not-
withstanding the weather was very stormy I only fired three
shots the whole day without killing, two of which were
•decidedly too far off. I took three double shots, and bagged
both birds each time ; and one brace I took while it was
raining, and had to take my gun from under my coat before
I fired right and left.
YOtJi. — 13 partridges, 4 French partridges, and i turtledove.
13///. — 9 partridges and i rabbit, with 2 partridges shot
and lost in fourteen shots.
N.B. — One of the two shots missed was a long random one.
14//^. — Went out round the barracks for two hours after
the field day and had three single shots, and one right and
left, and bagged 5 partridges.
15///. — 12 partridges, i French partridge, and I turtle dove.
In eighteen shots, though a wild windy day, and most of
them long ones (fired right and left twice ; bagged both
birds each time).
\Jth. — 14 partridges and 2 rabbits, besides a brace shot
and lost, in twenty-one shots. On going out I met with a
farmer who (having the deputation) told me I was welcome
to shoot wherever I pleased provided I would not disturb
his pheasants. After having beat the whole manor we went
down to some rushy ground, where Dido came to a dead
point. This farmer (who was then in an adjoining field with
10 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY 1808
his labourers) came to the hedge to see the result of Toho !
Five partridges rose at the same instant, all flying different
ways and excessively rapid ; I killed first to the left, and
then (turning round) to the right ; and Pearson, who was
with me, killed also a bird with each barrel. The farmer
judging of our shooting by what he had seen, and appearing
to think us dangerous fellows to invade a manor, went up to
Pearson in a violent rage desiring him immediately to leave
the grounds ; assigning no other reason than that ' he did
not choose we should shoot any more.' He then made up
to me, but I ran through the river ; and he (not being willing
to wet his toes) relinquished his pursuit, and stood bawling
and beckoning for me to stop, which I of course pretended
not to hear, and escaped without being warned off. Before
I was out of his sight the dogs ran into a bog, and put up an
immense number of snipes, and by making haste up, I got
six shots and bagged 4 snipes, besides a fifth, shot and lost.
The farmer soon disappeared ; and I beat my way to the
alehouse, reserving his manor for another day's sport.
2ist. — 8 partridges and i red-legged partridge.
One of the partridges which I killed was found by Don
in a hedge, who caught it, and after I had forced it from him
by opening his mouth with one hand, and taking the bird in
the other, it fluttered from me, and then flew up ; and went
off so strong that it was with difficulty I could fire quick
enough to bring it again to hand.
22;/c/. — 16 snipes, two of them jacks ; and a redshank.
The last day I had been shooting here I found these
snipes and avoided the farmer (who had the deputation) b\'
running through the water, in order to save my warning, and
secure a well-prepared attack on them. As the whole ground
they occupied consisted only of a few small bogs, my only
chance was to lose no time, for which I had a second double
gun. The commencement of my attack was a bird with each
barrel ; and then taking the other gun from m)- m.an John, killed
i8o8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 11'
with that also with each barrel. As I fired so many random
and unfair shots, I did not keep account of my missing, but
my markers said they thought I could not have killed more
than four more shots. I brought home the greater part of
what I found ; and picked up the snipe w^hich I lost the
other day. Finding the snipes I had left were completely
driven away, I went (wnth snipe shot) over some turnip fields
&c. and bagged 6 partridges. I had two doublets ; the other
shots were single, and some very long ones ; yet I only fired
once without bagging, and then I broke both the legs of the
bird, which dropped apparently dead in the next field.
2'jtJi. — 12 partridges.
Calculating that I wanted six brace to make up my 200
head of game, and knowing I should not be able to have
another day's shooting in September, I fagged till nearly
dark, and could only make up five brace and a half; it then
got so late I gave it up and drove towards home. On going
along the road I spied a covey feeding ; to w^hich I imme-
diately ran down under the hedge, and when I thought I
was nearly opposite to them, stopped ; but before I could
discern them, they flew up. I let fly at one (an immense
distance) which I brought down dead, and completed my
number.
N.B. — In looking over my book I find I might have saved
myself all this trouble, as I had miscalculated ; and have now
made up 203 head of game, which are as follows :
Game bagged in the month of September 1808 : i;/
partridges (three brace of which were the red-legged French
birds), 2 hares, 3 rabbits, and 21 snipes. Total, 203 head
of game.
(9r/6'<^tT UY.— 6 pheasants, 2 partridges, i rabbit, and i ja\'.
Besides 2 fine cock pheasants which I shot and lost in the
underwood, almost every pheasant I fired at was a snap shot
among the high cover ; notwithstanding which, I am glad to
say I missed but twice all day, making my 8 out of 10.
12 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 1808
yd. — Went from Ipswich with a party amounting to near
twenty, beside markers and beaters, to storm a preserved cover
belonging to a Parson Bond, because he never allowed anyone
a day's shooting, and had man traps and dog gins all over
his wood. I had made out a regular plan of attack and line
of march, but our precision was frustrated by the first man
we saw on reaching the ground, who was the keeper ; we
therefore had no time to hold a council of war, but rushed
into cover like a pack of foxhounds before his face. Away
he went, naming every one he could, and we all joined him
in the hue and cry of ' Where is Parson Bond ? '
In the m.eantime our feti de joie was going on most
rapidly. At last up came the parson, almost choked with
rage. The two first people he warned off were Pearson
and myself; having been served with notices, we kept him
in tow while the others rallied his covers and serenaded
him with an incessant bombardment in every direction.
The confused rector did not know which way to run. The
scene of confusion was ridiculous beyond anything, and the
invasion of an army could scarcely exceed the noise. Not
a word could be heard for the cries of 'Mark!' 'Dead!'
and ' Well done ! ' interspersed every moment with bang,
bang, and the yelping of barrack curs. The parson at last
mustered his whole establishment to act as patriots against
the marauders, footboys running one way, ploughmen
mounted on carthorses galloping the other, and everyone
from the village that could be mustered was collected to
repel the mighty shock. At last we retreated, and about
half-past four those who had escaped being entered in his
doomsday book renewed the attack. The parson having
eased himself by a vomit, began to speak more coherently, and
addressed himself to those who, being liable to an action of
trespass, were obliged to stand in the footpath and take the
birds as they flew over ; at last so many were caught that the
battle ceased. Though a large number of pheasants were
:PLPJ^ or ATTACK CN ^^
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i8o8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 13
destroyed, the chase did not end in such aggregate slaughter
as we expected, and not more than one-third of those brought
down were bagged, in consequence of our being afraid to turn
off our best dogs ; we brought away some of the parson's traps,
one of which was a most terrific engine, and now hangs in the
mess-room for pubHc exhibition. Only one dog was caught
the whole day, and whose should that be but Parson
Bond's ! After leaving the cover I killed 2 partridges and
I hare.
'^tJi. — 4 partridges.
GtJi, — Went to Woolpit for two days' shooting.
7///. — 8 pheasants, 3 partridges, and i hare.
ZtJi. — 5 pheasants and 8 partridges, and returned to
Ipswich (23 miles) by four in the afternoon. In one of the
covers I fired five shots at pheasants and only bagged one,
though I brought down my bird every shot. In both days I
lost a number of pheasants, owing to the brambles being so
strong the pointers would not face them ; I scarcely bagged
a bird except those killed dead, and to the best of my
recollection out of all the pheasants I winged only one was
bagged. As it was, with what Pearson and I killed we were
literally obliged to buy a sack to bring them home, which we
nearly filled ; and what with the addition of some hares and
rabbits caught by the dogs it was nearly as much as I could
lift. What then would our sport have been, had we bagged
all those we lost ? I scarcely missed a shot in the two days,
and certainly never let a fair shot escape.
\gtJi. — 4 partridges. I went on horseback from Ipswich
about three in the afternoon purposely to get a shot at some
French partridges, in hopes of getting the old cock to have
stuffed. I went into a piece of potatoes (where thc\- always
laid) without a dog ; at last I trod up the whole covc}',
which I forbore shooting at, and singled out the old cock,
which I winged and lost ; coming home I killed the above
4 birds.
14 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 1808
Game bagged by myself up to leaving Ipswich : 231 par-
tridges, 9 of which were French red-legged, 29 pheasants,
8 hares, 4 rabbits, 21 snipes. Total, 293 head of game.
24///. — The regiment commenced its march for Romford,
preparative to going on foreign service.
26//?. — The first division arrived at Romford (to remain
till further orders).
November A^tJi. — The first division marched from Romford
•on their way to Exeter.
ytJi. — Marched to Reading.
8//^. — Marched to Newbury, from whence I went over to
Longparish on leave.
\ytJi. — Left Longparish for Dorchester on my way to
.Falmouth for embarkation to Spain.
i8o9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 15
CHAPTER II
1 809
September 2%th. — Arrived once more home again at Long-
parish House, having returned from Spain and Portugal, in
consequence of my wound received at Talavera, on July 28.
(All memorandums of my military service and my journal
abroad are put by themselves in another book,^ and published.)
SJiooting abroael. — N.B. I had scarcely any shooting in
Portugal, and the only birds I killed there which I had never
shot before were 2 storks and a Portuguese owl.
On finding the shooting so bad in this country, I de-
spaired of getting any in Spain, and left my gun with the
heavy baggage, which I had afterwards reason to regret, as I
found that Spain not only abounded with game, but curious
foreign birds of every description. While there, I sometimes
borrowed an old gun, with which I never failed to have sport,
particularly with red-legged partridges, wild pigeons, &c.
Oetober '^rei. — Went to London to be under the care of
]\Ir. Home for my wound, which on the 4th he examined,
and having discovered that the ball had gone through and
shattered my hip bone, advised me to continue in London
under his care.
181O
Mr. Home having daily attended me, extracted two
splinters, and instructed John how to pass the setons, which
were deemed necessary to be used for a length of time, gave
' fourual of a Regimental Officer dui'ing the recent Campaign in Portugal
and Spain. ( London , 1 8 1 o. )
16 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY iSio
me leave to return to the country for a few weeks for change
of air, as my lungs were in a very bad state, and I had in
consequence been dangerously ill.
JaJiuary \yJi. — Left town and arrived at home at Long-
parish House.
25///. — While we were sitting at dinner a woodcock flew
up the lawn and dropped under the parlour window. All
jumped up, and I hobbled to see him as well as I could. My
servant seized a loaded gun, and began opening the window ;
while he was doing this, I eagerly snatched the gun from him
and killed the woodcock. The three following circumstances
make this occurrence still more remarkable : the first, that
woodcocks are so scarce in this country, I have but rarely
killed three in a whole season's shooting ; secondly, that when
I shot this bird I was confined a perfect cripple, and could
not venture out even to the garden ; and, thirdly, that a friend
of mine had laid a bet that I was well enough to shoot a
cock before this season was over.
February ^rd. — Went out in my mother's chaise.
Except being conveyed from place to place, this was the
first time I had been outside the house for six months and
three weeks.
I took the gun with me, and, among other things shot
from the chaise, I killed a sea-gull and a rook, right and
left.
\0tJi. — I adopted the plan of driving the phaeton down
the banks of the river and firing from it at what few snipes
I could find. They, however, rose too wild to give me a
fair chance.
\JtJi. — Have continued to drive out almost every day,,
taking my gun, and killing (from the carriage) redwings,
fieldfares, blackbirds, larks, &c. To-day, among other things,.
I killed several snii)es.
2jtJi. — Being a fine day for fishing, I was taken in the
chaise to the river side, where with the assistance of a stick I
i8io COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 17
contrived to support myself so as to be able to throw a fly,
with which 1 killed 5 brace of trout.
J continued by the river for about an hour, when I
became so faint, and my wound so painful, I could fish no
longer and returned home. After resting on the sofa, I got
again in the carriage, and was driven to the common, where I
killed a snipe, and should have got several more had the
bitch behaved well and stood them. I came home to dinner
about four o'clock ; and dined on trout and fieldfares of m}'
own killing.
Marc]L \2tJi. — Left Longparish for London. I took a
chaise and pair at Whitchurch, from which place I started
after four o'clock ; and, notwithstanding I was detained
near half an hour at Westfordbridge, and the roads were
execrably bad, I reached Staines (42 miles) by thirty-five
minutes past eight.
13//^. — Proceeded from Staines to town. In the evening
I hobbled to the new Covent Garden Theatre.
14///. — Mr. Home inspected and probed my wound, and
was of opinion that the setons should be continued several
months longer, and therefore advised me to return to the
country.
20///. — Dined out and went to the opera, from whence I
had to crawl all the way up the Haymarket without being
able to get a conveyance home ; and then had to sit in a
house while a fellow with a wooden leg went in search of a
Jarvey.
2\st. — Left town at one o'clock (with chaise and pair),
reached Longparish at ten minutes before eight. I was
driven one eight-mile stage, namely, from Basingstoke to
Overton, within forty minutes.
24//^ — Received my leave of absence till November 24th
in consequence of Mr. Home's sick certificate.
June i6th. — At about four in the morning my mother's
accident happened. She was dreadfully burnt, and lost her
VOL. I. C
18 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY ^ June
right hand by endeavouring to light her fire with the paper
from a canister of powder.
Jtdy 13. — 2\ brace of trout (largest fish \\ lb. weight),
besides many thrown in, not wanting.
N.B. — Caught fish by throwing the fly as I sat in the
phaeton.
19///. — Received a letter from Mr. Home desiring me to
close my wounds by discontinuing the operation of the seton.
N.B. — They have now been kept open twelve calendar
months all but eight days.
August 6th. — Went fly fishing and caught a number of
small trout, which I threw in. Coming home I saw two wood-
peckers on the lawn, got a gun, and, at one shot, killed one
of them, wounded the other, and winged a swallow which
was flying by at the time.
yth. — Went fly fishing to Hurstbourne Park ; caught 2
brace of trout (about i^ lb. each), besides small ones thrown
in. Afterwards hobbled after a shooting party and killed
1 leveret and i jay.
i8io COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 19
CHAPTER III
1810
September. — Longparish. My wound having sufficiently
recovered to enable me to go out for a few hours a day on
horseback, I took out my certificate for killing game, and on
the 1st I killed 36 partridges and 2 hares, besides i brace of
birds lost. We sprung a covey near Furgo Farm, out of which
I killed a brace with each barrel, and several of those that
flew^ off pitched, and ran on the thatch of Furgo barn. In the
evening I killed and bagged five successive double shots.
X.B. — The most I heard of being killed in our neighbourhood
by anyone else was seven brace by Captain Haffendon. Some
parties from Longparish have been out and killed nothing.
30///. — N.B. My wounds are now so far healed, that 1 am
able to walk as sound as ever I did in my life, but have yet
to recruit myself in general health, being at present very
nervous and weak.
Game bagged in the month of September 1810: 210
partridges, 6 hares, 4 quails, 3 landrails, 2 snipes, 2 wild
ducks. Total, 227 head.
October 26th. — Went to shoot with Mr. Wakeford, at
Tytherley House, and killed 3 hares, 2 pheasants, and i
partridge. We shot with spaniels, and soon after we began
were joined by a sheep dog, who forsook his flock to spend
the day with us, and rendered us more service than any one
of the cry ; he kept well in bounds while we were beating ;
ran the pheasants off their legs the moment we found
c 2
20 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
them, and pressed the hares so hard that he obHged
most of them to leave the hedgerows within shot.
2gtJL — 4 partridges, i woodcock, and i pheasant, besides
2 snipe at one shot. The cock was the first I had seen or
heard of this season. I killed him a snap shot in high covert,
and never knew that he fell till John found him dead. In
addition to my day's shooting I had famous sport with the
harriers, which I met in the field, and followed with my old
shooting pony. I found them two hares sitting, one of which
I started, was in at the death of, and brought home in u\\
game bag.
November 27id. — 4 snipes and i jack snipe. I was ex-
tremely ill and nervous, and shot infamously bad, or I should
have killed ten couple.
y'd. — 2 snipes, besides 2 which I fired at with Captain
Haffendon (who also killed a couple).
N.B. — We beat Bramsbury Moor (the very ground where
I yesterday found such an immense number of snipes) and
only saw a couple, one of which I got a shot at and killed.
In the other places we found but very few more than we killed.
ytJi. — 5 snipes. I returned home by some fens which were
literally swarming with starlings, of which I killed a large
number. These birds cared so little for being shot at, that (the
moment I had fired both barrels) they returned and pitched
v.ithin twenty yards of me. They literally darkened the air,
and the noise they made was not to be described.
\2tJ1. — I pheasa* t and 10 snipe (one a jack snipe, besides
another shot and lost), and (excepting two long random
shots, which, I believe, I fired accuratel)- on the birds) I only
missed 2, one of \\hich I secured with my second barrel,
.so that, out of the 12 snipes I fired at (within range of m\-
gun) I brought down 11.
16///. — Saw Mr. Home in London, who inspected my
wound, and gave me a certificate to extend m}- leave, and
advised m}* remaining in England for at least two months.
iSio COLOXEL HAWKER^S DIARY 21
2\st. — Received my leave (from the Adjutant-General)
till January 24, 181 1.
z^tJi. — Wrote to Lord Bridgewater, offering to relin-
quish my leave, and volunteer out with the detachment
which was under orders for Portugal.
^^otJi. — Saw Lord Bridgewater, who approved of my going
out, and gave me leave to remain at Longparish till the
detachment marched by on their way from Coventry to
Portsmouth.
December 2;/<f. — Having again equipped myself with
chargers and appointments for foreign service, I returned to
Longparish. Walked the whole day in the Clatford and
Abbot's i\nn marshes, and only got three shots at snipes. One
of the two I killed, I first wounded, and he flew up in a high
elm tree, and there sat till we pelted him out. He then flew
off so strong that I was forced to stop him with a second
shot.
\jtJi. — Went to shoot at Longstock and killed 2 ducks,
2 snipes, i red-headed curre, and 3 bald coots, besides i
snipe, I duck, and 2 coots, which I could not get out of the
water for want of a good dog. In the evening went on to
Houghton Lodge, where I dined and slept.
\ZtJi. — Got up by candlelight, breakfasted at break of
day, and sallied forth for a grand chasse at Longstock, in
which we were sadly disappointed, for, after being detained
there, wet through, for four hours, waiting for the rain to
blow off, it came on such a stormy day, that the punt could
not be managed, and the boatman (who was a ver)' sul!:y,
stupid fellow) got me bogged among the rushes on the middle
of the lake, there broke his punt pole and told me we should
most likely spend the evening out. Luckily, however, liie
blockhead was mistaken, and my day was finished with only
being wet through, never getting a shot, losing my ammu-
nition out of the bag, and coming home as sulky as a bear.
lotJi. — Went to shoot at Collingbournc Wood ; got wet
22 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
through, and never fired off my gun. In the evening went to
Clanville Lodge to shoot the next da}-,
2ist. — A wet day.
22nd. — Was out all day, and only fired twice. Killed
I pheasant and i partridge.
22,rd. — Returned to Longparish.
1811
Januaiy. — Game killed up to leaving Longparish fur Por-
tugal : 249 partridges, 13 hares, 24 pheasants, 5 rabbits, 3
woodcocks, 68 snipes, 4 quails, and 3 landrails. Total, 369
head of game. Besides 5 ducks, i curre, coots, wood pigeons,
moorhens, water rails, fieldfares, &c.
GtJi. — Left Longparish to go (per mail) to Exeter, and
from thence to Plymouth, to embark once more for Por-
tugal.
N.B. — My wound is not yet healed.
jtJi. — At four in the morning got into the mail, and at
eleven at night reached Exeter. Had a delightfully jolly
party, and, not being post day, the mail stopped whenever we
saw game, and during the journey I killed 4 partridges.
When it was too dark to shoot, our party mounted the roof,
and sang choruses (while I joined them and drove), and in
which the guard and coachman took a very able part.
9///. — At one in the morning got into the mail, and at nine
reached Plymouth.
\2tJ1. — The detachment and baggage were embarked.
i^tJi. — Went (although far from well) to the Hangings
near Mavey (about eight miles from Plymouth), and killed
I snipe and 3 woodcocks, including one which I knocked
down, apparently dead, and had in my hand above five
minutes, when it suddenly sprang from me, and after fluttering
for a few seconds on the ground, flew away as strong as if it
never had been fired at, and I stopped it with a second shot.
iSiT COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RV 23
X.B. — Only saw 8 cocks (ver}^ wild) the whole da}^, 3 of
which were killed by those who were with me. Consequently,
we only left a couple behind, at which, by the way, we never
got shots.
Specimen of what a bag of game in a sortie from garrison
usually costs. Chaise and postboy, 2gs. ; refreshment at ale-
houses, I2,s. ; paid man for his dogs, ys. ; gates, 6d. Total,
2/. gs. 6d. With the comfort of getting wet through, and
sitting benumbed in the chaise for nearly three hours while
crawling over (and often being lost on) the cross roads.
i6tJi. — Found m}'self extremely unwell, and was confined
for the day.
In consequence of seeing a letter from Lord Bridgewater
wherein he thought that I had embarked for the command of
the remount, I wrote to his Lordship explaining why I had
not, which was my having, for several days, been very unwell.
23;'^. — Received a letter from Lord Bridgewater to counter-
mand my going to Portugal, and apprising me that he, of his
own accord, had applied to the Adjutant-General for an ex-
tension of my leave. In consequence of this I disembarked
my horses and baggage.
24///. — The convoy sailed, and I proceeded home again to
Longparish.
2'jtJi. — This day, finding myself considerably better, I
began to regret that I had not gone abroad, and, contrary
both to orders and advice, resolved on going to Portsmouth,
from whence twelve ships of the line were on the point of sail-
ing. Accordingly, in the night (or, rather, on the morning of
the 28th), I posted off to the above place, where I saw Sir
Joseph Yorke, of whom I got a passage in the ' Victoty,' and
re-embarked on the 29th. This ship, in addition to her own
crew, being stowed with the whole of the 36th Regiment
besides several other military men, was so crowded that all
those on board were in perfect misery. The only berth that
could be got for me was in the surgeon's medicine closet, off
24 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
the cockpit, in total darkness, where the air was so foul that
in several parts a candle could not be kept alight, and the ex-
tinguished snuff of it was literally a relief from the infernal
stench of the place. Our mess in the ward room, consisting
of above sixt}', was so crammed that comfort of an}' kind was
out of the question, and we were the whole time sick, and far
more from this circumstance than the motion of the ship.
Our living was the worst we had seen on board any ship what-
ever.
Contemplating on what I had to go through, how little I
was able to bear it, and the chance of giving great displeasure
to Lord Bridgewater, forgoing away in direct disobedience to
his orders and advice, I got into the long-boat, which was
going ashore in the evening, and took my portmanteau, with
some thoughts of not returning, and on my arrival at Ports-
mouth I was so much at a loss how to act for the best, and
so whimsicalh' undecided, that I actually tossed up whether
I would return to the ship or not. The toss coming in
favour of my going again on board, I returned in the long-
boat.
30//^. — At about eight in the morning, got under way
with a fine breeze from the eastward.
31^/. — The wind shifted directly against us, but, it not
blowing very hard, we continued to lay our course, and nearly
reached the mouth of the Channel.
February 1st. — There came on a severe gale of wind, and
the fleet was so blown about that some damage was done, and
we, among others, broke a mizen-topmast. We were at last
obliged to put about, and sail into Torba}% where we arrived
just as night set in. During the four days I was on board I
ate scarcely a morsel ; was so weak that I fainted several
times, and my wound discharged considerably more than it
had done for a length of time. I was in consequence told by
all the officers on board that I was a madman if I continued in
the ship, and this suggestion being strongly repeated by the
i8ii COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 25
surgeons induced me, once more, to relinquish the attempt of
joining the army in Portugal, and I was taken on shore to a
little fishing town called Brixham. Here I slept the night,
and in the morning took a chaise, and proceeded to Exeter,
on my road to which place I was overtaken by a man who
told me that the fleet had again sailed.
^tJi. — Home again to Longparish House.
lOtJi. — Went per mail to London.
15///. — Went down to Lord Bridgewater's in Hertford-
shire.
\6tJL — Walked out with the keeper's gun and killed 4
hares, 5 rabbits, and i wood pigeon.
lytJi. — Returned to London, and took places in the
mail of Tuesday night for Falmouth, to proceed once more
to Portugal, having given up my six weeks' leave and decided
on a passage by the first Lisbon packet I Arrived in Falmouth
on the 2 1 St.
24///. — Took my passage for Lisbon in the ' Princess
Charlotte ' packet, and in the evening went on board.
25///. — Sailed early in the morning, and after being all
day at sea and nearly clearing Channel, we were driven back
by contrary winds, and obliged to return to Falmouth Roads,
where we dropped anchor about four o'clock. We then
went on shore, leaving nearly all our baggage packed up
on board.
March ist. — The wind having shifted to the north, the
signals were fired, and we were routed up soon after daylight ;
and no sooner had we discharged our bills, given up our
lodgings, and were on the point of going on board, than the
wind returned to its old quarter, and the preparations for
sailing were of no avail.
^th. — The wind came again to the north, and we were
called up at break of da}% but it blew such a violent hurricane
that it was impossible for the boats to get off till evening,
when, about six o'clock, we returned to our ship.
26 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RV Uarcu
gf//. — Soon after eight in the morning we got under \va}-
with a gentle breeze from the N.N.E. accompanied by the
whole convo}-, which had so long remained windbound in
Falmouth harbour.
Number of miles travelled in my three attempts to rejoin
the arm}' in Portugal, notwithstanding I have been the whole
time in a bad state of health : From London to Longparish,
6i ; from Longparish to Plymouth, 155; back again, 155;
from Longparish to Portsmouth, 39 ; from Brixham to
Exeter, 32; from Exeter to Longparish, 112; from Long-
parish to London, 61 ; from London to Ashridge, 29; back
again, 29 ; from London to Longparish, 61 ; and from Long-
parish to Falmouth, 204. Total miles, 938. Besides four
days' hard beating in Channel, being imprisoned, at anchor,
in three different ships, and costing me about 200/.
i6t/L — Came in full view of the rock of Lisbon early in
the morning, and ^^■ere beating to windward all day and
night.
17///. — After beating the whole morning off the bar, we
got a fair wind, and sailed into the Tagus ; w^here we anchored
by four o'clock, and I went on shore to Madame de Silva's.
N.B. — A very comfortable passage of nine days.
27///. — Went to see the cork convent, which is about a
league from C intra, and inhabited by twelve friars. The
whole of this little monastery is cut through solid rocks, which
are beautifull}- interspersed with the gardens and temples of
the monks, and command a full view of the sea and town of
Colaris. The inside of this convent is entirely constructed
with cork, and from being detached among the miost solitary
mountains, and having scarcely a light but the glimmering
lamps of the altars, it has a sepulchral appearance truly
calculated for the retirement of its holy fathers. On our
return, we inspected the house, which was built b}' Mr.
Bcckford, and is now in a state of ruin. This fine quinta
stands in a forest of cork trees, overlooking Mafra (with the
i8ii COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 27
whole vale around it), the sea, and the stupendous heights of
Cintra, from a foreground of cork trees and orange groves.
28///. — We were shown over the Prince Regent's palace,
which stands in the town of Cintra, commanding the whole
country around it. This edifice is very large, and contains
one immense hall richly gilded and decorated with painted
swans ; a second with magpies ; and a third with deer, which
are yoked with divers coats of arms, containing the heraldry
of all the noblemen in Portugal. The fountains here are very
fine, and among them is the principal curiosity of this palace,
namely, a large temple lined with Dutch tiles which spout
forth water from every side, above and below, by the mere
touch of a small engine in an adjoining room, and thus
form a sudden and continued shower bath, resembling tor-
rents of rain.
29//^. — Walked out with my dog and gun accompanied by
a captain in the 2nd Portuguese Foot ; killed 2 red-legged
partridges, some Portuguese larks, some of which are like
ours only of a redder tint, from the high coloured sand of this
country, others considerably larger, more the colour of ours,
and with a black ring round their necks, and i snipe. The
latter was considered a curiosity at this time of the year, and
the partridges are now so scarce that I saw but three all da}'.
April 2nd. — Found myself considerably better from a
severe illness, which I brought on by my exertions in the few
hours' shooting.
4///. — Hired asses and went round the environs of Cintra,
having that place and the rock in every point of vie\v^ In
our ride we passed the town of Colaris, from whence come
the greater part of the oranges for exportation. The beauty
of the road to this place is scarcely to be described ; it first
goes through an immense forest of cork trees lying under
stupendous rocks, and is covered with the most beautiful shrubs
and flowers, and contains the quinta of the Due de Cadaval ;
and then it goes through a most extensive range of orange
28 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY April
and lemon orchards, where the trees are breaking down with
fruit, with which }'OU may load yourself without dismounting.
JtJi. — Returned to Belarra, and took up our abode at
Madame Silva's in Jonqueira.
N.B. — Our bill at Cintra came to near jol. for nine days'
plain living, and no visitors.
12///. — Having received a letter authorising me to return
to England (as \vcll as a sanction to the same from General
Peacocke), and not wishing to avail myself of this without
being fully justified in so doing, I had my wound inspected
by Dr. Hosack, the staff surgeon, and voluntarily appeared
before the IMedical Board, who pronounced mc ' totally unfit
for field duty ' and gave me a certificate accordingly.
May ^tJi. — Appeared again before the Medical Board (for
a final decision), and was ordered ' to return to England for
the recover}' of my health,' &c.
lOtJi. — Embarked on board the 'Sally' transport, which
(with a fleet of 58 sail) w^as bound for England, under convoy
of the ' Abercrombie.'
\yJi. — ^Soon after daylight w^e got under way, but with
such an unfavourable wind that we w^ere obliged to work the
direct contrary course for England so far as to be past St.
Ube's, and halfway to Cape St. Vincent, before we could get
a favourable offing.
\gtJi. — Passed a turtle sleeping on the water. A boat
was immediately sent after him, and when, with great caution,
the crew^ had rowed close to him, he was taken up and brought
on board.
2\st. — Having neither aldermen's cooks nor London re-
cipes on board, we were so hard run for dressing our turtle,
that I was the man honoured with that appointment ; and,
as m\' receipt was most highly approved, I have made a
memorandum of the w^ay precisely in which I dressed it, viz. :
Having the turtle killed, boned, and well cleaned with scalding
water over night, it was put in the saucepan about half-past
iSii COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 29
nine in the morning, with more than twice as much water as
would cover it, and then left to keep boiling. At eleven I put
in two onions (cut in quarters), a piece of butter half the size
of an orange mixed with flour (and a teaspoonful of fine
sugar), and a crust of burnt bread. At twelve I added half a
pint of Madeira, a small teaspoonful of cayenne, a tablespoon-
ful of anchov}- essence, two ditto of Coratch sauce ; some
allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns ; some pickled
samphire, and capsicorn, with all the juice and half the rind
of a large lemon. At two I added another squeeze of lemon,
^\'ith two glasses more Madeira, and (after it had boiled with
these a few minutes) it was served up.
N.B. — About half an hour before we sat down to dinner,
the wind at last came fair for England. We had, till then,
been (ever since we left Portugal) working to westward for a
fair wind, and instead of being any nearer to home in our
nine days' sail, we were this day (at twelve o'clock) 125 miles
farther from England than we were when in the river Tagus,
viz. 2)7 degrees 27 miles north latitude ; I4 degrees 20 miles
west longitude ; the Land's End bearing N.N.E. 850 miles.
25///. — Entered the Bay of Biscay, the wind continuing
very fair.
28///. — Opened the Channel.
2<^tJi. — Saw the Start Point (which was the first land dis-
covered, in consequence of the weather being too thick to
distinguish the Lizard), and continued up Channel with a
beautiful wind.
30///. — Passed the Needles, and dropped anchor a little
beyond Hurst Castle. We were here destined to remain the
night, having a contrary wind, the tide against us, and being
above 30 miles from Spithead. As we were nearly opposite
Lymington, it luckily occurred to me that I had better (if
possible) get put ashore there ; I accordingly gave the pilot a
guinea who put me across, by which I saved at least 30 miles
by sea and 4 miles by land. After taking some tea at
30 COLONEL HAWKER'S UL\RY April
Lymington, I proceeded to Romsey, where I passed the
night, and on the morning of the 31st arrived once more at
Longparish.
I must observe that the miseries I encountered on the
voyage (from being without a soul to attend me, except
occasional assistance from a cabin boy, and an Italian steward
that would turn the stomach of a hog) were adequately com-
pensated for by the master of the ship, who (I think it but
justice to say) was one of the most civil, agreeable, and ac-
commodating men I ever saw, and (it may be unnecessary to
add) very far superior to his bearlikc brethren. We were (as
it is but fair to expect and customary) poisoned to death with
putrid water, rancid salt butter, fleas and other dirt (added to
having our brains nearly beat out between decks) ; but I had
no time to grumble or complain, having been every day busily
employed in taking care of my things, cooking my dinner,
looking after my sheep, &c. We were luckily tolerably well the
whole three weeks we were on board, and not at all seasick.
The following is the diary of our passage from the log-
book : Monday, May 13th, 52 miles ; Tuesday, 14th, 50 miles ;
Wednesday, 15th, 50 miles; Thursday, i6th, 50 miles; Friday,
17th, 54 miles; Saturday, i8th, 39 miles ; Sunday, 19th, 47
miles; Monday, 20th, 58 miles; Tuesday, 21st, 85 miles;
Wednesday, 22nd, 104 miles ; Thursda}-, 23rd, 142 miles ;
Friday, 24th, 112 miles ; Saturday, 25th, 122 miles ; Sunday,
26th, 122 miles; Monday, 27th, 128 miles; Tuesday, 28th,
120 miles ; Wednesday, 29th, 120 miles ; Thursday, 30th, not
worked off when we left the ship, but said to be about 100
miles. Total made good : 1,555 miles.
July gth. — Went in a boat to the Needles for rock
shooting, and killed among other birds a cormorant. My
killing the latter bird was considered great sport ; as the
boatman and other people informed me that it was the first
they had seen dead the whole season ; for, although every
shooting party had tried every way for them, the cormorants
iSii COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 31
were so difficult of access, and (even when within reach)
carried away so much shot, that none had been killed.
The plan I adopted was, being put on the extreme point
of the Needles, and then climbing part of the way up them,
and there waiting till these birds came over from behind me.
It is unnecessary for me to remark the terrific grandeur
and m^ajestic appearance of the rocks, when these (as well as
every other beauty we surveyed in the island) are so well
known, and have been so often described.
The shooting here is most excellent practice, and well
calculated to teach a person to fire quick, and divest himself
of that bungling trick of what is called ' covering my bird,' as
you have not only the rapid flight of these fowls to encounter,
but the incessant motion of the boat, as the bays with which
these rock birds abound are seldom without a great swell of
sea : you have, therefore, your object to catch in a moment,
and unless you put the very centre of your shot on to the birds,
they will very rarely fall, as the blow they take is scarcely to
be credited. They dive so quick that if you fire at one on the
water, he will generally be down at the flash, and particularly
if wing-broken. I was told by the boatmen that a man com-
pletely outmanceuvred them (a few days since) by one of For-
syth's patent locks, which never failed to kill them on the water.
Coming home I went ashore to see the white sand pit, and
the coloured chalk height, in Alum Bay, and in my walk
killed a rabbit.
The only objection to this excursion was that (from my
having been ill and nervous) it gave me a severe headache^
which is little to be wondered at, when we consider the inces-
sant firing of heavy loaded guns, the constant confusion and
scramble in the boat, and the continual view of the chalk
precipices, added to the intense heat of a broiling sun, and
the repeated (though irresistible) application of a beer bottle
to one's mouth.
10///. — After having surveyed Freshwater Bay, the cave,
32 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY July
and everything else within our morning's sail, I again paid
my respects to my friends the cormorants, which, by the way,
are provincial!}' called the ' Lsle of Wight parsons.'
I was landed again on the point of the Needles, and this
day, not having Mrs. Hawker with me, I had no one to be
alarmed, and therefore climbed a considerable way up the
rock, and there took a position in ambush, directing the boat-
men to put to sea at some distance behind the rock, and
prepare me, by the blowing of a post horn, for the approach
of the ' reverend devourers.' At last there came three of
them suddenly upon me, and I killed 2 cormorants, right
and left.
The first I brought down by putting small snipe shot
through his head, and the second bird I shot in the body and
wings wath No. 3, and though, I suppose, forty }'ards from
me, my Joe Manton broke both his wing bones short off from
the body, and killed him dead. It may be proper to observe
that this bird fell quite lifeless, whereas the first-barrel bird,
through whose head I put the small shot, paused for some
time before he fell.
I found that my plan of the horn answered extremely well.
I then went to have a few hours' pastime under the rocks,
but found the birds so very wild that I despaired of getting
shots, but by dint of perseverance killed 5 puffins, 2 razor-
bills, and 3 willocks. We then went and amused ourselves
taking up the lobster pots, and in lieu of what we took out,
fastened a paper with some money in it to the wickers of
the pots, and then sank them again.
28///. — This day being the anniversary of the battle of
Talavera, makes it exactly two years since I got my wound,
from which I may now consider m}'self just recovered, though
it has not completely healed up.
August ZtJi. — Went with Lord Hinton, who had never
fished with a minnow before, and the trout ran so remarkably
well that he caught 7 brace of the largest fish we had seen for
i8ii COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 33
the season in the space of an hour and half. I killed also one
trout, while instructing him how to troll, which was the largest
caught this year, weighing 2 lb.
Lord Hinton hooked a trout with a minnow, which was
so large as to require nearly twenty minutes to get him to
the top of the water ; and while we were in the very act of
landing him, we had the sad mortification to see him break
the tackle and swim away. He was the largest trout I ever
saw, and has defeated all the fishermen. I should guess his
weight at about 7 lb.
igtJi. — Attended the carpenters and fishermen at the taking
up the weir wherein we thought that the enormous trout,
hooked by Lord Hinton, must have concealed himself, as he
clearly went there on breaking the tackle. We, of course,
caught every fish that it contained, but saw nothing of him,
our largest fish being but little more than 2 lb.
VOL. \.
84 COLONEL HAWKERS DL\RY Sept.
CHAPTER IV
1811
September \st. — Longparish. Sunday.
2nd. — 18 partridges, 4 hares, and i quail. Little as this
may appear in comparison with our sport some years, it is
more than we have ever done in proportion to the extreme
scarcity of birds. There never was so bad a breed of, or so
few, partridges since the memory of the oldest men in our
\-illage. What we got was by downright slavery.
yd. — Walked out with lame dogs after a three o'clock
dinner, and killed 10 partridges. (I missed but one shot.)
A^tJi. — 9 partridges, i hare, i landrail, i rabbit, i wood
pigeon, and i teal.
N.B. — Killed everything I fired at, except two partridges,
one of which was a long distance from me, and at the other
the gun hung fire.
yJi. — 7 partridges, i quail, and i hare. Shot at Enham,
where the extreme scarcit}' of birds prevails, as well as in
every other place.
6tJL. — 5 partridges, 2 snipes, and i hare.
jtJi. — 4 partridges and i hare. Found but one covey
the whole day, out of which I killed a double shot ; I had
but six shots with fagging all the morning ; luckily, however,
I killed them all, one being at a bird which I knocked down
and lost ; and all (except the double shot) single birds.
Received an order from Lord Bridgewater to take charge
of a recruiting party about to be stationed at Newbury.
i2th. — 2 partridges.
i8ir COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 35
N.B.— Fagged the whole morning, and got but two fair
shots : never was the game so scarce.
I'^tJi. — -7 partridges.
14///. — Went over to take up my recruiting party at
Newbury.
\6th-. — 12 snipes and i water crake (or spotted gallinule).
Besides another water-crake and 3 snipes shot and lost in
the high reeds. With the exception of some random shots
which I fired towards evening, when the snipes became very
wild, and once when I lost my bird by the gun hanging fire,
I missed but one shot the whole day, so that (with these
exceptions) I knocked down 1 5 snipes and 2 water crakes
out of 18 shots. We found three couple of the latter birds,
which I consider a great curiosity, as I never saw but three
before in my life, and all of these were in different years and
different countries. I never met with any in Hampshire
before, although the water rails here are very numerous.
Game killed in the month of September : j^ partridges, 8
hares, 3 quails, i landrail, 18 snipes, i rabbit. Total, 104 head.
N.B. — Never was game so scarce as this year.
October ij-/. — 7 pheasants and 2 partridges. It was a very
wet day, and I got my game partly at the expense of a
tenacious old farmer, who (leaving his own covers behind for
his private preservation) sallied forth to the annoyance of
every poor little farmer in the neighbourhood, when I enticed
him on by a feint to cross his beat, and then tipped him the
double and hung upon his rear ; had the weather been fine I
should have played the devil with his pheasants, as every bird
I shot quite dead on the spot.
14//^.— Went to Weyhill Fair, where the principal curiosity
was a creature (shown under the name of a mermaid) that
was caught and brought alive from the Southampton river.
November ^rd. — Went to Lord Bridgewater's at Ashridge.
AftJi. — Walked out (in my Bond Street dress, and, in short,
completely unprepared for shooting) with the keeper's old
36 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Nov
gun, which was stocked so different from my own, that I
missed a third of what I fired at ; notwithstanding this (and
the day being showery), I bagged lo partridges, 4 hares,
I pheasant, i rabbit, and i woodcock, besides a quantity of
game that I only wounded from the gun not coming well to
my shoulder. The birds here were so wild that we could
scarcely get into the fields before they were up, and even in
high turnips and cover they sprung out of shot ; but their
numbers I could compare to nothing but swarms of bees;
seven and eight coveys in a field was quite common, and
through a tract of country for ten miles ; I am confident
that had I been prepared to go out at xA.shridge and taken
my own gun, had a fine day, and plenty of ammunition,
I could have filled a sack. As to hares, you kill as many as
you want, and then leave off ; fifty in a field are sometimes
found, and all this clear of the preserves.
1812
Recapitulation of game killed up to February 1812 :
119 partridges, 20 hares, 3 quails, i landrail, 41 pheasants,
13 rabbits, 2 woodcocks, 48 snipes, 7 wild ducks, i teal,
I wigeon. Total, 256 head. Besides adding herons, wood
pigeons, fieldfares, &c.
March ist. — After being tortured for three days and three
nights ^vith the toothache, I had a tooth drawn and driven in
again, by which severe operation you effectually remove all
pain (by destroying the nerve), and at the same time restore
the tooth for mastication.
April i6th. — After having made up my mind to return to
the army in Portugal, I was this evening taken with a slight
cold in my loins, and on Sunday I completely lost the use
of m}^ limbs. I went to Mr. Home for something to give me
relief, and on seeing how far from being recovered I was,
he decidedly forbid my going abroad, and advised me to
leave the army, on the annexed certificate :
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 37
{^Copy:)
' This is to certify that Captain Peter Hawker's general
health is so much impaired by the wound in his hip, and the
parts so liable to inflame and swell upon slight exertions,
tliat he is, and will continue to be, unfit for actual service for
a considerable time.
(Signed) * EVERARD HOME.
' London, Sackville Street :
' May i-jth, i8i2.'
Jzine 26th. — Received a letter from Lord Bridgewater
giving me choice either to join the depot, take a recruiting
party (in a district where the new system was not yet es-
tablished), or remain at Longparish on the strength of my
sick certificate.
Having declined the latter, I wrote to Lord Bridgewater
to request his orders for my doing whatever would be, in his
opinion, most for the good of his regiment, &c.
July 1st. — Went fly fishing and killed 10 trout.
August nth. — This evening received a new double gun
from Mr. Joseph Manton, No. 5802.
\2th. — /\fter trying my gun at paper, and finding that it
shot tolerably close and remarkably strong, I rode over to
Leckford and killed about a dozen coots and moorhens, with
two ducks ; and (as far as I could then judge) think the
gun will suit me.
19//^.— Fished (with a fly) at Wherwell. and killed 22
large trout.
2/^th. — Agreeably to an order received the preceding
day, I left Longparish to take up a recruiting party at Brad-
ford, Wilts, where, on my arrival, the place was so full
(owing to the fair) that I was obliged to take my tired horses
out of the dog cart and feed them in the back way to the
inn ; and after riding the leader all over the town (which is
roughly paved, and up and down tremendous hills), and then
38 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Aug.
galloping two miles to the fair ground in search of my
party, I heard that the men had marched from Bath back to
Weymouth, instead of to Bradford, owing to a mistake in the
route. I then proceeded to Bath (in order to get a bed, &c.),
and on my arrival found this to be the case.
2^tJi. — Having (till my party could arrive) nothing to do,
I started soon after nine o'clock for Bristol, and having spent
an hour in seeing the ' lions ' of that place, I mounted the box
of the Welsh mail, and went to the New Passage (in Gloucester-
shire), and crossed the Severn to the Black Rock (in I\Ion-
mouthshire), where, after dining on plenty of Severn salmon
and an excellent leg of Welsh mutton (for 3^-. 2^/.), I recrossed
the water, in a vessel with 119 Irish pigs and 4 Tipperary
hog drivers, and then went back to Bristol by the return
mail, into which I bundled with three old women from
Glamorgan ; and, what with the incessant roar of the herd of
swine and the everlasting clack of the Taffys, my ears were
for hours recovering. To recover my nerves I got some tea
and coffee with Charley Langford, of the Middlesex Militia,
and after sitting with a party there till half-past nine, I re-
turned in a hack chaise to Bath, where I arrived at 1 1 o'clock
and went to bed.
30///. — Having got leave to be absent, I went to Long-
parish to meet Lord Hinton, for a week's shootincr.
;8i2 COLONEL HAWKER^S DL\RY 39
CHAPTER V
l8l2
•
September \st. — So much corn was standing, and so exe-
crably bad was the prospect of sport for this year, that many
first-rate sportsmen dechned going out, and several of those
who did came home with empty bags. Lord Hinton and I
started between ten and eleven. I killed ii partridges and
I hare.
^th. — Was out all the morning, and never got a shot.
^tJi. — 5 partridges.
N.B. — All we found the whole day was one covey of 15,
out of which Lord Hinton and I bagged 12.
jtJi. — 5 partridges and 2 hares. Killed some birds besides,
which I lost in the corn. Excepting long random shots. I
never missed a bird the whole week. With the exception of
one which towered, all my birds fell dead to the gun.
Game bagged the first week : 33 partridges and 3 hares.
Total, 36 head of game.
N.B.— Though (without picking my shots) I never missed
a fair shot the whole week, and I had five brace of good dogs
to shoot with, yet the above is all I killed, so infamously bad,
in every respect, is the shooting this year.
8///. — Having hired a house for my family at Bradford,
Wiltshire, I was on the point of starting for that place, bag
and baggage, at seven in the morning, when Woollard (who
had been riding all night) arrived to inform me that I was
to give up the recruiting party on the 24th inst.
40 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
I was, however, obliged to go to Bradford to settle some
accounts, &c., and I arrived there by about three o'clock, in
time for the post.
gtJi. — After a wet morning I started for Atworth, about
4 miles from Bradford, to shoot with ]\Ir. Robert Webb. We
did not start till near four in the afternoon, and I bagged 9
partridges, besides one knocked down and lost in the corn, in
ten shots. I had two double and six single shots, and every
bird fell dead to the gun. Shooting and sport of this kind
being voted a rarity in Atworth, my success was the talk of
the whole village.
10///. — After getting up very early I visited ]\Ir. Coltatt,
of Wraxall, who is keeper over all these manors, and landlord
of the ' Plough ' inn ; consequently, by putting up there, you
have his good-will to shoot. Owing to bad weather, however,
apd trusting to his dogs, I got but four shots, and bagged
3 partridges.
wtJi. — Never got a shot. It is singular that the only two
blank days I had were on the two Fridays, and that on each
of those days I found nothing but a pair of barren birds,
although in two different counties.
\2tJL — Drove my tandem to a heath (between Lord
Lansdowne's and Colonel Thornton's), where I killed 5 rab-
bits, 3 partridges, and i wood pigeon.
lA^th. — 4 partridges ; and (owing to being baulked by the
dogs chasing) I missed within fair distance i hare ; I, how-
ever, secured her with the second barrel.
N.B. — With the exception of some random shots out of
reach and three snap shots at rabbits in high grass, the above
first-barrel shot at the hare is the first miss I have made this
season, making sixty shots in succession without missing,
besides some birds killed and lost in the standing corn, &c.
N.B.— I never picked my shots to seek the reputation of
never missing ; and I invariably fired both barrels when
opportunit}- offered.
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 41
\6tJi. — 2 partridges. Went in search of a leash of birds,
which has been seen (the previous day) by the butcher, and
although — so intensely hot and dry — there was scarcely any
scent I found them, and killed a double shot ; the third bird
got off to covert, and we could not find him.
lytJi. — 2 partridges. Went out near the town, and as I
arrived at a stubble- the farmer came up ; and with his
damning and swearing, frightened up the above brace of
birds, which I killed right and left before his face, put them
in my pocket, and wished him ' good evening.'
1 8//?. — Walked out, never was more than a mile from the
town all day, and bagged 12 partridges (besides two shot
and lost). I killed every bird I fired at, and made good the
only three double shots I fired. We only found 19 birds
all day, and on my return I found a note from Squire
Jones to request I would desist from sporting in these fields
or near Bradford Wood as they were preserved, and telling
me he was authorised to ' forbid all trespassers,' notwith-
standing the whole town shot constantly over them, and he
had previously given his approbation to my shooting, and
I had even robbed myself to supply him with game.
My Anszuer.
* Dear Sir, — As to my certain knowledge every fellow in
this town shoots in the neighbourhood of Bradford Wood, I
am almost induced to think you are joking when you call it
a preserve. I regret, however, that you were not a day
sooner in your application, as I have this moment returned
with the only remaining birds (fourteen) in my bag ; four
brace of which I was on the point of sending you when I
received your note, and consequently disposed of them other-
wise.
* I am, &c.
* P.S. — 'I have also countermanded the sending for a capital
42 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
pointer bitch of which I had promised m}'.sclf the pleasure of
making you a present ! '
The squire sent a verbal message that ' I was no gentle-
man ! '
' Sir, —I am surprised that you should aggravate your
uncivil conduct by saying I am " no gentleman." I beg to
observe that did I consider you as worthy the name of one I
should not hesitate to take up your message in a proper light.
' I am, &c.'
1 received the squire's message when getting into m}-
tandem for Longparish, and had to turn back to make the
above acknowledgment of its receipt.
23r<^. — On my return from Longparish I received the
following epistle from the squire :
'Woolley : September i8lh, 1812.
' Sir, — As to my knowledge there has not been any fellow
who has sported on the estate at Bradford Wood, 1 hereby
give you notice that you are forbidden to shoot (or otherwise
sport) on the several estates of Earl Manvers, in the hundred
of Bradford, or the liberty of Trowbridge, and I am at the
same time to bring to your remembrance that any officer
sporting on the estates of persons without leave is contrary
to law ; you are also forbidden to shoot on the manor of
Trowle, or on any of the estates of Earl Manvers, as well as
on my own lands, subject to a report to the Commander-in-
Chief.
' I am, Sir,
' Your obedient servant,
' John Jones.
'To Captain P. Hawker, 14 L.D.'
The squire being the most unrelenting tyrant and ne-
farious sinner, the annexed is what I returned him.
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 48
I should observe that the whole town of Bradford, and
all the poor fellows he had persecuted, were quite in an
uproar of joy about it, and ready to eat me up.
' Bradford, Wiltshire : September 24th.
' Captain Hawker begs to inform Squire Jones that he is
always a day after the fair with his insignificant revenge.
Captain Hawker having only this night received his polite
notice, and being obliged to take his farewell of Bradford
early to-morrow, he is prevented beating the remainder of
the manor, which he otherwise, upon his honour, most
assuredly would have done. He feels particularly obliged to
the squire for his civil information, as the article of war
wherein " an officer who has leave fromi the landholder can
be prosecuted by the lord of a manor," has not yet appeared
before the public ! Whatever manors Squire Jones may
hold for others, he is about as deficient in manners of his
own as he is of popularity, good nature, or capacity for a
magistrate ; and as, therefore, the squire has even got the
start of the articles of war and even of the law itself, the
Captain most strongly recommends him to study Blair's
Sermons, Lord Chesterfield, and the Bible ; and, in bidding
him adieu, sincerely wishes him a sound and permanent
reformation both of mind and body, and that he may have
time to repent his sins, and prepare himself for that day
when " every man shall be judged according to his works ! "
(the text given last Sunday at Bradford church, where Jones
never goes).'
Out of the twelve double shots which I have fired since
Sept. 1st I have killed both birds eleven times, and bagged
them all but one, which I bungled at, and did not kill dead.
This makes seventy-seven out of seventy-eight fair shots.
Having been only from a quarter past eleven till three
to-day filling my bag, I returned to Bradford at the latter
hour, in good time to despatch some birds to town. Every
44 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
other bird, except one brace, I gave away to the natives,
so they could not call me a pot hunter.
Having got my dinner I started for Longparish (in
the tandem) at a quarter before eight, and arrived home,
45 miles, by two in the morning ; having only stopped for a
short time to feed my horses, and they arrived quite fresh
and tolerably cool.
Game bagged the month of September 1812: 78 par-
tridges, 7 hares, 7 rabbits, 3 snipes. Total, 95 head of
game.
October yth. — 3 partridges, 3 snipes, i pheasant, and i jay.
I sprung a single snipe, and after seeing it fall, I
observed another going away, which, in a few seconds,
towered and fell in the river, so that I bagged two with firing
but once : the latter bird, therefore, was evidently killed by
accident, on the ground.
loth. — Left Longparish for Weymouth. I took a gun in
the carriage, and in three shots going along the road, I got 3
pheasants which I much wanted.
i^th. — Went over, with Lords Poulett and Hinton, to
Hinton St. George Park.
14.1/1. — After viewing the beauties of Hinton House I rode
out and killed 2 snipes and 2 jack snipes, which were all
that could be got, as the immense swarms seen the preceding
days were driven away by a change of weather.
i6th. — Returned to Longparish. Carried a loaded gun
in the carriage to flank the road occasionally, and bagged
5 pheasants and 3 rabbits.
20th. — Having, on the 19th, received orders to join a
recruiting party at Glasgow, I left Longparish and arrived in
London this day.
24th. — After the post came in, I started for Ashbridge
Park ; and, having dined with Lord Bridgewater, returned to
town, where I arrived soon after twelve at night.
As we passed Lord Bridgewater's grounds we observed
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 45
his i^eople at oat cart, and his Lordship informed us that ' he
was this day to finish his harvest' This shows what a late
season we have had.
26th. — Left London for Scotland.
Having taken places for Ferrybridge, I left the ' Bull and
Mouth ' inn, per Glasgow mail, at a little before eight, and,
after taking up the bags in Lombard Street, at the General
Post Office, we proceeded for the North.
N.B. — On passing the Duke of Newcastle's, on the right
going down, between Ollerton and Worksop, the enormous
quantity of pheasants, which were within twenty yards of
the road, is scarcely to be credited ; there were nearly 100
of them all close together like a flock of pigeons. Unluckily
for me, and luckily for his Grace, it poured so hard with rain
tnat I never could have unpacked my gun, otherwise the guard
and coachman would readily have brought to for action.
I had mtended to stop at Ferrybridge to have taken a
day at Methley Park with Lord Pollington ; but finding the
roads so bad, and that his seat was nine miles out of the
highway, I had not sufficient spare time.
While passing through Lincolnshire &c. we saw the people
at harvest, and in a few hours after, the mail was so covered
with snow, that, in spite of all coats, ' toggerys and upper
benjamins,' the whole of the outside crew were wet to the
skin, and almost frozen with cold. I kept my myrmidons
well, with the never failing remedy of cold gin and beer.
I arrived at Mr. Thompson's inn, ' The Old George and
Morritt's Arms,' at Greta Bridge about half-past six o'clock
on the morning of the 28th.
N.B. — I think the north roads, as far as possible, inferior
to the western. They are mended with large soft quarr}-
stones, which, at first, are like brickbats, and afterwards like
sand. Lideed, what ^\■ith the wet weather and other circum-
stances, it would have been misers' to have travelled in an}--
thing but the mail.
-ir, COLONEL HAWKERS DL\RY Oct.
The posting is i^-. <^d. per mile, and very inferior to that of
the western road at \s. 6d. The people of this mail, and
particular!}' the ruffians at the ' Bull and Mouth ' office, are in
general a dissatisfied, grumbling set of fellows. Their ' turns-
out ' of horses and harness are beggarly.
In Lincolnshire there are many gentlemen's parks, fenced
with walls of loose quarry stone ; ricks made upon raised
sheds, and the carts put under their cover ; second storeys, of
many houses, of spear reed, cemented over and under with
plaister ; bread either very white or very brown, no medium ;
fires very large and a profuse waste of coals, which, I learnt,
are 5^". 6d. a cartload, free of gates and everj'thing. In
Hants, the}' would be 30J.
Tabic of Diail-coach expenses to the Grouse Moors
£ .s.
My place inside to Ferrybridge
Outside places for two servants at 2/. loi-. each
To a dog brought per mail
To extra luggage
Ferrybridge to Greta Bridge .
Six coachmen and four guards, at 4^-. each
Total
4
16
5
I
5
I
10
3
17
2
£ 18 8
I usuall}- gave the coachmen and guards 2^". for myself
and \s. each for my servants, though generally more if they
were civil and obliging. The above, however, is the common
price on this road.
28///. — Having learnt that the grouse were become so
wild and scarce that a man who had, a few days ago, killed a
brace was spoken of as having done wonders, I despaired of
getting any ; but, having travelled till I had scarcely strength
from my Peninsular wound to go farther (in order to secure a
day or two), I was resolved, at all events, to look at the moors
and, if possible, see a live grouse, which I had all my life been
longing to do. This evening, therefore, I proceeded (in a
post-chaise) on the high road for Glasgow &c. and stopped
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 47
at Bowes (a small place 6 miles from Greta Bridge), where I
bought some shot, and drove on to a public-house (3 miles
further) kept by one Kitty Lockey, who horses the mail.
Never was there a more admirable situation than this
public-house. It stands in the very best part of the moor
(this is Strathmoor, and from it we had a fine view of
Durham) ; and, being an isolated place, the grouse are as
likely to be found close to the house as anywhere farther,
and indeed the landlord informed me that he this very morn-
ing saw a grouse sitting within a fair shot of his door, and
that these birds often come close to it. I was, of course, not
a little ' on my metal ' at hearing this.
The public-house here is in every respect remarkably
good. The place where it stands is known by the name of
Spittle.
It was curious, on passing to this place (or rather to Bowes)
to observe the quantity of standing corn ; two-thirds of the
fields, in every direction, not being yet reaped or mowed. Com-
mon wheat, oats, and barley standing all over the country.
After supping (so my landlord chose to call it, though it
was a six o'clock dinner) on a roast duck, Yorkshire ham,
and preserve tarts, which (to my astonishment) I had in per-
fection at this hut, I went to bed with every inducement to
rise early, except the weather, which had been very snowy
and wet, and was still very stormy — all much against the
chance of my getting a grouse.
N.B. — It should be remembered that one brace of moor
game now is equal to 1 5 (or more) in August, both for value
and difficulty of shooting them.
2<^tJi. — The weather having suddenly changed to a very
hard frost, with sharp winds, I, after getting some breakfast,
started with my one dog and Kitty Lockey for a pilot.
Within 250 yards of my bedroom window, and directly in
front of the alehouse, Nero found 3 grouse, then 2 more, and
7 more (I looked at my watch, and found that we had seen
48 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
these six brace within nine minutes from our leaving the
door). Within twenty-five minutes from our throwing off we
found two packs, of about lo or 12 each ; and, in short, saw
about forty brace during our walk, all within one mile, and
two-thirds of them within less than half a mile from the
public-house and some close to the road, where the mail and
other coaches pass. But the certainty of finding them was
sadly counterbalanced by the utter impossibility of getting at
them ; in spite of every manoeuvre, I could scarcely get even so
near as 1 50 yards to them, and it was only two or three times
that the dog could come within that distance. I contrived, how-
ever (by creeping, with my hat off, behind hillocks and ridges
which I thought likely) to get within sixty yards of some pairs,
and single ones, three of which I fired at, but with no other
hopes of killing than a chance shot taking a vital part. At last
(after I had voted it impossible to get a grouse in such weather,
and so late in the season) Nero came to a point, and (as luck
would have it) the brow of a hill was between him and his bird,
and I by creeping up * took him on the hop,' fired directly he
rose (at about 45 yards) and down I knocked him, in the act
of crowing at me — a fine old cock grouse. Bagged also i teal,
I jack snipe, and i snipe, which (with another wild snipe and
a flock of golden plover) were all I saw except grouse.
On my return to the inn, I met a Mr. George Edwards (of
Barnard Castle, Durham), who, on my complaining at not
being able to make up a brace of moor game, said that (with
such a day &c.) he should not have credited m}' having killed
one, had I not produced the bird.
This gentleman (as well as the landlord) informed me
that anyone who had a freehold (even under 40^-.) had a right
(if qualified &c.) to sport over the whole of these moors (for
10 or 12 miles). Thus, here is no lord of the manor ; but
every freeholder has an equal right to sport. Their plan to
prevent poachers, and serve notices, is (or rather ought to be)
carried on by a committee ; but so little attention is paid to
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 49
the matter, that a stranger may shoot a whole season, with
Httle or no opposition, and a gentleman would have no trouble
in getting a month's leave.
In August it is common for a bungler to bag his eight brace.
loth. — Left Spittle for Penrith, but was obliged to leave
one of my men behind, in consequence of the guard being
unable to take on my luggage. I should observe that nothing
creates more disputes on this road than a gun case, as it will
go nowhere but the outside of the coach, where the guards
are forbid to put anything ; and, from the wretched horses
driven, the coachmen have so much difficulty in keeping their
time, that they in general are very tenacious of taking any-
thing more than they are obliged to do. They are, however,
much more civil here than farther upwards.
As you enter Westmoreland, the scenery becomes very
romantic, and the approach to Appleby, which you enter down
a steep hill, presents a magnificent landscape.
My reason for stopping at Penrith was to see Ulswater,
one of the finest of the lakes, and the only one I could reach
without going nearly forty miles out of my way. I hired a
gig,' and got a weaver's boy for a pilot; and, in six miles,
reached the village of Pooley, at the foot of the lake. Nothing
can be more romantically beautiful than the richly wooded
hills that form the side scenery, and the majestic heights
which compose the background of this landscape ; in a word,
the view creates a sort of sensation which we feel on hearing
Mozart's music, seeing Shakespeare's tragedies, hearing Bra-
ham sing, or seeing ourselves surrounded by a good evening
flight of wild fowl.
i\fter driving a considerable way on the road, which is on
the edge of the lake, I returned to Pooley to make inquiries
for sport, and found that a Mr. Russel had, as he termed it, the
farming of the fishery, and that by putting up at his house,
you insured yourself the liberty of angling on the lake for nine
miles. The following are the fish it produces : grey trout,
VOL. L E
50 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Oct.
running up to 35 lb. ; common trout ; charre ; perch ; skilly,
or fresh-water herrings, which are caught by thousands at a
draught ; chub ; eels, and brandlings.
No wild fowl to speak of, but good partridge shooting
round the lake.
On my return to Penrith about 5 P.M. I got a brace of
trout dressed, some good gravy soup, a roast chicken, cran-
berry tarts, jellies, &c., all elegantly served up, and with great
civility, for 6j-. 8^., which I thought much better bestowed than
on a lawyer's letter.
After dinner, about half-past six, I got a lift on to Carlisle,
by the Manchester mail.
3ii-/. — Saw the whole of Carlisle, and the only thing I
observed to be worthy of remark is the excellent architecture,
and construction of the two new courthouses, which give a
grand effect to the entrance of this town. Carlisle is well
paved with quarry stone of a reddish brown colour, with which
the cathedral, castle, and other edifices are built. The former
has a fine window and some good oak carving ; the latter has
arms for 10,000 men ; though neither of these is anything
beyond mediocrity.
I should observe that the inns are so small and bad, in
proportion to the numbers who travel through this town, that
it is but seldom you can be accommodated with a sitting room
to yourself, and you are, consequently, obliged to live at the
same table with persons of every description.
At half-past three this evening, I left Carlisle for Moffat,
where I arrived about half-past ten. When you have passed
the river Sarke, 3^ miles beyond Longtown, you enter Dum-
friesshire in Scotland, where the country soon appears barren,
and the little cabins of stones, poorly thatched and only on a
ground floor, contribute to its wild appearance.
After getting nearly two miles into Scotland you go through
Springfield, which is now the grand receptacle for enamoured
fugitives ; the hymeneal business being now carried on by
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 51
one David Ling, a ci-devant coachman, who married the niece
of the late old man, commonly called 'the Blacksmith,' and
thereby succeeded him in his property and business. Priest
Ling resides in a tenement, or rather hovel, among a small
row of slated cabins, on the left as you pass down ; and a little
farther, on the opposite side of the street, is a pothouse called
' The Alax well's Arms,' and kept by one Jemmy Reade, where
the nuptial ceremony has, of late, been performed. This
temple, however, was formerly kept at Gretna Hall, on the
green, which joins the hamlet of Springfield, but the house
being since bought for a private residence, the impatient lovers
have now only to direct their flight to the place before men-
tioned, by which they will be accommodated with having
500 yards less distance to reach their asylum of security ;
unhappily, however, the roads in this poor countr\- are ill
calculated for the wings of love.
I should mention that the old man, who officiated for nearly
forty years, at 40/., 50/. and sometimes lOo/. ajob, never was a
blacksmith, but, merely so called because his pairs were welded
together in heat. Old Joe Parsley, for that was his name, was
by trade a tobacconist. He was a very large, heavy man, and
might have died worth a great deal of money ; but from being
an intolerable drunkard and a very unsteady fellow, his
money went as lightly as it came, and after he had solemnised
the marriages, and dismissed his ' couple of fools ' from the
forge, they could not possibly be more eager to follow their
avocations than his reverence was to trudge off to a whisky
house.
The roads and horses in this country are so bad and ill
attended to, that even the mails get on but slowl}- and in a
very slovenly manner ; the harness being generally second-
hand, one horse in plated, another in brass harness, and, in
short, all of a piece ; and when thc\- do have new harness
(which is very seldom) it is put on like a labourer's leather
52 COLONEL HAWKER'S IMARY Oct.
breeches on a Sunday, and worn till it rots, without being-
cleaned. The coachmen are Hke a set of dirty gipsies ; they
drive but one stage each, and then look after their own
horses. The mails are (from London) exactly the same as
all others.
November 1st. — I was prevented sur\eying this country
by an incessant pour of rain, which lasted the whole day.
The town of Moffat has nothing to make mention of, except
the wild country in which it lies, and the mineral waters for
which it is frequented in the summer, one of the springs
being similar to that of Cheltenham, and the other con-
sidered good for consumption.
2nd. — Went out in hopes of getting a blackcock, for which
this place has the name of being good ; but, after slaving tilt
I could scarcely get one leg after the other, I found but
one pack, two single cocks, and a grey hen, all of which were
too wild to give me the least chance. Indeed, getting at them
in this country (after August or September) appears impos-
sible, as they occupy the open heights, where they generally sit
like cormorants, with a sentry, either on a rock or in a tree,
to give the alarm. In my walk, however, I killed 2 wood-
cocks, which were all I saw, and 3 partridges, and should
have had a brace more, and a couple of snipes, but the only
shot I could buy was so large that it was quite by chance
that I bagged what I did with it.
My walk gave me a full view of this place, which lies in a
fine valley among small rivers, and is surrounded by a per-
fect amphitheatre of mountains. The oats and barley were
standing in every direction, and some quite green.
My guide was one David Dinwoodie, who gave me an
excellent account of Moffat as a sporting place ; and, among
other information, corroborated what I had before heard
here, that in June and July^ the salmon trout fr}' were so
plentiful that the boys would go out with an artificial fly and
bring in 400 of a da}'. They are, however, small ; as they
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLARY 53
run about the size of a smelt ; but they are most delicious
eating, and as red as any salmon.
In consequence of having seen at a distance a great many
ducks, I, tired as I was, after getting my grouse, and a
cranberry tart for my dinner, poured a flask of whisky into
my boots, whipped on a box coat, and posted off to the side
of the stream, but only saw 5 ducks, which were too
far from me to fire at.
I went to bed with my loins in such pain from walking
that I was fearful my wound would break out again ; but
luckily, by taking something warm, I soon recovered.
'^rd. — Being told that the only possible way to get black-
cocks was to creep after them- in the morning by daylight, I
started off with my friend David Dinwoodie, and after de-
spairing of seeing any, we espied a pack at feed ; but the
moment we stopped they flew up, although they were on the
opposite side of an immense valley from the hill on which
we were. After taking a long flight like ducks they perched on
a plantation of high larch firs, among some stone walls ; accord-
ingly, I began to creep when about 500 yards from them,
but having got to the end of my ambush, I found the
distance too far ; I then, in preference to firing at random,
crept over the wall, and succeeded in getting to another,
where I had a safe march to a breach within forty yards of an
old cock, who was the vidette, and after crawling on all fours,
with my heart in my mouth, for about 100 yards, I gained
the point, and down I knocked him, a fine old black-
cock. I was thus lucky in getting both specimens of the
grouse so fine for stuffing.
N.B. — It is somewhat remarkable that in the very act of
getting over this wall I found on it a shilling, which inspired
me with confidence of success.
The place where I was being near ' Moffat Springs,'
which is where the sulphur waters are drunk, I took a look
in and tasted them, and they were quite sparkling and very
54 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Nov.
cold, though of a strong brimstone flavour. They are under a
lock-up shed, in a rock close to the mountains ; their distance
from Moffat is nearly two miles, and that of the consumption
waters nearh' seven, both lying to the north-east of the town.
I must do David Dinwoodie the justice to say he was one
of the most obliging men I ever met with — not with an object
in his civilit}', as is often the case in the North, for he was
absolutel}' affronted when I offered to reward him for his at-
tendance. Not so with Kitty Lockey, for he not only took
care to ask for money directly he had attended me, but made
the most imposing charges in his bill. It is, indeed, too often
the case that when the}- get a gentleman in an alehouse, they
take good care to make him ' pay his footing.'
I got back to Moffat about half-past nine, where after
taking my breakfast I proceeded in a chaise for Douglas-
mill, which is about halfway to Glasgow. I took my gun, ready
loaded, in the chaise ; and after killing i magpie out of the
window, while going on, to test the barrel that I feared would
hang fire, I was prepared for anything I might see on the road.
I bagged 3 partridges, and should have had 2, if not 3,^
more, had I not laboured under the disadvantage of the
large shot, which to so small a quantity of powder, and
in such little charges, as a double gun holds, has neither
velocity enough to cut through the feathers of a bird, nor com-
pression sufficient to avoid his escaping very often among
the intervals. The difference between large and small shot in
a gun is, that the former goes in like the back of a knife, and
occasionally only ; and the other like a razor, with unerring
certainty. No. 7 is best for everything, unless you take a
duck gun.
I should make a memorandum of the posting in this
country, which, as well as the inns where you change horses,
more forcibly depicts misery than even the travelling in Spain.
The horses are scarcely good enough for dog's meat, being
' Round Moffat is a most admirable beat for partridges.
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 55
half starved, and kept in sheds of loose stones ; the chaises
are of the very worst description ; and the travelling, on an
average, I found to be about 4 miles an hour.
The road from Moffat to Douglas-mill has nothing for
remark, except that it is one of the most wretched deserts I
ever passed. There are several small rivers in this wild
country, which the postboy, or rather the ragamuffin, who
drove me, said were full of trout. No coach whatever, excep
the mail, makes it worth while to pass this road to Glasgow ;
but all the carriages of conveyance go round by Dumfries.
I reached Douglas-mill between seven and eight at night.
4///. — I started on my journey soon after six in the
morning, having got an excellent chaise with a decent diiver ;
and having found everything at and from Douglas passable
except the roads, I flashed them occasionally, and bagged
I snipe and 4 partridges. I am sure, had I time, dogs, and
small shot, I could kill a hamperful of partridges in this
neighbourhood ; as, from the country being so little inhabited
they are in great abundance, and you may shoot unmolested ;
and 'from the corn being out in the fields, and some of it
standing, the birds lie nearly as well as in September. I tried
the grouse as I passed the heath, but getting anywhere near
them proved impossible. I reached the town of Hamilton
soon after twelve, and there found the posting nearly as good
as in parts of England. I arrived in Glasgow between two and
three o'clock this day.
The post arrives at Glasgow fromi London on the
fourth day ; for instance, if a letter be put in on Monday it
arrives on Thursday morning. The mail leaves London
Monday evening at eight, and gets into Glasgow Thursday
morning before eight ; it leaves Glasgow soon after two on
Monday afternoon, and arrives in London very early Thurs-
day morning ; and so on through the week, except that no
post comes into Glasgow on Wednesday, nor goes out of it
on Thursday. You have 3 hours, from half-past ten to half-
56
COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY
Nov.
past one, sometimes more, in which you may answer letters
by return of post.
Table in order to show for how much a gentleman and his
servant, the former inside with 14 lb. of luggage, the latter
outside with 7 lb. of luggage, may go from London to
Glasgow, with two breakfasts, two dinners, and two suppers :
Inside to Ferrybridge from London
„ Greta Bridge
„ Carlisle ....
„ Glasgow
£
.«.
(1.
£
s.
d.
4
16
I
12
6
I
9
6
-->
10
10
8
->
10
I
-->
I
I
13
6
5
.
14
12
.
12
•
19
£19
10
•Outside to Ferrybridge
,, Greta Bridge
„ Carlisle ....
„ Glasgow ....
Inside, seven guards at 2s. each
,, six long-stage coachmen at ditto
„ twelve short- stage coachmen at half ditto
Outside, for man, half price of the above
Grand total
gt/L — Went per mail to Edinburgh.
lOt/i. — Having spent the whole of the previous afternoon
in seeing this fine city, I got up very early in the morning
and went all over Leith, from whence, after buying 100 oysters
and a live codfish of 24 lb. weight for y. 6d, I returned to
Edinburgh, two miles, saw the remainder of the town, and,
at twelve, started by the heavy coach to return to Glasgow.
Although this machine carries six in and ten outside, yet it
goes the 42, or rather 45, miles, including the suburbs, in six
hours and a half The horses, and indeed the whole concern
of this coach, are superior to the mail ; and it performs the
journey in the same number of hours, as do also, I am told,
the five or six other coaches which start every day to and
from Glasgow. From the extreme roughness of the Scotch
roads, and consequently the stiffness of the springs, and
strength with which they are obliged to build these coaches,
we found the noise so great inside, that the passengers could
scarcely hear each other speak.
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 57
On passing Bathgate (in the second stage, where we
stopped to water) we were saluted by two old women, or
rather fairies, one sixty-eight, the other a few years younger,
and each very little more than three feet high. These
Lilliputians are not related to each other, except in their
occupation, which entirely consists in presenting them-
selves to the different coaches, and the diversion and novelty
Avhich their appearance affords the passengers generally
produces them plenty of halfpence, and by this means alone
they gain their livelihood.
The road by which I returned from Edinburgh to Glasgow
in this coach lies nearly parallel to that which I came by the
mail ; the two roads are often within a mile, and never more
than four, from each other ; they are about the same in
point of goodness and distance, and unite in one at about a
mile from Glasgow, and somewhat more than a mile from
Edinburgh.
N.B. — I found Edinburgh full as dear as London ; for
example, 2s. for fire and ys. for lodgings, 2s. a mile for a
hackney coach, &c. ; w^ithout a tenth part of its comforts.
The castle (built on a stupendous rock) is one of the
strongest fortifications, and the finest thing of the kind I ever
beheld ; but with regard to everything else in this town, the
high expectations I had raised were sadly disappointed.
nth. — Walked out from the town of Glasgow (after twelve
o'clock), and bagged 4 partridges and i pheasant — a very
old cock bird. The latter was spoken of as an extraordinary
circumstance in this country, and from what I heard, it
appears to be one that several people had been a long time
in pursuit of
I got a random shot at a woodcock, which I could see
nothing of at the moment of firing, and, as the lairds of this
country take especial good care to turn their timber into
money before it is large enough to bear a man's weight, 1
■was prevented being able to 'mount my marker' in a tree.
58 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Nov.
which is of course the sure way to secure a woodcock for
the bag.
I fired but five times ; I killed the pheasant full sixty
yards, and a partridge at nearly the same distance ; and,
indeed, all my shots were extraordinary lucky ones.
N.B. — I shot with No. 8, and Butts's Hounslow cylinder
powder, which I found superior to Manton's. I see every day
more and more the consummate stupidity of people who
abuse small shot.
\6tJi. — After having passed the morning in going to the
College, and seeing the invaluable collection in Hunter's
Museum, I started for Dumbarton, on my way to Loch
Lomond, and slept at the ' Elephant and Castle ' inn, which
is kept by a Mr. McNicol, and far superior to any I had met
with in Scotland ; I had an excellent bed, a good accom-
modation, with a moderate bill, and great civility.
ijtJi. — Proceeded in a hack chaise to Luss inn, thirteen
miles farther. The last eight miles of this road are on the
' indescribably beautiful Lake of Loch Lomond,' and present a
magnificent view of wooded islands and mountainous scenery,
together with the tremendous ' Ben Lomond,' and other snow-
capped mountains.
On arriving at Luss inn, which is close to the lake, I set
out partly to sketch and partly to shoot, and was far better
repaid my journey by the landscapes than the sport, as the
game was so very scarce that, although with leave over the
whole of Mr. McLaughlin's grounds, and with the attendance
of his man, I killed but 3 snipes and i woodcock, which were
all I shot at, and all I saw.
18///. — Having heard that there were several roe deer on
Sir James Cohoun's property, I obtained his permission to
sport for a few hours, but could not succeed in finding any,
at which his keeper, a respectable man who attended me,
seemed rather surprised ; the only shooting I got was firing
both barrels at a hare. After getting an early dinner I set
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S 1)L\RY 59
off, escorted by one Donald on my wa}- to ascend Ben
Lomond ; and after going nearly four miles b\' land and one
by the lake ferry, reached the inn at Row Ardenan, which is
a real Highland whisky house. I here sat down by a peat fire
with some whisky toddy, till a bed-in-a-hole (like the berth
of a transport) was prepared, and then retired to rest,
N.B. — Previously to reaching the ferry we passed a stone,
on which there is an inscription relative to Colonel Lascelles'
regiment having cut this road through the rock in i745j
about the time of the rebellion.
19///. — After getting some boiled bread and milk, which,
with a basket of peat to make a fire, I secured previously to
going to bed, I started with a guide at daybreak to ascend
Ben Lomond, and within three hours we barely reached the
shoulder of the summit ; but getting to the most elevated part
of it was impossible, as we found the last fifty yards a solid
sheet of ice ; and, indeed, for more than the last half-mile we
travelled in perfect misery and imminent danger ; we were
literally obliged to take knives to cut footsteps in the frozen
snow, and, of course, obliged to crawl all the way on our hands,
knees, and toes, all of which were benumbed with cold, and
were repeatedly in danger of slipping in places where one
false step would have been certain destruction. The going up,
however, was comparatively a mere nothing to the coming
down, in which our posteriors and heels relieved the duty
performed by our toes and knees. My man John Buffin, as
well as myself and the guide, had some very providential
escapes, and on our getting below this frozen atmosphere and
again in safety, the latter told us that ' had we slipped nothing
could have stopped us ; ' and, indeed, we had proof of this
by my dropping a stick, which soon went rapidly out of sight.
The inn where we slept stands at the foot of, and is called
five miles from the summit of, Ben Lomond. We were lucky
in having a clear day to present us with the grand amphi-
theatre of mountains in which this one stands. I of course
60 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Nov.
took my dog and gun ; but the latter we were obliged to
leave behind on a rock, after crawling with it strapped to the
back as far as possible ; we found no ptarmigans ; indeed,
they are now become very scarce.
The killing of these birds is, from what I was told, no
merit beyond the labour of traversing the frozen pyramids,
and the novelty of getting them, as they will sit on an open
stone as tame as chickens, and suffer themselves to be pelted
before they will move, and are very frequently killed with
stones. Ben Lomond has on it some white hares, but we
saw none.
The ascent to the summit of this mountain is, even in
winter, sometimes very passable ; and in summer so much
so, that ladies very commonly go up, and sometimes take
with them a piper, and other apparatus for dancing. The
summer may, perhaps, have a different effect ; but, for my own
part, I was so exhausted that, being unable to walk home
from the inn, I hired a boat and returned by water.
In several of the most solitary glens we saw the caves
where the smugglers manufacture the famous Highland
whisky, which is so far superior to the ordinary by being
distilled from the pure malt and smoked with the peat.
They usually do this work in the dead of night. There are
various opinions about where the Highlands begin, in con-
sequence of the English language having within these few
years extended itself to where the Gaelic was spoken ; but,
as that language appears still familiar to most of the old
people, even as far as Luss, we may safely say that Luss is
in the Highlands ; at all events they unquestionably begin a
few miles beyond that place. After getting my dinner at
Luss inn I returned to Dumbarton, where I went to bed very
unwell.
20th. — Having had every comfort the preceding night, I
found myself better ; and returned, by the Dumbarton coach,
to Glasgow.
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 61
2ist. — Removed from the filthy lodging of Mrs. Sheddon,
94 George Street, to the cleanest house I had seen since I
left England, a Mrs. Watson's in Clyde Buildings.
Mrs. Sheddon having swore that I had engaged her
lodgings for two months, when I particularly expressed, before
witness, that I would not even engage them for more than a
week, I was the previous evening served with the letter of
a lawyer, which was brought me by a most assassin-like-
looking fellow, with a hare lip, cut-throat face, and in a
beadle's livery. Mrs. Sheddon having this day refused to
go before a magistrate (which in this country is optional),
and she having preferred ' a suit at law,' to increase my
trouble and expense, I was obliged to employ a Mr. Donald,
to enter on a regular lawsuit ; and Mr. Provost Hamilton
was so kind as to stand bail, in order to get a certificate for
the removal of my baggage, which had remained all the
morning under quarantine. The action is of course going on.
This is a common species of imposition in Glasgow,
Mr. Donald having had many similar cases in hand.
27//^. — Partly from illness, and partly from seven days'
rain (with scarcely any intermission), I have been prevented
using my gun till this day, when I went in Mr. Mackintosh's
chariot — accompanied by his son and Mr. Horrocks — to
Keiss' estate, belonging to Mr. Sterling ; but only fired my
gun twice the whole day.
December ZtJi. — As before, I have (partly from illness,
and partly from bad weather) been deprived of shooting till
this day, when 1 walked out of this execrable town ; and all the
game to be found was 2 hares, i of which I fired at and killed.
lOtJi. — Walked out for a few hours near the town ; fired
my gun five times and bagged 2 hares, 2 partridges, and
I fieldfare.
\ltJi. — The weather having for nearly a fortnight been
intensely severe, I went by the evening mail to Greenock, to
try for wild fowl.
•62 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
14///. — Hired a boat, and found several flocks of barnacle
and other fowl ; but getting even near enough to fire ball at
them proved impossible. Indeed, as far as can be judged
from what I have seen, no coast can be worse than this for
water shooting, as here are scarcely any rivers but what
freeze ; and the lakes being also susceptible of frost, the fowl
daily frequent the open Clyde, where no device whatever will
succeed in getting at them ; and, by night, they usually feed
on the mud, in which you must walk and stand up to your
knees to get a bad evening flight.
15///. — Crossed the Clyde to Dumbarton, within three miles
of which (opposite Craig-end ferry, where there are good boats)
the wild fowl are in myriads, and the solid squares of barnacle
have the appearance of black islands. We found it, however,
impossible to come within even a quarter of a mile of them.
I took my dinner at Dumbarton, and went to a place,
called ' the meadow,' for evening flight. Saw nothing but ten
wild fowl, which dropped in, one at a time (by moonlight),
within sixty yards of me. I fired at them, all in a cluster
(with a huge gun), and literally swept the pool where they
W'Cre, but they all escaped by diving at the flash. On my
return to the inn I sent for one Reade, a blacksmith (the head
shooter), who informed me that two couple of fowl here were
reckoned a good day's sport, and that with the many tons of
ammunition that were every year fired in the Clyde not fifty
barnacles were killed. It appears that even the punt-shooting
and cask-burying systems fail here.
\6th. — Out for morning flight ; saw but two small lots of
fowl, and never fired my gun. Went, at high water, to shoot at
the scaups, and was shown the best plan of getting at them,
which is to keep concealed at a distance from the river, and
when the birds dive, to spring up and run as fast as possible to
the water, and on their coming up (perhaps within ten yards
of you) they will instantly take wing, and give you a beautiful
shot. I killed 5 of them.
i8i2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 63
Though the most bitter cold day that could be described, the
fly fishers were, if possible, more numerous than the shooters ;
their tackle is quite coarse, and the trout they kill very small.
From the natural propensity Scotsmen have for staring at
anything new, it is highly diverting to show them any gun
beyond the most common size or inferior value. On my
producing a Joe Manton to the blacksmith, I had a mob,
similar to one attendant on a dancing bear, or a man killed
in the street.
17///. — Mrs. Hawker having come to me at Dumbarton from
London the previous evening, I went to Ballock ferry to show
her Loch Lomond, where I killed 2 divers, i wood pigeon,
and I teal, which, with the exception of a wild duck that I
knocked down and lost for want of a dog, and a water ousel
that I unfortunately missed from having too large shot, were
all I fired at. This evening we got back to Dumbarton, and
there put fresh horses to our chaise, and returned to the vile,
stinking, foggy, asthmatic town of Glasgow.
\(^th. — Dined on some of the best trout I ever ate, which
proves that these fish are not only to be caught, but worth
catching, here all the year.
N.B.— On my return received information that the lawsuit
with the relentless Mrs. Sheddon was at last decided in my
favour.
2\st. — Went with Colonel Douglas to Dumbarton; and,
through having a very clever sportsman ^ to manage the boat,
we at last got within about 120 yards of a few barnacle geese,
by means of getting between them and the sun, and sculling
down on them. We then fired with slugs (Colonel Douglas
with a Spanish barrel, and I with a huge wall gun), and killed
a barnacle ; besides a second one which was picked up by
another shooting party.
22nd. — Out again ; killed only a golden-eye duck. Fired
my wall gun several times among flocks of barnacle and other
' One John Menzies (called Mingas), the ferryman of Craigend.
64 COLONEL HAWKER\S DIARY Dec.
fowl, at not much more than a hundred yards, and plainly
discovered that the barrel was a bad and weak shooter ; had I
one of my own duck guns, I should, no doubt, have astonished
the natives with the bulk of my bag. No wonder these birds-
are wild. Not less than a dozen boats are out every day filled
with shooters, who, as well as those from the shore, are
incessantly firing at all distances. In the evening we returned
to Glasgow.
December '^\ St. — Went to Dumbarton for the purpose of
shooting next day ; but on my arrival had reason to regret
leaving Glasgow, by a discovery that it is the custom of this
place for every soul who can carry arms to go out shooting on
New Year's Day.
1813
January \st. — The beginning of this day was ushered in
with such incessant firing, that, what with the guns from the
castle and every other explosion, down to the boys firing old
pistols in the street, I could compare the town to nothing but
a place besieged. And the innumerable shooting parties, in
the fields and round the river, were like light infantry in con-
fusion. I had several narrow escapes of both shot and ball,,
not only round the town, but in the very streets. I contrived,,
however, in the midst of this besieged country, to bag 3 par-
tridges and I jack snipe, which, with another snipe I lost, were
all I fired at. I went out merely to see whether or not I
could beat this whole host of shooters, and, as far as I could
learn, fully succeeded. On my return, about one in the fore-
noon, I saw a mob of people assembled, and was informed
that they were met for a purpose of charity, namely to pay
sixpence a shot with ball at a small target, for the benefit of
a poor old man, who was to furnish the winner with a cheese..
I repaired to the place, and gave half a crown for the
poor man, and as 1 was informed that, although an immense
number of shots had been fired, no one had touched the target^
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 65
I was induced to draw my shot, and put a pair of balls in the
double gun, and, to the astonishment of the elegant company
by which I was surrounded, put the said pair of balls into the
target. I then left word that if I won the cheese, I would
give it to the old man again, and went away. But, unluckily,
about two hundred more shots were fired, and, of course, out
of that number, some nearer the bull's eye than mine, though
I heard none of them hit it.
Under a hope that all the shooting rabble would repair to
the alehouses about dusk, I went out flight shooting ; but it
appeared that those who had any powder left, still kept blazing
away. In short, I had no shots, and was very near getting
wrecked on my return, by being dashed by the current on the
rocks under Clyde bridge, where four of us in a little cock boat
were thumped like a shuttlecock, expecting every moment to
go to pieces.
2nd. — Returned to Glasgow.
N.B. — I must remark the cheapness of my bill at Dum-
barton. I had two excellent breakfasts ; two dinners, with
soup, fish, flesh, wild fowl, sweet things, wine, and a bowl of
punch each day. Soup in the middle of the day, board for a
servant and a dog, also a capital bed, with fire in my bed-
room, and the attendance of a waiter shooting, and m}' bill
for all only amounted to i/. a^s.
\tJL — 3 partridges and 12 snipes. I killed the 12 snipes
successively. This is great luck in a place where they
arc so scarce, as you generally have your sport interspersed
with random shots ; making allowance for these, however,
I may venture to say that I have killed 30 or 40 snipes in
succession.
6///. — Went with Mr. Macintosh to Dumbarton, and then
proceeded to Ardencaple inn, ten miles farther, where we
passed the night, with very good accommodation.
jtJi. — Bagged i sparrowhawk, i hare, and 5 woodcocks,
which, with the exception of one fine shot that I missed, b\'
VOL. L F
C3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
getting a bough directly in my face, were all I fired at, and
either 7 or 8 were all we saw, which, for this place, is
reckoned a miserable scarcity. We then got a grouse, that,
by means of my previously striking with a long random shot,
sat till the dogs very near caught him. I also got a wild snap
shot at a grey hen, which I hit so hard that we were much dis-
appointed at not bagging her, and, by bad luck and our dogs
going down wind, we lost shots at some more grouse and
blackcock, which, to our astonishment, lay till the dogs were
within a short distance of them. And, but for some showers
which came on about twelve, we should have had some fair
partridge shooting ; as it was, I lost a brace by my barrels
hanging fire. Thus it may be seen with what a beautiful
variety of game Ardencaple abounds, and how decidedly this
place is the paradise of the country to a sportsman.
The little strip of wood in which I killed my first 3
cocks begins within a gunshot of the inn door. It was some-
what singular that Mr. Macintosh, although a good fag, an old
sportsman, and an excellent shot, only got two chances the
whole day, and only one of them at a cock which vvas out of
reach. After getting our dinner at two o'clock, we left this
beautiful place for Dumbarton, where we drank tea, as the
best refreshment after fagging, and we then returned to Glas-
gow. We having been obliged to post all the way, and enter-
tain some myrmidons, made our expenses for everything just
ten guineas.
\2th. — This evening I hired a buggy, and drove Mrs.
Hawker over to Ardencaple, which place we reached after
dining at Dumbarton.
13///. — We walked out shooting from about ten till one,
and, finding that not a single woodcock was to be seen, I
mounted the hills, and had the extraordinary luck to bag 4
grouse, as well as i hare and i partridge. Besides which I
knocked down another old cock grouse with my second barrel,
having secured one of the hens with my first, but he escaped
in the heather.
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL/\RY 67
I only discharged my gun eight times ; indeed, the
only shot I missed was at a grouse, quite out of fair dis-
tance. After getting a two o'clock dinner, we drove back to
Glasgow.
15//^.— In consequence of knowing that my recruiting
party would be recalled on the 24th, and having urgent busi-
ness, in which there was no time to be lost, I had applied for
leave to return to England, which was granted, and communi-
cated to me this day, when, after settling with the district pay-
master and my party up to the 24th, I prepared for my journey
to London, by way of Edinburgh, which road I chose both
for variety and comfort.
\6iJi. — Took leave of Glasgow at three this afternoon, and
arrived in Edinburgh a quarter before ten.
ijth. — Got into the mail a quarter before three, and (at a
quarter before six) on the morning of the 20th arrived in
London, after incessantly travelling in more than usual misery,
I having been very ill and sick the greater part of the way ;
the weather having been very bad, with first snow and then
rain, and the travelling companion who was bundled into the
mail with Mrs. Hawker and myself having a happy mixture
of the elephant, the bear, the hog, the ass, and the polecat.
20///.— -Dined at Blake's Hotel, St. James's, on grouse,
which I killed myself on the borders of the Highlands of
Scotland this very day week.
Febniary 6t/L — Left London and arrived at Longparish
on my way to the depot, where I had orders to be by the loth.
9///. — Left Longparish, and arrived at Radipole Barracks.
Game &c. bagged up to February 1813 : 1 19 partridges,
18 hares, 41 pheasants, i blackcock, 6 grouse, ii rabbits,
26 snipes, 8 woodcocks, 9 wild fowl, 5 plover. Total, 244,
besides wood pigeons, fieldfares, &c.
22nd. — A match being made between Captain Coles (of
the I2th) and Mr. Bacon (of the i6th'i, I hired a stage coach
and horses, with way bill and everything complete, and co-
F 2
68 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Feb.
vcred the expenses by taking nearly all the officers of the
depot. Much as larking was in force, there had been no spree
to top this since the lads had been together. We (being taken
for ' the Union coach ') galloped past all the gatekeepers, had
repeated applications for a cast, and stopped to malt it at all
the hedge alehouses. We had some prime slang on the road,
and, of course, blew up every spoony fellow we could meet.
After seeing the race won easy by Captain Coles's brown
horse we repaired from Blandford race down to the ' Crown,'
where dinner was ordered for thirty at ys. a head, and \\"e
having nearly drunk the landlord out of both his English and
French wine, a grand attack was made on the Johnny raws
of Blandford, in which were said to be captured fifteen
knockers, three signs, and a barber's pole. The boys then
returned to their broth, and finished the evening with some
prime grub, swizzle, and singing.
On the morning of the 23rd, after my getting shaved by
the barber and sounding him about his pole, and making the
waiter fiddle country dances while we ate our breakfast, we
returned in triumph, with Captain Coles, the winner, on the
roof; and having larked all the way down the road, we took
a turn up and down Weymouth, with the royal accession of
two monkey-faced chimney sweepers that we had picked up
on the road and made stand on the coach, the one tuning up
with his brush and shovel, and the other bearing a huge Nelson
handkerchief from a pole twenty feet long. Our whole crew
then began cneering, screeching, and horn blowing, to the
irresistible laughter of even the gravest codgers in Weymouth,
and the delight of all the damsels, from those in the peerage
down to beggar wenches. All the windows were full, the
esplanade very gay, and what with bells ringing, children
squalling, misses giggling, and dogs barking, the fun was not
to be described.
Our career was finished by landing at the barracks, where
we had no sooner left the coach than it was mobbed by tag
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 69
rag, and bob-tail, and as quickly covered with children as a
piece of meat is with crabs when thrown in the sea. No lark
could possibly end with more good humour on all sides, or
more liberality ; as we even remunerated the fellows that we
blackguarded with beer, and left every place with the name of
' nice gentlemen.' I had the honour of working the whole of
the ground, and drove to the satisfaction of all my passengers,
although every stage I was bothered with some proper rusty
' divils.'
March jtJi. — I had agreed with Major Baker for the pur-
chase of his majority, but was refused the recommendation
for no other reason than because I had been unserviceable
from the wounds I received in the service, notwithstanding
I offered to go abroad forthwith, and to resign immediately if
I proved unequal to do my duty. In consequence of this
shameful injustice I was driven to send in my resignation, at ^
the same time stating my reasons for so doing to the Com-
mander-in-Chief, who (after a personal interview) most hand-
somely offered it back, in opposition to Lord Bridgewater.
But I, having pledged my word to Mr. Foster that in the
event of my not succeeding to the majority his son should
have my troop, and his memorials having reached the War
Office, and his money being lodged, as well as Major Baker
having then hesitated to risk his resignation, I felt it right,
under all circumstances, to decline his Royal Highness's kind
offer, and submitted to the mortification of retiring from the
regiment as eldest captain.
25///. — Received official information that I was gazetted
out (on Tuesday, the 23rd), and that Captain Foster's com-
mission bore date the i8th instant.
During the few months I had to remain in suspense
about the final arrangement of my business, I had (what with
having to go to Scotland and waiting on Lord Bridgewater &c.)
1,291 miles to travel.
Statement of the circumstances from which I left the
70 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY March
army : The unfortunate circumstance by which 1 was so
unjustly driven out of the service was as follows. I (being
eldest captain) had agreed to give Major Baker 2,000 guineas
for his majorit}', and he had promised me his resignation the
moment I could be recommended. I wrote to Lieutenant-
Colonel Hervey (then in Spain) to ask his sanction ; and he
declared that he had nothing to do with any recommenda-
tions at home, and that they all went through Lord Bridge-
water, at the same time informing Major Baker, and (according
to Major Baker's letter to me) promising that I should have
his recommendation. I then applied to Lord Bridgewater,
who (though I transmitted him Colonel Hervey 's answer) said
that the business must be referred to Colonel Hervey.
Inimical, however, to this shuffling and evasive treatment
towards me. Colonel Hervey had occasion to come to England,
and I (who had taken a recruiting party in Scotland till I
heard of his arrival in London) lost no time in getting to
town, to learn the result of his interview with Lord Bridge-
water, being extremely anxious to secure my promotion and
join my regiment in the Peninsula. 1 should observe that
previously to my leaving Scotland, Major Baker wrote me
word that Lord Bridgewater had signified to him that ' he
would do nothing in the business till he had consulted the
Lieutenant-Colonel.' And subsequent to this Lord Bridge-
water refused to forward my memorial to the Commander-in-
Chief under the excuse that I had therein stated the pro-
bability of a vacancy, of which he not only declared himself
(both privately and officially) perfectly ignorant, but gave me
his word that he thought it highh* improbable, at the ver\'
time he was conferring with Major Baker on the subject.
On my arrival in London I wrote to Lord Bridgewater
(who was then at Ashridge) to ask if, in the event of a
vacancy, I might hope for the honour of his recommendation,
as I wished to join my regiment, which I, of course, would
not do as long as there existed an impediment to my pro-
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 71
motion, and saying that if a reply to such a question was the
least irregular, I should esteem it a favour if I might be
allowed to speak with him (Lord Bridgewater) on the subject.
And he returned an evasive answer, merely persisting that he
had heard nothing of Major Baker's intention to quit, and
neither giving me a word in answer to my letter, nor allowing
me to speak to him. I, about the same time, received
Colonel Hervey's determination (by letter), which was that if
Major Baker intended to quit (which at present he much
doubted), it was his determination to recommend Captain
Milles to succeed him. Captain Milles was then in England,
and, according to the report of his own friends, brought home
purposely to supersede me, who, when he was a young
cornet, was a captain in the regiment. I had, of course,
made up my mind to leave the service in the event of not
succeeding, and had pledged my honour to Lieutenant
Foster's father, that, if I could not be recommended to the
majority, he should have my troop for his son, and accordingly
agreed with him for the sale of it. I had, at last, no other
alternative than sending in my resignation, and previously
stating to the Commander-in-Chief my reasons for so doing.
Colonel Hervey (having no doubt heard of my agreement
with Mr. Foster) wrote to Major Baker to request he would
continue in the regiment ; at least I am justified in supposing
so by Major Baker's answer, which was :
'Dear Hervey, I will remain if you wish it'
Thus being foiled at all points in the majorit}', I fc!t
myself bound in honour to refuse my resignation (which his
Royal Highness most handsomely offered back to me, con-
trary to the entreaty of Lord Bridgewater), and was driven
out of the service by the Colonel and Lieutenant-Colonel, for
no other reason than what ought to have been a recommenda-
tion — namely, the very severe wounds with which I had till
lately been deprived from doing my duty. For (as I stated
in writing to the Commander-in-Chief) ' I defied either
72 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY AL\rch
Lord Bridgewatcr or Colonel Hcrvcy to give any other
reason.'
Annexed is a list of my losses by leaving the service, viz. :
Cr. Paid for Coniiuissions.
£ s. d.
In the 1st (or Royal Dragoons) Cornetcy . . . . 735 o o
„ Lieutenancy . . . 262 10 o
Being reduced, by the peace, in 1802, I had to pay (the
regulation) for exchange to full pay in the 14th Light
Dragoons 817100
(In a few months after the half-pay Lieutenants were
reinstated gratis.)
Besides my other commissions paid Major Browne for troop 3,990 o o
(Shortly after a troop went for little more than the regulation,
and another without purchase.)
Besides all this I had some heavy losses by a Quarter-
Master, who misapplied money while I was on leave.
Total . . ^5,805 o o
Dr. Received for Comniissions.
£ s. d.
Troop 1 ,785 o o
Lieutenancy 262 10 o
Cornetcy, provided it is sold before there comes a peace
(otherwise I lose it) 735 o o
Privately promised by Mr. Foster 400 o o
Lost by my commissions 2,622 10 o
Total . . ^5,805 o o
N.B. — I was a Captain of Dragoons soon after I was
seventeen years old. but paid dearer for it than anyone in the
service.
April I'^th. — Went to London.
May i^th. — Instead of leaving town (as intended), I was
this day seized with another violent attack of my wound,
which obliged me to be put to bed. I there lay in torture
till the 24th, when I was greatly relieved b}' three small pieces
of bone being cut out of my thigh. Sir Everard Home, on
seeing this, considered that my life was saved by the circum-
stance of my being driven from the army !
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 73
30///. — I left London and arrived this evening at Long-
parish.
My reason for being so anxious to leave town was, that
my little child had been at the point of death, and when
given over by Sir E. Home I sa\'ed his life by strong port
wine negus and nutmeg.
June gth. — Notwithstanding my little infant (Richard
Hawker) had completely recovered his health and appetite,
he was this evening suddenly seized with another relapse,
and died between nine and ten o'clock at night.
I2th. — Longparish House. My wound having got so
much better as to admit of my walking (with a stick) I went
fly fishing, and killed (yesterday and to-day) 14 trout.
i^th. — 10 trout (average weight i lb. each) in three-
quarters of an hour, and, had I not broke my fly rod (which
obliged me to leave off), should have had extraordinary sport.
i^th. — Having been informed that an outlying buck (for
which I and, I believe, several others had been above a fort-
night hunting) had been seen feeding near Budget Farm,
about ten o'clock the previous night, I this evening repaired
to the place, and after my lying in wait in a rickhouse, and
peeping through its crevices till daylight had almost dis-
appeared, the gentleman suddenly presented himself in a fine
attitude, at a gap in the bottom of Castle field ; but, instead
of advancing towards my entrenchment, he stole up very
cautiously, under the hedge, till he got to the top of the field
and left it again by an upper gap. From the approaching
darkness it became necessary that no time should be lost, and
following him (wild as he was) appeared my only chance.
About five minutes after I had reached the top of the hill, I
could just discern him, at a considerable distance (in our
standing corn), making off at a full gallop. On this I de-
spatched John to the farm, with directions to mount a horse,
and make an immense circle at full speed, in order to out-
flank him, while I lay in ambush at the last gap b}' which he
74 COLONEL HAWKER'S UL\RY June
had passed. This plan succeeded so admirably well that, in
a few minutes, John turned him, and up he came, boundinc^
like a kangaroo, directly towards me. I had my best duck
gun, loaded with swan shot, and an old army rifle, but being
loth to depend on either the latter or my own nerves, I deter-
mined on receiving him with a volley of swandrops. In a
few seconds he came up, and suddenly stopped at about fift\'
yards, in a place from which, had he turned either right or
left, he would have been lost to m}' view, so I opened mj'
fire — bang — directly in his face, but with so little good (well
as I had levelled the gun) that the shot had no other effect
than to drive him directly back again into the standing corn.
Here John played his part well. While I, with the rifle, was
following the deer, he outflanked him a second time, and
drove him back. He then came across me, within forty
}'ards, at full speed. I fired the ball directly through his
neck, and he never gave a struggle. Thus after an indefatig-
able pursuit (in spite of my ill health) had I the fortune to
bag the outlying buck. He was remarkably large and in very
fair condition.
N.B. — Having previously heard of this deer, I practised
with the rifle for the first time I ever fired with one, and in
eight shots at a hundred yards I put six balls (two of wh^'ch
were immediately in the centre) into a newspaper. This,
however, is but average shooting, unless it be considered that
my rifle is an old one that was cast from Hornpesch's corps
as being unserviceable, and given me by an officer.
27///. — Disastrous ill luck with two more deer. This
morning, about six o'clock, I was hurried out of bed by being
informed that two more deer were feeding in the next field but
one to our house. After running up, and placing myself in
a hedge, one of them was, after a little beating, started from
the peas, and, being turned at a favourite gap where I had
previousl}' placed a vedette for that purpose, galloped up to
within twent}- }'ards of me, and (as the devil would have it)
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 75
continued his pace inclining to the left, by which means I was
obliged to fire through a bough, which so intercepted the
sight of my rifle that I had the mortification to see him com-
pletely missed. He instantly bolted into an immense hedge-
row, which I got the other side of just in time to give him a
double shot with Joe Manton ; but my chance here was bad,
as I had loaded merely with two balls that were much too
small for the calibre, so that my double gun was of little
avail for any other purpose than to give a coup dc grace had I
stopped him with the other gun.
The other deer was seen following him, and after a long
hunt for the one at which I had fired, under an idea that,
from having seen one deer come out without the other, I
had wounded the former one, I returned to the pea field,
and (having got two dogs, and being joined by an immense
rabble that my firing had brought out) began to beat, but
all to no purpose. I had loaded my double gun, to be on
the safe side, should he have been found wounded.
On my purposing to return home, an old poacher ex-
pressed a wish to beat the peas again, for which everyone
laughed at him, knowing that both the deer were moved. His
request, however, was complied with, and, to our utter astonish-
ment, up sprang, in the middle of the mob, the other deer,
which trotted across mc, at about thirty yards. I fired both
barrels without being in the least nervous, and with the most
accurate aim, and (to add to my bad luck) never touched him.
Had I but loaded the rifle instead, or even had I common
shot in my double gun, nothing could possibly have saved
him.
Thus had I (who so seldom let anything escape within
fair distance) the mortification to miss one deer at twent\-,
and the other within thirty yards, and both from sheer ill luck
and misfortune.
The damage the three deer have done in the corn is cal-
culated at 40/.
76 . COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY June
N.B. — This unlucky day ended with the followinf^ truly
afflicting circumstance. Poor Annesley Powell, after coming
here (unexpected), and dining with a quiet sober party, was
thrown from his horse, with his head on the point of a flint
stone, which so fractured his skull, and occasioned such a con-
cussion of the brain, that (melancholy to relate) he never spoke
a word afterwards, and expired the following morning, sin-
cerely regretted by the whole neighbourhood, and (what is
still more to his credit) by all the poor, to whom his charities
were unbounded.
July yd. — Attended the funeral of poor Powell, who was
this day buried in Wherwell church.
jtJi. — I stone curlew, which I killed (on my return from
waiting for the deer) late at night, by calling it close to me
with imitating its whistle.
9///. — Having been out most mornings at daybreak, and
regularly every evening, in search of the deer, I this day
scoured the country with old Siney and his host of terriers,
but to no purpose, notwithstanding we found several places
where the deer had been browsing.
2ist. — One of the deer, after a long armistice, having been
again seen, I this morning got up during a mizzling rain at
three o'clock, and, with my rifle, sat among the branches of
an oak till long after sunrise, but never saw him. What
induced me to persevere, was the deer having been seen near
this tree overnic[:ht bv a friend who, although within two
yards of him, was tantalised by hearing him eat without being
able to level his gun, in consequence of the wretched inter-
ference of a huge blackthorn hedge, which to such a nicety
protected the animal that m)^ friend could occasionally see
his ears, but nothing more ; had an}- person five inches taller
been there he might have blown his skull off. It was pro-
voking to me, who from my height could have seen his whole
head, that I should have cruised past the croft but a few
minutes before he came out. Such a chance may never
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 77
recur, as the shyness of these deer now exceeds all descrip-
tion, and Lord Portsmouth's keepers have been alwa}-s so
completely outmanoeuvred by them that they have given a
general leave for their destruction.
2yd. — Started with a party and a cartful of prog &c. to
amuse ourselves in Miller's pond and Netley Abbey ponds.
Although equipped with rods, snares, a casting net, and plenty
of cocculus indicus, we only got some small carp, an eel, and
some roach ; and the greater part of the carp I killed with a
worm, I having landed 3 brace.
August ^tJi. — Left Longparish for London, on way to
the moors in Yorkshire.
8//^. — Left London per mail, and after a journey with a
very pleasant set, and a profusion of noise, mirth, and fun on
the road, reached Ferrybridge at nine on the evening of the
9th, and then got to Methley Park, eight miles, in a chaise by
ten o'clock.
wtJi. — Went with a party, consisting of Lord Pollington,
Mr. Hawkins, and Mr. Chadwick, to Holmfirth, a wild
manufacturing town among small mountains, and about four
miles from the grouse moors.
\2tJ1. — We were all up at three o'clock and off by daylight,
but the birds were so extremely wald that it was almost
impossible to get near them, and our going quietly to work
was out of the question, as the moors were swarming with
disciples of General Ludd, who always allow themsehes a
holiday on the 12th of August purposely to see the sporting
on the moors. It was chiefly by firing snap shots that I got
any game, and I soon saw enough to convince me that the
grouse shooting in Yorkshire is now very poor ; add to this,
I had the disadvantage of being accommodated with two wild
unsteady dogs only nine months old, and they never had seen
a bird killed to them ; while Lord Pollington, with dogs which
he offers to challenge all England, and with two guns, was
working the finest part of the moor, which he had signified his
'78 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Auf;.
positive intention of keeping quiet till after dinner, when we
were able to join him.
Notwithstanding all this advantage he took in order to
excel, and then I suppose to crow over, his party, he only
beat me by one bird, and that one of his followers told me
was a bird which some other person had wounded. I killed
lo grouse, including one which Mr. Hawkins had slightly
struck before me. I killed all I could have done till the
latter end of the day, when I was seized with a fit of sickness,
and was so ill that I lost three birds by missing fair shots,
and many others from being unable to walk up to the dogs
when they did point, which was very seldom the case.
I returned from the moors very faint, and, under all circum-
stances, thought proper to take my departure, and sent to
Huddersfield for a chaise which brought me to that place by
about eleven at night.
Number of birds killed : Lord Pollington, including a
doubtfully claimed bird, 5^ brace ; mysejf, including bird
hit by Mr. Hawkins, 5 brace ; Mr. Hawkins, 2 brace ;
Mr. Chadwick, i^ brace ; gamekeeper, i brace. Total,
I 5 brace.
13///. — Proceeded about twelve o'clock per heavy coach to
Wakefield, and, after there waiting an hour for the Sheffield
coach, I found it quite full ; but some bagsmen being also
disappointed, I joined in a chaise and proceeded with them to
Sheffield, where, after passing for a traveller, being treated as
such, and, luckily for the low estate of my purse, charged as
such, and buying some hardware as such, I went to bed.
I had nearly omitted to mention that on our way
from Huddersfield to Wakefield we passed the village of
Almondbury, noted for the following droll circumstance : A
chimney sweeper being wanted in a hurry to perform the
office of his profession, and at the moment unable to attend,
sent a stupid boy as his locum tencns to make the chimney
fit for use, and with a message that he would come himself on
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 79
the morrow and sweep it completely. The boy got up the
tunnel, and after giving the usual salute and flourish with his
brush on the outside, descended by a wrong tunnel, which
brought him directly into the office of a pettifogging attorney,
who was alone writing by the gloomy light of evening. The
quill driver had scarcely strength to support himself on seeing
this fiend, and while struggling with the guilty conscience of
a lawyer and this hellish appearance, the boy said in a low
sepulchral tone, ' I am come for you to-day, and my master
will attend you to-morrow.' Away ran the lawyer, and God
knows what became of him.
I got to bed at Sheffield, having retired from the bagman's
room, about eleven, and at three started by the ' Slope ' heavy
coach for Northampton, where, after travelling with sixteen
passengers, bad wheels, and restive horses, we arrived by
about ten at night. We stopped at Nottingham for break-
fast, and Leicester for dinner ; but neither of these meals
being provided, nor even a cloth laid, we got nothing till the
last moment, when bolting and pocketing were the order of
the day.
I was obliged to enliven myself this tedious journey by
passing for divers characters ; first, a fellow who had tipped
the double to some bailiffs on the York road, then for a naval
officer, &c. I had a fresh character to each fresh passenger,
as the travellers on this road onl}^ go a few stages, and then
stop to do business.
Number of miles travelled for one very bad day's shoot-
ing : Longparish to London, 6t ; to Ferrybridge, 172;
Methley Park, 8 ; to the moor town, 21 (Holmfirth) ; to the
ground and back, 8 (mountain travelling) ; back direct to
London, 206 ; through London and back, 6 (about) ; home
to Longparish, 61 ; in all, 543 miles !
80 COLONEL HAWKERS DL-\RY Sept.
CHAPTER VI
iSi-^
September \st. — Longparish. 14 partridges. I never saw
the birds so wild the first day in my h'fe, and the scent was
so infamous!}' bad that the dogs could do nothing ; and we
had to shoot in a pour of rain almost all the afternoon. Lord
Hinton returned home to a seven o'clock dinner. I remained
out till near eight.
The bags were filled as follows : Lord Hinton, 3 brace and
I hare ; ]Mr. L , 2\ brace ; myself, 7 brace ; dogs caught i^
brace. Total, 14 brace and i hare.
All the game we could bag the first week is as follows :
Lord Hinton, 12 brace of partridges and i hare ; Mr. L ,
9 J brace of partridges, i hare and i rabbit; myself, 21^ brace
of partridges and 3 snipes ; divided birds 3, and dogs caught
3 ; in all, 46 brace of partridges, i brace of hares, 3 snipes,
and I rabbit. Total, 98 head.
15///. — Went out with Siney and his troop of terriers to
our home field, and killed (in six snap shots) 5 rabbits. Hin-
ton killed I rabbit and i partridge, and Mrs. Hawker shot I
cock pheasant out of a fir tree, for which I lent her my gun
with half a charge.
2yd. — 7 partridges, I hare, I snipe, and 2 wild ducks, the
latter of which I had killed right and left with No. 7 shot at im-
mense distances, after lying on my back for nearh' half an hour
before I could get them to pitch. I saw 10 in the air at first,
but they divided, and 5 went out of sight, and the other 5 kept
wheeling round till they fancied they might rest in securit}-.
j8i3 colonel HAWKER'S DL\RY 81
25//^. — 4 partridges, i hare, and i snipe (which was the
last remaining bird of a wisp of eight that took up their abode
in our fen, I having killed every one of them), and coming
home I made a ver}- long shot at a sparrowhawk, which had
for some time annoyed us.
2'jth. — Went to see and made a drawing of Stonehenge,
the principal information about which we got from a poor old
man, aged 72, who, since losing his hand by a gun bursting
when firing at a bustard, has frequented this solitary spot for
the purpose of gathering mushrooms, and picking up what he
can from the company who come to visit it. The stones are
ninety-four in number, viz. ninety in the Druidical circle,
and four detached. The absurd stories about this place are
too ridiculous for remark ; suffice it to say, therefore, that
the stones are one mile and three-quarters from Amesbury,
and about a quarter of a mile beyond the hills where the
Deptford Inn and Heytesbury roads divide. They are formed
nearly in a circle, and are, I have no doubt, a composition,
as they will, immediately on their being broken, dissolve in
water like lump sugar.
Game bagged up to the end of September : 113 partridges,
7 hares, 5 rabbits, 12 snipes, 9 wild ducks. Total, 147 head.
'^QtJi. — Went to Mr. Chamberlain's farm, near Berc, in
Dorsetshire.
N.B. — Chamberlain (with whom and with whose one
excellent dog I shot) killed 9 pheasants, 5 partridges, i hare,
and 2 rabbits. I saw him miss but twice, and both times
much beyond fair distance. So he killed 17 out of 19,
making 55 pieces of game in 59 shots between us; two of the
misses quite out of reach ; a third secured with second barrel,
and a fourth a long shot at the hare that I cri])pled.
This would be mere average shooting were it not
that Chamberlain and I fired (and always do fire) long shots
instead of never shooting beyond 40 yards, as so many
do who have a wish never to miss, and therefore con-
VOL. L G
82 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
tent themselves with firing only one barrel at a covey, merely
from this mistaken idea of real good shooting.
October 2nd. — 3 pheasants, 7 partridges, by the road on
my way to Hyde, whither I went to see and pass a day or two
with Mr. Knight. The only shot that I did not kill was at a
hare, a long way off, which I struck so hard that she never
would have escaped had not she run into forbidden ground.
In these two days, without picking my shots (which I
never do), I killed 38 head of game and wounded I out of
forty times firing, and almost everything ' died in the air.'
6tJi. — 5 partridges and one lost, i jack snipe, and i
pheasant. Went back to Hyde, saw a brace of birds, marked
them down, and bagged i with each barrel, viz. 2 partridges. On
getting near Hyde we had a narrow escape from an accident.
My leader took fright, and with one prodigious spring, in spite
of both rein and whip applied in due time, jumped off a terrace
road into a bog, out of which I flogged him up again, and he
made a second bolt into the bog, where he became restive ;
but luckily I kept my wheeler in, so as to hold him till the
leader was taken off, and everything ended well.
Since being in Dorsetshire, I had (including a few birds
lost) killed 82 head of game before I missed a fair shot.
wtJi. — 4 rabbits; and lost a fine old cock pheasant, at
which I made a very long shot.
\2th. — After having spent our time very pleasantly with
the Knights, Mrs. Hawker and I took our leave, and left
Hyde on our way home to Longparish, by way of Wareham,
by which road I travelled for the purpose of reconnoitring
the country, and finding out the best coast for wild fowl,
should I be disposed for an excursion in the winter. While
the tandem horses were baiting I hired a post horse and
surveyed the Isle of Purbeck, and went to the village of Arne,
which is well situated, but so destitute of even the roughest
accommodation, that I could find no plan better than resolving
either to put up at Poole, or one of the passage houses, in
i8i3
COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY
83
case I should take this coast in winter. After two or three
hours' hard riding on a bad day, I started with Mrs. Hawker
and passed through Wimborne to Cranborne, where we put
up for the night at the ' Fleur de Lis/ alias ' Flower de Luce/
a most desirable public-house, celebrated for civility and
comfort, as well as good living and reasonable charges.
lyJi. — Returned to Longparish, and on my road bagged
r pheasant and i partridge. I had the bad luck to shoot 3
more cock pheasants, and lose them all in the furze ; owing to
having lost my dogs at the time, these birds, being all long shots,
were only winged.
Memorandum of my skootmg in Dorsetshire^
with exact account of shots fired,
HITS.
(Wounded birds not included.)
Pheasants : bagged 29 ; lost 4 . . . . . -^-i)
Partridges : bagged 20 ; lost 3 23
Hares (except the one wounded ; all I shot at) . .1
Rabbits 16
Snipes • . .
In all
85
MISSES.
(Of every kind.)
Fair shots (within distance) 6
Namely : i pheasant, which turned at the moment I
fired, and which I secured with second barrel.
I hare, which I so crippled that nothing but her
crawling into forbidden ground could have saved
her. I partridge, by my foot slipping at the moment
I fired. An unpardonable miss at a jack snipe.
Two equally shameful misses at partridges.
In all ~6
20tJL. — This morning I was routed out of bed by a cry of
' The buck under the windows, and Farmer Smith's dog at
his heels ! ' We turned out cavalry and]|infantry, but it was
impossible to overtake him, otherwise nothing could have
saved him, as Smith's dog, which must have killed him with
84 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
the least assistance, literally held and struggled with him for
several minutes at nearly a mile away from the inclosed
country. This cursed nine-lived buck then escaped, after-
wards evaded Twynam's pack of harriers, and then was seen,
quite lame, going off towards Frecfolk Woods.
I had given up all idea of this buck, having laid out for him
since about August 30, when it was reported that he had
returned to the park and been there shot, and up to which
period I had been days and nights slaving after him.
4 o'clock P.M. The buck was seen close to the park
near Whitchurch.
November ZtJi. — Posted up to London purposely to attend
Joe INIanton while altering and repairing three of my guns, by
which means I got them in five days done right, instead of
five months done wrong.
gtJi. — Was nearly tortured to death by a relay of three
dentists, who failed in drawing a tremendous tooth, and
finished with breaking my jawbone, and complimenting me
for the sang-froid with, which I braved their infernal operations.
13//^. — Having secured my guns and bound up my head,
I left London ' in the pains of the damned,' and, to mend the
speed of my journey, got horses that had just returned from
previous jobs at every stage, and was nearly eleven hours
getting down.
On my arrival, had the great satisfaction to find a letter
from the Secretary at War, saying that ' his Royal Highness
the Prince Regent had been graciously pleased to order me
the pension of one hundred a year, commencing from
December 25, 181 1, in consideration for the wounds which I
had received in his Majesty's service.'
i^th. — Lord Hinton came to us, and left us on the 19th,
and during his stay he had some excellent sport ; for, what
with the fall of the leaf having driven out Lord Portsmouth's
hares and pheasants, and a good flight of snipes having come,
the shooting was far better than it usualh' is here in November.
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 85
I crawled out on the 15th, and killed i pheasant ; then came
home and went to bed, and here I have been laid up in
torture with m}' jaw, with scarcely a moment's intermission
from pain, and with occasional spasms that have almost taken
away my senses, and my only ease has been when dozing
under the influence of laudanum ; my unmercifully handled
jaw having defied blisters, leeches, and every other remedy
that could be devised.
20tJi. — Was for a few hours this evening nearly free from
pain ; this is literally the first time I have been free from
severe pain for these twelve days and twelve nights.
2\st. — My pains having returned, I became again almost
distracted, when, by my own wish, a leech was applied to the
very nerve of my gum ; it kept me for twenty minutes in
great misery and continual pain, but the permanent relief I
got is almost incredible.
25///. — Was well enough to walk out ; so I took my gun,
and killed i rabbit and i partridge.
29///. — Was able to renew my shooting, for which I
believe I have to thank the leech that was applied to my gum.
Killed 3 hares, 2 partridges, 2 snipes, and i jack snipe.
December 2nd. — 3 snipes, 3 jack snipes, 2 teal, and 2 wood-
cocks.
I had seen some teal the previous day, when, being
unable to mark them down, I was forced to give them up ;
and I was out all the evening, and up an hour before daylight
in search of them this morning, but to no purpose ; and,
having returned to breakfast, I left my duck gun and went to
Whitchurch, and then beat the whole river down with my
double gun and snipe shot, with which I killed the above two
teal (all I saw) ; and, coming home, I put up a couple of cocks
and killed them both, after having just made a capital right
and left at two jack snipes in a gale of wind. I never missed
all day, and never was 1 better pleased with any shooting at
Longparish.
86 COLONEL HAWKER'S UL\RY Dec.
4///. — 4 pheasants and 4 snipes. All I fired at, except a
long shot at a partridge that I wounded and lost, and another
snipe which I ought to have killed.
N.B. — Since December began, I have had 34 shots, out of
which I killed 31, wounded i, and missed 2.
6tJi. — Left Longparish on a reconnoitre of the Dorsetshire
coast, and, with a tired horse, reached Cranborne, where, in
consequence of the fair, the inn was in one general scene of
riot and drunkenness, and I had a thin partition only between
me and rooms filled with fellows who were drumming, fifing,
fiddling, dancing and screeching, till six in the morning, when
nothing but threatening to shoot them prevented them from
breaking into my room.
ytJi. — Reached Poole, and proceeded to the ' Haven Pass-
age House,' where rooms were prepared for me, and round
which the wild fowl were flying in hundreds, though too far for
a shot. I could plainly see that if hard weather comes, this
place will be a paradise to a shooter. I killed on the road
I pheasant and i partridge.
8//?. — I took the morning flight an hour before dawn, and,
of course, the evening flight, but although the geese, dunbirds
and wigeons were in myriads, yet none flew low enough even
for swan shot. I this day surveyed every creek and corner,
and although getting any good shots at fowl proved almost
impossible, yet in order to be ready to receive them on the
approach of proper weather (which should be either very
rough or very severe), 1 decided on remaining here, and
accordingly sent John away with my dog cart, and to return
here with Mrs. Hawker ; I also hired an old fisherman, with
his boat and a canoe, to attend me on all occasions and go
water errands, catch fish for me, &c. ; and I adopted the hours
of six for breakfast, two for dinner, six for tea (or pipe and
grog), and nine for bed, by which means I avoid going with an
empty stomach to the cold creeks and sandbanks, morning,
c\-ening and night.
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 87
gtJi. — Killed 3 brent geese at one shot.
N.B. — While Caleb Sturney (the old fisherman) and I
were endeavouring to launch a boat, 6 geese came over at
about seventy yards, and with No. 2 shot I brought do\\n
the above 3 ; one of them, however, floated away before my
face, quite dead, and the current was so strong I dare not
go in, and I had no dog. I afterwards got a shot at about
100, no farther off, and the gun missed fire.
\otJi. — The only shot I got was at a flock of curres an
immense way off. I knocked one down and crippled some
more, but they were carried off by the tide, and I had not
even the luck to bag one.
I defy any wild fowl (were they in great numbers)
to escape the various means which I could devise to get at
them in the night ; but, unfortunately, so many scores of
people are every night either laid up, buried in casks, or
floating in canoes, that the birds literally go out to sea at
night and come in to feed in the morning, instead of vice versa,
and they generally fly above lOO yards high, very much
scattered. General frost, however, it is to be hoped, will,
as in the Russian campaign, do more than all our modern
manoeuvres.
Saw a very fair show of birds, but, as yet, no good
shooting to be got. The novelties of the place, however, and
the delightful sailing every day, make amends for the present
impossibility of getting wild fowl within reach.
The harbour and coast of Poole &c. has never, since
the memory of the oldest person, been so bereft of wild
fowl any previous winter as it has this.
i^tJi. — Finding I could get no birds to fly low enough in
the harbour, I tried a large pond, inland, where the wigeon
had been seen. I got up about four in the morning, and after
some trouble in getting across the heath, I found the pond ; and
after creeping round by moonlight, I espied these 3 wigeon
on the water, but dare not wait to get them together, as several
88 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
other shooters were round the pond. I therefore got 2 in a
line, knocked them both over, but lost i ; so bagged but i
wigeon. Went out all day shooting. Killed a jack snipe, all I
shot at, and, at night, lay up at the pond and killed 2 divers.
i^tJi. — Attended the ponds an hour before daylight, as
well as (in an incessant pour of rain) the whole afternoon, but
saw no living creature except four other shooters, and, in
short, never fired a gun all day.
I////. — Except at a large diver which I knocked down and
could not catch, and a gull which I discharged my gun at and
killed, I never fired a shot ; in the afternoon the pilot and I
were overtaken by a gale of wind while paddling in a canoe,
and was too happy to escape with merely getting well ducked.
2QtJi. — Went in a small boat to Christchurch haven, about
fourteen miles. Saw thousands of wild fowl, chiefly ducks and
mallards, under the cliffs at Bourne-bottom, though never got a
shot, except at a large diver, which I killed. After surveying
the harbour, and finding it far inferior to our own head quarters,
I tramped in water boots to the town of Christchurch, and
having seen all there, I took a chaise to the public-house,
commonly called ' Kay-pond,' in hopes of a flight of ducks, as
this place lies directly off Bourne-bottom bay, but the swarms
of birds which were there at midday never appeared, and I
walked home to the ' Haven,' having left my boat at Christ-
church haven to come off by the tide next morning.
2\st. — After killing 2 partridges, i pheasant, i jack snipe,
and 5 ox-birds, I was taken very ill, and obliged to return to
the haven. It was obvious that what I suffered was from
dining on cold boiled beef at Christchurch, as I ne\cr partook
of this refreshment at inns, where boiled beef is generally ill
cured, half done and stale. My case therefore required tartar
emetic, and the difficulty of getting a boat against tide to Poole,
and the distance there by land being above five miles, I was
almost in torture till I luckily thought of sending to Brownsea
Castle, where Mr. Sturt, who was fortunately at home and had
i8i3 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 89
some of the medicine, very kindly sent it, and, I am sure, saved
me from a very serious illness.
So enthusiastic is my mania of waiting for an evening
shot at wild fowl, that while under the influence of the medi-
cine 1 leant on a bank by the seaside with one duck gun in
my hand, and another read}' loaded. Nothing, however, came
within reach, and I was soon too ill to support m}'self, and
then went to bed.
22nd and 2^rd. — Having considerably recovered was out
again, but, as usual, never fired a shot, and the latter day was
chiefly emplo}'ed in recovering my Newfoundland dog, which
had decamped after a quarrel with m)' pointer.
2^th. — Completed the twenty-seventh year of my age.
This day was spent in a very pleasant sail to the two pyra-
mids called ' Old Harry and his Wife,' of which, as well as the
rocks and other curious places, I had a regular survey. I, of
course, took my gun, and, among these clift's, made an im-
mensely long flying shot at a goshawk. I also knocked down
several ox-birds, but got no shots at wild fowl except one
out of reach, but the evening flight was like the roar of the sea,
though not one string of birds came low enough to be fired at,
2gt/L — This and the two previous days I passed in sailing,
shooting gulls, ox-birds, divers, &c., which were neither killed
for practice nor wanton cruelty, but as tit-bits for Caleb Stur-
ney, my fisherman and pilot, who regularly feasted on them
and swore that they were * as good as " backside fowls." ' i
killed, among other rubbish, a speckled diver, \\hich I note
down, being the first I have been able to secure. In the
evening I buried myself in the sand, near where I observed
the fowl generally flew ; but owing to the unparalleled mild
weather, they came over too high ; m}' plan, however, so far
succeeded, that I got a diving duck, and should have had more
shots had there been cold weather, or wind, to lower the flight
of the birds.
list. — For the first day, Sundays excepted, I gave up the
90 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec.
morning flight, and lay in bed till da}'light. We were out
from ten till three after the geese, but never got a shot. I
was also from five till nine at the pond without firing, and
having been equally unsuccessful in a canoe from nine till
twelve, we returned home to oysters, and, with a good bowl of
punch, drowned the execrably bad sport of 1813, and drank
in the year 18 14, surrounded by a crashing chorus of jolly
smugglers. This grand crew was within a thin partition of us,
so I ordered them a huge bowl of punch, and had then an op-
portunity of partaking of their mirth without being bored by
their company, and edified by a breeze from the north-east
and a hope of proper weather.
Got all the guns, fired in 18 14, and went to bed.
1814
Jamcajy ist. — Buried myself in an old sugar cask in the
mud, where I remained from ten till two, reading, and waiting
for the geese, which were coming in immense force preciseh-
where I wished them, till some scoundrel in a canoe rowed
after them to no purpose, and spoiled me a shot, which I
certainly should have had with my largest 2 5 -lb. shoulder
gun. In the evening I went by moonlight to my pond,
which was infested by a multitude of ' gunners.' I killed a
single dunbird, and missed a heron, which is the first time I
have failed killing within distance since my arrival at the
haven.
3;y/. — A pour of rain which turned to snow, and with a
tremendous gale of wind and hard frost, continued without
intermission till the night of the 5th.
6t/L — Was out with every hope of sport, but literally saw
no wild fowl, except one small flock of curres at an immense
distance ; I winged one, and after a long chase he beat the
boat and escaped.
The weather was this day so severe that the small birds
pitched on the boat in full sail ; and when we went on shore
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 91
the fieldfares were hopping under my feet. This proves that
our wretched sport is not so much to be imputed to the
weather, as the unparalleled scarcity of wild fowl on every part
of this coast. The head shooter, in the harbour, has this
year killed only three couple of fowl, and two men near here,
who at 2 shillings a couple cleared 50 guineas by birds last
year, have this season, with the same perseverance, got but a
few couple.
8///. — The weather became so intensely severe, that the
people of the house were busily employed in preparing
puddings of the larks and other birds, which flocked into the
house and sheds, and were not only there, but even in the
furze and on the shore, easily taken with the hand. I fired
at 5 geese out of reach and shot a plover, which I lost (at
night). Out sailing the whole day with a strong N.E. wind,
and the severest cold 1 ever felt, and literally never saw a
flock of wild fowl. Was all over Poole harbour, and very
near Wareham, where, according to report of punters from that
place, the same unheard-of scarcity prevailed. Such was the
intensity of the cold that I picked op pocketfuls of larks that
had perished and fallen in the water, and on our return old
Sturney and I had a hairbreadth escape of sharing the same
fate, by getting driven on a mud bank 2 miles from land ;
luckily, however, by throwing our ballast overboard &c. we
got afloat just in time to save the tide.
There were this day, at least, 20 canoes paddling in the
creeks, but no birds killed, and very few seen.
9///. — Went to Wareham.
\Oth. — Proceeded to Hyde, to try for snipes, and returned
on the morning of the 12th, with i mallard, 2 wild ducks,
3 teal, I woodcock, i wood pigeon, 28 snipes, 2 jack snipes,
and I water rail, besides some moorhens, and my pockets full
of larks, &c.
ilth. — The wild fowl at last came into the haven by
thousands, in one continued succession of swarms, and in a
92 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
few hours, notwithstanding this was a day appointed for a
general thanksgiving, an immense levy en masse of shooters
was assembled at all points, and there was not a neck of land,
bank, or standing place of any kind but what was crowded
with blackguards of every description, firing at all distances,
and completely annihilating the brilliant prospects of sport.
14//2. — It blew such a tremendous hurricane that com-
paratively few birds would fly, as they could remain unmo-
lested in the harbour from the impossibility of the numerous
host of boats and canoes being able to follow them. Some,
however, came out and would have afforded charming sport,
but after I had been at the trouble and expense of making
proper masked entrenchments of every kind, I had in all
quarters the mortification to find myself closely surrounded
by vagabonds of every description, who were standing quite
exposed, firing at sea-gulls, ox-birds, and even small
birds, and repeatedly, as the geese were coming directly for
me, like a pack of hounds full cry, I had to endure the provo-
cation of seeing some dirty cabin boy spring up and drive
them away with the paltry discharge of an old rusty popgun.
Had it been possible for me to have lain peaceably in any
one place, I should have filled a sack ; as it was, however, I
had no further satisfaction than that of killing more than all
these ruffians put together. I got 3 wigeon, 2 grey plover,
2 cormorants, i ring dotterel, 18 ox-birds, and i dusky grebe.
Had the coast been quiet, I should, of course, have only fired
at proper wild {o\\\. When the rabble could not see to shoot
they adjourned to the ' Haven ' to drink, and when the liquor
gave them fresh courage the guns were again taken out, and
finding it too dark to see to fire at an}-thing thc}' began to
amuse themselves with shooting in the air, till I was obliged
to put a stop to it.
Thus do these gunners, in large bodies, from places 5, 6, and
even 10 miles off, make a point of assembling for the whole
time the hard weather lasts, and literalh' make a merit of
their wasteful expenditure in ammunition.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY 93
I this day, by firing at random, contrived, as usual, to beat
the sum-total of the shooters here, with 2 wigeon, and 2 curres,
and John shot another wigeon, which a rabble wanted to
claim, till I soon stopped their impertinence.
17///. — Finding it impossible to get within even bullet
shot of the fowls, I amused myself with sailing about and
shooting grebes, gulls, redshanks, ox-birds &c. and a snipe.
i^th. — I fell dead lame with my right foot, from having
some days ago had some boiling water thrown over my
instep. I, however, hobbled to the shore, got carried over
the creeks, and la}^ up in a barrel in an incessant pour of
rain, for it this day began to thaw. The flight, as usual,
was dreadfully slack : killed all the fair chances I got,
I golden-eye and i curlew.
19^/^.— My foot became so bad that I was obliged to be
carried again to my ambush, where I sat in the rain all
day and got 2 brent geese.
20th. — Was called before daylight, but was in such pain
with my foot that I was obliged to send John out and remain
in bed. He began by getting half killed by the recoil of
my large gun, and while he and the gun were lying together
in the snow the geese came close over him in one grand
army ; this gave him fresh spirits, and he put in half a charge
and knocked down four of them. I contrived to crawl out
for evening flight, but the geese then took another route,^ and
I only killed a wigeon.
Birds bagged while at Haven : 6 brent geese, 3 ducks and
mallards, 3 teal, 17 wigeon, dunbirds, and curres, 2 curlews,
3 plover, 31 snipes (all the latter but 3 at Hyde).
X.B. — On our leaving the haven the geese were in tens of
thousands before the windows.
26th. — It began to thaw, and the weather became very
mild. I this evening bagged a wild goose.
' A man may remain fifty nights in waiting and not have the luck to get
under the grand army of geese, as their course is so \exy uncertain. John, it
appears, this morning had that luck, and no doubt would have killed a large
number but for the severe check he got at starting.
1)4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan
Eight of the fine large grey geese pitched in front of the
house, and I had to hobble a long distance round before
I could get within lOO yards from them. I therefore made an
immensely long shot at this one, as well as wounding another
which (after being knocked over) recovered and flew away.
April 2nd. — Returned to Longparish.
12///. — Went out fly fishing, and, notwithstanding a bright
sun the whole time, I in a few hours killed 36 trout.
N.B. — My flies were (what I always use) the yellow dun
at bottom, and red palmer bob.
15///. — 28 trout.
\6th. — 24 trout (average weight above i lb. each, and
many of them weighed \\ lb.). Also a great many fair-sized
ones which I threw in.
I had all this admirable sport in less than two hours and
a half, and the weight of these fish was so much that they
were quite a burthen to carry home.
In the evening I was ludicrously amused with throwing a
fly on horseback, which answers as well as on foot ; though
I then caught no fish large enough to save, owing to the
wind having shifted to a cold quarter.
18///. — 15 trout.
2\st. — 4 trout, after killing which and throwing in many
small ones, was driven in by an incessant pour of rain.
23;y/. — 21 trout.
2tth. — 16 trout.
2Jth. — 12 trout.
28///. — 13 trout, average weight \\ lb. each fish.
29///. — 14 trout.
30M. — 17 trout, which make up in eleven days' angling
100 brace.
N.B. — I, of course, have reckoned only those fish which
I killed ; namely, such as were \ lb. and upwards. But
had I killed all the small ones and added them to my
number, it would have amounted to between 400 and 500 fish.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 95
May 2nd. — lO trout.
Jime wth. — Left Longparish for London.
\6tJi. — I decided on remaining in town for this month to
see the alHed sovereigns and their suites. The influx to the
metropohs for this purpose was calculated at 100,000 souls.
^otJi. — We have seen one continued series of state
processions, been at most of the public places where the illus-
trious visitors were, and seen them repeatedly. We saw the
Emperor (Alexander I.) of all the Russias ; his brother, Prince
Constantine ; and his sister, the Duchess of Oldenburgh ; the
King and three Princes of Prussia ; Marshal Blucher, Prince
of Walstadt ; Platoff, the ' hetman of all the Cossacks ; ' and
Barclay de ToUe, with other great men and foreign princes
out of number ; which, added to our own royal family, formed an
assembl}' of more blood royal than had perhaps ever before
been in the metropolis of Great Britain. We returned to
Longparish this day ; and, after viewing the immense im-
provements which had been made in our absence, I walked
out in search of the buck. Found him in some corn, out
of which he sprang up, and so crippled him with two barrels
of swan shot that he could only reach the third field, where
Tiger pinned him in the hedgerow. He proved to be one of
the finest and fattest deer we had seen for a long time.
The horse and cart (when coming up for him) were
precipitated down a chalk pit, and, strange to say, no damage
whatever was done.
July yd. — Tried two duck guns, namely — the last new
one by Egg, to give strength to the shooting of which I was
obliged to have it fresh bored and breeched by Joe Manton.
This made it almost as good as one of his ; as it shot much
stronger and so close that, at 30 yards, it put in 360 grains out
of 3 oz. of No. 3. The other duck gun was made (entirely
under my own directions and daily inspection) by Joe
Manton, No. 6364. Nothing could surpass the excellent
shooting of this gun ; and, although 19 lb. weight and
96 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY July
loaded with .- lb. of shot, it was made to shoot so pleasant,,
and set up so manageable, that I killed with it 2 peewits and
2 swifts out of 5 single shots, flying.
AftJi. — Killed 8 trout, i leveret, and 2 peewits.
YOtJi. — Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hawker, Lord Hinton, and
Mr. Cudmorc came to us.
wtJi. — 9 trout, and in the evening killed a full-grown
young wild duck at flight.
14///.— Mr. Cudmore never having seen a bird killed
flying, I took him out to see me fire 10 shots at swifts and
swallows, 2 at moorhens, 2 at sparrows, and i at a half-
penny thrown up. I killed every bird and handsomely
marked the halfpenny.
2^th. — Mr. and Mrs. J. Hawker and Mr. Cudmore left us,,
after our having spent a fortnight most agreeably. Music was
the order of the day, and never were Mozart's works more
delightfully enjoyed. Mr. Cudmore petrified the whole
neighbourhood with his astonishing pianoforte playing, and
convinced even the bigots of Cramer that, although perfect
master of three other instruments, no man now in England
could play the piano with so much taste, fire, and execution
as himself.
2gtJL. — Left Longparish, and arrived at our old winter
quarters, the ' South Haven Passage House,' Poole Harbour.
Arrived about dusk, and immediately went out and killed a
wild duck.
lOtJi. — Took a cruise out in harbour and killed 4 young
sheldrakes and 9 ox-birds.
These sheldrakes (burrough ducks or barganders) take
their young ones out to sea as soon as they are hatched, and
being in this month nearly as large as the old ones, they are
much followed, as (while young) sheldrakes are very good
eating. The shooting, however, is tame ; the flocks disperse
so much on your getting near them, that you can seldom bag
more than one at a shot, and that oftener swimming than
flying.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 97
August yd. — After having some capital sport netting and
spearing large flounders, and bringing in as many as 1 could
possibly carry, we sailed over to Poole and brought back
L , who arrived there per coach.
4///. — Inspected the castle and the whole of the island of
Brownsea.
^tJi. — This evening anchored off the haven the ' Lord
Nelson,' pilot vessel, for which I agreed to give 15/. for a
run over to France. An incessant gale of wind, however, and
that unfavourable, detained us from sailing
6th. — Got under way for France at half-past six in the
evening, and, after having encountered a very heavy sea,
dropped anchor in Cherbourg Roads at half-past seven on the
morning of the 7th. The tide not serving sufficiently to
bring our little vessel into harbour, we came ashore in a boat^
by doing which we reached the quay no further observed than
by the custom-house officers, who did their duty in a
gentlemanlike manner.
This proved a fortunate circumstance, particularly for Mrs.
Hawker, as our crew, on sailing under the quay, were attacked
b}' the whole canaille of the place, and so pelted with large
quarry stones that Mr. Wills, the master, who bravely stood
to his helm, was severely wounded, and afterwards confined
under a surgeon. This outrageous conduct originated from
the determination of the French to suppress, by mutiny, the
exportation of corn and cattle, for which purpose they sup-
posed that our little party of pleasure had entered their port.
The military were called out, and a mob of about two thousand
were soon dispersed ; and this was more done by the resolu-
tion of the colonel than any disposition for quietude on the
part of the soldiers, for they are most enthusiastically devoted
to Buonaparte, and their daily prayers are to have him again
at their head. They abuse poor Louis to absolute treason.
Here are thousands of idlers (now unemployed) who are
ripe for murder and insurrection, and the farmers are almost
VOL. I. H
98 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Aug.
starved, wheat being about 61. a load, and they having on
hand more than enough for two years' consumption.
After having made ourselves as comfortable as being in a
dirty French seaport would admit of, we lost no time to in-
spect the town and environs, of which I may give a brief
account by the following memorandums.
Entrance of Cherbourg a very fine and formidably strong
situation. On the right a dockyard for first-rate ships of war,
entrenched all round. On the left in entering are two forts
(La Libcrte and Imp;^rial) which were made by Buonaparte
in the middle of the sea, one on a rock and the other entirely
built on an artificial foundation of stone. Near these are
floating buoys for the as^:istance of shipwrecked mariners.
The town lies under an immense rocky height, which has on
it a few fortifications, and which commands the town, with a
fine basin or second harbour for large ships. A 74 (the
' Duquesne') is stationed to take down the names of all, who
must lie to under her stem for this purpose, for which the
captain goes on board her. Went to mass. Church built by
English ; nothing particularly fine, except that, as far as I
could judge in a bad light and during service, the statuary
at the altar appeared to be good.
Town much like Lisbon, with the addition of chimneys.
Lamps suspended by a rope from each house to the middle of
the street and about 150 yards apart. Houses built of small
stone and badly slated. Three thousand infantry here, with a
general noise and inclination for disturbance. Police (as in
all France) remarkably good. Extensive barracks and military
works on a grand scale. Town coarsely paved ; views round
it fine and extensive. We put up at the Hotel de France no
less from a wish to enter into the French language and cus-
toms than to avoid the risk of being insulted by the mob at
the British Hotel, which wc probably should have been ; as,
in consequence of the landlord (Mr. Robbins) having specu-
lated in the cxportations, his house was attacked, and he dare
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 99
not stir out for fear of getting his head broken, as well as his
windows, which were stoned to pieces. The best subject in
the place is a Mr. Touchard, a merchant who was the first to
mount the white cockade, and who is celebrated for his civility
and attention to the English. He is on the point of removing
to Havre de Grace. Wines excellent ; even in the worst inns
you seldom get a bad bottle. The vin de uiusquer is more
delicious than an\-thing 1 ever tasted ; this is six francs (that
is five shillings English) a bottle, and champagne from four to
five francs ; but the vin du pays, claret or bordeaux &c. are
most excellent at about from fifteen pence to two shillings the
bottle. These, however, are dear prices, and only countenanced
as tavern charges. Soldiers who have distinguished them-
selves are allowed to wear a stripe near the cuff, and many
other honours ; but all these are so lavishly bestowed that
their value is quite depreciated. Dangerous to touch on
politics or converse on anything further than commonplace
subjects. I was deterred from taking sketches (for which I
had prepared myself) by being told that it was dangerous to
be seen thus emplo}-ed.
Beds in the French fashion ; people here sit in their bed-
rooms, and either dine privately, or at the table d'hote, where
the landlady serves out every dish to all society, from a field
marshal to a beggar, and where there is an abundant
variety for 2 francs a head. Although this was Sunday the
shops were open, the people at work, and the billiard tables,
as well as a variety of other gambling places, completely
crowded.
Stage coaches here enormously large and clumsy, and
drawn slowly by six horses in rope harness. \\q had hired
a carriage to spend Monday at Valognes (15 miles), but
were advised to compromise the engagement, and decline our
excursion, in consequence of the disturbed state of the
country ; while in hesitation on the matter, our determina-
tion not to go was fixed by the badness of the weather.
100 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY AuG.
After having kept up our inspection of all that could be
seen till dark night, we supped pleasantly at the table d'hote
and went to our beds, which, although in filthy rooms, were in
themselves clean and comfortable.
jtJi. — Went out shopping. No stamps for receipts used
here. All articles about one-third the price of what they
are in England. The only taxes are on houses and windows,
the latter levied by Buonaparte. Thirty francs arc paid for
a shooting licence ; game is private property, and killed
at any time that the cutting corn will admit of, but one
must have a regular permission to carry firearms, which
of course is granted to all respectable persons. Great
civility to be met with from the police and custom-house
departments ; but the port charges may be avoided by
anchoring out of harbour, where there are very good
moorings.
This evening I was sent for by the prefect, who had re-
ported twelve ringleaders of the mob. He was very polite
to me.
9///. — Repassed the guardship and the 74 at six this morn-
ing ; but, not being able to lay our course for England,
were obliged to make for an eastern port, not choosing to en-
counter a second entry into Cherbourg. After being properly
tossed off Barfleur, we put into that port, a small fishing town,
where we were most hospitably taken compassion on by M.
Delamare, commissaire de marine, who insisted on our being
his visitors till we could put to sea, and soon after we became
acquainted used every endeavour to get our promise of
spending a week with his family. Barfleur and La Hogue
are a few miles separate, and celebrated for the most danger-
ous coast in the whole Channel, and are places which are
characteristic for shipwrecks. On entering Barfleur you
have literally to wind between hidden rocks. You pass
a superb lighthouse and the village of Gattevillc.
After a dinner, at two, our good host did everything in
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY 101
his power to amuse us, and took us in every direction to
gratify our curiosity.
We went over his farm, gardens, and estate, and then
walked to see the environs called Monfarelle. Here is a large
church built of the same granite that composes the destructive
rocks of Barfleur, and upwards of 6oo years old. Carving ex-
tremely good, and the ceiling one well-turned arch. Near
here the guns were firing for a wedding ; a custom in this
country, where there is also a peal of bells on such occasions.
Reverting to the farm, I should observe that the land is most
excellent, but the farming very bad indeed. The farmers
here are poor men, who hold from 4 to lO acres at about 4I. a
year per acre, extremely cheap for such land, and work hard
themselves, assisted only by two or three servants, and all
they look to is mere existence. They carry everything here
on small horses, and only thresh their corn with common
sticks as fast as they want it.
lot/i. — Sailed at six, and after losing sight of land were
taken in a dreadful gale of wind, and driven again into
Barfleur, in sight of another vessel which went to pieces on the
rocks. Our crew were all seriously alarmed.
Again we took up our excellent quarters, and in the even-
ing directed our attention to other sights. Being then low
water we first surveyed the rocks, from which we had so pro-
videntially escaped, and where so many have perished, and
then went over the lighthouse, which is one of the best I
ever saw. It has an excellent safeguard from lightning,
which is a conductor from the very summit into a well at the
bottom.
We then visited Gatteville, where the people are all red
hot for Buonaparte in consequence of his having found them
plenty of lucrative employment. It was from this place that
he took all the stone to build the Place des Victoires at
Paris.
I it/i. — Windbound again. Walked nine miles and through
102 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Aug.
two small \-illag"cs to inspect the chateau of St. Pierre, and
the park of a French nobleman, at which we arrived after
having taken some luxurious refreshment at the house of a
French officer. House very large, paintings in one room by
Rubens and other fine masters ; the others not very good :
tapestry, fine : an extraordinary mixture of splendour and
beggary ; common deal dining tables in a room magnificently
decorated. Floors set in squares and polished ; grounds
laid out formally ; trees in avenues, &c.
Dined at the hotel, where we had an immense choice.
The town of St. Pierre is only of note for a great market,
on which the conscription has made such an impression that
)'OU see about twenty women to one man, and the same pro-
portion of mares to one horse.
We, having walked about twenty miles, got back to Barfleur
by night, when the Cherbourg exportations had been heard
of, and in consequence much disturbance had taken place.
Here the women were the champions, and in a mob assailed
our crew, and searched the vessel ; but finding no corn they
directed their attacks on another, being then assisted b}-
some men, who were assembled from all parts. M. Delamare,
however, soon restored order b}' his prompt and well-con-
ducted interference.
I2/Z;. — A fair wind. Sailed at six in the morning, and
reached Poole harbour after a delightful passage of eleven
hours.
The custom-house officers here are the most savage set
of blackguards that ever were heard of ; they kept my propert}'
all night, so that I was deprived even of the comfort of
cleaning myself, and this because they chose to gi\e them-
selves a holiday at the office. My servant was detained
in close arrest so long, that in coming home he was cast
away, and left on the mud all night.
13//A — After getting my trunks &c. free from these
infernal sharks, we set off a little before two o'clock in my
1 8 14 COLONEL HAWKER\S DL\RY 103
carriage with four posthorses, and reached Longparish by
eight o'clock, where we, thank God, found our dear child,
and all, well.
2^tJL — Surveyed different improvements on the banks of
the Southampton river ; and, among others, a place belonging
to Mr. Chamberlain, which has the appearance of being
never used, and kept only for himself to look at.
26tJi. — Left Hamble and breakfasted at Lyndhurst, i8
miles, and then drove to Lymington, Z\ miles. Here my
carriage and horses remained, while I walked 4 miles to Ke)-
haven, with which being delighted as a wild-fowd place, I there
made some provisional arrangements for a future winter. I
then returned to Lyndhurst, and passed the evening and
night at Shrubb's Hill, the seat of Mr. Mathew, a quarter
of a mile from that place.
2'jth. — Started for home, by way of Romsey, 10 miles,
Stockbridge, 10 miles, and from the latter place, round the
good road, 12 miles. Reached Longparish to dinner.
N.B. — I made my excursion, in the landaulet, with my
own two horses, which always, without whip and with perfect
ease to themselves, travelled from 8 to 9 miles an hour.
104 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept
CHAPTER VII
1814
September. — The partridge shooting here deferred till
the 14th inst. by mutual agreement, in consequence of the
late harvest.
lA^tJi. — 22 partridges. Birds nearly as wild as in
November. All full grown, and the young as strong on
wing as the old ones. Scent very bad ; I could only fill my
bag by firing at all distances.
Game bagged from 14th to 30th September: 100 partridges,
3 hares, 3 snipes, and i rabbit. Total, 107 head.
October \st. — Lord Hinton left us. I walked out alone
and killed 16 pheasants, 5 hares, i partridge, and i rabbit.
Among the former was the celebrated white pheasant, which
had been so long heard of in Wherwell great wood, and had
escaped all the sportsmen ; the bagging of this bird raised a
general rejoicing, and I fortunately killed him very clean for
stuffing. Although I have often brought home much more
than 23 head of game, yet I estimate this as the best day's
sport I ever had at Longparish, when I consider the following
circumstances. Though it blew a tremendous gale of wind
the whole day, and I only saw 19 pheasants, yet I secured
16: I bagged everything I fired at, except two partridges,
one of which was quite out of reach, and the other a
long shot, which I wounded, though I ought to have killed
it. Except about two hours in Wherwell Wood, I beat over
a country where everyone goes, and indeed knew of no
1^14 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 105
other place to try without begging a favour or giving offence.
I killed all my game to one steady pointer and a Newfound-
land dog, and got 1 1 cock pheasants to 5 hens. My having
found all this game where two brace is considered a very
good day's sport, I impute to the wind having carried the
pheasants from Lord Portsmouth's preserves, from which I
Avas a mile or two to leeward. I only saw 5 hares all day,
and 4 of them were long snap shots.
4///. — 4 pheasants, 2 partridges, I snipe, and I jack snipe.
Coming home with all I had fired at, I flushed a wood-
cock, and after working the cover till not a dog would stir
from m\- heels, I left it and returned with every man and
dog I could muster, and after a laborious task to find him
again I had the mortification to miss a fair shot at him ; I,
however, knocked him down with my second barrel, but never
could find him, though I worked till dark and half the next
day.
1 8///. — Got intelligence of another white pheasant, which,
after a hard fag in a pour of rain, I found and bagged ; I got
5 shots only, and brought home 2 pheasants, 2 hares, and
I rabbit.
20tJi. — I was under the painful necessity of ordering poor
Tiger, my favourite Newfoundland dog, to be shot, in con-
sequence of an unusually virulent distemper, which had defied
all the doctors and every prescription, and with which the
poor fellow was dying in agony. Never could there have
been a more faithful creature destro}'ed, or a more severe and
irreparable loss to a sportsman. This dog was of the real
St. John's breed, quite black, with a long head, very fine
action, and something of the otter skin, and not the curly-
haired heavy brute that so often and so commonly disgraces
the name of the Newfoundland dog. He was just in his
prime, three years old, and from his sagacity, attachment,
good temper, high courage, and a personal guard, as well as
his excellence in shootincr for the fields, for the cover, for the
lOG COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
hedgerows, for the marshes, and above all for night work with
the wild fowl, I may not disgrace the lines of our immortal
poet by saying :
Take him for all in all,
We shall not look upon his like again.
24//^. — Left Longparish for Lymington, with the intention
of embarking immediately for France, having only been
waiting; for a fair wind to make a second excursion to that
country. On arriving at Lymington, however, I found that
the Order in CounciV from the Lords Commissioners of the
Treasury, had been sent to Southampton, and I was obliged
to send a man there and back, 36 miles, to request the favour
of getting permission to embark here, where I had been
informed m\' order was lying, and for which purpose I came
here, 39 miles, instead of to Southampton, which is only 24.
The loss of this night, however, proved an interference of
Providence, as, had we sailed, wc might have fallen victims to
a directly contrary gale of w^ind, in which our vessel might
have been lost off the Needles.
25^//. — In consequence of the tremendous hurricane which
blew last night, the mate of our vessel, whom I had sent to
Southampton, was unable to recross the passage to Hythe,
and therefore did not return till this afternoon, when the wind
and tide were fair for our getting under way ; but instead of
this I was directed to appear myself at Southampton. I then
hired a most extraordinary pony, that took me with the great-
est ease and without whip, stick, or spur, to Hythe, twelve
miles, in three-quarters of an hour, and I was at the custom
house, between three and four miles more by water, in a very
little more than an hour altogether. On just saving the hours
of business, I was informed that my being sent there was all
a mistake, as the only person whose presence was absolutely
necessary was the master of the vessel, who must appear a
' Without which my guns and dogs could not be embarked, or, if they were,
they would be sul)jcct to very heavy duties on bringing them home.
1 8 14 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 107
second time with the Lymington papers &c., which could not
have been made out before he had first been to Southampton,
and in default of going through all this process he would be
open to the penalty of lOo/. and endangered on entering an-
other port. I then returned, as much to the purpose as I had
been sent, and got to Lymington all in about three hours.
Hired a gig for the master to go over again in the morning,
and after some hard fagging and bustling about the town, went
to bed.
26th. — All difficulties being surmounted, we trudged to
Keyhaven with our provision at our backs ; there embarked
at 6 P.M., and after a rough and miserable passage, dropped
anchor at Barfleur about half-past nine on the morning of the
27th. Here I was rather in a trouble, and was therefore in-
debted to a great deal of my own management, and also the
great civility of the custom-house officers, for saving my vessel
from confiscation, being regularly laden with an immensity of
presents from England. The astonishment of the mob on
board was highly diverting at the opening of my Joe Manton
gun, cases, &c. All being well got over, we landed and break-
fasted, after fasting for twenty hours.
29///. — Went out to try the French shooting. Their game
in Normandy is precisely the same as ours, but so scarce that
I literally never saw a partridge the whole day, and only one
hare at a distance. I bagged 4 snipes, i jack snipe, and i
quail, the only one I saw ; and as the latter bird is seldom to be
met with after September, my finding this one was considered
accidental. I should have killed more snipes but was interrupted
by the attendance of all the idle boys of Gatteville, and annoyed
by the infamous behaviour of a brute which my servant had
bought by way of a Newfoundland dog. I then went to in-
spect a beautiful piece of water called Gattemare, where I was
led to expect nothing but a quantity of coots ; but, to my as-
tonishment, I found it literally black with every description of
wild fowl. While the washerwomen were beating the clothes
108 COLONEL HAWKER'S ULA.RY Oct.
on the stones, according to French custom, che coots were in
thousands around them, but the wild fowl took care to keep
in the middle of the lake, and when I fired a shot they would
pitch again, and, in short, had the usual audacity peculiar to
their nation. I winged some wild-fowl and some coots at long
distances, but my soi-disant Newfoundland dog would not
venture his worthless carcase so far as they fell. The lake of
Gattemare ^ is half a mile broad and upwards of a mile long,
and for the multiplicity of coots and wild fowl, particularly of
dunbirds, it surpasses anything I ever saw. We adjourned
our shooting till a boat could be conveyed overland to this
place, as without it nothing can possibly be done, we having
tried all day, and nearly all night, on the banks.
30//!. — Went on some poor horses on a miserable road to
a miserable place called Reville, where we went to mass and
inspected the ruins of a chateau, and we finished the day with
other excursions and visits.
3 1 J/. — After a great deal of trouble, a boat was carried
overland to Gathemare lake, but on my arrival I found what
they here called ' a little shooting canoe ' was a yawl large
enough for twelve people, which, of course, sprung all the fowl
the moment we got to the middle of the lake. I then got
set ashore on a little bank of rushes, and had some excellent
diversion v/ith the coots, which I should not have thought
worth firing at singly, but to amuse the Frenchmen, whom I
astonished not a little with Manton's guns ; but the infamous
behaviour of my water dog spoiled all my amusement ; he was
too sulky to bring the birds, but chopped them, and not only
left them, but sulked on the islands and prevented others from
coming near me. Out of 12 coots and 10 wild fowl which I
brought down, I only bagged 7 coots, 2 scaup ducks, 2 wigeon,
and I snipe.
' The only misery of shooting here, particularly at night, is that you have to
stumljle over rocks and wade through mud for three miles, and then to tramp
in deep sand for above a mile more.
i8i4 COLONEL HA\VKER"S DL\RY 109
X.B. — I finished m\' day with shooting the dog, at the ex-
press desire of ]\Irs. Hawker, and to the great satisfaction of
all who were with us.
November \st. — Went with the premier chasseur of Bar-
fleur and a large party to surround the pond, but the fowl
immediately left, owing to the noise that was made ; we then
went to the cJiasse with this gentleman's dogs, said to be two
first-rate animals. The one ran home, and the other was so
slow that I preferred beating for myself The party killed
nothing ; I bagged i hare, 2 partridges, and i snipe, which
was considered as wonderful, and was thought more of than
all the wild fowl.
2nd. — Went to Valcalville, where, as a great favour, I
had permission to shoot in what was there called a ' forest ; '
my day, however, ended, as usual, with finding nothing
the whole day but one small covey of birds. I killed
2 partridges, which were considered a bonne chassc. We then
returned to a poor hovel, where I contrived to get some eggs
and the produce of an almost barren garden, with which I
knocked up a few dishes, and we contrived to dine most
heartily ; and I sent to the neighbouring priest to beg some
wine and coffee.
'^I'd. — To-day I proceeded to the village of Neville, where
I met a large dinner party and passed the night at the house
of a jolly priest named Cruely.
6th. — After a miserable ride of about seven hours, on an
execrable road (and after losing Mrs. Hawker's horse for
some time in the forest), we reached the town of Valognes,
6 leagues from Barfleur, and once the winter residence of
many nobilit}-.
The following are the market pr'ces of Barfleur :
French. English,
sous s. d.
I lb. of butter 20 o 10
I lb. of veal 12 06
I lb. of mutton 8 04
I lb. of beef 8 04
110
COLONEL HAWKER'S UL\RY
Nov.
I lb. of salt .
I lb. of common soap
I lb. of pepper .
1 dozen eggs
2 fowls
2 ducks
2 bushels of potatoes
I turkey
I lb. of bread
1 hare .
2 partridges
1 bushel of oats .
12 bottles of claret
6 bottles of brandy
2 bottles of old hollands
French.
English.
sous
s. d.
5
lh
24
I
64
2 8
10 1
5
24
I
30
I 3
15
7i
30
I 3
3
u
40
I 8
20
10
44'
I 10
264
II
180
7 6
70
2 II
7//;. — After the account we had heard of Valognes, and
knowing it to be one of the first towns in Normandy, we at
least expected to see something decent ; but of all the filthy,
ugly, dirty, imposing, miserable places I ever saw, I may
name this as one of the most abominable. After a tedious
crawl we got home to Barfleur by another route, which gave
us a fine and picturesque view of La Hogue.
TO//?. — Having some business at Valognes (from whence it
is seldom the custom to return the same day), I went there
and back within eight hours, notwithstanding I stopped half
an hour at the great cotton mill of Vast, which was established
under the directions of a Air. Orford, late of the 7th (English)
Light Dragoons.
\2tJ1. — This morning we left M. Delamare's and took
some excellent lodgings at the house of a Madame Apvrel,
viz. : 2 sitting rooms ; apartments for 3 servants and our-
selves ; a kitchen ; stabling, yard, the whole use of a well-
stocked kitchen garden ; the use of a horse, plate, linen &c.
for 100 francs per calendar month.
14//?.— 4 snipes and 5 dunbirds. I fired at 3 dunbirds
' Very dear now.
^ For a bushel of Enszlish oals \s. lod. !
iS[4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 111
flying high over my head, and killed them all 3 dead at one
shot.
18///. — Went to try the evening flight at the lake of
Rettaville (about half the size of Gattemare), but instead of 5
we found it nearer 8 miles distant ; being thus late, as well
as greatly out of luck, I bagged only i mallard.
When the tide is going out and it blows fresh, you can
seldom bag the half of what you kill ; and indeed I am
indebted to the purchase of a capital French poodle bitch for
what I have bagged ; I gave 14 francs for her.
Game &c. bagged at Barfleur : 6 partridges, i hare, i rab-
bit, 34 snipes, i mallard, 2 wigeon, 18 dunbirds, 13 curres, &c.
December 7///. — Having been almost poisoned with dirt (in
reality nearly poisoned by the earthenware, which is glazed
with white lead), and, in short, too happy to relinquish the few
remaining days of our month at Madame Apvrel's lodgings,
we, through the kind assistance of Mr. Orford, got a passage
in the cotton vessel, in which we sailed from Barfleur at a quar-
ter before three this morning, and dropped anchor in the basin
at Havre de Grace (20 leagues) at half-past four P.M. The
entrance to this place is beautiful , you sail under fine fortifi-
cations all the way in, and the perspective of the town presents
a really picturesque landscape. \\> entered the hotel of M.
Justin (the great house of Havre), and had to put up with the
usual dirt, misery, and confusion of a French inn ; but all
this, of course, is luxury compared to \\\\dX we had heretofore
been used to abroad. The cooking, however, was excellent.
Zth. — Was highly gratified with a general inspection of
the harbours, basins &c of this fine trading town, and passed
above two hours in the celebrated snuff manufactory (the
largest in France), where we had explained to us the whole
process, in which about 700 men were at work. There were
stacks of unprepared tobacco worth 120,000/., and the snuff in
much larger bins than I ever saw corn in. W^e took a com-
fortable dinner with Mr. Touchard, the merchant, and I then
112 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec,
embarked my man and shooting apparatus in the Southampton
packet, having previously secured places for Mrs. Hawker^
myself and maid, for Rouen, on our way for Paris.
gtJi. — Being called up soon after five, and having break-
fasted a little before six this morning, we tramped in the dark
and in the rain to the bureau des messageries, where our
voiture, the grande diligence, was prepared as follows : Two
horses at wheel, and three abreast leaders ; the driver, with a
smock frock, pigtail, powder, and a pair of water boots,' was
mounted on the near wheeler with strings (or small ropes) to
that, and the other four horses were harnessed in a sort of raw
hide leather fitted up with ropes. By the tremendous appear-
ance of this carriage and miserable-looking horses we were led
to expect that we should travel very slowly, and in constant
danger, with almost every misery that could be endured ; but,
to our agreeable surprise and astonishment, we found the
whole concern, in some respects, superior to even our own stage
coaches in England. Perfectly safe, very fast,^ very easy, very
commodious, and on most excellent turnpike roads. Every-
thing most carefully regulated, and, instead of being troubled
with repeated calls at public-houses, and interruptions of
guards and coachmen, you have only to settle, once for all,
on reaching your destination, where you pay the fare and, in
short, arrange the tout ciiseinblc. There is also no danger of
not being called in the morning, as there is a man regularly
appointed to wait on you an hour before the coach starts, and
should he neglect this, you can oblige him to pay your fare !
We reached Rouen about 4 P.M. after an unusuall}' long
journey often hours. The distance is 22 post leagues, rather
under 66 English miles, which we should have performed in
eight hours but for the incessant rain, which had made the
roads particularly heavy and bad.
' As we got farther up the road the drivers wore shoes, and then set their legs
into stupendous pairs of jack boots about the size, and more than the weight, of
common butter churns.
2 The only stoppages are for the change of horses, which is completed with
most wonderful expedition.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 113
The country which we passed was beautiful, and our
journey really comfortable in spite of the rainy weather. The
entrance to Rouen, where you descend a wooded hill and have
in constant view the Seine winding through the valley, is
really magnificent, but the town itself is more celebrated for
its almost unlimited commerce and grandeur than anything
to gratify the traveller. It has, however, a museum, a garden
of plants, an opera, and a theatre ; but our having engaged
places in the diligence to proceed to Paris the next morning
made it more prudent to relinquish anything beyond a view
of the town, get our suppers, and go quietly to bed. We put
up at the Hotel de Vatel, where we found perfect cleanliness,
good living, and civility, but, as is now the case at and every-
where near Paris, with an extravagant bill.
lotli. — Proceeded by the grande diligence on our wa}^ for
Paris, which is 28 leagues (about 84 English miles) from
Rouen. We started at five this morning, and at half-past
twelve reached Magny (within a league of halfway to Paris),,
where we stopped to dine. Instead of being served with a
dirty stage coach dinner, as in England, our table was spread
in a manner that would have done credit to a nobleman's
house, and with everything good clean, and comfortable,
silver forks, &c., for which (with wine, fruit, spirits, and ale)
we paid 3 francs a head. Having thus comfortabh* refreshed
ourselves, we proceeded on our road, which all the way from
Magny to Paris (about 44 miles) was well paved and we
travelled nearly as fast as a London mail coach, having entered
the gates of Paris by half-past six o'clock. After waiting to
sign our names at the coach office, and got our luggage, we
repaired to our hotel, but from thence were sent adrift in
consequence of it being full ; we then deposited ourselves,
goods, and chattels in the Hotel des Sept Freres Macons.
Paris. As the well-known ' spectacles ' of this place are
ably described and judgmatically criticised in almost every
newspaper at this present time, I shall merely note down a.
VOL. L I
114 COLONEL HAWKER'S UL\RY Dec.
memorandum of what places I may see, and (instead of writing
even for the few minutes a day which I usually do) make use
of every moment to see all I can, and then get out of this
stinking, imposing place.
wth. — Finding that a passport was indispensabl}' neces-
sary, I was obliged to go to the Duke of Wellington's to
procure one. This being done, we sav\' the following places :
Tuileries and gardens with mythological statuary, &c., and
most of the magnificent edifices in that direction. Then
inspected and ascended the monument (Colonne de la Place
VendCme) which was erected by Buonaparte, and is built
with the cannon taken in the battle of Austerlitz, &c., and
from which you have a panorama of Paris and its environs
that surpasses any description. Indeed, the unbounded mag-
nificence of all the public buildings here is such, that one can
hardh' refrain from adding superfluous panegyrics to memo-
randums. Saw the greater part of the French cavalry (con-
sisting of hussars, cuirasseurs, dragoons, and lancers). The
cuirasseurs were infinitely the best appointed and finest
looking troops. Saw statuary of the best artists out of
number, and in every direction different edifices with the
grandest sculpture and carving ; walked in the Champs-
Elysees ; and after taking refreshment at a restmiratetir's,
promenaded the streets, saw the Fontaine des Innocents,
Palais Royal,' &c. ; and in the evening went to the Theatre
Comique, where we were much pleased with the opera of
* Joconde,' and in this the singing of Martin.
12///. — Hired a coach- and saw the Invalides ; containing
' Famous for having a piazza (or cloisters) in which are all the first and (of
course) the most extravagant shops, rcstaurateiu's, &c. , and which may be termed
the Bond Street of Paris.
2 A private carriage is 25 francs per day ; a servant (out of livery) with it
4 francs, and whatever fee you choose to give the coachman. A sort of covered
one-horse chaise, 15 francs. A hackney coach (with footman) 30 sous per drive
(whether long or short 'tis all the same) ; and you generally give 4 sous more for
the men. The hackney coaches and public town voitures here are much better,
and infinitely faster, than in London, but the private equipages (like the private
houses) are very far inferior.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 115
depot, gardens, church, kitchen, messhouses, hbrary, &c., all
on a most stupendous scale — three thousand men now dine
there every day.
' Museum Petit Augustin : ' containing all the sculpture of
the first masters (chiefly in monuments) from the thirteenth
to the seventeenth century inclusive.
' Luxembourg.' Saw a whole room of enormous-sized
pictures all by Rubens (except two of David's, Titian's,
and another master's), another almost entirely filled with
Lesueur's progressive paintings of St. Brunot, and a detached
gallery with most extraordinary naval paintings by Vernet.
'Senate House.' Magnificent large frames containing paint-
ings of Buonaparte's victories, &c., which are (unfortunately
for the curious) covered over by green canvas, too fast nailed
over for even a peep. Flags and standards taken in Austria.
Spacious and elegant saloons and committee rooms, one of
which is decorated with paintings on cloth, and has some furni-
ture painted on velvet ; gardens arranged with fine statuary,
basins, &c., much in the superb style of those before the Tuileries.
' Ecole de Medicine,' containing a museum of everything
that can possibly be selected for the amusement and instruc-
tion of surgeons, every preparation of anatomy, instruments,
surgical curiosities, &c.
' Pantheon.' An immense hall of the most perfect archi-
tecture, and under which we were shown all the (locked up)
vaults containing the bodies or hearts of all the great men,
marshals, authors, &c. We here saw the tombs of Voltaire,
Rousseau, &c., but the kings are buried at St.-Louis. We
ascended the dome and enjoyed another panorama of Paris,
than which nothing can be more picturesque.
' Eglise de Notre-Damc.' On one side the New, on the
other the Old Testament in tapestry : fine paintings, among
which is the ' Visitation ' (of St. Elizabeth) by Jouvenet, who
having, after beginning it, lost his right hand by palsy, finished
it with his left ; but, even putting this aside, the piece has
116 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
sufficient merit to stand high in Paris ; wardrobes, from
which were shown us the robes, canopies &c. of all the high
priests, kings, &c. ; the Pope's chair, his robes, and all his
nonsensical apparatus ; Buonaparte's crown of laurels in
gold, his sceptre, and his hand of justice ; ditto of Charle-
magne ; Maria Louisa's crown &c. and the most magnificent
church plate (chiefly in massive gold set in brilliants, rubies,
and emeralds) ; among this there is a service given by Buona-
parte on his coronation ; church curiosities, such as crucifixes
in coral, goblets in crystal, &c. ; a fine piece of statuary of
our Saviour taken from the cross ; superior carving in oak ;
the finest marble candelabras given on the birth of the little
King of Rome ; fine painted glass, &c.
We had just time to partake of a sumptuous dinner at
the table d'hote of our house, and drive off to the Italian
Opera. We had here Paisello's delightful composition, ' II
Re Theodoro.' As far as the band was concerned, wc were
highly gratified, but it was vexatious to hear a cJief-d'cBuvre of
such acknowledged merit murdered by the most infamous set
of singers I ever heard. Excepting Crivclli and a passable
comic singer, there was not one fit to exhibit on a country
stage. Scenery very good ; house poor and shabby ; orches-
tra about fifty musicians.
\lth. — After inspecting the Halle au Ble (a grand and fine-
built rotunda for wheat and flour), we took breakfast and
proceeded with our carriage to the spectacles. Were disap-
pointed in being refused admission to the Gobelins tapestry, for
want of an order from some baron, so proceeded to the Bicetre,
or madhouse, containing one large factor};, where convales-
cents carry on different trades. An immense wall, where the
buckets &c. weighing 2,900 lb. are worked by about fifty
men to a wheel, and emptied by an iron catch as large as a
ship's anchor ; five minutes required for the drawing of a
bucket of water, and noise like thunder — great laundry, kit-
chen, and other offices for lunatics, whom we saw in all classes.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 117
' Cabinet de I'Histoire Naturelle,' containing the greatest
collection in the world of beasts, birds and fish, every speci-
men in conchology ; fossils, precious stones &c. surpassing de-
scription ; a superior library of natural history, and, in short,
everything in that study that can possibly be imagined. Garden
of plants of all the rarest sorts.
Cabinet of Anatomy of the whole creation, and all valuable
kinds of animal curiosities preserved in spirits, wax specimens
for human anatomy, &c. Live wild beasts. Live birds of
all sorts, land and water.
' Bureau d'Artillerie,' or ordnance, containing first all the
stores, cannon, &c. ; and secondly, a museum for every model
of arms and other implements used in war, with a most valu-
able collection of firearms of all countries, the armour of all
the great men, standards, sidearms, &c.
After hastily dressing,^ and dining, we re-entered our voi-
ture, and drove off to the celebrated Opera of Paris. Found
the house spacious and well built, though shabbily decorated
and fitted up. The band very fine, and immensely strong,
too much so for the choruses, it consisting of at least sixty
professors. The singing most disgracefully infamous, and the
acting nearly as bad, but the scenery, dresses, and decorations
far surpassed all our English theatres in every respect. The
opera was ' Les Abencerages ; ' in this was introduced a Mr.
Aubert, who danced and played on the guitar, and although
with the addition of having to execute considerably on this,
the only music to which he danced, he was decidedly superior
to any in the ballet, which was ' Telemaque.' Although they
could not complain for want of having a cJief-tVceuvre to per-
form in, yet the dancing was far short of what I had been led
to expect from the pompous account I had everywhere had of
the French opera dancing. The carriages, after the opera was
' The French never dress for the opera, and have it, like their other public
places, poorly lit up, as if to hide their dirt and dishabille ; instead of fine chan-
deliers all round the house, they have only a cluster of lamps suspended from the
centre, and one row of stage lamps.
118 COLONEL HAWKER'S I)L\RV Dec.
over, were well regulated by the horse and foot gendarmes, who
act as life and foot guards do in London ; and instead of allow-
ing Mrs. Such-a-one's carriage to stop the way,cvery voiture was
obliged to draw on as fast as it arrived, and therefore you must
be read}' to seize the opportunity of getting in \\'ithout delay.
lAftJi. — The Louvre, containing such a collection of the arts
as I never supposed it possible that an}- one place, or even
metropolis, could boast of. Fully prepared as we were to be
lost in astonishment, }-et the collection here far, ver}' far, sur-
passed all the descriptions we had heard from those who had
seen it. To inspect this grand depot of sculpture and painting '
would require at least a month, and we were therefore obliged
to content ourselves with hurrying through it in five hours, in
order to see a little of the other inexhaustible sights of Paris.
Here are sculpture, mosaic &c. most superior of all the great
masters ; paintings of the French, German, Dutch, Flemish,
Italian, English, and. in short, the very best of every school in
Europe. One of the rooms here is above 1,300 feet, and con-
tains about 1,250 immense pictures of Raphael, Rubens, Titian,
Carracci, Albano, Domenichino, Vinci-Leonardo, and Guido,
added to many others of the first ancient and modern artists.
Inside of the Tuileries. In getting permission to enter
here while the King is in Paris, it requires some trouble and
interest, but we were fortunate in meeting with Colonel Athorpe,
of our Royal Horse Guards, who had a card for himself and
party, which he kindl}- invited us to join. After entering the
palace and passing through very strong guards, all in full dress
uniforms, and with a most stately appearance, we had some
trouble, even with our printed document, to get admission,
but all these difficulties were perhaps magnified b}' the royal
servants with a view of getting a little English money ; at
last we entered, and saw all the magnificent apartments in this
spacious and richly decorated palace, the saloons, halls, State
bedrooms, billiard room, chapel, theatre, &c. Here we had an
' Here are three immense pieces of the finest mosaic I ever saw.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKERS DL\RY 119
opportunit}- of seeing several fine paintings on the subject of
Buonaparte's achievenrients, in which he was himself con-
spicuously introduced ; but in the rooms which are open
publicly to the French, and to the mere passports of foreigners,
all paintings representing the ci-devant Emperor are either put
away or closely covered. It may be needless to add that, for
their own interest in his reign, no pains were spared by the
artists to render these subjects their masterpieces.^ We saw
also many valuables in the palace ; a very fine vase, an enor-
mous solid gold box (brought from Italy), some of the finest
carved, gilded, and painted ceilings in the world, &c. ; also
most superb tapestry by Gobelin.
1 5///. — Elysee des Bourbons, the ci-devmit Emperor's
chateau of repose for the months of ^larch and April ; here
he remained quite en retraite, and amused himself with his
family. Here we saw all the comfort, as well as luxury, that
could be imagined. Here too we saw his writing table, which
appeared to have been the only thing used in the place, and
to which there was a chair or a pivot, so that he had not even
the trouble of lifting his seat to write if, while sitting at the
fire, he was struck with an idea worth noting down. We also
saw the a'-^^Tw;// Empress's bedroom, dressing room, and every
little ornament that could be suggested, and among them
some fine mosaic, and other valuables from Italy ; we had
also a view of the billiard table,- and enjoyed the novelty of
playing with the Emperor's favourite cue and Maria Louisa's
mace. This palace, although on a smaller scale than the
others, and with scarcely any paintings, except Buonaparte's
family pictures, is, for taste and elegance in the fitting up,
before all the others ; and, in short, a perfect lesson for the
' Here is one grand hall hung round with full length portraits of Buonaparte's
marshals, and his eagles, bees, and the letter N are so universally distributed,
that it will require some time and expense to erase them without considerable
damage to the rooms.
- Lit up with two groups of lamps, which are each suspended so as to represent
the scales of justice, an idea of the Emperor's, as an emblem of the desideratum
for general peace and happiness.
120 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Dec.
man of taste in furnishing ; everyone should see it, as no one
can help being delighted with it. The Empress Josephine
was some time here, and this is the house which Alexander
chose for his residence during the two months the Russians
were here ; he, however, selected one of the worst rooms,
and preferred his camp bed on a sofa to the luxurious beds
and couches of this palace of comfort.
In going to the Bourbon Elysee we saw the two ci-devant
palaces of the Bourbons, which are exactly alike, and are
now used, one for the bureau of the Minister of Marine, and
the other as the residence of dragoon officers of rank. Passed
Talleyrand's house, and the Corps Legislatif, &c.
Boulevards or immense streets round the town, with foot-
paths, and double rows of trees on each side.
National Library of Paris : contents, above 400,000 valuable
books.' This library is formed in three-fourths of a long
quadrangle ; the partitions average about 100 yards long
each, by a very considerable breadth.- Here is also another
fine room, in which two stupendous globes, celestial and
terrestrial, are sunk from within a large gallery that surrounds
them, into a fine hall below.
In the first grand room there is a well-executed statue of
Voltaire, a group in brass and copper, and a correct model of
the Pyramids of Egypt.
We then descended to the hall and cloisters below, and
after passing a room hung with framed plates, we entered a
library of folio engravings. It may be needless to say they
are perhaps, most likely, the best in the world, and of every
nation where the arts are known.
Cafe Montacier. Our hard morning's work and glut of
more novelties obliged us to finish with walking over this
place, which was a large and handsome theatre, and is now
' This immense repository of literature is all in one room, and open to the
public, who may read there, or look over folios of engravings, at six sous per day.
''■ Length 544 English feet, and breadth 128 feet.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 121
(stage, boxes, pit, and all) converted into a magnificent coffee
room, where is the grand resort in the evening of all classes
of Parisian loungers.
I omitted to mention to-day my having passed nearly an
hour in the morning to inspect the shops and work of the first
gunmakers of Versailles and Paris, and in my life I never
saw such infamous concerns by way of fowling pieces ; the
springs of the locks were worse than any musket I ever
handled ; their breechings a most bungling imitation of our
old discarded patent ; their touch-holes three times as thick
as they had need to be, and the locks literally ready to scratch
your hands for want of being let into the stock. While all
these matters, which really contribute to the intrinsic value ot
a gun, are thus neglected, the whole study of the workman
appears to be directed to the exterior ornament of the gun,
and thus you see a machine worth about two guineas fitted up
with lOO/. worth of gold, silver, and even carving. In this they
appear to think solely consists the perfection of a gun, and
on my endeavouring to suggest (most civilly, and for their
information) a few of our unquestionable improvements, their
utter ignorance in argument and obstinacy were, although
disgusting, really laughable.
Finding we had a few minutes before dinner would be ready,
we took a sight of the baths, which are arranged on an extensive
scale, one side for men, the other for women, and well built.
The moment we had dined we started off to Franconie's
Olympic Theatre, which is the Astley's of Paris, and in
every respect precisely on the same plan. The horsemanship
was good, but, on the whole, rather inferior to England ; a
horse there was brought forward, who was taught to fetch
and carry like a dog, and finished his exploits by marching
off with an old woman's cap from the boxes. The panto-
mime, a sort of romance, was very well got up, and we gave
it the preference to the average of those in England. The
acting was good, the scenery well managed, and, on the
122 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec.
whole, did credit to the theatre. The house is shabby for
want of new doing up only, but it was better lit than the other
theatres, or even their opera houses.
1 6///. — Breakfasted ' by candlelight, and started in our
voiture for Versailles, 4 leagues from Paris, but about 5 (15
miles) from our hotel. On getting out of the suburbs we drove
for a very long time by the banks of the Seine, on a road which
is the whole way most excellent, and nearly all on pavement.
Just beyond the 'bridge of Vienna ' we had a full view of
the Ecole Militaire and Champ de Mars : a place extending
in a circle of 6 miles, and formed in various sorts of ground
for every kind of artificial warfare. On the right, opposite,
is the beginning of a palace which was intended for the little
King of Rome.
' Saint-Cloud and the Palais.' A lovely place overlooking
all Paris from a commanding and cheerful situation, and
where the royal residence is, if possible, more grand than the
others : it is, like the rest, one blaze of magnificence, with
every luxury that can be devised, and the marble and man}'
other ornaments are most valuable and exquisitely fine.
' Royal Manufactory of Porcelain.' A place as large as a
palace, where there is made the most elegant china that can
be conceived, and where almost everything is manufactured
equal to fine sculpture ; for instance, flowers, &c., and lace so
' If you breakfast at a coffee house you can seldom get served before nine,
whereas to save our time I always get my breakfast before eight, and the difference
not only in comfort, but expense, was considerable, had the value of a breakfast
been my object ; for instance :
Cqfee house : A miserable small pot of indifferent coffee, a roll, and a little pat
of butter, served without a cloth on a marble slab, cost me 36 sous.
At my otun room : Two large hot French rolls, 2 sous ; proportionable quantity
of superior butter, 2 sous ; new milk, I sou ; as much delicious collared boar's
head as I could eat, 8 sous. Total, 13 sous.
Thus, by buying your tea and coffee, you may breakfast luxuriously by your
own fireside for half the price that half a breakfast would cost you at a * cafe.'
N.B. — The hotels do not find breakfast, and most of them find nothing but
wines and liqueurs, in which case you dine at, or have your dinner from, a rcstaura-
teii7-''s.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 123
well imitated round a figure that I, at first, would not belie\e
it was anything but real.
' Sceaux.' Stopped here for a few minutes to refresh our-
selves with a slice of collared boar's head, and some cakes for
which a coffee house in this place is well known.
' Versailles.' On entering the place we were soon struck
with its appearance, as being cleaner, having better looking
private houses and more spacious streets than any place we
had seen in France. We were a little annoyed, however, at
the governor, who was absent, having left a peremptory
order that no one should see the palais, as the workmen
were repairing it, and all the ornaments in confusion ; this
we would not so much have regretted, but for the loss of
seeing the opera house therein, which is said to be the finest
in the world : after tormenting officers, architects, and work-
men with my persevering though useless entreaties, I gave
up all attempts to get even a look in here, and proceeded to
see everything else (which required nothing further than a
good supply of francs for the gardeners and doorkeepers),
viz. : Les Affaires Etrangeres, library, and antiquities.
' Orangery.' One of the finest, as a greenhouse, in Europe,
containing trees planted from the year 142 1 to the present
day.
Gardens are laid out before the palais, standing on a
commanding height and overlooking the royal woods and
park of chasse, which latter are 60 miles round. These
gardens are the most perfect paradise I ever saw ; filled with
every sort of sculpture ; fountains, basins,^ canals, &c. ; and
on one are many fine gondola boats ; the avenues are
most tastefully arranged, and made beautiful by every
corresponding ornament that can be devised.
The Bas d'ApoUon, an artificial rock, with statuary,
where is introduced Louis XIV., is a wild and beautiful orna-
ment to the retired shades in which it stands. From the
• Every one of the many basins played 104 fountains at a time.
124 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec
centre of the gardens the groves lead off to all points, and
you can see nowhere without a displa}^ of fountains before you.
Colonnade. A rotunda of 32 marble columns, and 25
fountains, with fine statuary in the centre.
Great basin with fountains, representing the chariot of
Phaeton, which throw the water 55 feet high.
' Palais du Grand Trianon.' Another immense and magni-
ficent residence of the ci-devant Emperor ; everything here
again is perfected for grandeur and luxury, and yet with
comfort in no wise forgotten : this palais is entirely on a
ground floor, and therefore the site is considerable. Another
large collection of the finest paintings in the world, and in
which Claude Lorrain, Poussin, and Vernet stand conspicuous.
An immensely long gallery is here, richly fitted up ; the
walls hung with pictures of the best masters, and the opposite
sides (from the best light for the paintings) are decorated
with large and valuable models of the different ships of war.
Here are a variety of slabs, fonts &c. made from solid
pieces of the production of copper mines (a sort of green
like marble, I forget the name), said to be the largest speci-
mens in existence.^ A small piece of carving in agate of very
great value. Many valuable things, nearly of the same de-
scription as those in the other palaces, or, to speak more
to the purpose, of every description.
A whispering room, which has the effect of the gallery at
St. Paul's, but is quite square, instead of being formed in a
circle, like the latter.
' Petit Trianon.' An elegant little palace, which was
occupied by the infant King of Rome and his attendants ;
it is very near the Grand Trianon, and is, perhaps, of all
others, the situation which a private individual would prefer
to live in.
Manufactory of arms on a large scale ; but no good
' The greater part, if not all, of these were presented to Buonaparte by the
Emperor Alexander.
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 125
work, except, as I before remarked, in carving and inlaying ;
the manufacturer was civil, and I therefore pretended to
admire.
We got back to Paris by five, bolted our dinners and flew
to another theatre.
* Le Theatre du Vaudeville.' A house of comedy &c.
much the same as our little theatre in the Hay market ; after
seeing a little of this we found it so crowded as to be hot and
uncomfortable ; and having a wish to see the
Cafe Montacier lit up, we proceeded there and took some
ice and cakes. Nothing could be more gay than the illu-
minated coup dceil of this Bacchanalian ^ temple. The order
of the day seemed to be burnt brandy and sweet cakes ; but
tea, coffee, and about twenty different kinds of refreshment
were passing among the immense concourse here assembled.
The ci-devant stage was filled up with groves of trees and
flowers ; and, on the whole, this appeared to be a perfect
temple of gaiety.
We then started on foot, and took a view of the dissipa-
tions in the Palais Royal, which was crowded to excess ; and
notwithstanding we saw about 200 ladies of the demi-monde,
there was literally not one but was worthy of being remarked
for extreme ugliness. Here were coffee houses, all thronged
from the garrets down to subterraneous vaults ; and where,
had we thought it prudent to come a little later, we might
have seen the very essence of dissipation.
ijtli. — Having to arrange some money matters, and
letters to write &c., I lost a part of this morning ; we saw,
however, enough to say that our time was well bestowed.
After inspecting the triumphal arch of Buonaparte and
the gate of St.- Denis, both of which we had before passed, we
proceeded to the Boulevard du Temple. First we saw here a
fine fountain, to which the water is conveyed from the distance
* I may be wrong in using this term, as I believe, being a coffee house, no wine
is allowed, but everything else is in abundance.
126 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
of 25 leagues, and which spouts from the mouths of eight
Hons, placed two and two octagonally.
' L'Abbaye St-Martin,' a ci-devant convent which is now
converted into a repository for models of almost every sort of
manufacture, and where in one spacious range of apartments
you see the process of almost every work. This is highly
gratif}'ing to a mechanic, and somewhat interesting to every
one ; we really found relief in seeing things of a sober colour,
after being day after day so dazzled with the splendid blaze
of magnificent palaces.
' Cafe d'Apollon.' A really good theatre, fitted up with
chairs and tables instead of benches, and where, by calling for
even a glass of spirits and water, you may every night see a
comedy and a pantomime, with a passable orchestra. I am told
they are worth seeing, but the cheapness and freedom of
eating brings that sort of company which makes this place
exceptionable in the evening.
We saw some inferior waxwork and many other trifling
things in these Boulevards, which are entirely full of all sorts
of little ' spectacles ; ' small theatres, temples and coffee
gardens out of number, which are ever\^ night thronged with
idle people of pleasure,
18///. — Went to the ' Tuileries ' to see the Royal Family go
in state to prayers ; being English we were readily admitted
into the saloon, through which they passed as follows : Due
de Bern, Duke of Angouleme, Monsieur Comte d'Artois,
Louis XVIIL, Duchesse d' Angouleme, marshals, attendants,
t^'c. The affability and good-natured look of his Majest}' could
not but be admired by every honest man.
After leaving the Palais we drove through the Champs-
Elysees, and passed the Barriere de Neuilly, a stately lodge
with the finest avenue we had seen, and near which there is,
half finished, another of the Corsican's triumphal arches, to
his own memory, as usual. Then the Bois de Boulogne, a
royal hunting wood, at the beginning of which are places of
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 127
recreation, and for refreshment, as the avenues to and in this
wood are in fine weather the Hyde Park of Paris. Here is
the httle Palais de Muet, once a ro}'al villa, now a place for
public amusement ; also the country house of Talleyrand.
We then crossed over to the Champs de Mars for a review^
which, to our disappointmient, had just been countermanded ;
from there we drove to LTnstitution des Sourds et Aluets ; but
the deaf and dumb of the establishment being out, we had
only a view of the buildings.
' Corps Legislatif,' or Parliament House, which, instead
of being, as ours, like a lawyer's dirty chambers, is truly mag-
nificent. It is fitted up with every sort of comfort and
ornament. The Salle where are assembled the members is,
like the Luxembourg Senate Room, a half-circle, and the
gallery supported by fine architecture of marble pillars ; on
the right of the President, or Speaker, are figures of Lycurgus,
Solon, Demosthenes, and on the left, Cato, Brutus, and
Cicero, all in the finest sculpture.
Among other grand saloons there is that which was the
Emperor's, and still remains with decorations emblematical of
his victories, and the insignia ot all the different kingdoms
of Europe. In the Corps Legislatif are some good sculpture,
paintings, tapestry, &c.
' L'Eglise de St. Sulpice.' Went here during mass, and
were much more gratified by the superb architecture than
the ranting of the preacher.
' Theatre Francois.' Wx had delayed visiting this theatre
till the celebrated Talma was announced to perform, and then
we were obliged to conform to the French custom of profan-
ing the Sabbath, or we should have left Paris without seeing
him. He played Coriolanus, but with much more the deport-
ment of a Whitechapel butcher than a dignified Roman ; and
his acting was such that we were sadly disappointed. The
Roman matron was performed by a Madlle. George, a ranting
woman, who is here considered a fine actress.
128 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec,
19/'/'.— Cabinet of Mineralogy and Medals, and after this,
having got an order from Baron Monier, we proceeded to
the Gobelins tapestry, celebrated for being unquestionably the
best in the world ; we here saw many fine paintings which
were left at this manufactory to be worked, and after being
astonished with some of the finest tapestry that could be
described, going through the whole process of making, we
were shown a finished piece which represented the death of
General Dessaix, and which astonished us (even though we
supposed it v/as a painting) for its admirably fine colouring
and spirit.
' Observatoire Royal,' a sort of obelisk from which you
have a panorama of Paris, but by no means a better one than
from many other edifices which we had mounted.
Dined at M. Very's Restaurant. To have dined here is
to have seen one of the ' lions ' of Paris ; and we therefore
directed our steps to the Palais Royal for this purpose. The
printed bill of fare was about the size of a newspaper, and
the whole place seemed to be a temple of unbounded luxury.
We dined on as many of the best dishes as we could possibly
get through, and had afterwards ices, liqueurs, &c., the
whole bill for which cost exactly an English guinea for Mrs.
Hawker and myself; everything served up in silver, and, in
short, this place is so noted for good living that the Emperor
Alexander and the King of Prussia made a point of dining at
Very's while the Allies were in Paris, and since which the
highly illuminated room (where we dined this day) is called
the Alexandre.
20tJi. — ' Catacombs,' subterraneous passages which extend
for nine miles under the streets and boulevards, and from
which the stone was taken (600 years ago) to build Paris.
Here are two millions of skulls arranged with bones (like wine
in a cellar), a spring of water with gold and silver fish, and an
altar where mass is said once a year ; several tombs &c. all
nearly thirty yards below the surface of the earth, and where,
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 129
had we extinguished our two glimmering candles, we should
have lost our places in the coach for Calais. It luckily, how-
ever, happened that only one light went out at a time, and
we got to our hotel just with time to partake of a scrambling
dinner.
Paris, for public edifices, museums, and in short for
splendid palaces and as a grand emporium for science and
literature, may be termed the capital of the world ; but so
truly filthy are the streets, houses, and inhabitants, and so
poor and vulgar are the almost numberless places of enter-
tainment, that it was to us astonishing how any of the English
could remain there a prey to imposition a day longer than
was absolutely required to see the principal spectacles.
At two o'clock, having on a former excursion had enough
of French posting (for instance, waiting while horses were
taken from a plough or caught from a field a league distant),
and having been much pleased with the diligence from Havre,
we had taken our places at the ' Grande Messagerie ' for
Calais.
At twelve a dear and bad supper at Beauvais, i8 leagues
from Paris.
2ist. — At half-past eight breakfast at Amiens, 30 leagues
from Paris ; ran to look into the magnificent cathedral, than
which nothing can be finer in the architecture.
At half-past five, found a most excellent dinner, with
good wine, great civility and very reasonable charges, at
Abbeville, 40 leagues from Paris.
22nd. — At a quarter before eight, a pretty good breakfast
and things comfortable at Boulogne, 62 leagues from Paris.
Arrived by two in Calais, 70 leagues from Paris. Total,
I93i English miles.
N.B. — Tronchet in his guide book says 186^, but he is
wrong, as in many other statements.
Thus we crawled for forty-eight hours at a trifle more
than four miles per hour, notwithstanding the roads were
VOL. L K
130 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
in the best condition from the hard frost ; add to which we
were repeatedly annoyed by trifling accidents on the way.
We were, however, induced to bear all with patience and even
good humour, from the great civility and attention of
M. Massin, the conducteur.
On our arrival we found Calais a perfect scene of con-
fusion ; the hotels were all crowded, and, in preference to
starvation and sitting in the yard, we joined the table d'hote,
which I could compare to nothing but an ill-regulated kennel
of foxhounds. The imposition, the misery, and the aping of
the English, was at this place truly laughable.
At eight this evening went on board to sail, but it came
on to blow so fresh that we all had to march back again.
Being an old campaigner I took care to get a bed out of the
hotel, and to offer a prem.ium to an old woman, for which a
good breakfast and hot rolls were prepared ready for us the
next morning.
23r^. — Sailed at nine, and at half-past one reached Dover.
We came in a French packet, the ' Parfaite Union,' Captain
]\I ascot, who, I suppose in consequence of his having piloted
his Majesty on a day when the cabin boy might have brought
in the vessel, thought his passengers (about sixty, instead of
twenty which he ought to have taken) unworthy of the least
civility or attention, further than to secure their money before
they were fairly in sight of Dover. We had, most fortunately,
an English sailor who was a passenger on board, and showed
the crew how to manage the vessel.
The whole of the luggage was carelessly thrown together,
and among which were the poor suffering passengers, many
of them ladies, rolling in sickness and everything that was
filthy, with the risk of having their brains beat out. Our
getting into the boat which came alongside was so far bad
that we thought it miraculous that only two passengers fell
overboard. All our campaigning was a joke, for the time it
lasted, to these four hours and a half We had several women
i8i4 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 131
on board who suffered dreadfully, though not enough to move
the assistance of Captain Mascot.
Soon after our arrival the very vessel into which we had
the nearest possible escape from embarking was wrecked on
the pier, the ' Henri Ouatre,' Captain Benois, who refused a
pilot to save expense, and whom they say was drinking with
liis crew instead of minding his vessel. Let these and the
many late accidents be warnings to our countrymen never to
trust themselves in a French packet ; and let me observe that
since the Peace every one has turned packet master, as
money is such an object in France that every fellow will risk
the life of himself and passengers to clear a few guineas ; and
therefore it is at all ports the order of the day to keep an ill-
manned vessel.^
24t/i. — After being most strictly overhauled at the custom-
house, we got off from Dover at eleven, and reached London
in twelve hours by the Paris light coach.
2^t/L — After having been two hours only in bed, we pro-
ceeded for home, and at five o'clock we, thank God, ar-
rived safe and found all well at Longparish, where we most
heartily enjoyed our Christmas dinner.
Distance which we travelled, exclusive of excursions in
and round Paris, and from Barfleur during our stay in those
places, 719 miles.
The whole of this excursion, for exactly two calendar
months, cost me about 120/. (exclusive of powder, shot, tea
&c. taken out, and about 30/. laid out in little purchases).
2jt/L — I wigeon, i heron, i jack snipe.
1815
January 2nd. — Left Longparish and arrived at Ke\^haven,
near Lymington.
yd. — Keyhaven. i wigeon, the only one I fired at, but
the flights we saw were prodigious.
* It was really afflicting to hear of the number of wrecks that had taken place
^vithin these ten clays.
132 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
6tJi. — 2 snipes, i jack snipe, and i partridge. In the even-
ing, as usual, lay up in m}' canoe on the mud, where there
were thousands of wigeon ; but owing to the Christmas
shooters, I never got a flock near enough to fire at.
ytJi. — The army of shooters had driven every fowl from
the mud, except a few coots, at which I fired my capital Joe
Mauton duck gun with common shot and stopped 6, at
the enormous distance of 132 yards, which we accurately
measured with a 9-foot punt pole. Indeed, this extraordinary
gun has scarcely ever failed, in a flock, at that distance.
14///. — Made a regular surve}- of the coast and places, as
per annexed memorandum. The infamousl}^ bad sport pre-
vailed everywhere this season.
Hasty sketch of sJiooting places. — ' Pitt's Deep,' good creeks
for canoe. ' Park,' not so many creeks, but better for the
flights. \"\^arren Farm has excellent flighting when the wind
is from S. to W., as the Duke of Buccleuch stops the shore
gunners ; it is about a mile from Needs'oar Point, 2 from
Bucklershard, and seven from Lymington. Bucklershard,.
eight miles from Lymington Road, good.
N.B. — All the mud is good, but everywhere equally
disurbed by shooting punts and boats.
25//?. — After being out all night, in a bitter cold north-
east wind, with sleet, and waiting for three hours without
stirring for water sufficient to approach the wigeon, which
were unluckily disturbed, I was obliged to content myself
with a random chance fl}'ing, and bagged onl}^ two. Last
night our chance was again spoiled by fools trying to walk
to the birds.
26tJi and 27///. — It blew and snowed so hard that going
after wild fowl was impossible, and the le\-y e7i masse of
blackguards as usual destroyed all chances for the shore ;
I therefore walked out inland, and killed 2 rabbits and i
snipe, all that could be found.
28///. — A brent goose, the longest single shot I ever saw ;
1l>-IU4X^-iv
i
i8i5 COLONEL HAWKER^S DL\RY 133
a keeper, who was present, supposed it to be 120 yards.
This was with Joe Manton's famous 19-lb. gun, and the
only shot I got.
I had afterwards to ride from Warren Farm (Mr. Richard
Warne's) to Keyhaven, about 14 miles, and among unfre-
quented marshes and bogs, where I had never been before, in
the most miserable night I ever weathered ; it was so dark, I
literally could not see my hand before me ; and my eyes were
almost blinded by hail, which was, the whole time, driven full
in my face by a tremendous hurricane. I had my 19-lb. gun
and an immense quantity of ammunition to carry ; and as my
old blind mare would hang back when I tried to lead her, I
was obliged to tie the gun to her bridle while I waded the
dykes, then mount and force her through them, and after-
wards anchor her with the shot belt, while I went back and
groped up my gun. I had twice made up my mind to pass
the night under a bank, and should have been too happy
to have thus avoided the danger of being bogged or
drowned, had I not been wet to the skin, and benumbed
with cold.
30//?. — Mrs. Hawker and I left Keyhaven, and luckily
without having lost the use of our limbs, as Mrs. Benche's
house was as damp as a church, and scarcely fit to shelter
a Newfoundland dog. Mrs. Hawker went to Longparish ; and
I proceeded for wild fowl shooting to Bucklershard, and got
a very comfortable little lodging at the house of Joseph
Beale.
February ist. — ' Bucklershard.' Prevented from going out
till this evening by the rain, and found an immense company
of wigeon, and put into a small creek at about eleven o'clock,
and there lay in wait till half-past five in the morning ; we then
got water, and were sitting up, with the almost certainty of
half a boatful of birds, when an infernal rascal ojDcnly ap-
proached some of the straggling birds, and with the very worst
management and a miserable old gun killed seven !
134 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Feb,
2nd. — More wet weather. I attempted the evening flighty
but could get no chance ; and the wind and tide having
dela}'ed the canoe coming for me, I had to wander over the
marshes in utter darkness with wind and rain, and fell
about a dozen times from the tops of the banks down into
broad ditches full of water. I was almost borne down every
step by the weight of my gun and ammunition. I then
wandered all over the inclosures for several miles, and once
lay down where some sheep had been penned, to pass the
night ; but the violence of the rain having somewhat abated,
I made a second attempt, and after wandering in the fields
for several miles more, and tearing through every hedge to
keep a straight line, I found a road, which I followed till I
came to a light. This luckily proved to be the house of a
farmer, who gave me some beer, and put me in the road
home. He said it was no wonder that I was lost, as even
those who knew all the country rarely ever ventured on these
marshes at night.
A^tJi. — Rowed our canoe into a hole in the mud, where after
the water had run off we remained invisible, and no sooner
were the geese beginning to fly in swarms than a host of
blackguards surrounded us on every side, and kept up such a
fire with bullets that our prospect of sport was again annihi-
lated ; we had to remain in this hole from two in the morning
till five in the evening ; we got home about nine at night
without having had a single chance.
5///. — Finding the sport so inferior to what it had been in
other seasons, that even men who last year supported their
families by'wild fowl have this winter only killed two or three
couple, and the weather having become quite mild and wet, I
this day left Bucklershard and returned home to Longparish.
15///. — Being selected by Mr. Joseph Manton as one of the
sportsmen to be examined on the advantages of his patents,
I this day received a subpoena to attend his trial {versus his
brother and others) for infringements on them.
i8i5 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 135
1 6//^.— Went to London. By the unexpected delay of
other trials, the one of Mr. Manton could not be brought on,
and was therefore deferred till the ensuing term.
i(^tii. — I returned to Longparish.
The worst wild-fowl year ever known.
April 6th. — Having purchased Mr. Lee's cottage at Key-
haven, I this day went to Lymington to arrange for the rebuild-
ing of the house.
July 1st. — 'Longparish.' Went minnow fishing in the dusk
of the evening, and lost all the best time by having to send
home for some fresh tackle, and on its arrival the first and
only fish I caught with it was the very one which had just
broken my line before, and from whose mouth I pulled out my
former hooks, gut, swivels, &c.
The angling this year has been so execrably bad, that,
during the whole season, I have killed but 62 brace of trout.
I have in former years done nearly that in one day.
186 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
CHAPTER VIII
1815
September \st. — 34 partridges, besides 2 brace lost, 4 hares,
and 2 quails. Every covey we found were as large as the old
ones, but so unaccountably wild that I was obliged to take
both single and double shots at all distances, notwith-
standing which I may safely say that I only lost two head
of game by bad shooting.
6tJi. — 16 partridges and i hare. I also lost 2 birds, and
except wounding one which I ought to have killed, and firing
a random shot off my horse, I never missed. My double shots
were three, and all killed.
jtJi. — 8 partridges and i hare. My sport this day would
have been as good as or better than yesterday, but I had only
some young dogs, one of which spoiled all my best shooting by
running in and chasing. This morning, an hour or two be-
fore I was prepared to start, I was called to go down to the
river for two ' curious birds.' I loaded my double gun, and
crawled under cover of a heap of stones near enough to
bring down one sitting and the other flying with the second
barrel. They proved to be a godwit and a spotted redshank,
birds which I had often killed on the coast, but never before
heard of in this part of the country.
I was, of course, obliged to fire kneeling, having crawled
up to the birds, which, although one was a sitting shot, made
the killing with the second barrel somewhat difficult, par-
ticularly as I had not an instant to spare.
Game bagged the first week : 90 partridges, 1 1 hares,
2 quails, i snipe (all I saw), i rabbit. Total, 105 head.
i8i5 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 137
N.B. — Scarcely anyone else in this country has had good
sport, by reason that the birds have been so unusually wild
nothing could be done without the knack of killing them as
soon as they topped the stubble. Including my 2 seabirds this
morning, I have bagged every brace I fired at in my last ten
double shots.
1 6///. — Till this day I have been laid up with an inflamed
sore throat, and finding I could get but little better, I went
out on my old mare, armed with gargle and hartshorn, to
try for a few birds, as the coveys were so wild that almost
all the shooters had given up doing anything. I bagged
lo partridges, lost 2 more, and missed but twice, one shot
a long way off, and another in the sun.
20///. — From incessant dry weather, the scent became so
bad that the birds were always on the run. I went out for a
little airing on horseback, and killed all I could have killed,
which were i partridge and r hare.
2^rd. — 5 partridges and i snipe. I this day, on a covey
rising unawares, and in the sun, missed a first-barrel shot ; at
least, I only feathered the bird and killed him with the second
barrel. Previous to this I had killed and bagged with both
barrels fourteen times successively, without once taking down
my gun from the shoulder between the two shots.
I have now completed 29 birds out of fifteen double
shots. I did this with my old 22-gauge gun ; last year I killed
2^ birds out of fourteen double shots with a 14-gaugegun ; but
this last is far better, as the birds required such quick shooting.
As far as I could learn at Manton's and Egg's &c. my
having this wild season bagged fourteen double shots succes-
sively is the best shooting that has been accomplished in
England.
October 2nd. — Having without the slightest provoca-
tion (except being a friend of Mr. Fellowes, his brother)
been uncivilly encroached on by the keeper of Lord Ports-
mouth, and having heard that his gang of myrmidons, who
138 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
had previously been sent to annoy Mr. Fellovves through a
whole day's sport, were watching to warn me off Lord Ports-
mouth's land, and to follow me wherever they dared, I got
some men with guns and pistols to draw their attention to
different parts while we attacked their grand preserve : every-
thing was arranged agreeably to a military plan, which 1 regu-
larly drew and coloured beforehand, and which answered so
well that we got two hours' glut at their pheasants before the
gang came up to warn us off; to my own share I bagged 28
pheasants (including 2 white ones), 3 partridges and i hare.
Notwithstanding we had rain for the first hour, I killed
in two hours 24 pheasants in 24 shots, bagging every bird. I
was determined not to fire out of distance ; but among my
shots were many very difficult ones and four double ones. We
were taken after my 24th shot, when we finished our day on
some neutral ground, to which we took care to drive a fine
sprinkling of game, and where we defeated the gangs by being
well mounted. We began at half-past nine in the morning,
on the moderating of a heavy fall of rain, and came home to
a comfortable dinner at four o'clock. We each shot with one
old dog, which is always best where game is very plentiful.
ytJi. — Till this day I had uniformly shot, ever since the
1st of September, as well as it was possible to shoot ; to-day
I missed both barrels twice at partridges, which lay like
stones : afterwards, however, I finished without missing, and
bagged 5 partridges, 3 pheasants, and i hare.
8//;. — I this day drove to Freefolk, where my tandem had
a most extraordinary and providential escape. Wliile I was
in the house, my servant not being so attentive as he ought to
have been to the horses, they suddenly galloped off, knocked
him down, and drew the wheel over his arm, body and shoul-
der ; they then charged a fastened-up gate with such violence
that they broke it and burst it open, in doing which they com-
pletely bent the top bar, which was of wrought iron, thick as
my wrist ; tearing the dog cart after them, they flew all up
i8i5 COLONEL HAWKER^S DL\RY 139
the most dangerous cross road in the place, and after reaching
the sun:imit of one hill, had to go down another, which was
frightfully steep, full of loose stones, and with a gate at the
bottom, where this road ended with others going short to the
right and left : strange to say, they cleared the turn most
dexterously, and the wheeler and buggy were found overturned
about a mile and a half from Freefolk House, and the leader,
who had broken loose from his reins and traces, was brought
back by a countryman.
Instead of finding James half killed, the road strewed
with the wreck, and the horses blemished, we had the good
fortune to find that the extent of all the damage done was the
breaking off at the two extreme holes of the leader's traces,
which we only had to buckle to the next two holes and the
leading reins at the buckle which couples them. In short,
all was so well got over that I afterwards proceeded ten
miles, and paid two other visits.
\2th. — Having late last evening killed some game, amidst
the annoyance of Lord Portsmouth's banditti, who could not
then catch the tenant to warn me off, I (knowing that a notice
would be sent for my breakfast) attacked the place again this
morning at sunrise, while my men diverted the gang with a
little random shooting in another direction. I got 4 hares and 3
pheasants, and made a long shot flying over my head at a teal.
14///. — Worked Wherwell Wood all day, and got but one
shot, which was at a single partridge, and that I lost in the
high wood.
20th. — Went out while it blew a hurricane, and in eight
shots killed, including a pheasant lost out of bounds, 8
head of game.
Game &c. bagged up to November i : 149 partridges,
2 quails, 23 hares, 7 rabbits, 80 pheasants, 9 ducks and
mallards, i teal, and 6 snipes. Total, 277 head.
November 26. — Proceeded from London to Inspect the
Fens ; went in chaise as follows : Waltham Cross, 1 3 miles ;
140 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Nov.
Wade's Mill, 1 1 miles ; Royston, 15 miles ; Caxton, 12 miles ;
Huntingdon, 9 miles ; Ramsay, 12 miles. Total, 72 miles.
Put up at Mrs. Belshaw's ' Crown ' inn, Ramsay.
2jtJL — Walked nearly thirty miles in surveying the Fens,
and could soon perceive that they would not answer for wild-
fowl shooting : if a frost, the birds are gone ; if a thaw, the
greater part of them remain in the deco\-s ; so that the
breeding season (when the ague is predominant) is the only
time for this infernal country.
28///. — Took a hack buggy, by way of Whittlesea, to
Peterborough, 15 miles, and then a chaise to Oundle, 13 miles.
After having spent the day with Mr. Sherrard, I returned
to town on the 29th per coach by Kimbolton, St. Neots, &c.
As my presence in town was not required again till the
morning of the 30th, I enjoyed a pleasant and cheap tour
for these few spare days instead of remaining idle in London.
30//^. — Having Finished my business, I left town this
afternoon, and reached Longparish soon after midnight per
Weymouth coach. Total travelled from Thursday to Thurs-
day, 309 miles. Killed on the road 2 partridges.
December lyJi. — Left Longparish for Keyhaven, where
we took Aubrey House from the nth. I had some days
before sent off my baggage, &c., but was detained by having
been taken suddenly and severely ill.
15///. — Went down to Poole (21 miles) relative to build-
ing a new canoe and stanchion gun on a plan of my own
invention.
\6th. — Returned to Keyhaven.
\<^th.- — I wild duck and I mallard. So scarce and bad
has the coast shooting yet been, that the only two shots I
fired all yesterday and this evening were one at a single
wigeon, and another at 4 ducks, of which I knocked down
3, though only bagged the above 2.
28//^. — My gun having been loaded ever since I killed the
2 ducks (eight days), I at last got a flying shot, and killed i
i8i5 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY 141
wigeon, and afterwards a second shot, with which I knocked
down 2 more that I lost on the tide. There has scarcely
been a bird killed by any one of the constant followers of
wild fowl since we came here, so mild, wet, and unfavourable
has been the weather.
29///. — Went to Poole to pay for and send off my new
canoe boat, and bring away the stanchion gun &c. to be
finished under my own direction.
1816
January 6th. — ' Keyhaven.' After having waited In a
creek for water to float from half-past eleven at night till four
this morning, Tom Fowler got me in the canoe to within 40
yards of above 1,000 wigeon, just half an hour before which
the morning came on suddenly so dark and wet that we could
not see fifteen yards before us, and were obliged to go home.
Before the next tide the birds were found out, and routed by
two fellows who had heard of them ; othervv^se, we should with
two guns have had every chance of killing fifty at one volley.
gth. — Took a drive to Warren Farm and Need'soar Point,
where I heard the same complaint as here prevails among all
the punters, on the almost impossibility of getting a shot at
any wild fowl.
nth. — Launched my new canoe and stanchion gun, and
in the evening went out, but there was not a bird to be heard
or seen in the harbour, and I could only remain afloat a few
hours in consequence of a tremendous gale of wind.
12///. — Killed only 3 birds ; but so bereft of wild fowl is
this coast now, that I never could get a chance for the long
gun, and in the evening it came on a gale of wind with a pour
of rain.
lyth. — I proceeded to Poole on business, and slept two
nights over at Studland, in the Isle of Purbeck. I took
my gun, though could kill nothing but a few coots, as the
142 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
general scarcity prevailed here like everywhere else, and
I consequently got home to Longparish on the night of
the 19th.
I was amply repaid for my five weeks on the coast by the
benefit derived by the change, but so mild was the weather
that to get any shooting was out of the question.
February ^th. — Frost and snow ; out from seven in the
morning till dinner, and then out all night, and so destitute
was the country (like all others this year) that I never saw but
two ducks and one wild wisp of snipes ; and, in short, got
no shooting except a roast of fieldfares, redwings, and larks.
loth. — A wild duck with green feet.
I2th. — Proceeded to London on business.
i^th. — Returned to Longparish in my carriage, with three
people and luggage, in eight hours ; notwithstanding we
stopped three-quarters of an hour to breakfast at Staines, and
a quarter of an hour at Kensington, where a posthorse threw
his shoe. We had only pairs of horses all the way, and the
last 15 miles my horses brought us in an hour and a half.
From being constantly in the habit of guessing and calcula-
ting time on a journey, I foretold the hour of arrival within
three-quarters of a minute.
Game &c. bagged up to March ist : 164 partridges,
106 pheasants, 30 hares, 15 rabbits, 2 quails, 36 snipes, 19 wild
ducks, 4 wigeon, 2 teal. Total, 378 head.
April \jtli. — Till this day it w^as so cold, that we had
constant frost and occasional snow storms ; the weather now
having become suddenly warm, I tried fly fishing for the first
time this season, and killed 10 trout, besides a great many
small ones thrown in.
May 2gth. — London. Was presented by the Duke of
Clarence on my appointment as Major of the North Hants
Regiment.
June gth. — Published my second edition of ' Instructions
to Young Sportsmen ' previously to leaving town.
i8i6 COLONEL HAWKER\S DL\RY 143
15//^. — 10 trout. Fishing very indifferent, owing to the
trout being glutted with the mayfly and small gnats.
i^th. — Went over to fish at Stockbridge ; but so innu-
merable was the mayfly that our sport was wretched. I
killed only one large trout ; we never could get a rise, or a
run, the whole day.
Jtily \tJi. — Left Longparish on a visit to the marshes, in
the east of Norfolk.
5///. — Proceeded from London by the mail to Norwich,
where we arrived on the evening of the 6th, and proceeded in
a chaise to Mr. Rising's at Horsey, 130 miles from London.
\2tJ1. — Went to stay with Mr. Huntingdon.
\Afth. — Went to Norwich.
15///. — Came up from Norwich, by way of Newmarket,
no miles within thirteen hours, by the 'Light Telegraph'
morning coach, which beat the mail by nearly five hours.
YjtJi. — Returned from London to Longparish.
My object in going to Norfolk was to shoot young wild
fowl, and catch pike, perch, tench, bream, &c. ; but as the
custom of that country is to sport in large battue parties I at
last gave up attempting to reckon what I killed myself, though
I had far more sport than the others. The fish were in size
greatly beyond any I had before seen, and the young wild fowl
shooting was most capital. We killed large numbers of almost
every kind of sea and marsh birds, interspersed with occa-
sional good shooting at leverets and rabbits, young snipes,
plovers, &c. The only birds, however, that I had not killed
before were the crested grebes and the shoveller ducks, with
which I had, one day in particular, most excellent sport.
The circumstance that makes the birds so plentiful here
cancels all the pleasure of the shooting, which is that the fear
of death deters strangers from hazarding their constitutions in
such a pestilential climate. I came home ill, but was happy
to escape as well as I did.
25//^. — Some wild ducks having flown, I went up the
144 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY July
river and had a most excellent shot at five all close together ;
but unluckily my stool upset while I was in the act of firing.
Afterwards I got a wild duck, and shot another, and a heron,
which fell in Lord Portsmouth's grounds, where I would not
go after them.
;^ist. — Went over to Ponton's at Stockbridge. Found the
fl}^ fishing, as it almost always is at this celebrated though in-
famously bad place, not worth a penny. The cockney-like
amusement of bobbing with a live mayfly is all that this
miserable river does for ; indeed, scarcely a fish ever moves
till about the last quarter of an hour that you can see to throw
a line.
August 28//J. — During the whole season I only killed 37
brace of trout with a fly, which number I have, before no\\',
exceeded in one day. The worst fishing season ever
known.
i8i6 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 145
CHAPTER IX
1816
September \st. — Longparish. Shooting the first week out
of the question. From the unprecedented lateness of the
harvest, owing to the incessant wet weather, the greater part
of the wheat was standing, and, in most places, the sport was
deferred by agreement till the i6th ; but as I could not succeed
in my attempt to get it postponed about here, I deferred even
taking out a dog till other people had begun shooting in
earnest, and then I began the second week by going round
what few stubbles there were cleared. The standing corn,
however, was so abundant, that sport could only be had for
an hour or two in the day. The weather having now favoured
fly fishing more than it had done before, I generally divided
the morning by first shooting and then getting a dish of trout
for dinner. My sport on the 14th was very great, and some-
thing rather novel, as I that day happened to be most lucky
in both diversions ; between the hours of eleven and one I
killed 9 brace of partridges, with only missing one bird, and
that was a long second-barrel shot, and feathered ; and by
three o'clock had brought home two brace of trout, besides
catching smaller ones, which I threw in.
14///. — Completed, and found most fully to answer, my
new invention of a portable ambush and artillery carriage
for firing my stanchion gun with perfect safety on shore, by
which I could get about and follow wild fowl with a gun
weighing 80 lb. as well, nearly, as with a shoulder gun. The
VOL. L L
146 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
whole of the apparatus was built to my order, and admirably
executed, by the ingenious Mr. Fielder, wheelwright, of Long-
parish.
\6tJL — This I considered as my first day's shooting. I
went out at ten o'clock, and returned by five to dinner, having
with me the same two dogs the whole morning, Nero and
Comus. And, notwithstanding I have brought home more
at a time, yet I never in my life had such a satisfactory
day's shooting. Although the birds were rather wild than
otherwise for the time of the year, and the number of coveys
the Longparish fields contained were by no means con-
siderable, yet I had the good fortune to bag 36 partridges and
I hare, with literally never missing a single shot and without
losing one bird. I had 8 doublets and bagged both my birds
every time, and having once killed 2 at one shot with my
first barrel, I made ^J head of game in 36 shots. Had I at
all picked my shots, I should not have thought this any such
very extraordinary performance ; but so far from this a
great number of my birds were killed at long distances, and
with instantaneous rapidity of shooting. I had my favourite
14-gauge barrels of Joe Manton's, and Mr. Butts's cylinder
gunpowder. The same gun all day, which was neither
cleaned afresh nor even new flinted. This with Saturday
makes 54 partridges and i hare, with only i miss. This with
a single gun would not be worthy of much comment ; but
with a double gun, where I honestly and fairly worked both
barrels wherever it was possible, and all at large strong birds, 1
consider it the best performance I ever accomplished. I have
now killed 60 shots in succession and 93 birds, with only i
miss.
Game bagged up to October : 218 partridges, 6 hares.
Total, 224 head.
N.B. — Made scarcely any beginning till the i6th : had
only a brace of dogs, and only shot between a half-past nine
o'clock breakfast and a four o'clock dinner. Was out alto-
i8i6 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 147
gether (including three wet days, when I was driven home)
but fifteen times.
Since the 14th inclusive I bagged 198 head of game, with
missing only 6 fair shots. Though I never failed to use both
barrels where fair opportunity offered and did not at all pick
my shots, as such double-gun ^ shooting is rare, and I may
not perform it again, I have noted a faithful statement of the
particulars.
October ist. — Shot in the unpreserved part of Wherwell
Wood, a place free for every vagabond ; and notwithstanding it
blew a continued hurricane, with an almost incessant pour of
rain, I killed and bagged every bird I shot at, viz. 1 2 pheasants,
all full-grown birds, and 9 of them cocks.
Had much fun to-day in manoeuvring against, and beating,
other shooting parties.
2nd. — A gale of wind all day, with a drizzling rain and
sometimes a heavy pour. Up at five, and, as I said would
be the case, found no pheasants where I was the day before,
as they seldom return the next day. Came home wet
to the skin at eleven. Out again at one : went fly fishing ;
bagged at the same time i jack snipe, I hare, i cock pheasant,
and 2 partridges, and had capital sport pulling out the trout.
Returned (wet through again) by four o'clock with fish, flesh,
and fowl in plenty.
^th. — After killing 8 partridges, 2 snipes, and i pheasant,
which I wanted for London, and for which I had a hard fag
in a rainy mxorning, I w^ent fly fishing and caught 3 fine trout
just in time for a four o'clock dinner.
7///. — Rode off to another neutral beat, a rendezvous
for unqualified tradesmen, and bagged 8 pheasants and 4
partridges.
^th. — Walked out with a young dog, got three shots to
him, and bagged three partridges. Weather fine, and birds
' I say ' double gun,' because a man by taking only one bird at a time, and
selecting choice shots, might kill 100 times in succession wiih little merit.
L2
148 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Oct.
lay well. Had I gone out in earnest, with double gun and
broken-in dogs, I should have had a good day.
Q)th. — Drove to where I had such sport on the 7th, and
never saw a pheasant. Weather rainy again, but it cleared
up, so I shot on my way home and bagged 1 2 partridges and
I rabbit by means of firing at all distances, and such long
shots as I (or rather my barrels, as the credit is theirs) made,
I never before saw.
19///. — Worked the river and common for miles in search
of a snipe for Mrs. Hawker, and only found i snipe, at which
I had a bad chance, though I contrived to kill it. This is the
fifth snipe only I have either killed, seen, or heard of this
season, which is very extraordinary, and particularly after a
wet summer.
Novembei' yth. — Went to Whitestaunton, beyond Chard in
Somerset, eighty-five miles from here, per ' Auxiliary ' mail.
8///. — Shot with Lord Hinton, and killed only 3 wood-
cocks, I hare, and 2 rabbits.
gth. — 3 hares, i pheasant, and 2 partridges ; so bad was
the sport, that Lord Hinton's share was even less than mine,
though there was nothing missed that offered a tolerable
chance.
10///. — Having had enough of shooting in the wet weather,
and not being very well, I returned again to Longparish per
mail.
i6th. — After a deep fall of snow in har\-est, and in a hard
frost, I went out shooting again. Bagged 6 snipes and
I teal.
26th. — Shot a sparrow-hawk when perched on the house.
In the evening killed a mallard, which I could not see, but
fired by guess as he pitched. This is the first shot I have
had at flight this winter, though I have waited out above a
dozen nights.
December i6th. — Went up to London.
20th. — Returned to Longparish, and drove my tandem
i8i6 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 149
with an immensely heavy load, notwithstanding the roads
were very dead and bad, the last twelve miles in fifty-five
minutes.
2yth. — Went out (with Mr. Kalkbrenner, who came to me
for a few days on the 25th) and killed all that could have
been killed, viz. i partridge, 2 jack snipes, and i woodcock.
28//^. — Mr. Kalkbrenner and I literally fagged over 25
miles of country, in my attempt to show him some sport, and
he never got a fair shot, and I killed only 2 partridges.
1817
Jamiary %th. — 3 jack snipes and i snipe ; the only four
shots I got, though out all day, the wild fowl being so scarce
here now that none can be seen or heard. I drove my boat
on wheels 8 miles at nine o'clock this night, and stayed out till
four on the morning of the 9th, but never saw or heard but
one duck. I was, however, amply repaid for my trouble, as
the shaking of the boat cart effectually removed a pain in my
side with which I had been suffering for nearly a fortnight.
\dfth. — Left Longparish this morning, arrived at Poole in
the afternoon, and just saved my tide to Southhaven ; to do
which I was obliged to get on board in such a hurry, that I
had only time to scramble up (near the quay) some infamously
bad bread, a few red herrings, and a little paper of salt butter.
Even this was well worth exportation, as the family who
occupy the only hovel I could be sheltered in at Southhaven
almost entirely subsist on bad potatoes and sour beer. No
sooner had I reached my quarters than the frost, as if by magic,
was turned to an incessant pour of rain, which, with a foul gale
of wind, kept me (cut off from Poole) a close prisoner all the
1 5th and nearly all the i6th with the worst of campaigner's fare,
and without a book, newspaper, or anything to amuse me but
a pen and ink and my own thoughts. Thus in my prison
(which, by the way, was scarcely weather-tight) I sat alternately
150 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
writing, thinking, and taking snuff, till a half-starved cow
deprived me of the former amusement, by thrusting her horns
through the window, and consequently obliging me to close
the board which, I suppose, is called a ' shutter.' I had then
no other resource than to brave the elements, which I did till
my gun was wet, and I killed, as they flew over, i wigeon and
2 brent geese, also some more of each sort, that fell out upon
the ebbing tide, where I dare not either send a dog or a boat.
Attempted to get out in the evening, but was again driven in
by rain, when I had just killed a heron, which I voted well worth
my charge, in order to make me a substitute for giblet soup.
Y'jtJi to igth. — Wet weather and gales.
20th. — A tremendous hurricane all day. The communi-
cation with Poole entirely cut off, it being impossible even to
cross the Channel (to get there by land) ; all our boats filled,
our oars washed away, and the house so full of water that I
was obliged to stand in water boots, and cook my dinner
where there was water enough to float a boat, the house, like
Noah's ark, being literally in the flood. A scarcity of pro-
vision, except red herrings and the few wild fowl we had shot.
Being on the weather shore, no birds would fly over the haven,
so that we had nothing to compensate for the most unmerciful
misery of the weather. More rain, of course. My pilot poorly
with the rheumatism, and my servant put to bed with a cold,
where he could only be approached by means of water boots
or a bridge of chairs.
2ist. — Most miserable weather.
22itd. — Worse and worse. Contrived to weather it across
to Poole in a gale of wind and pour of rain.
2'^rd. — Got on the * Lord Exmouth ' coach, and, having
left my man and shooting things at Southhaven, went home to
Longparish (of course, in a pour of rain) to wait till this
pretty little shower was over.
26t/i. — Wet. Many people ill and dying, and everything
nearly ruined by the unprecedented wetness of the season.
i8i7 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 151
February ij-/.— -Went back again to Poole, and at night
crossed over to Southhaven. Having business there I was
obHged to go ; and the change of scene was, of all others, the
thing to do me the most good. Otherwise, even had the
weather been cold enough, I was scarcely in the humour even
for wild-fowl shooting after the sudden death of my little child.
Weather very fine, but as mild as April.
3/7/. — Real bad luck with the wild fowl. At half-past
one this morning I got close up to about 40 wigeon, and had
only to wait for about ten minutes' more tide to bring the
swivel gun to bear, when a rascal rowed by to windward and
put them all up. This was nothing to what happened an
hour afterwards, viz. I got about 1 50 wigeon, feeding under
the moon, all doubled together in a space scarcely the size of
a canoe, and literally not so much as thirty yards from me.
Such a chance had not been known or heard of in Poole
harbour for many years. Indeed, had I chosen my ground,
time, and place, and positioned the birds myself, I could not
have had a more glorious opportunity for aggregate slaughter^
and my swivel gun was loaded with a pound of the choicest
sized shot. I levelled at the very bull's eye of the phalanx,
when, to my dire annoyance and mortification, instead of
seeing 50 or 60 dead and wounded, my priming, in spite of
the greatest care, had got damp, and the gun flashed. Up, of
course, flew the birds, like a roar of the sea, and the cursed
powder kept hissing away, so that they had all flown far above
the utmost level of the stanchion before the gun went off.
Having been out all night, I then came in, breakfasted, and
went out all day, but had no hope till the dusk of the evening,
when occurred my chance for an enormous swarm of geese.
Old Tom left the canoe for a few minutes, when she slipped
her painter and drifted off to sea. Here I had to pay dearly
for a four-oar boat and crew to go out after her, as it ' came
on to blow ' very hard, and my guns and everything were in
her, and the whole concern was all but lost. Having luckily
152 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Feb.
got her in, I went out all night again ; but the wind having
shifted to the unfortunate south-west, I never saw or heard a
single wild fowl, though incessantly working till five in the
morning.
A^tJi. — Out all day ; but could not, as yet, get a chance
even at inferior birds, except one shot with my smallest gun,
with which, at a very great distance, I got 2 grey plover and
I knot. Could not go out to-night, as it came on wet weather
again, with a strong gale of wind. Thank God that such
infamous luck has been only in trifling concerns, and not in
matters of consequence.
6tJL — Out all night, and never heard or saw but three
wigeon.
J ill. — 2 brent geese.
8///. — Out best part of the night, and never saw or heard
a single bird.
gtJi. — Crossed over to Poole on my way home, and this
night reached Salisbury by the conveyance of my boat on
wheels, in which I never travelled more pleasantly.
\oth. — Rode on from Salisbury, and arrived to dinner at
Longparish.
N.B. — The shooting at Poole this year is even worse than
that of the last year, or even the preceding one, and, indeed,
the sport has been worse this season than ever was remem-
bered by the oldest gunner. I never before, too, owing to the
gales of wind, lost so many wild fowl in proportion to the few
I bagged ; and although I was day and night at work for three
weeks, I got but one shot with my swivel gun, and that was
the famous one at which it missed fire. Previously to coming
home I had plenty of sport at birds not worth noting, such as
coots, divers, goosanders, grebes, &c.
1 8//?.— Shrove Tuesday. Began fly fishing, and with a
yellow dun and red palmer killed i6 brace of good trout
in two hours.
Not only most of those killed to-day, but some which
i8i7 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 153
I caught a week ago, dressed quite red, and proved in excel-
lent season. This, of course, may be imputed to the extreme
mildness of the winter.
20th. — Walked all down the river, with a large duck gun.
Killed I snipe, which was all I saw, except 2 more snipes,
which flew off very wild. Wet weather as usual.
2\st. — Torrents of rain again. All of us being quite
bilious for want of being able to get exercise, the never-
ceasing wet weather obliged me to set up a full-sized billiard
table, on which we played the first match on the 20th.
March ist. — List of game &c. killed in the season :
308 partridges, 40 pheasants, i quail, 17 hares, 9 rabbits, 99
snipes, 6 ducks and mallards, 3 wigeon, i teal, 6 geese, 3 plover,
10 woodcocks. Total bagged, 503 head,^ exclusive of all
the young wild fowl and different birds with which I had ex-
cellent sport in the Norfolk Fens previously to September,
and also exclusive of a variety of other birds, such as herons,
coots, water rails, &c. The worst wild fowl season ever
heard of, and the quantity that I lost in proportion to the
very few I bagged, from having quartered on a weather
shore in the tremendous gales of wind, is beyond all pro-
portion. The wettest season since the memory of the oldest
man.
June nth. — Went over to Ponton's, where after two days'
fishing I caught but 4 brace of trout ; and so execrable is the
Stockbridge fishing that this was literally called good sport.
The fish are immensely large, but so flabby and soft as to be
scarcely worth eating. We worked the real mayfly as well
as the artificial.
25///. — Went to London for Norfolk.
2'ith. — Arrived with Mr. Rising at Horsey.
July 2nd. — Removed to Mr. Huntingdon's at Somerton
House.
5//j.— Left Norfolk.
^ Gave away, as presents to my friends, 470 head.
154 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-IRV July
GtJi. — Arrived at Longparish, 200 miles, without stopping,
except to breakfast in town.
N.B. — While in Norfolk I had some excellent sport with
perch, pike, and bream fishing ; and I had the best of
shooting at rabbits, flappers, shovellers, ruffs and reeves, and
every kind of marsh bird. The order of the day was to sally
forth with all sorts of netting, trolling, angling, and shooting
tackle, so as to attack all the marshes both by land and
water — as an invading enemy would march over a country —
and bring in our punts laden with fish, flesh, and fowl.
August 2^rd. — Longparish. The fishing has been so
inferior this year that I have seldom gone out for a whole
day ; and, at last, I gave up keeping an account of what I
caught, it being not worth it. In the whole season I killed
about 50 brace of trout, which I have, in former years, often
done in two days.
;i7 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY 155
CHAPTER X
1817
September ist. — Longparish. Birds greatly destroyed by
an incessant rain, no barley cut, and even the greater part of
the wheat standing. I tried to get the shooting deferred, but
could not prevail on others to agree.
The few birds which were to be caught out of the corn
were as wild as in November. I, however, did vastly well,
considering all disadvantages, having bagged 20 partridges,
I hare, i quail, and i landrail.
^th. — Mr. Sola came to us.
gth. — Killed 2 brace of trout with a fly for the amusemen
of Mr. Sola.
lOth. — Went out, with a double gun, which I had made
up myself (barrels by Manton), and in sixteen shots killed
1 5 partridges and one bird lost ; and Mr. Sola killed and
bagged i partridge.
i^th. — Out all day and got but seven shots. Killed 8
partridges — and another lost — and a rabbit. Mr. Sola left us
for Southampton. Bad luck on the 15th, as well as poor
sport. Had one of my only two dogs stuck with a scythe
and severely wounded, broke my ramrod, and sprained my
ankle.
20th. — My sprain being nearly well I went out on horse-
back, and after slaving from morning till evening I only
bagged 7 partridges. Never since the memory of the oldest
person here has there been such a deplorable scarcity of
birds ; for i partridge now we had 20 last year.
156 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
Game bagged in September 1817: 108 partridges, 2
hares, 3 rabbits, 3 snipes, i quail and i landrail. Total,
118 head.i
October ist. — Had again to contend with many strong
parties in the lawless part of Wherwell Wood, and manoeuvred
so that I beat them all put together with only i brace of pointers.
Considering the very bad breed of pheasants, this was one
of the best days I ever enjoyed ; bagged 1 1 pheasants, 3 par-
tridges, and I hare. Adding what Signor Vercellini shot, and
two divided birds, we killed 16 pheasants, 6 partridges, and
2 hares, nearly all we saw.
N.B. — I could have killed more, but gave all the best
shots up to the Signor, as he never shot before in England.
^rd. — Vercellini and I beat Wherwell Wood again, and
never found anything but I hare and i pheasant, both of
which we put in the bag.
20th. — 3 partridges, 2 hares, and i teal ; while a party
from my house, consisting of five crack double-barrel shots,
touched on Lord Portsmouth and bagged 1 1 brace of birds,
3 brace of hares, i pheasant, and i rabbit.
26th. — Received a detonating double gun (No. 81 11),
value 100 guineas, presented to me by Mr. Joseph Manton.
2yth. — Went out with this elegant gun, and, notwith-
standing an incessant pour of rain, I killed in fifteen shots :
9 snipes, 3 partridges, i spotted gallinule, and i water rail.
The one shot that I missed was far beyond a fair distance.
November /[th. — Drove to Andover, walked from the town,
down the river, and bagged 19 snipes ; besides 2 shot and
lost ; making loj couple, without having missed a shot.
6th. — 2 partridges and 4 snipes. Tried the effect of the
detonating gun at birds which ' duck the flash,' and found it
to answer admirably, by killing dabchicks swimming at a
considerable distance.
• N.B. — Although a very poor September's shooting, yet I have every reason
to be satisfied when I consider how extremely wild and scarce the game has been,
and what wretched sport all other people have had here this season.
i8i7 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 157
20tJi. — In consequence of the death of our lamented
Princess Charlotte, I had laid aside my gun, and prohibited
every kind of sport, till this day. Her mortal remains having
been last night committed to the tomb, we may now, without
indecency, endeavour to divert our minds from the universal
affliction that has been produced by this severe calamity.
2(^th. — I have now killed 121 snipes, exclusive of those shot
in the summer in Norfolk. For our river this is unusual sport
before December.
December 2nd. — i snipe, i jack snipe, and 3 pheasants
(the first I had seen, or heard of, for a long time ; I caught
them feeding out of bounds, cut off their retreat, and put
them all 3 in the bag in about 10 minutes).
^tJi. — Out all day, and bagged only i jack snipe.
lOtJi. — Beat Wherwell Wood the whole day with three
cries of dogs ; found the game nearly extirpated ; and never
saw but 3 woodcocks, which were the first I had seen this
season. Never saw i hare the whole day, and only moved 2
pheasants. I bagged 2 woodcocks.
22nd. — Beat the river for miles, to see if any snipes had
arrived in my absence ; only saw 3 snipes and 2 jack snipes^
all of which I put in the bag on their first appearance.
29//?. — 2 jack snipes, i pheasant, and i mallard, the very
first I have fired at this year, although up the river by day
and night above thirty times.
^Oth. — 2 hares, for which I paid pretty dearly. I went in
my tandem, with four people, and dogs, to drive 16 miles,
when the road was literally a sheet of ice, to one of the most
deplorable deserts that ever disgraced a Christian country.
I had to drive the tandem through the filthy village of
Tidworth, when the waters were out 3 feet deep ; and, with
a broken spring and the cart tied up with a stirrup leather,
had literally to traverse the ice, which was so thick that it
bore up my horses (which were of course rough-shod) before
it would burst to let them in. The rain came on the moment
158 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Dec.
we began shooting, and I had to drive Mr. Kalkbrenner down
afterwards to Everley ; the buggy was broken a second time,
and in this state I had to proceed. The variety of our other
dangers and mishaps would fill a romance.
January \2tJL — 9 snipes, 2 jack snipes, and i bittern. I
have now killed 132 snipes and 74 jack snipes. Total, 206.
\\tJi. — I began fly fishing, and in about an hour caught
as many trout as I could well carry, exceeding generally a
pound each, and in such perfect season that most of them
dressed as firm, and as red, as a salmon, and had on them a
fine curd the same as in July. This may be perhaps
attributed to the mildness of the winter.
I jth. — Proceeded to Norwich.
\'$)th. — Went over to Mr. Rising's at Horsey.
20th. — Went to Mr. Huntingdon's, at Somerton Hall, to
stand godfather to his son and heir ; and partook of his
grand fete, at which I, as well as many others, played several
characters, in, and out of, the masquerade, and which was kept
up most brilliantly till the
22;^^. — Returned to Horsey.
^oth. — Went to Yarmouth, and in the evening left that
place for London per mail.
N.B. — Although I took my guns for wild-fowl shooting, yet
I was so unlucky that I never got a chance all the time I
was in Norfolk, though out every day, and every evening,
while at Horsey. I literally never saw but one snipe during
the whole time, though a week only previous to my arrival 25
couple had been killed in a day, and the quantity of wild fowl
was so immense that every common fellow on the mere
boundary of where I, and only I, had the full liberty of shoot-
ing, was earning his pound a week by shooting. W^hat occa-
sioned my unprecedented essence oi bad luck was the incessant
i8i8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 159
hurricane from the south-west, which blew e\'ery creature that
had wings across to the Dutch coast, and where, in such a
case, they usually stay till the pairing season.
I had some very fair game shooting, though with parties
(as is the unpleasant custom of this county and Suffolk), I
kept no account of what I killed, which I seldom do on such
days. Though I have never yet been beat by anyone in any
country that I have ever yet seen, still this style of shooting
leads to a jealousy that I detest ; and as I consider more
than two guns a party for fun and society, and not a party
for sport, I reckon all the game shot as much a general
concern as a fox w^hen killed by a pack of hounds, though I
certainly killed far more than anyone else. I, one day in
particular, got 4 brace of hares, 3 of partridges, wood pigeons,
rabbits &c. in about two hours, and among my hares was
a w^hite one, the first of the kind ever killed there, and which
had been before eagerly fired at and missed.
Among the trials of skill, I made some double shots at
halfpence thrown up together, and finished by throwing away
two halfpence with my right hand, and then shooting one
with each barrel before they fell to the ground. The half-
pence of my different double shots were kept as a curiosity.
February \st. — Returned home to Longparish.
^tJi. — Worked the river all day, and saw but 2 jack snipes,
both of which I put in the bag.
12///. — Went to Keyhaven to see about my cottage ; drove
down in my canoe on wheels, with my large gun. Got no
chance there for w^ild fowl, the weather being far too mild, and
the season too far gone ; indeed, all I bagged was one brent
goose. I had, however, capital sport with the coots, having
got a great many almost every day. One night I killed 16
at a shot, at about 120 yards, with my stanchion gun.
19///. — When firing at some geese, my new stanchion gun,
of 96 lb. weight, was literally blown to atoms from the
breeching to near the end of the stock, and though the
160 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Feb.
lock and other appendages were dealing destruction in every
quarter, and I was for a considerable time on fire (with
a pound of gunpowder in my pocket), thank God, I
sustained not the slightest injury further than the end
of one of the oars being blown off. Nothing but the kind
interference of Providence and my invention for fixing this
gun could possibly have saved my life. The barrel, a
Birmingham one, which was to all appearance clean, proved
to be scarcely better than unbeat ore or granite stone. Let
this be a caution to discard all barrels that are not twisted.
i\fter my happy escape I returned in a pour of rain.
2ist. — Drove home in a vile road, with one incessant
torrent of rain the whole way, and after the narrow escape
from being killed by the fore part of the carriage breaking
when going down a steep hill, I thank God arrived safe and
sound at Longparish House.
2'2)rd. — Having purchased the celebrated fishery of ]\Ir.
Widmore, I this day bought Mr. Sutton's lease, with which it
was encumbered, and became possessed in fee simple of one
ot the first trout rivers in the world. Shot i hare and 3 jack
snipes ; afterwards went fly fishing on my newly purchased
river, and when the snow was a foot deep, I caught a dish of
fish for dinner in about half an hour, which proved in capital
season. At night it thawed, and we had another attack from
torrents of rain.
2yth. — I jack snipe, and another shot and lost, being the
last two, to the best of my knowledge, left in the country.
Afterwards fly-fished for half an hour, and killed 10 ver}-
large and very welhseasoned trout.
List of game &c. bagged in the season to March i, 1818 :
178 partridges, 20 pheasants, 12 hares (nearly extirpated here),
8 rabbits, 7 woodcocks (all I saw), 230 snipes, i quail (all
seen), i landrail, 2 ducks, 2 teal, i goose (this }'ear even
worse than the last for fowl, which I had thought impos-
sible), I bittern. Total, 463 head, exclusive of coots, water
i8i8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 161
rails, fieldfares &c. and also exclusive of what birds I shot
in the marshes in Norfolk in the summer, and also of the
game I killed there in the winter, which were not kept
account of
I gave away as presents to my friends 495 head.
March 2nd. — Went to London, and after studying har-
mony, musical composition &c. three months in the academy
of Mr. Logier, I completed other business in town, and
returned to Longparish on June 23.
June 2ZtJi. — M. and Madame Bertini came to us to study
the harp and piano with Mrs. Hawker and myself
July lOt/i. — In about an hour I killed with a fly before the
house three large baskets of trout, which averaged ij lb. each
fish.
N.B. — As the whole fishery which goes through our
premises was purchased by me of Mr. Widmore previous to
this season, I never made a regular day's fishing, but merely
went angling for a few hours before dinner, and seldom failed
to kill a large dish of trout whenever we wanted them. I there-
fore have this year kept no account, though, were I to include
nets and all, I should perhaps have to note down about a ton
weight of trout, &c. ; this is about the half of what the previous
occupier took in a season by dragging.
VOL. L M
162 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept,
CHAPTER XI
1818
September 1st. — Longparish. Our country has been entirely
clear of corn for nearly a fortnight, and never do we re-
member having been so long without rain ; not a turnip to be
seen ; everything completely burnt up, and the fields as bare
as in December, with the ground as hard as rocks.
Started about nine o'clock (a very stormy day, and the
birds as wild as hawks), and bagged 30 partridges (besides a
leash shot and lost), 3 hares, and I snipe, all to poor old
Nero, who behaved most admirably. The scent, however,
was so bad, that I owe a great deal to having markers. It
was impossible to make any succession of shots, for I had to
fire at random three times at least to every bird that I could
get within fair distance.
i/t/i. — I wild duck, by moonlight, a little before midnight.
Game &c. killed to September 30 : 112 partridges, 7 hares,
I rabbit, 2 landrails, 10 snipes, 14 ducks and mallards. Total,
146 head.
Birds scarcer and ^^•ilder than ever, and my sport has
been more than that of all the people round the country
put together, though I had no dog to shoot to that was of the
smallest assistance to me but poor old invaluable Xero.
October 1st. — The pheasants here being nearh^ extinct, I
started this morning before four o'clock, and threw off in the
great woods round Cold Henley, where the whole day I never
saw but 4 pheasants. I bagged 2 pheasants at very long
i8i8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 163
distances, and both snap shots in the high covert, i hare, and
I partridge. Shot also 3 more partridges, and, most extra-
ordinary, lost them all, owing to their falling in high covert
while it poured with rain. Mr. Vercellini killed i pheasant
and the onl\' one that escaped the bag was one that was
travelling by as we passed a road. We drove home ducked
and drenched to the skin, and had the satisfaction to learn no
one had bagged a head of game but ourselves.
2nd. — Went fly fishing, and in a little more than half an
hour killed 5 brace of the finest trout I had seen this year,
highly in season, averaging \\ lb. each, and the largest of
them weighed 2 lb. ; besides this, I threw in several more
that were small.
\Zth. — Drove Mr. Sola (vv^ho came to us yesterday morn-
ing) in the tandem to Winchester.
N.B. — I left the parlour at twenty minutes before three,
and was in it again before the clock struck five, having trotted
the tandem to Winchester and back in two hours and twent}-
minutes, including nearly a quarter of an hour that I stopped
there, and I never had occasion to use my whip the whole
way, except once to punish the leader for vice.
20tJi. — Went to London to study music, &c.
November 28//?. — Returned to Longparish.
December 26t/i. — Tom Fowler, my sailor, arrived from his
mission to survey the wild-fowl shooting at St.-Valery, on the
coast of France, of which place he gave an excellent account ;
and on the 28th he went off to survey Keyhaven.
3 1 J-/. — Received my new stanchion gun, a first-rate high-
finished piece, of, as near as possible, i cwt., from Mr. D. Egg,
made on my own plan.
1819
January ttJi. — Went down to my cottage at Keyhaven,
having previously sent on my new stanchion gun &c. in order
to take the opportunity of trying it.
164 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jax.
i^tJi. — At last I discharged my gun, a long shot at some
coots, two of which I got with the dog, but the cripples I
dare not follow, as it blew too fresh on the tide. Nothing
but a pour of rain, hurricanes, thunder, and lightning, ever
since our arrival at Keyhaven, and although I ' weathered it '
for the whole of several nights, I have, as yet, scarcely heard
a wigeon, and not one to be seen in Lymington market for
some weeks.
1 8///. — x-\ wigeon at morning flight. The first that has
been killed here for some weeks.
\gtJi. — Tried my stanchion gun at two flying shots, in each
of which the birds were about 30 yards high, and at least 200
distant, and knocked down 2 geese with the second shot.
2\st. — Went to morning flight, the only chance ; got one
shot, knocked down 3 wigeon, and lost them all in the sea,
which ran mountains high.
22nd. — The rainy weather still continuing, I despaired of
getting fowl, so attacked the coots with my large gun ; they
Avere, however, so wild that I could only get 2 very long
random shots, the first of which stopped 5 and the second 11.
lOtJi. — Sent away my piano which I hired, and began to
prepare for leaving Keyhaven, as the scarcity and wildness of
the birds, together with the wildness and almost incessant
wetness of the weather, made it impossible for me or anyone
else to get sport. With the coots, however, such things as
they are, I had, most days, excellent diversion, by banging
into them with the stanchion gun at about lOO yards, and,
after setting ten or a dozen at a time sprawling on the mud, I
amused myself by chasing the cripples with two Newfound-
land dogs and a double gun. Save these, and a few wigeon
that I shot in the windy weather, and dare not face the sea for,
I had no sport or pleasure here of any description whatever.
Even my sport with the coots was, at first, annihilated by
fellows called * head gunners,' who come up from eight miles
off, and bully all the poor fellows here from getting a shot.
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 165
These fellows I soon made sick of coming, by hiring sailors
with blank cartridges to drive them out of the harbour, and
if they offered to shoot at them, to return the attack by
coming to close quarters.
31^/.— No sooner had we prepared for starting for Long-
parish than a little frost came.
February \st. — Was induced to stay here for a day or two
longer, in hopes a little white frost, which was pretty hard last
night, might give me the chance of a shot this evening.
Towards night, we started with every prospect of a shot,
and before the time of tide arrived, the wind shifted into its
old eternal and infernal quarter, and we had to pull back
against tide in a drenching pour of rain.
yd. — Fired the great gun into the geese, with small balls,
at about 300 yards flying ; bagged I brent goose, and 2
more dropped out of the flock on the tide. At night fired a
broadside into the coots, and beat down a dozen of them.
/\th. — Left Keyhaven, and arrived at Longparish House.
March gth. — Tried my largest shoulder duck gun with a
detonating lock on the new plan ; and with this gun, which
weighs 17^ lb., I killed 2 snipes, 2 jack snipes, i rook, i moor-
hen, I dabchick, i fieldfare, i water-wagtail, and i pigeon, all
flying, never missed but once, and then I broke the legs of one
of these jack snipes, which I bagged the next shot.
List of game &c. killed in the season, to March 1819 :
125 partridges, 3 pheasants (all I shot at, and, except one,
all I saw the whole season), 2 landrails, 1 1 hares, 3 rabbits,
89 snipes, 16 ducks, i wigeon (but killed several more that
were either lost or not bagged by myself), i brent goose,
2 teal. Total, 253 head.
I was in London during the best part of this shooting
season, and the only good sport I had on the coast was with
the coots, of which I kept no account.
18//'. — After killing a wood pigeon out of a flock, I knocked
down an immense goshawk, which I killed by means of lying
16G COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY March
down in the young wood over which he had been hovering
for several evenings.
24///. — Lord Poulett (who came to us yesterday) and I
went fishing, and, in about three hours, killed 12 brace of large
trout between us, besides catching a great many that we threw
in again.
25///. — 12 trout.
26tJi. — 12 trout.
2'jtJi. — 12 trout in about two hours, averaging i^ lb. each.
I this day, instead of fly fishing, trolled with a minnow, to try
Parson Hutchins's new ' poaching hook,' which beggars every
other tackle in existence.
2gtJL — Lord Poulett left us. Killed 12 trout.
April 26th. — Left Longparish to spend a week with Mr.
and Mrs. Chambers, in Stratford Place, London, on our way
for France.
May yd. — Left the 'White Bear,' Piccadilly, at half-past
seven this morning, and arrived at the ' London Hotel,' Dover,
about half-past six ; after getting an excellent dinner with a
very moderate charge at the ' King's Head,' Canterbury, and,
previously to going to bed, exchanged some bank notes for
napoleons with Mr. Moses, who, although a Jew, is a very fair,
honest-dealing man.
4///. — Embarked in the 'Lark' packet; and, after being
tossed without victuals, from morning till night, among a
mass of vomiting cockneys, was forced to return to Dover
and pass a second night among the myriads of sharpers by
whom you are every instant imposed on at that place.
^tJi. — Reached Calais, till my going to bed in which place
I never ceased having to distribute money for one fellow or
other. Put up at the Hotel Dessein (M. Ouillac), which is
first-rate, clean, and superbly furnished.
6tJi. — Left Calais, per diligence, at ten A.M., and reached
Abbeville, 70 miles, about a quarter before twelve at night.
Went to the Hotel de I'Europe, a most capital house.
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 167
////. — Took General Hawker by surprise, having entered
his room while he was drawing, and tapped him on the
shoulder ; he was petrified with astonishment. Inspected the
church, the outside of which is magnificent
^th. — Went with the General in a cabriolet (a machine only
fit for firewood) to Bouvancourt, a little hamlet on the banks
of a stream under the great forest, about 20 miles from
Abbeville. Here I was led to expect most extraordinary fly
fishing ; but a dead calm, with a burning sun from morning till
night, so ruined our chances of sport that I only killed 5 brace
of small trout, and the General never hooked a single fish.
Had the weather been even tolerable, we might have done
very well ; but, after all, the fishing at this celebrated place
appears far inferior to that of Longparish.
gth. — Went with the General to inspect St.-Valery, 4
leagues from Abbeville, at the mouth of the Somme.
lot/i. — Hired a coach and three horses, for 5 napoleons,
to take us to Paris. Were driven 6 leagues to breakfast, at
a small public-house, where we only stopped half an hour.
Proceeded 7 leagues farther to Granvilliers, where we dined
and put the horses up to be fed &c. for scarceh' more than an
hour ; and, at night, reached Beauvais, thus making up 56 miles
with only taking the horses once from the coach. And these
horses, which had performed what would have half killed
many English ones, were three poor miserable-looking animals
apparently worth about 12/. apiece. Previously to going to
bed we visited the magnificent church of Beauvais, which we
were prevented from doing when last in France.
iit/i. — Left Beauvais at half- past four this morning, and
with the same horses &c. continued our journey, and at
about six in the evening arrived at Paris to dinner.
N.B. — \\'hen we were in this country some time ago
(while Boney was in Elba) everything was considerabh'
cheaper than in England, even on the great roads, where
imposition is always practised on strangers. But now, since
1G8 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY >L\Y
the English have been in the habit of frequenting this part of
the world, the charges are become so exorbitant that the
travelling is scarcely to be endured ; }-our hand nowadays in
France is never out of your pocket, and you are, at almost
every place, obliged to have a complete battle with the
aubergiste to resist being literally cheated. We several
times had charges in our bills so exorbitant as to provoke
our remonstrance, on the making of which the people of the
inn pretended that such charges were ' mistakes,' and had even
the duplicity to assume an air of anger ' that the persons who
were deputed to write the bill should have been so stupid/
The various attempts that were made to impose on us in the
most shameful manner are too numerous, and too much
beneath my notice, to be worth keeping a memorandum of ;
suffice it to say that from the instant you enter Dover
till you have got safely clear of your hotel in Paris, you
have to guard against one incessant attack of the grossest
imposition. A hotel in Paris (up God knows how many
flights of stairs) was always a misery ; but now it is become
so bad, that Newgate is a paradise when compared to it.
The charge to us for being consigned to this misery for one
short night is 15 francs, exclusive of everything except the
beds on which we are to sleep, as well as damp sheets, filth,
noise, and a concatenation of stinks will admiS; of.
On our way to the precious town of Paris we were diverted
with the attempts that are now made to drive four in hand in
the diligence. An idea of the French coachmanship ma}' be
sufficiently formed when I observe that they have literally no
reins at all for the wheel horses ; and that some of the
diligences in this state were driven curricle fashion by a
baboon-looking fellow, seated almost on the pole and with
two wheels only ; twelve persons inside and four outside
were driven full gallop down the steepest hills, and among
crowds of carriages and waggons. Nothing but the extreme
docility of the French horses could save the occurrence of
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 169
incessant accidents, which, to my utter astonishment, are here
less frequent than in England.
I'^th. — Engaged (for a month at 200 francs) and entered
a furnished lodging at No. 15 Rue de Provence. During
our stay I took lessons of Mr. A. Bertini on the piano.
Ju7te yth. — Having seen everything in Paris worth looking
at, which I had not seen four years ago when there in the
winter, such as Tivoli, some of the minor theatres, the combats
des a7iiinaux} the environs &c., I took the ' Malle Royale,'
and started from Paris this evening at a quarter past four, and
arrived at the Hotel d'Angleterre, in Abbeville, at half-past
eleven on the morning of the 8th. The conveyance by this
coach is decidedly the pleasantest and most respectable in
France ; and, for comfort and accommodation, greatly superior
to even the stage coaches in England. The price no more
than that of the diligence, and wath the tenfold advantage of
pursuing your journey and sleeping in a clean vehicle, instead
of stopping to go to a damp bed in a filthy French inn.
I had intended to proceed from Paris to Milan, by way
of Geneva, for which place my passport now stands good,
but the intolerable stink, filth, and extravagance of that
putrid furnace, Paris, in the summer, so injured my health,
and lowered my stock of cash, that I found it necessary to
fall back on Abbeville,- which is a cheap and healthy place,
and where I could enjoy tolerable sport, and Mrs. Hawker
' Here I went out of curiosity, and with an idea of disgust ; but the hunting
of the wild boar, stag, deer, wolf &c, and the baiting of the bull and the bear
were the best amphitheatrical exhibitions I ever saw ; and without exception I
never met with anything so well calculated to raise convulsions of laughter as the
hunting the jackass with about a dozen dogs and with a monkey on his back.
The ass has so much the advantage that if there be cruelty in the sport it is
decidedly against the dogs. But the fun the most ridiculous is the incessant
screams of the affrighted monkey, who, although the greatest coward when
mounted, is obliged to keep his seat through fear of being thrown among the
dogs.
- The people in and round Abbeville are worth all the rest of the nation put
together ; they are civil, loyal, reasonable, and have no particular dislike to the
English, rather the reverse.
170 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY June
could be near her father, add to which the heat of the
weather made it prudent for us to withhold going to Milan.
We have now, for the present, got into a tolerably good inn,
which is cheap and a model of cleanliness after the inde-
scribable filth of Paris.
^th. — Llired a rotten chariot and rotten harness, and after
breaking down twice with each, arrived at Noyelle-sur-Mer,
8 leagues, and inspected the right bank of the Somme from
that place to St.-Crotoi, attended by the chief gunners of the
place, and directed by the mayor. Monsieur Meurice de Campy.
A man named Frizez showed me all the gunning huts and
straw decoy birds used on this coast, but their wild- fowl
shooting is a perfect farce, they know nothing about it.
On our way back we stopped at ' Port,' where one Picarde,
the ' innkeeper,' the landlord of a little cabaret, knew more
than all the others put together. We crossed the Somme in his
boat, about two leagues from Abbeville, and after gaining
every information relative to the winter's cJiasse, returned to
Abbeville just in time to save having the barriers shut against
us, about half-past nine o'clock,
12///. — Hired the berline and three horses of Dalgrange,
the man who drove us so well to Paris, and started this
morning for Dieppe, I finding it necessary to go to England^
and preferring to be there now, instead of at a time when I
could perhaps have the wild-fowl shooting on the Somme.
I accordingly left my servant and what sporting things I had
with General Hawker, in the hope of being able to return in
September. We took an early dinner at La Ville d'Eu, a little
beyond halfway to Dieppe, where we inspected a fine church
that was built by the English, amused ourselves on the organ,
went all over the chateau of the Duchesse d'OrltSans, which is
close to the church, and then proceeded to Dieppe, where we
arrived by five o'clock, and had the whole evening to inspect
the town, &c.
The drivers call it fifteen leagues from Abbeville to
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY . 171
Dieppe, but the distance is, as near as possible, 39 English
miles.
The road from Abbeville to Dieppe is most capital, and
the inns here, not having been used by the English, are by
no means expensive.
iltJi. — Embarked on board the ' Lord Wellington ' packet,
one of the finest sailing schooners I ever set eyes on (Captain
Cheesman, master) at two o'clock. We were becalmed till
near seven, and then it came to blow pretty fresh all night,
and all the next morning directly in our teeth ; but, notwith-
standing, this excellent vessel lay so ' close to the wind,'
that she ' fetched ' but very little to leeward of her course ;
and at three o'clock on the afternoon of the 14th we landed,^
in a gale of wind, after being well drenched by the breakers,
and having literally fought with winds and tides all the
way from Dieppe. The usual miseries and messes of sick-
ness among our younger travellers were tenfold increased
here by our having to lie so close to the wind, and by the
length and roughness of the passage ; but we were induced
to be content, notwithstanding, because on this voyage and
journey there are not those attempts at constant imposition as
at Dover and Calais, and everything on both sides of the water
is more reasonable, and, with a few exceptions, the civility
much greater. After getting 'cleared off' at the custom house,
where the duty is done in the most gentlemanly manner,
and dining at the ' New Ship ' inn, we took a chaise for
Chichester at seven, and got there, to sleep, at eleven.
15///.— Left Chichester at half-past eight this morning,
arrived safely at Longparish House just in time to sit down
to dinner, and, thank God, found all well.
2A^tJi. — 24 trout.
The fishing is now become very dull, owing to the trout
being glutted with the mayfly.
' At Brighton, to which place the passage direct is 75 English miles ; but the
log generally runs to about 80.
172
COLONEL HAWKER'S UIARY
July
July 1st. — Having received my new stanchion gun (after
having it sent to Mr. Egg again, to be highly finished, after a
winter's trial and approval of it in the rough state), I this day
tried it again, at boards covered with paper, in the river.
After thus trying it in the canoe, I then took the artillery
carriage and mounted it on land, where I fired : ist shot at a
few straggling pigeons, and killed i at 120 yards ; 2nd, at 12
swallows on a tree, and killed 8 of them ; 3rd, at single swal-
lows flying, and killed 2 out of 3, so nicely have I brought this
machine to bear, though 88^ lb. in weight.
lOth. — Paid the bill for my stanchion gun, as follows :
Gun ....
Cases
2 ramrods .
2 wadding punches .
Shot pouch to fit gun
Carriage and packing
£
J.
d.
115
10
6
6
I
II
6
12
6
15
6
I
3
^125 18 6
August 1st. — Mr. and Mrs. Logier with Mr. Donaldson
and two of the pupils came to us this day, preparative to the
exhibition of Messrs. Langstaff and D'Aubertin's academies,,
on the Logerian system of musical education, at Andover and
Southampton. On the 3rd we drove to Andover, and on the
4th took a chariot and four freighted with young ladies to
Southampton, at both of which places the public examinations
went off admirably well.
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 173
CHAPTER XII
1819
September \st. — I have now to record one of the most
brilliant day's shooting I ever made in my life, when I con-
sider the many disadvantages I had to encounter. I had but
three dogs : poor old Nero, who was lame when he started ;
Red Hector, who was so fat and out of wind that he would
scarcely hunt ; and }'oung Blucher, a puppy that never was
in a field but three times before, and who till this day had
never seen a shot fired. The country had been for some
time clear of all corn, and the stubbles in general afforded
but thin cover. The scent was so infamously bad, that at
least two-thirds of the birds I killed were sprung without the
dogs finding them. The wind blew quite fresh the whole
day, and the coveys were wilder than ever I yet saw them in
the first part of the season ; and, what Vv^as unusual, in windy
weather, I could scarcely get a bird into the hedges. I had
four shooting parties round me, and the best half of my
ground was beaten before I took the field, which I never do
till after eight o'clock, because I have found, by experience,
that dew is death to the dogs, and that a covey, if disturbed
on the feed, is much more difficult to disperse than when left
till the dew is off the ground. My list of killed and wounded
was fairly and precisely as follows :
Misses : 4 very long shots, 2 of which were struck and
feathered.
Kills : 45 partridges and I hare, bagged.
174 COLONEL HAWKER-.S DIARY Sept,
The constant succession of long shots that my favourite
old Joe ]\Ianton barrels continued bringing down, surpassed
anything I had before done, or seen, in my whole career of
shooting.
3r^. — 26 partridges and i hare.
AftJi. — Went out after dinner, and in three hours bagged
14 partridges, all I fired at. I made one extraordinary shot,
viz. : a very wild pack (2 coveys) of strong birds got up and
came towards me. I killed 2 at a shot with the first barrel,
and 4 at a shot with the second, and among them were the
4 old birds.
ytJi. — Having bagged loi birds in my first four days*
shooting, to poor old Nero, who had been incurably lame in
the shoulder for these ten months, I would not take him out
to-day ; and as I had no dog that would stir from my heel
besides, I took two men with a rope about thirty yards long,
and dragged the ground, being in want of birds, and I bagged
13 partridges, besides shooting 2 more which I lost.
28///. — One shot that I made to-day I cannot account for,
except by the shot having adhered together. I blew a bird's
head from his body (so that I could never find the head) at
seventy-two paces distant.
30///. — Started, agreeably to a pressing invitation, to m}^
friend Jack Ponton, at Upton (22 miles), preparative, as I
expected, to taking the first day's pheasant shooting ; but he,
despairing of my coming, and my letter having reached him
a few hours too late, had gone off into Kent ; and, not thinking
it handsome to shoot in his absence, I returned home again b}'
way of Southampton (28 miles), which I was obliged to do in
order to avoid going a vile bad road by night, and I had thus
50 miles to drive bag and baggage for nothing ; which, to me,
was a less disappointment than if 1 had missed two fair shots.
Game &c. bagged by September 28th : 204 partridges,
9 hares, i rabbit, 4 landrails, 18 snipes, 7 wild ducks. Total,
243 head.
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 175
Though the country was barren and the weather almost
ahvays stormy, yet (with the exception of a young dog that
did more harm than good) I hterally killed all to poor old
Nero, who was lame from the very first day till now. In-
cluding some days in which I was driven home by rain, I only
took the field seventeen days during the month of September.
October \st. — One of the finest mornings I ever saw for
covert shooting ; but my disappointment in having gone to
Upton made it too late for me to accept many other invitations
for the first day ; and, literally, not having a single pheasant on
my whole estate, I was obliged, of course, to give up the idea
of getting one, consequently did not go out shooting.
JtJi, — Heard of a cock pheasant, which nowadays is like
a wild beast on my property, and in half an hour came home
with 2 fine old cock pheasants, I having found another with
the one reported, and bagged them both.
11///. — Was called up this morning with information
that my man, who had gone off with my duck punt on
wheels, containing all my baggage, for Brighton, I having
engaged his passage for France to-morrow night, had met
with a severe accident the other side of Winchester. The
horse took fright going down Movestead Hill, three miles from
the town, ran away, broke the carriage and wheels to pieces,
and most severely wounded the man. I had therefore, ill as
I was, to drive off, to put several coachmaker's workmen to
replace the wreck, get a cart to convey the wounded man to
the count}^ hospital, and make arrangements for hiring other
horses in order that my sailor and my things might not lose
their passage to France.
\2th. — Left Longparish for London, on our way to France.
lA^tJi. — Submitted to and had accepted by Mr. Chappell
my new-invented apparatus for running over the keys of a
pianoforte in a mathematically true position.
i^tJi. — Got to Dover.
\6tJi. — Had so good a passage to Calais that we set foot
17G COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Oct.
on both English and French ground within three hours and
five minutes. After being, as usual, fleeced by innumerable
scoundrels, we proceeded post (the most expensive, yet by
far the worst mode of conveyance in France) and stopped for
the night at Boulogne. Here, as a matter of course, we had
to sit up till one in the morning airing wet sheets by a fire
made of green wood.
17///. — I was to be called at six this morning ; but at
near seven no one was up, and I had to alarm the whole
house before I could get a soul to move ; when, at last, half
a dozen fellows ran out, all inquiring what was the matter.
In short, after crawling like a road waggon the whole day in
a pour of rain, and in a machine that was worse than open,
we reached Abbeville, where, to my great mystification, I
found that my man, punt, guns &c. had been neither seen
nor heard of, though I could see nothing to prevent their
arrival five days ago. By way of comfort, too, I learnt that
the river was full of wild fowl.
i^th. — This day, I, in constant anxiet}' about my man,
property, and the whole of m.y shooting apparatus, on which
the winter's pleasure depended, offered a premium to the first
beggar (Abbeville swarms with these poor wretches) who should
announce the arrival of my flotilla &c., and at four this after-
noon, to my great joy, an old woman in wooden shoes came, in
as much ecstasy at receiving the money as I was in at finding
my things (which it would take years to replace) had arrived,
and very narrowly escaped shipwreck, which two other vessels
had lately encountered, of which I had heard, and on one of
which I had reason to fear all my things were on board. I
then proceeded to my little villa at ' Port ' on the banks of the
Somme, where I was received in procession by the populace of
the village, and presented with bouquets, as is the custom for
what they call the ' grand seigneur ' in this country.
igth. — After arranging all my things &c. I went to survey
the water, and although it was so hot that the air swarmed
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 177
with butterflies, yet the wigeon, teal, and ducks were by
hundreds and thousands on the Somme, but in some degree
protected by the dreadfully dangerous currents that now run
like a mill tail in spring tides all over this place ; and in the
evening ' I went out for fowl (the birds, it appears, are only
here by day till hard weather), but not a fowl remained in the
river, for all the ducks &c. had dispersed to feed inland. I shot
at some birds in the dark and stopped 9 or 10, and on send-
ing out the dog he brought me 4 large curlews. I am de-
lighted with my house and everything about the place, except
the trouble of having always to guard against thieves.
2.otJi. — A gale of wind from the south, and the Somme so
frightfully dangerous with the spring tides that going out
was impossible, and the birds were some leagues off on the
opposite shore.
25///.— Mrs. Hawker and L this day started from
Abbeville for Paris. From the 20th to this day no one could
be more unpleasantly situated than I have been. Poor
L , was so ill that I expected every night he would
breathe his last, and here was I, for five whole days, pacing
the room with that anxiety of mind that I could enjoy, or
apply to, nothing ; while an incessant deluge of rain, with
howling winds, was without intermission rattling against the
windows of our cottage. The bad weather still continued,
but, thank God, L was a little better, and therefore
prudently struggled into a change of air, as the best possible
remedy for his extreme illness. The Somme continued
frightfully dangerous, and of this river some idea may
be formed if I remark that when in calm weather you put
your punt pole in the water, it is wrenched from your hand
as if thrust into the wheel of a carriage when drawn full
' I never like to disturb fowl by clay lest they should forsake the place ; but
here I suspect I shall be obliged to do so, as the river is dangerous and the fowl
leave it to feed in peace and comfort.
VOL. L N
178 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
gallop. Only at very few periods, therefore, dare we venture
afloat.
2GtJL — After walking out with a French chasseur, and
killing for him i snipe, 3 jack snipes, some water rails &c.
I this night went off in a ship's boat belonging to a merchant.
We were obliged to put into Crotoi very late at night, and
then sleep in our clothes on some miserable straw and on a
miserable floor, which would have been all delightful if we
could have had sport ; but owing to this gentleman, contrary
to my advice, not taking my punt in tow, we could get at
nothing to shoot, and, instead of having good sport the follow-
ing day, we were imprisoned till the evening tide for want of
water, while the weather and the birds were quite in favour
of good sport with a proper outfit. The excursion ended, as
I said it must, in getting little or nothing ; and we were out
six-and-twenty hours all to no purpose. We got home tc)
' Port ' on the night of the 27th.
2gth. — Being very uneasy about L , I was resolved to
follow him to Paris ; and after going to Abbeville, and there
waiting till two this morning, I entered a vehicle called the
* Swallow,' a hideous machine that carries tons of luggage and
stows sixteen people like a freight of hogs, and goes on two
wheels, in which, after being tortured worse than if in the
stocks, I was dragged into Paris at ten on the night of the
30th, when, I thank God, I found L much recovered. I
then, the next day, presented my pianoforte hand-moulds to
Messrs. Ignace & Camille Pleyel, which they approved and
accepted for their manufactory.
Noveviber 2nd. — L was taken very ill again.
6///. — We have once before taken, paid for, and forfeited
the whole of the mail to Boulogne, and we even now again
desired to suffer the same loss to-day ; but poor L , ill as
he lay, was so crazy to escape the chance of dying in this
detestable country, that he would insist on our all leaving
Paris this evening, and, by the mercy of God, we brought
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 179
him to Abbeville, where we arrived about midday on the
7th, but such was his disgust at the smoky stye of starvation
into which we were ushered that he implored us to let him be
dragged on till he should either die or reach home in time to
recover ; and, what distracted me, he would not permit me
to accompany him, and I had even to use persuasion to make
him take a servant. Mrs. Hawker and I then left Abbeville
and proceeded, just before dusk, in tears of anxiety and in
torture of conveyance, to ' Port,' while the rain poured down
ready to break the vile tumbeil in which we were dragged ;
here we remained in a state of agitation enough to destroy the
nerves of a Hercules or to melt the heart of a savage, while
praying to God that L may, by the extraordinary inter-
ference of Providence, be able to reach home in time to recover.
gtJi. — Went over to xAbbeville, with my clothes and some
money, determined to follow L if I heard nothing further
to my satisfaction. On reaching the town I met my servant
Charles, whom he had sent back, L having got rather better
and embarked last evening on board the Dover packet ; con-
sequently I returned to ' Port ' trusting to God that he would
reach home in safety.
X.B. — Yesterday and to-day there were such chances
for sport as I may not have again, without hard weather ; the
ducks and teal were close to ' Port,' but I was so uneasy about
L that I could not have the heart to load my gun or launch
my punt, and felt indifferent to everything but tidings from
him.
I'^th. — After waiting for six days in such a miserable state
of suspense about L , that I was almost distracted, I this day
had the consolation to receive a letter from him, dated the
loth inst., saying that he was rather better, and purposed
starting from London for home the next day. ^I}' mind being
now at ease in some degree, trusting to God that L was at
home and in comfort, I could have wished to take out ni}- gun
180 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Oct.
and boat, but, as ill luck would have it, my sailor was taken ill,
and consequently I was still prevented from tr\-ing my sport.
ijth. — Being half dead from anxiety and want of amuse-
ment, I this day crossed the Somme, and rode down to St-
Valery.
1 8///. — I rode over to Rue, where I inspected the beautiful
ruins of a small church, and afterwards walked in the marshes,
and killed 6 snipes, 6 jack snipes, and i teal, all I fired at.
What with family sufferings, added to innumerable little
grievances of a minor consideration, we never in our lives
were so unlucky ; but God send us a turn of fortune and
a little comfort, after all we have endured in this abomin-
able country. On the evening of the 19th we received a
letter from L announcing his safe arrival at Longparish,
and his amendment of health, as well as good accounts from
our dear children, which gave us more ease of mind than we
have for a long time experienced.
22nd. — Mrs. Hawker taken very seriously ill, and as the
dirty scoundrel of whom I had hired a horse had just been
here and taken him away, because I had then settled with
him, and some one else had offered him a few pence more, I
was obliged (late enough for the various gates to be open) to
tramp through six miles of filthy mud on foot, and then hunt
the town of Abbeville for the doctor. Luckily my old friend
Dr. Radford (once of my regiment) was a practitioner there,
otherwise God alone could have helped us. Not a horse to
be got to-day in all Abbeville, and while Mrs. Hawker was
suffering dreadfully for want of port wine and assistance, the
doctor and I had to tramp through the mud on foot.
2yd. — Mrs. Hawker being still extremely unwell, I
wished to get a little bird of some kind for her dinner ; and
after going a league, to Noilette, and there slaving in the
marshes till my heels bled, I got one shot, and killed i snipe ;
a pretty specimen of the fine shooting in France !
25///. — While I was out to-da}', Mrs. Hawker became so
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY isi
dangerously ill that the servants were in the greatest alarm,
thinking she could not live till I got home. Happily, how-
ever, she got better again by the evening ; and we had also
further satisfaction, viz. a letter from L saying he was so
much recovered as to be able to walk, and that my dear chil-
dren and all our friends at home were well.
26th. — Finding it prudent that Mrs. Hawker, who still was
very ill, having again had a severe relapse, should leave ' Port,'
I this day hired a coach, and removed her to the Hotel de
I'Europe, in Abbeville, for change of air.
2'jtJL — Was taken very ill myself, but, with the assistance of
Dr. Radford, I got much better by the morning of the 28th,
when Mrs. Hawker and I hired the coach again, and drove to
St.-Valery for an airing ; and after I got back to Abbeville, I
left Mrs. Hawker there, and returned once more to 'Port,' where
all my shooting things were left in confusion. Charles, too,
having been attacked a few days ago, and I yesterday, our
whole family, dogs, cat and all (the cat died, and three of our
family were in imminent danger), have been ill ; and on inquiry
we find that the country we are in, notwithstanding its healthy
appearance, is in one of the most pestilential climates of France.
Never since I was born have I been so fleeced of my money,
and so bereft of all my comforts and happiness.
29///. — Still very unwell. I this day left ' Port ' for the
Hotel de I'Europe at Abbeville, to escape the infernal conta-
gion that was rapidly spreading throughout this filthy village.
30//^. — Mrs. Hawker and I were both confined to our
room, which, although one of the best in the very first hotel
in France, is colder and more full of draughts than any
English barn, a pretty situation for me with a dose of calomel
in my inside ; and during our illness we had to battle against
the most villanous attempts at imposition relative to the
disposal of our property, and settling for the occupation of
the unlucky hovel at ' Port' to which we had most unfortu-
nately transported ourselves for shooting.
182 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec.
Decenibcr \st. — Having found myself extremely unwell all
yesterday with a kind of shivering sensation and burning
heats, which the French in Abbeville consider as their preva-
lent disease all round there, and call ' the fever,' I thought it
madness to remain any longer in their vile department, and
finding myself infinitely better last night, I decided on quitting
this place for Boulogne ; but, hearing that Peronne was a place
better suited to me than any I could find, and being most
anxious at all events to avoid repeatedly travelling the same
road, I changed my route, and at six this morning drove off with
a voititrin for the latter place, which is about sixty English
miles from Abbeville, and which lies on the road from Paris
to Brussels. We breakfasted at a village called Flixecourt,
and were particularly well served for France. This place is
halfway to Amiens. In order to arrive early at Peronne, we
could only stop to bait at Amiens, and proceed four leagues
beyond there to dine and sleep. We were told that at Vilaire
we could be tolerably accommodated. The road after leaving
Amiens became so vilely bad and in so miserable a wilder-
ness that we could scarcely go a league an hour, and we
reached Vilaire about six o'clock. I had then become so ill
and exhausted I was determined to get to bed, and on the
comforts I should receive depended whether the change of air
should rid me of the illness, or whether I should get w^orse for
want of the necessaries of life ; but miserable, most miserable,
was the vile hornet's nest into which we were ushered, and
here I met the greatest scoundrel that I ever before encoun-
tered. I was thrown, trembling with cold, on a miserable
dirty bed, while laughed at and insulted the whole night by a
set of waggoners and assassin-looking fellows who called
themselves officers, but who were dressed a la bourgeois ; one
in particular tried to pick a quarrel with me, and while eyeing
me as I lay on the bed, put his hand on his sword, and looked at
me with a most malicious grin, while the others kept laughing
and quizzing. I left the bed, and lay for a time in the car-
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 183
riage, but was there so cold that I was forced to return to this
damnable situation. Mrs. Hawker and her maid sat all the
time (too frightened to sleep) in this berline. We would have
given twenty guineas to have gone on, but our horses were
dead tired, and the coachman was fearful of passing through
the forest at night, as he could only go two miles an hour on
the heavy road, and he said that, rare as it was in France, yet
he suspected there were some mauvais gens (bad people) in the
forest. This I did not mind, so as soon as the horses could
slowly proceed we put them to, and called for the bill, which
ought not to have exceeded ten sous, because all that we
had, or could have, was literally one cup of bread and milk.
The daughters of the house told me that for the bread and
milk and for lying down I must pay ten francs, and at last
they said they would take eight. I of course refused, and this
alarmed the house ; the father locked his doors on me, and
swore I should not move till I had paid ten francs. I had,
therefore, to unpack my trunk among all these villains to
get more money, and let him take his demand. I then,
ready to die, had to search for the mayor, but at last
found a gendarme ; and in short I could get no redress,
because unless you make a bargain with a Frenchman he may
charge you as he pleases. This was about two o'clock in the
morning. We at six reached the village of Foufoucourt,
where, at the sign of the ' Violin,' we met some very civil
peasants, who kept this cabaret, and who gave us a very
nice breakfast for fivepence each, and to whom I gave double
for their honesty ; at half-past ten we reached Peronne, and
got such good beds at the ' Stag ' inn that on the morning
of the 3rd I was tolerably well. About twelve o'clock I
wrapped myself up and went to inspect the lakes, but more
like an old woman than a gunner, as I was stuck up in a chair
instead of being seated down on straw, and equipped with an
umbrella instead of a gun. The lakes of Peronne are certainly
more calculated for a lover of comfort to shoot at his ease
184 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Nov.
than any place I ever saw ; the water is ahnost stagnant, and
in every part about four or five feet deep, surrounded and
intersected by innumerable islands and walls of rushes ; the
places to keep your boat are all at the back of little cottages,
and therefore under private protection ; and as for safety, I
never saw a place more secure from dangers, even if it blew a
hurricane, or came on the thickest fog ; certainl}-, therefore,
the place itself is well calculated for my shooting, but un-
fortunately it happens to be rented in lots b}' about fifty
watermen, who get their livelihood by the few wild fowl they
kill, and who have innumerable shooting huts all over the lakes,
so that if I went afloat I should have to pass the muzzles of
perhaps a dozen guns every quarter of a mile, and if I spoiled
the sport of these fellows, which I should in all probability do
most effectually, I should stand a chance of getting accident-
ally wounded by some jealous fellow or other. The man who
escorted me was one of the chief proprietors, and his huts
were the very best I ever saw ; they were made, as the French
huts usually are, ten times warmer than their houses, but much
better concealed, and more commodious than any I had seen
before. The hut (Ja Jnitte) is precisely like a tilted waggon
inside, viz. hooped and covered ; at the back of it there is a
hole to creep in at, and in front are from two to four loop-
holes to fire through. In this country they use 12 tame
ducks for decoy birds, 4 drakes in the centre and 4 ducks at
each side, tied in lines to pegs at about fifteen yards distance
from their masked popgunnery (I will not say battery) ; but
in other countries the French huttiers (hut shooters) gene-
rally use but 3 decoy ducks, i male and 2 females, and place
them not more than seven or eight yards from the muzzles of
their miserable guns. The quantity of fowl here is nothing
equal to that in the English fens, and by day }'ou seldom
see a duck, although the French coast is more plentiful 1}'
supplied with wild fowl than the coast of England.
By means of swallowing plenty of Madeira and tincture
^
^ ,1
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLARY 185
of bark I contrived to quack myself sufficiently to try for
the ducks this evening ; and accordingly was conducted by
Monsieur Desabes (a very civil and obliging man, the pro-
prietor of the huts I saw to-day) to his best entrenchment,
where he had twelve decoy ducks all in battle array, under
the light of a most beautiful moon, and v/ithin the quarter of
an English gunshot of a hut that was uncomfortably warm.
Here I remained, more likely to be suffocated than chilled,
with the patience of Job for goodness knows how many hours,
but not a wild duck ever came, though the decoy birds kept
chattering like the other bipeds of the French nation ; and
although the place, for a league, was resounding with the
quacking of tame ducks in strings, and defended by the
masters of them, yet I could not have the honour to sa}'
I had seen or heard the firing of a single shot.
A^tJi. — Being anxious to lose no more time at Peronne
I agreed with a fellow to take me across to Arras, where
I could find conveyances to any part of the north-eastern
coast. He was to bring a commodious voiture, and arrived
by half-past ten at the door, in order that we might reach
Arras before the barrier gates would be shut, which would be
at six in the evening. The fellow never came till near
twelve, and then he hurried us into the most abominable two-
wheeled machine that ever I saw even in France, and in
which we were literally crushed by each other and our
baggage ; he then shut the front part with the rudeness of
a bear, and accidentally struck Mrs. Hawker, when she fell
into hysterics, fainted away, and was carried back to the inn
and put to bed. I had then of course to unload again, to get
at the medicines necessary for her, but the scoundrel would
not let me have any of my baggage till I paid him the whole
fare to Arras, the same as if I had gone ; nor did he even offer
to change the day, though I voluntarily offered him a crown
to get rid of him. Instead of being able to assist Mrs. Hawker,
therefore, I was obliged to leave her with the maid, while I
186 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
took the villain before a justice of peace. Here he told a
thousand lies as fast as he could chatter ; but fortunately I
met with a respectable gentleman, who, to the villain's dire
mortification, awarded that I should pay 5 francs and the
4 francs duty for the posting, and be set at liberty with my
baggage. I remained the rest of the day a prisoner in this
town, with Mrs. Hawker of course very unwell.
5///. — We were obliged to get up an hour before daybreak
in order to reach Arras (only 30 miles) before six o'clock in the
evening, when the barriers are shut. We got under way about
seven in a thing called a voiture, which was near tumbling to
pieces and full of cobwebs, and driven by the master of it, who
was the most lazy, sulky, stupid hound I ever saw. He did
nothing but smoke and stuff himself the whole way, and
when I begged of him to go in the light road instead of the
heavy, he literally said that he preferred walking his horses
through the mud, because there was ' a track, and he could
enjoy his pipe and his victuals without the trouble of holding
his reins ; ' and the villain being the only coachmaster in the
place, except the scoundrel who tried to swindle us yesterday,
I was forced to pay him 2)^ francs. We entered the barrier
of Arras just in time to escape being shut out for the night,
having gone 30 miles in eleven hours.
6//a— After having been well and reasonably served at
the Hotel de Messagerle in Arras, we at six o'clock this
morning proceeded by the diligence for St.-Omer, and
arrived there at seven in the evening, which, although but
50 miles in thirteen hours, was comparative flying after the
torments of crawling that we had to endure yesterday. After
we got clear of Peronne, and got Into what is commonly
called the Netherlands, we found oursehes less Imposed
upon In the bills, and more free from filth and humbug.
7///. — Proceeded at eight this morning by the relay
diligence, and at three reached Calais, 30 miles. We here
found out a place called the Brussels Hotel, where at last we
1 8 19 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 187
found some comfort, as nought but an English person or an
Encrhsh thin"; was in the house. We therefore decided on
remaining a few days, on a kind of forlorn hope that a little
sport might be found before I decided on ordering my men
home again with the shooting apparatus and heavy baggage.
8//;.- -Went in every direction to survey the environs of
Calais, with one of the hardest frosts that ever was remembered
here. The shore being one flat sand (as it is all the way to
the Netherlands on the one side, and to Boulogne on the
other) was quite out of the question for shooting otherwise
than at flight time, and particularly as the birds do not rest
there at night. Their feeding places are in the marshes, which
at this moment are in one region of ice. The few birds that
are now^ killed here are shot by the ' butters,' who break an
open place in the frozen ponds, and there keep their decoy
birds, to w^hich the wild ones are called down from about three
till eight in the morning. I remained a long time in a hut this
night, but not a bird ever came, and I never fired a shot the
whole day, except killing i jack snipe while reconnoitring in
the morning, when I counted about 35 shooters out besides
myself
gtJi. — Hired a cabriolet and went to Guines (6 miles
inland from Calais), where in like manner I found the whole
country frozen, and where in a space of a mile the boy who
conducted me said there were about 180 huts belonging to
the night shooters, who among them all had killed but 2
ducks the whole of last night. The moment I got home
and swallowed a hasty dinner, I drove off for the flight
3 miles from here, and never saw or heard but 3 birds.
\otJi. — Mrs. Hawker and I were laid up with illness,
evidently owing to the everlasting thorough draughts we sit
in, and the w^ant of good nourishing food during this unpre-
cedentedly severe weather. The snow is now two feet deep in
the streets, and we are dying to get to our own countr}% but
not a packet has been able to reach the harbour here for these
188 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY Dec.
ten days. Here we are again in sickness, miser}', and
expense ; for all the comforts of English things will not stop
the thorough draughts that for ever blow through every creek
and corner of a French house. God send us and our property
once more in safety on the other side of the Channel.
This afternoon I was so ill that I was every moment near
fainting from pain. Here am I laid on the bed, with the very
frost and snow that I had been longing and watching after
for these six years, in a place where not a warm corner is to
be found, without medical assistance, and with a gale of wind
directly foul for my emancipation from France ; and, to vex
me still more, I have an invitation from an English gentleman —
Mr.Penton — to partakeof his Jiuttc2.ndi rented decoy to-morrow
morning, where the flight is expected to be something very
extraordinary. Mrs. Hawker, too, still very unwell ; again
and again do vre pray that we could even be removed to the
very worst house on the other side of the Channel.
11///. — Mrs. Hawker was taken so ill that we were forced
to refuse our passage in the packet with a very fine wind, and
poor I was in such pain as scarcely to be able to support my-
self The hopes of a recovery to-morrow, and a second chance
of a passage, somewhat cheered me up. But alas ! what was
my vexation to receive a letter from General Hawker to say
that if I did not instantly return, through all the snow, to
Abbeville, that all my property, guns and boats, was to be
sold by auction to-morrow, by order of the police, because Mr.
Terrier, the villain, the scoundrel, had entered a process against
me ' for leaving his house at " Port " without paying the trifling
remainder of the rent,' which I had by his own consent before
a witness deputed General Hawker to do, and whose re-
sponsibility he accepted, and even shook hands with me on the
occasion. I had, therefore, to crawl to the office, and book a
place for Abbeville in to-night's mail. May the Lord support
me and defend me through such cruel oppression, during my
bodily afflictions and the distress I am in about my poor wife.
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 189
To add to this undeserved oppression and insult, I am under
orders here to be detained from embarking by the poHce, had
I chosen so to do.
At four o'clock Mrs. Hawker was almost lifeless from weak-
ness and agitation about the cruel and unjust process against
me, which, by getting the letter while I was seeing to her gruel
below, she unfortunately heard of first. Instead of being able
to attend her, I was forced to enter the mail at six o'clock,
and be dragged through the deep snow at a foot pace to Abbe-
ville. We did not reach Boulogne till near one, and here my
poor aching stomach required something warm to relieve me
from excruciating pain, for, in truth, I was so distracted that
I took no thought about provision. A surl}' brute of a
woman refused to warm me a little water, and I fainted on
the earthen floor, at which all were callous and even laughed
at me till I had just strength enough to offer a reward for
something warm, and then the postillion was all mercy, and
by means of procuring some coffee which literally stank, beat
up with a stale egg and bad brandy, I was enabled to re-enter
the mail. By this time, I had picked up a woman, and then
a man, as fellow-travellers, and if ever there were brutes on
earth here I met with them. They saw me trembling — ready
to die — in the coldest snowy night that ever came from the
heavens, and the brutes would have the windows open, and
felt amused at my annoyance. I expected every moment to
be frost bitten, and had no strength to rub my limbs. How-
ever, God protected me through all, and, after being in sheer
starvation and torture for twenty hours, I reached Abbeville
at two o'clock on the afternoon of the i2Lh, and got to bed at
the Hotel de I'Europe. I had scarcely got to bed, and found
benefit from the medicine that Dr. Radford gave me, when I was
obliged to receive my counsel for the trial to-morrow ; and,
after earncstl}' having to explain everything in i/ij French, I
was, of course, in more fever than ever. However, I got a
tolerable night, and had sufficient strength to appear in court
190 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
on the morning of the 13th, when, after the usual anxieties
and trouble that attend a trial, I had the fortune to get a ver-
dict in my favour, with double costs &c. The whole of the
14th I was employed in being obliged to face that contagious
place ' Port ' once more ; and, what with taking inventories,
battling about broken things, disposing separately of every
article I had in store &c. without a soul to assist me, I was
driven about like a mad dog, and in such pain that I could
hardly draw my breath.
15//!.— Got up two hours before daylight, and left Abbe-
ville in a berliiie, followed by my punt, servants, and all my
rescued property, and travelled over a sheet of ice, with hail,
snow, and rain for the whole day. After having occasional
stoppages as usual to mend, patch up, and rectify the little
accidents that commonly attend French travelling, and repeated
falls of the horses on the ice &c. we reached Dieppe at night,
where we supped and went to bed.
\6tJi. — Embarked my things on board the ' Independence '
packet, which was to sail to-night ; but at present the terrific
state of the lee shore here renders it very improbable w^e
shall start. This afternoon the wind changed directly in our
favour, and a most delightful evening it was : we accordingly
prepared to sail at night, but, as if the devil always got in the
way of all my movements on this most infernal trip to France,
the vessel in which my property and baggage had been em-
barked was seized and detained in consequence of some
smuggling transaction of the captain, and in spite of me and
others battling like barristers till our mouths were parched
with anxiety, and 1 was fit to burst with rage, we were obliged
to return to our hotels, and hope that we might have liberty
to be wafted from these most diabolical, detestable shores
to-morrow.
lytJi. — A most tremendous hurricane all day, in which,
although fair for us, it would be madness to venture out with
a lee shore before us at night.
i8i9 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 191
i^th. — Though the gale was still continuing, and the sea
running mountains high, our captain was determined to sail
to-night, and in a pour of rain, with the night as dark as pitch.
we got under way about eleven o'clock. The case was that
our captain had got into a serious scrape, and while he spread
a report that he was in England, he was concealed in his ship,
and quite mad to be off, through fear of being taken to prison.
My friend, Mr. Parrot, too, being so situated that he had diffi-
culty in leaving the country, I had him under the disguise of
my servant ; and therefore what with having to humbug the
police while they boarded us &c. I was in rather a nervous
situation till clear of the bar. The sea was so tremendous
and the night so awfully dark, that we dare only move under
close-reefed sails. The sailors were but a sorry crew, and
everything contributed to a rough and most violent passage.
The captain miscalculated his distance, and the heavy and
thick rain had so obscured the atmosphere that when morning
came we were lost for several hours ; at last, we found our-
selves off Brighton, but not a vessel or boat dare venture from
land to us, and therefore we were forced to beat up for Shore-
ham, where the captain had intended to go at first, but lost
his course. We were now in a very serious difficulty, for if too
late to have water over the bar into Shoreham harbour, nothing
remained for us but to ride upon the billows for twenty-three
hours longer, till the next day's tide should serve, at the risk
of being wrecked on a lee shore, which we must have been
before morning had the gale come on as strong as it regularly
has done every night. At last we fetched the harbour, when
to our disappointment the flags, which are always flying while
there is ten foot of water, were no longer up, and besides a
hot tide was running out against us ; we had then to choose
whether, or not, we would make all sail, and literally charge at
the bar, while the pilots, who dare not come to our assistance,
were anxiously holloaing and making signals from the pier ; at
last came the awful moment, when, after being bumped several
192 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec.
times with violence against the bar, we forced our way against
the surge and sand, and in a few minutes set foot on our own
dear Enghsh ground again. Everyone said that the chances
were five to one against us, and that we must have all perished
but for the mercy of God giving us the only spot where we
could have forced our vessel through. All was for the best.
The wind soon after became tremendous, and the shore was
strewed with a wreck that had just taken place. After most
extraordinary trouble with our things, owing to the custom
house being four miles off, we could not get our clothes &c.
to change till seven at night ; we landed about two, and we
were racing up and down the shingles in a pour of rain about
our things, and without a morsel to eat till just before bedtime,
when we got to the ' Ship ' inn at Brighton.
19///. — Having been so short of money that I was yesterday
forced to take tea instead of dinner, and also to book a place
outside the coach in very wet weather, I this morning got up
to start, and was in great alarm about my friend, who had
gone out, and, according to French custom, locked his door.
The waiters all declared the street door had not been opened,
and as all the noise we raised would not make him answer, the
people of the house swore he must have either died or cut his
throat, and when the blacksmith was just coming up to pick
the lock and enter the room, my friend Mr. Parrot came up-
stairs, having gone off and let himself out to see the pavilion
of Brighton before breakfast. We had just time left to
swallow one cup of tea, and went up to town in a pour of
rain.
2ist. — After another wet journey on the rostrum of the
Salisbury coach I once more arrived safe, and, thank God,
found all well at Longparish House, after ha\-ing passed
seventy-one of the most unlucky, miserable, and expensive
days in France I ever passed in my life, deprived of every
comfort, and with the expenditure, in sheer waste, of 335/.
The Lord deliver me from such another excursion.
iSrc; COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 193
22nd. — My sailor Williams arrived on a horse to say that,
after all my things had been ducked in the harbour b\- the
ship's boat capsizing on coming ashore the other day, he was
yet again in trouble, as the cart had broken down near
Winchester. I had, therefore, to go off and bring home the
wreck of my rescued property before another night should
elapse without my having it safely housed'; and at seven this
evening the team drove up with the wreck and the remainder
of all my property, and this night, therefore, we got clear of
all difficulties attending this most detestable expedition, and
I fully hope that here will end all our almost incredible coinci-
dence of misfortunes.
29///. — Till this day I have been too ill, owing to the
effects of my abominable trip to France, to get out with my
gun. We have now a severe frost, with a moon, and gladly
would I be strong enough for the coast at this moment. I
killed to-day, just walking out, 3 snipes, 3 jack snipes, and
I hare, and in the evening i wild duck.
N.B. — I had made a French hut, on our river, with six
call birds. This was the only duck that I saw or heard, and
he pitched down with them directly, so that had we fowl at
Longparish this system would no doubt answer here.
1820
Janiiary i^tJi. — The coldest day in the memor}- of any
person I had met with. I got up this morning at three,
crawled over a sheet of frozen snow to the turnpike in my
cart with lamps, there got into the mail, and then proceeded
from Salisbury, by coach, to Poole. The harbour was one
solid plain of frozen snow, and the place so cold that my
man Williams, the whale fisher, said it was quite equal to
Greenland. Never was there here known so severe a frost ;
the birds v/ere half starved. The gunners could scarcely ven-
ture out, and two men were this night frozen to death in their
VOL. L O
194 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
punts. Dead rooks, small birds &c. were lying about in
every direction, starved to death.
\6tJL — Having left my things at my old quarters at
Southhaven, near Poole, ready to use ^\•hen a thaw should
come, I this day went over to Wareham with my double
gun and one duck gun, in order to shoot at Hyde, where
Mr. Knight has kindly given me leave to sport in his absence,
and where I can walk out, which better suits my very poor
state of health, than venturing just yet afloat in the night.
19///. — When I got up this morning the whole valley was
inundated ; almost every bridge and weir was washed away,
and the valley was more like sea than land ; all shooting was
consequently put an end to. I went out with my favourite
i8-lb. gun (old Joe), killed i hare and 2 rabbits, all I shot at,
having no chance for fowl. About eleven o'clock the waters
lowered a little, and on sallying forth for a few ducks that
appeared, away went the great weir at the moment that my
boy Joe was carrying my gun Joe across it. The boy was
all but drowned, but at last I saved him and brought him to
life. The whole day, to no effect, was absorbed in trying to
recover m}' gun, which was washed away in the flood, twelve
feet deep at least, and with more rapidity than any mill tail.
Nets, weights, grapples, and the Lord knows v/hat, were lost
in the attempt to fish it up by their adhering to the part of
the broken weir under water. Towards evening, however, my
old friend Benjamin, the ci-devant keeper, arrived with a
dung prong tied to a very long pole, and, by the most
extraordinary luck, hooked the gun by the scroll guard and
brought it up, to my greatest delight. I gave him a guinea
in presence of the other lazy brute of a keeper, who never
exerted himself in the least, and as the thaw now will make
Poole harbour passable, I had no time to lose in repairing to
Southhaven.
20tJL — Left Hyde at daylight this morning, and, after
stocking myself with provisions, I arrived at Southhaven, the
t820 colonel HAWKER'S DL\RY 195
tide having sen-ed just in time for me to leave Poole when I
was prepared to start ; but on my arrival I found that the
late thaw had inundated the place, and that the lower part of
the house had been for two days six inches deep in water.
This I could have easily encountered, as I did there the last
flood, when I cooked my dinner in the parlour in water boots
in a foot deep of water, but unfortunately half the chimneys
w^ere so damaged by the wind and weather, that there was
not one room in the house but what smoked to that degree
that, in five minutes after a fire was lighted, you could neither
see nor breathe. I tried with bricks, baskets, and everything,
on a ladder, to quack up one of them, but, all being of no avail,
I was forced to return to Poole. In the meantime there came
on a torrent of snow and sleet and a gale of wind, and I had
a most deplorable passage across ; but after getting a good
dinner and a good fire at the ' Antelope ' inn I got dry and
warm. Here is the luxury of England over France ; for
without such comforts I might have caught my death.
2 1 St. — After searching the town the whole day no one could
find the landlord of Southhaven, and I was therefore obliged to
send bricklayers over to attempt making his hole of a house
habitable, while I this day remained a prisoner at the inn in
Poole, the boat and bricklayer being this evening driven
on the mud in a gale of wind, and from other detentions
and troubles I could not reach Southhaven till the evening of
the 22nd, where (in a quarter where no common sailor would
stay if he possibly could avoid it) I began, a la bivoiiac^ to
make myself as comfortable as possible, under an idea that if
under a hedge in a campaign I might be worse off for board
and lodging. Here I had to weather the 23rd, being Sunda}-,
when 1 walked over Studland heath, and went to an apology
for a church.
24///. — It poured with rain so that I could do nothing all
day except killing a cormorant ; and I had no other amuse-
ment left than to remain within the walls of my hovel, which
o 2
196 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RV Jan,
the wind blew through so hard that the chair fell in the fire and
burned my best shooting dress to pieces. Went out, with wind
and occasional rain from seven this evening till three o'clock the
next morning, with James Reade, whom I with great difficulty
hired, and who kills more than all the gunners in the harbour
put together. No man could work more beautifully than he
did, but not a wigeon did w^e see the whole night, though he
tried every inch of the harbour. Tow^ards morning I killed
on the mud a sheldrake ; we saw a small lot of these under
the moon, and fired by word of command (in a low^ voice, the
Poole custom) each man at his bird, Reade's brother and we.
The guns went all together, and the 3 sheldrakes were killed.
25//?. — Another wet day; made attempts to get about^
and only got wet for our pains.
26tJi. — Cruel weather again. Imprisoned by wind and
rain, and half starved owing to mishaps in getting provisions
from Poole.
2'jt]L — Wind and rain again ; no attempting anything.
28///. — Better weather ; out from seven at night till seven
the next morning (with Reade, who worked like a slave), but
owing to the swarm of gunners, it w^as impossible to get
a shot, and not one of them killed a bird the whole night.
Never was I out in a more miserable trip, a keen northerly
wind with a nipping white frost. A few more such nights,
debarred as I was from the exercise of rowing or even moving^
would knock me up.
February 1st. — Having at last got a fine night I went out
at two this morning, and, after remaining afloat till daylight
with a full moon, I never saw nor even heard a single
wigeon, which is easily accounted for, as about fifteen
fellows, who are just thrown out of employ in the clay trade^
have all turned floating gunners, so that not a bird can enter
this part of the harbour without being frightened aw^ay.
Reade was obliged to leave me in consequence of having to
attend his brother, who was this morning severely wounded
i82o COLONEL HAWKER^S DL\RY 197
through carelessness with his gun, so that I decided on leav-
ing Southhaven, and trying a day or two hard by at Poole,
where, although near the town, the harbour is less infested
with gunners than here. On my way there to-day I killed
7 coots under sail in the passage boat.
2nd. — Quitted the execrable hovel of Southhaven, and
removed my things to a small lodging on the quay at Poole.
Went out for the whole night with Richard Lock, the ' head
gunner ' of Poole, and never heard a bird.
^rd. — After lying down a few hours, was at it again all
day, from dawn till eight at night, with no refreshment but a
morsel of bread and cheese, and never got a shot. Not
a gunner here has killed a bird for this week past ; everything
appears to be extirpated.
^tJi. — At it again, from before daylight till bedtime, with
an infernal run of ill luck. Owing to the delay of my man,
I was a few minutes too late where the most enormous
swarm of geese I ever set eyes on came to feed every
morning ; but, as my usual bad luck would have it, though
no gunner w^as out, yet a horrid fellow, on his way from
Ham to Poole market, saw the birds, and went with his boat
to them just as we were going up ; he got within 60 yards of
them longways, fired a popgun and never touched a feather.
After slaving the whole day we fell in with this enormous
phalanx again, but then another gunner got the start of us,
and fired before us. I took a random shot, flying, at about
300 yards, with a pound of pistol balls in my stanchion,
and knocked down i brent goose.
5///. — Was in full preparation to attack the geese again
to-day, but it blew a hurricane and poured with rain from
morning till night.
6th. — My sailor, Williams, whom I sent for a day to
reconnoitre Keyhaven, returned this afternoon bringing me
word that not a chance of sport remained there now, but that
the shooting had been so good there this season that even
198 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLVRY Feb.
the Frenchman to whom my house was unfortunately let for
the winter had killed a great deal of wild fowl with his popgun,,
and that had I been there this season I might have done
wonders. How extraordinary is, invariably, my escape from
all good luck in wild-fowl shooting ! Williams was this night
put to bed very ill. The wigeon have totally quitted Poole
harbour, but the geese still remain though very wild.
J til. — I brent goose ; was tripped up by the dog and fell
overboard 5 miles from home, ducked to the skin — gun
and all.
%tJi. — Wind and rain again ; went out in a yawl boat and
towed the punt astern. Got 2 brent geese, and shot and lost
2 more, as well as some wounded ones. It blows so fresh
that you lose half your birds, as they are now so wild that
nothing but pistol balls will reach them, and the winged birds
are off at sea before you can row out to catch them.
gth. — The shooting having been so bad that I was lite-
rally the only person who killed a fowl in the whole town of
Poole during the week I was there, I gave it up for this season,
and returned this day to Longparish, after the worst winter's
sport I ever had in my life.
ii//j.— 3 snipes and i jack snipe.
N.B. — A man getting watercresses told me of these 4
snipes, and in half an hour I had them all in the bag. I
then beat the rest of the day, but found nothing more what-
ever.
26th. — 5 snipes. This evening poor old Xero died, having
never recovered the French illness, with which we were all
such sufferers. He was the best dog I ever had, ever saw,.
or ever heard of.'
' I killed during this extraordinary dog's service, and almost entirely to him,,
game &c. as follows :
Up to 1812, 356; 1813, 244; 1814, 402; 1815, 320; 1816, 378; 1817,
503 ; 1818, 463 ; 1819, 253 ; 1820, 344 ; to the day of hi.s illness. Total, 3,263
head.
I almost always used him single-handed for every purpose, as he would of his
i82o COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY 199
2'^th. — I drove to Keyhaven, to arrange about my cottage
&c., and having a strong easterly wind took my gun ; but in
six hours after I left home a westerly wind came and made
this unnecessary. My presence, as if like a charm, changed
from good to bad the shooting.
March ist. — Having finished my business at Keyhaven
and Lymington, and as nothing remained for me to shoot but
a quantity of geese which were too wild for the only gun I
had, I got to Southampton this evening, and on the 2nd drove
home to Longparish.
List of game &c. killed in the season, to IMarch 1820 :
216 partridges, 10 hares, 2 pheasants, 3 rabbits, 4 landrails,
88 snipes, 15 wild ducks, 7 geese, i wigeon, 3 teal, i shel-
drake. Total, 350 head.
N.B. — I lost one of the finest winters we have had for
years, by my unfortunate excursion to, and illness in, France.
April 1st. — Killed 5 brace of trout. This is the first
tolerable day I have had, though I have killed a few for
dinner most days for some time ; but now, as the river is my
own, I never care about taking any but the best fish, which I
kill only when I wai.t them, and therefore do not take the
trouble to keep any account of the great number that I
catch.
June JtJi. — Went up to London and was presented to the
King at his Levee.
i^tJi. — Mrs. Hawker remained in town, and I went to
Manchester by the mail, which left the Post Office at eight
own accord ' down charge ' and bring the game when told. At a hedge he
would stand till I came, and then, if ordered, go all the way round and drive the
game to my side ; for a river, for a boat, for everything, he was a perfect wild-
fowl dog, although a high-bred pointer, with a cross of foxhound. The game
that I calculate has been killed to this dog, including that shot by my friends as
well as myself, I estimate at about 5,000 head, but to be widely under the mark, I
wall say 4,000 ; supposing then we take each head of game one with another at
two shillings apiece, which would be a low price among those who deal in such
thngs, I may say that the poor old dog has earned me 400/. besides trifling
wagers &c.
200 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY June
o'clock, and arrived in Manchester by half-past seven (i86
miles in 23J hours) on the evening of the 14th. A trans-
portation to this place I can compare to nothing but a man
going to sleep, never to wake again, and finding himself in
the very Billingsgate or St. Giles's of the infernal regions. I
went on a musical excursion, which, except a wild-fowl ex-
pedition, is the only event that would have brought me here.
My object in going to Manchester was to see Mr. Cudmore
(my first master in music), and if the place agreed with me, to
avail myself of his offer to spend the holidays with him at
his house and study the whole time ; and, if not, to leave the
place after seeing it, and then make a little tour, which I had
long wished, through Birmingham and Oxford. I had very
soon such a sickening of this most brutal town that my deci-
sion for leaving it was almost immediate. The ver}- evening
that I arrived I was made so ill by the suffocating fumes of
stench and smoke which I inhaled, that I was violently sick
the whole night, and it was with the greatest difficulty that I
could pass the day of the 15th here, to inspect the manu-
factories and what few things were worth seeing in the town.
At six o'clock on the morning of the i6th I left Manchester
by the ' Eclipse ' coach, and within 12 hours arrived at Bir-
mingham, 86 miles, including the stoppage of half an hour to
dine at Wolverhampton.
ijtJi. — Ever since my arrival last evening, and the whole
of this morning, I was busily employed by inspecting the
beautiful and various manufactories of Birmingham, and to
even the most superficial admirer of mechanics nothing could
be a more deHghtful treat. The steam engines, the gun
manufactories, the making of all hardwares &c. would require
a volume to describe ; and the extensive assortments of all
sporting apparatus, at one-fourth the price charged b}- the
shops, would really make it worth the while of a shooter or
fisherman to come here on speculation. This afternoon I left
Birmingham for Oxford. While the coach stayed to change
i82o COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 201
horses at Stratford-on-Avon, I had plenty of time to visit the
house which gave birth to our immortal Shakespeare, as luckily
it was within a gunshot of the public-house at which we
halted. I was shown the chair in which he sat (and of course
sat myself in it), his sword, the box which contained his will,
and many other trifles that are exhibited and declared to have
been in his possession. The place which was once the resi-
dence of this illustrious dramatist was never better than a
poor man's house, and is now occupied by a butcher, and, in
part, fitted up for his shop and slaughter house. About eleven
at night we reached Oxford.
i^th. — Was occupied from the time I got up this morning
till three o'clock this afternoon, with visiting the University of
Oxford and inspecting the different colleges. Of all the
libraries, as a building and for architecture, I preferred the
Ratcliffe Library, and of all the chapels, that of ' New Col-
lege.' The theatre fell far short of what I had been led to
expect, but the tout ensemble of the colleges far exceeded my
expectations, and the town is by odds the most beautiful and
the neatest I ever saw. As to the libraries I had not time,
nor do I profess to have learning enough, to appreciate their
value. At three this afternoon I hired a gig and retraced the
steps which I had last night travelled in darkness, back again
to Woodstock, 8 miles, in order to pass the rest of the day at
Blenheim, the Duke of Marlborough's. Little did I think
there was such a palace in England. Were it in France, Italy,
or even as far as Greece, everyone would be going to see it.
The house, the park, the grounds, the everything, bids defi-
ance to all the gentlemen's and noblemen's seats I have ever
seen either at home or abroad. The park is 13 miles round,
and all within a stone wall ; the house is i mile round.
Among the venerable and stately avenues of timber, we here
see a whole army of trees planted in the exact positions of
the armies of and against the great Duke of Marlborough,
and, amonc: them, a monument erected to his illustrious
202 COLONEL HAWKER'S IMARY June
memory, which in its style is little inferior to the Colonne
de Vendome at Paris. The only disappointment I met with
was not being able to sec the valuable paintings, in conse-
quence of the present degenerated duke being at home and
at an early dinner with company. I this evening, after return-
ing to Oxford, prepared for going home by the Southampton
coach to-morrow.
N.B. — With the exceptions of Herefordshire and Shrop-
shire, I have now been in every county in England.
\gth. — Arrived again at Longparish House.
August. — Was detained in London this month on account
of my new invention for pla}dng the scales of a pianoforte b\-
mechanical means.
i820 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 203
CHAPTER XIII
1820
September. — I had agreed, for the purpose of attending to
my musical invention and other more rational pursuits, to
give up my shooting this year ; but, unfortunately, from the
unsettled state of the country, owing to the Queen's trial &c.,
I felt bound in honour to decline my leave from the militia in
August, though I had even procured my passport for Brussels ;
and finding it unlikely that I could proceed just yet, I there-
fore, to avoid the expense and misery of being now in
London, returned to Longparish House on September 3, but
with little inclination for shooting, having prepared nothing,
and having no dogs but two wild puppies. My 1st of
September was rather a novelty for me, who for many seasons
had been the champion ; I broiling in the streets of London,
and my poor old dog in his grave.
4///. — Went out, with two puppies, and bagged 24 part-
ridges and I hare, without ever missing a shot, and having
made six double shots. Notwithstanding I had resigned all
pretensions to shooting this year, I have this day done the
most that has been yet heard of in our line of country, although
I was out only from ten till four, and surrounded by other
shooters.
Game bagged in September : 94 partridges, 3 hares,
3 snipes. Total, 100 head.
Business and my intended absence abroad prevented me
from being prepared for shooting this year. Except a quail.
204 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
the only one I saw, I killed this lOO head of game without
missing one fair shot.
Octobei' 2^th. — Went to remain at Winchester, to command
the North Hants Regiment, and previously to the 30th, when
we were again disembodied, the regiment, which on the day
of assembling consisted almost wholly of lads from the plough,
was able to manoeuvre as well as the line, and march with its
band almost equal to the Guards. So admirable was the con-
duct of officers and men that I made reports in their favour
to the Secretary of State, Lord Lieutenant, and Colonel, and
came home on the night of the 30th.
November Zth. — Rode over to Winchester, to finally settle
all the pay lists of my regiment, and with the chestnut
horse returned to Longparish in forty minutes, I galloped
nine miles on the downs in twenty-seven minutes.
wtJi. — 7 snipes and 5 jack snipes (all I shot at), making
in these last few days 20 snipes without missing a shot.
182I
Jamiary ZtJi. — Reached Southampton this evening, and
arrived at Keyhaven on the afternoon of the 9th.
N.B. — The weather till the very day I had despatched my
punts for the coast was unprecedented)}; severe, but it then
became as mild as April ; my injured finger prevented me
from being here during the most extraordinary week's
shooting ever known ! But nil desperandinn ! Let me hope
some fowl may still be got. Out all the night of the 9th,
but owing to fog and rain could not see 20 yards ; fired the
swivel gun by guess, and heard several birds beating on the
sand, but before we could find them the tide flowed, and the
fog defeated us.
nth. — Contrived this afternoon to get out in the rain ;
fired a shot with the stanchion gun at between 200 and 300
yards ; bagged 3 brent geese (flying) and knocked down 2
more, which I dare not follow. Out till two the next
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 205
morning, in a drizzling rain, very few wigeon, and too dark
and too wet to get a chance.
\2tJi. — Wet again ; out towards sunset, and was overtaken
in the most tremendous gale of wind, and the most furious
pour of rain I ever yet witnessed ; we set in the midst of it
to a flock of geese ; but, to our astonishment, even this did
not prevent their rising at 200 yards. I knocked down 6.
i-^th. — Killed 3 coots, before daylight, which I mistook
for wigeon : got a flying shot with stanchion gun, and bagged
2 wigeon. Afterwards 6 brent geese at a shot.
\6tJi. — I got but one shot all day and all night — I killed
an old cock wigeon, under the moon, out of a small trip at
which I fired the swivel gun, at about 120 yards. Mild
weather, and birds so scarce that no gunners but myself
would go out.
2yd. — At Lymington all day about my gun ; out all
night, found a large flock of wigeon about three in the morning,
and had not my boatman, over eager, prevailed on me to fire
before my gun was clear enough of the mud, I should have
made a great shot ; whereas I cut a lane of back feathers for
three yards long, without touching the body of the birds, which
were feeding (of course with their heads all down) in a hollow
place, that in one more hour I could have fired into point
blank.
2\th. — Up again to-night, but the fog and rain would not
let us get out, though we were on the watch all night.
Weather so calm and mild, that day shooting is at an end.
25///. — Out all night, but weathter so damp and thick we
could not get a clear interval to shoot ; came home at
daylight ; on 26th went sailing, and got a brent goose, all
I shot at.
27//^.— My man Charles, whom I sent to Poole for the
unrivalled James Reade, the Mozart of all the wild-fowl men,,
returned this evening with this illustrious gunner and his punt
in my boat cart.
206 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
The 28th being Sunday, we started at three on the morn-
ing of the 29th, when, extraordinary as it may appear, the
wigeon, as if by instinct, had almost disappeared. The only
little trip we met we got at about daybreak and fired a long
shot at, but in so bad a light that we both missed.
30//'. — Two ducks, out of 4 knocked down. Afloat at
daybreak ; no wigeon. Out all night again in wet.
Sist. — Went out in a fresh wind and rain to attack a flock
of geese, which, in spite of the weather, would not let us come
nearer than 300 yards ; I got i brent goose by means of
blowing off a pound of small bullets in the stanchion gun.
Wet day and night.
February \st. — Out all night, but owing, no doubt, to the
mild weather and strong westerly wind, we literally never
found one trip of wigeon.
5///. — There not having been one single wigeon heard
along the coast for several nights, we planned an attack on a
swarm of coots near the town of Lymington, and had to row
six miles round ; we started at seven this evening, and about
two in the morning, when we were just looking forward to
bagging at least fifty, a rascal shoved over the mud and put
the birds so to the rout that we never could get two together
afterwards. My man lost himself, and we were forced to trust
to the mercy of the waves, by going all round the main
Channel, between the Hampshire coast and the Isle of Wight,
and got home about six in the morning, just in time to escape
a strong wind that might have been fatal to us. I was thus
eleven hours in a nipping white frost, w^ith a kind of raw
rime falling that kept gradually turning to rain.
8//^. — Left Keyhaven, or rather ' Wigeon Cottage,' which
I call my little gunning place, and arrived at Longparish
House.
N.B. — Since my arrival on the coast, which, owing to my
bad finger, was after all good shooting was at an end, I con-
trived to kill about 40 couple of birds, and to bring home
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 207
more than all the other gunners put together, little as the
quantity I killed was in proportion to what anyone mio-ht
have done during the frost.
So extremely wild were the birds, even by night, that,
except one very long shot, I never killed a bird but with my
swivel gun.
\2th. — Left Longparish for London.
13//^. — Proceeded to Norwich.
\^th. — Arrived, for a short visit, with my old friend Robert
Rising, Esq., of Horsey.
i^tJi. — Out all day in pursuit of 3 eagles, but never could
get them to pitch or fly where I had a chance. In the
evening killed at a shot 2 tufted ducks, the only 2 birds I
had seen in the marsh since my arrival, and which I got by
lying in ambush at dusk, while Rogers drove them to me
with his gunning punt.
\6tJi. — Out before daylight for the eagles, but only saw
them pass over half a mile high.
17///.— Went to Yarmouth.
18///. — Returned this evening, and went to Mr. Hunting-
don's at Somerton Hall.
2ist. — Despatched Rogers to inspect the celebrated salt
marshes at Blakeney and Salthouse, about 46 miles from
hence.
227^^. — Rogers was back this day by twelve o'clock, with
extraordinary expedition, and brought word that this place,
like all others on the public coast, was so infested with
gunners, that there was no inducement to try it, and conse-
quently I had the great satisfaction to prove that, in my own
place at Keyhaven, I was as well off as in any other gunning
port I could yet discover.
23r^. — Left Mr. Huntingdon's for Yarmouth, from whence
I had hoped to take a trip through Holland to Brussels ; but
as no conveyance was likely to offer for some time, I took my
place by the next morning's coach for London.
208 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Feb,
While at Mr. Huntingdon's we had various sport — cours-
ing, fishing, &c. — but, except kiUing one day i hare and
1 rabbit, I made no attempt at shooting.
24//'. — Left the ' Bear ' (an excellent cheap inn), Yarmouth,
at five this morning by the ' Star,' an admirable coach, and
reached Mrs. Nelson's ' Bull ' inn, Aldgate, at nine, 124 miles
within sixteen hours, including ample stoppages for breakfast,
dinner, and tea.
2yt/L — ^Left London, after having exerted myself about
my new invention, and ordered some repairs to my guns, and
arrived again at Longparish House.
2St/L — My finger, which had precluded my practising
music for six months, being now so far better that I can
leave off the dressing, I this day was enabled to play a
little.
Game &c. killed in the season up to March ist, 1821, as
below given (the two first days, and many more, lost by my
absence in London, and all October cut up with my regiment
at Winchester, and afterwards laid up with my hand in a
sling, and during all the hard weather) :
103 partridges (only 9 since September), 7 hares, 3 rabbits,.
2 pheasants, and 69 snipes. Wild-fowl shooting : 5. Wild
ducks : 6 curre, 2 tufted, 2 of a curious large morillon species,
I teal, 6 wigeon, 26 brent geese. Total, 232 head.
Had my finger been well in the frost I should have had
grand sport on the coast, and my only satisfaction was that of
beating all the other gunners put together.
April ^.th. — Embarked on board the ' Lady Cockburn/
Captain Blackmore (the best packet, and the most respectable
captain I ever met with), and, after being twelve hours on
board, we were landed at ten o'clock at night in a French
shore boat, and all but capsized coming over the bar, owing
to the dreadful awkwardness and incessant chattering of the
detestable French {soi-disanf) sailors, who, through greediness,
had loaded their rotten boat like a coal barge, with passengers
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 209
stowed like a freight of hogs. We could get no refreshment
ready till midnight, and consequently, save a small sandwich,
had fasted seventeen hours.
^th. — Proceeded for Brussels, and left Calais at eleven
o'clock in the day per diligence, by which everyone but a
fool would travel in France for comfort,^ expedition, and
economy ; and, after stopping half an hour halfway at
Gravelines, reached Dunquerque at five. ]\Iy fasting so long
the previous day, and this day being served with some
French messes at the latter place, I was ill all night.
6///. — At four o'clock I was hastened into the diligence to
proceed. We stopped while I looked at, and the other
passengers ate, a breakfast at Mount Cassel, where, being too
sick to eat, I had the more time to admire the beauties
which the view from this most beautiful mountain presents,
and where you see about seven different provinces in a
complete panorama, at the head of which stands the chateau
of ^Marshal Kellerman. We arrived at Lille before one
o'clock, having gone 19 leagues within nine hours, which, for
France,^ is flying. In short, the diligence for this particular
division of the journey is the best I ever travelled in, and the
reason of this is because it takes the letters from all places
south of Dunquerque to Lille, and is tied to time. I had the
whole evening to inspect the tremendous fortifications and
pleasure grounds of this place, and with the advantage of a
most gentlemanly Flemish conipagnon die voyage, who ex-
plained to me everything which the place presented. At Lille
' If I hereafter note miseries, I still repeat the word 'comfort' because the
provocation, imposition, insolence, and delay that I have always met with in
French posting are such that the miseries of a diligence when compared to them are
enormous. I believe most people will agree with me, except those who make a
merit of necessity and pretend to admire ever^'thing in France, because they are
obliged to admire it in order to avoid their debts and perhaps escape a gaol in
England.
- From Paris to Rouen, in Normandy, however, I have met with light dili-
gences that go almost as fast as our coaches, but these have occasionally accidents
which are never put in the papers like ours.
VOL. L P
210 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY April
our accommodations were clicap, and so they ought to be,
for they were very bad, and the inn was very properly called
the Hotel of Portugal, as its filth was strictly in unison with
the country of which it bears the name.
jtJi. — Was bundled out, bag and baggage, at four this
morning, and after tramping down Lille like a gang of
gipsies, we waited in the rain till various conversations — of
course about nothing— were ended by the conductor and the
postillion. W^e got this machine, like a granary on old wheels
though most excellent inside, under way at a quarter past
four, and at seven reached the Flemish frontiers. Here my
heart was in my mouth, as I had three pair of my patent piano
hand-moulds to smuggle, and the very look of the douaniei'S
was enough to set an amateur smuggler into an ague, and I, ill
to boot, looked as if I had been buried for a week and dug up
again ; however, I did them, and all ended well. We breakfasted
at Tournay at eight o'clock, and at half-past eleven we were
halted for an hour to dine at the ' Swan ' inn at Ath. Never
was I more annoyed at having so ill-timed a division of meals.
I, of course, could not eat, and of all the dinners I ever yet
saw put on a table, here, to my fancy, was the very best ; and
the price, with a pint of excellent wine and beer enough to
swim in, was but half a crown a head. For want of appetite
there I was obliged to beg a quarter of an hour 4 leagues
farther, at Enghien, where we had some stinking water, that
onions had been boiled in, by way of broth, and a piece of cold
veal which was nearer black than white ; these we bolted with
pepper to disguise the taste of them, and washed them down
with beer like soap suds, and, by way of a wadding on the
same, had some barbarous brandy. On leaving Enghien we
passed a fine deer park belonging to the Due d'Arenburg,
and had a very gentlemanly French companion to explain
the same, who being, like myself, shooting mad and music
mad, suited me to a hair. In short, we, as usual, had a
combination of pleasure and misery, and reached Brussels
tS2I colonel HAWKER'S DL\RY -ill
by a quarter past eight this evening, where we entered the
celebrated Hotel de Belle Vue,and under apprehension that the
Ligures in the bill might soon resemble a swarm of hornets,
decided that we would get into lodgings as soon as we could.
8///. — On getting up to look out of our excellent suite of
rooms, I found myself transplanted from a pigstye to a
paradise. I compare my situation to the rising of Lazarus.
Our view of the beautiful square at the back, and the delightful
park, palace &c. to our front, make this place agreeable in
the extreme, and far superior to any town I have been
in abroad, and I may almost say in England, for a cheerful
appearance.
gtJi. — Got a quarter in the most splendid part of Brussels,
not for gaiety, but for the sake of the air, within two doors of
the Royal Palace, and looking directly into the best part of
the park. For this I pay 200 francs a month, exclusive
of crockery &c., which in this place is usually hired. I this
day entered my new abode, hired a piano, &c.
lOtJi. — Got delightfully settled in our new abode, and had
my first lesson in music with Mr. Jerome Bertini, after having
lost above six months' practice, owing to the accident to my
finger.
wtJi. — Went shopping, saw the Brussels lace made, &c.,
and was much delighted with the excellence and cheapness
of everything in this charming town. The shops are the best
on the Continent, and you may look into them while walking
on a kind of pavement without the risk of being run over as
in Paris.
i^tJi. — Went with Radcliffe, in his barouche and four, to
inspect the ever memorable field of Waterloo. After reaching
the village of this name, which is about ten miles from
Brussels, we proceeded in the carriage towards the farm of
Gomont, falsely called ' Hugomont' in the despatches, which
is about zL miles beyond Waterloo ; and, at a small hamlet,
halfway or thereabouts between the two places, we called on
212 COLONEL HAWKER-S DIARY April
the celebrated peasant Jean Baptise de Coster, who was so
notorious for having been the personal guide of Buonaparte
during the whole of the battle. As I was coachman at the
time, De Coster was seated for some time with me on the box
of the barouche ; and here, of course, I entered as eagerly into
conversation concerning the ex-Emperor &c. as the incessant
plague of having four blood horses to drive on a bad road full
of Flemish coal carts would admit of At Gomont we left our
carriage and spent the morning in seeing and collecting all
we could, under the able explanation of this celebrated pilot.
Our carriage came for us in the afternoon at the farm of
La Haye Sainte, where we were hospitably received by a
worthy farmer during a heavy shower, after which we
returned to Brussels in time for a late dinner.
23^/. — Being Easter Monday, we this evening drove, in
one of the hackney coaches which in Brussels are most
magnificent, and 109 in number, to the Allee Verte, which is
a delightful drive between two double avenues of trees, and
by the side of a broad canal, extending for above a mile, and
at about half a mile from the lower town. This may be con-
sidered the Hyde Park of Brussels, and Easter Alonday being
a very grand day there, we met the Royal Family in three
carriages and six, and it is really a pleasure to see how happy
and affable they appear to be. The very countenances of
the King and Queen bespeak the excellent qualities for which
they deserve to be upheld as a pattern to other crowned
heads. Weather so sultry as to be quite oppressive, and so
hot that the water in our room was as warm as we usually
drink tea.
2^th. — Started for a tour through Holland. Mrs. Hawker
and I left Brussels at about eight o'clock this morning by the
' malle-poste,' a machine drawn by three horses abreast, and
on grasshopper springs ; but it having the roof covered with
boards instead of leather, the noise of it is such as to distract
the head most unmercifully, particularly as every part of the
t82i colonel HAWKER'S DL\RY 213
road to Amsterdam is on pavement. The civility of Mr.
Lefebre, the postmaster in chief, was excessive ; he offered
us coffee, and showed us his very handsome house &c. while
the horses were putting to. When we got to Anvers, or, in
the Dutch language, Antwerp, 8 leagues, Mrs. Hawker was
so overcome with the heat and the shaking, that she felt so
far faint as to have been running a risk of illness if she had
proceeded, and luckily, Mr. Lefebre's nephew being there, I
was enabled to send her back to Brussels under his care,
by means of posting. I, of course, wished to attend her home
myself, but she would insist on my proceeding. Our misery
at this horrid hole Antwerp may be easily conceived when I
state that Mrs. Hawker was ushered into a dirty long room,
where fifty fellows were smoking, and could get nothing warm,
except some pot liquor and chervil, which the people, or
rather the pigs, here eat by way of soup ; and then, again,
the unpacking of the luggage under the shade of a door porch,
while the conductor of the mail was every instant urging me
to make haste under pain of his being obliged to leave me
behind. After having gone i8 leagues from Antwerp, we
entered the kingdom of Holland by a little landmark on
the Belgian side of a toll turnpike gate. We arrived next at
a beautifully fortified town, called Breda. We were then
driven by a coachman instead of a postillion, and were no
onger tormented with the monkey-like absurdity of whip
cracking peculiar to France and Belgium, but had the way
cleared by a bugle horn, which, of course, was more effective
and by no means annoying to our ears. About eleven at
night we reached a miserable pothouse, where we unloaded
the mail, preparative to crossing the Waal, which here is
joined by the river Meuse and becomes unusually large, and
from about a quarter past eleven till a quarter past twelve wc
were on board a large boat making the passage, during which
it was novel to see the quantities of Dutch fishermen casting
their nets by the light of the half moon and lanthorns. We
214 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY April
landed at a very outlandish-looking place, called Gorcum,.
where, it being necessary to look very sharp after our baggage,
we were, owing to the want of better light, in some confusion.
Having no servant, I had to scramble up the quay with
all my things at my back, and though laden like a jackass,
not a soul offered to assist me or any other passenger ; and,,
as not a word but of Dutch was spoken, I could not, at the
moment, request any help. After being detained about an
hour in a large melancholy room, where pipes were offered us,,
and where we got some excellent hollands, we proceeded in
a different kind of voiture, like an English Jarvey, on most
cruel grasshopper springs, and with our new conductor, who
had passed the river Waal with us, but who spoke nothing
but Dutch. In short, all was pantomime for me after landing
in this new world, and the only interpretation I could get was
from two of my fellow-passengers who spoke French, but so
ver}7 so-so, and who were by no means obliging with what
little they did know of that language. They both smoked, of
course, all the journey. This mail, I should observe, shook
so dreadfully that I was literally bruised all over, and the
noise of it was in my ears for two days after leaving it.^ The
horses, however, were good, fine, spanking animals, sixteen
hands high, and although we had only a pair, we went at the
rate of seven miles an hour. The roads in Holland are most
admirably good, being paved with hard white brickwork, and
as level as a billiard table. At break of day we reached Vianen,
where we were ferried over the Rhine, mail coach, horses, and
all, on huge masses of floating timber, very different from what
is commonly known as a ferry boat.- At daylight we got to
Utrecht, and here the extraordinary change in the style of
houses and country appeared as if we had awoke from a
dream ; and all the way from this place to within a short
' By such a shaking a gummy fellow would have been laid up for six weeks ;.
but the foreigners invariably take a warm bath after it.
- In the course of the journey we passed in like manner all the large dykes,
which were too broad for the drawbridges.
iS2i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 215
distance of Amsterdam was lined with gentlemen's country
seats, than which nothing could be more novel to an English-
man, or more beautiful to an admirer of nature and art. Here
every ditch was literally boiling and bubbling with the motion
of the finest fish, and, for twenty miles, the fields and marshes
were swarming with green plover and other marsh birds.
26tJL — About nine o'clock in the morning we arrived in
the most extraordinary-looking town of Amsterdam, where
the mail took me and my baggage from the post office to the
Doelen Inn, the best hotel in the place, kept by a Mr. Cottu,
a Frenchman. The moment you enter Amsterdam your
respiration is literally suppressed by the suffocating and putrid
smell arising from the large, black, stagnant ditches which run
through every street in the town, with trees on their banks.
The town of Amsterdam is built on piles in the midst of a
contagious morass, and is so unhealthy that, out of a popu-
lation of 200,000, the deaths average 9,000 a year. Not
wishing to have my carcase left here, I lost no time in seeing
the curiosities of the place, and, instead of going to bed, hired
a lacquey, who spoke good French, to whom I paid 2 florins
a day, and a curricle, for which I paid 2 florins an hour, as the
hackney coaches are, in the greater part, built like sledges
and go without wheels. First I saw the King's palace, a
magnificent building, though situated in the horrid town. The
most striking object here was the large ball room, which is
160 feet long, 100 feet wide, and about 80 feet high, and
which they told me was the ' largest salle in Europe.' This
may, or may not, be the case, but certainly I never saw any-
thing equal to it.
Next I saw the Felix Meritus, an institution to promote
all the arts, which here are very laudably encouraged, and
where there is a concert room considered the best in the
world, I suppose for sound, as it was nothing extraordinar}'
in size or splendour.
I then inspected the Nieuwe Kerk, where the cover or
216 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY April
rather canopy over the pulpit is the most magnificent piece
of carving that can possibly be imagined ; and then the old
church, where there is some very fine glass painting, done in
the year 1555.
The Exchange was my next object, and a very curious
one ; it is spacious and good in the extreme, built on arches
over the bog and water, and of course well thronged, as there
are no less than 30,000 Jews in Amsterdam. Would that I
could have heard them in their synagogue, which a gentleman
told me was scarcely to be distinguished from 10,000 cats,
dogs and ducks in full concert. We then drove to the Pont
Amoureux, the ramparts, the Plantage and other places of
pleasure in this extraordinary place ; and by the way I omitted
to name the only spot in which I could find any comfort, or
even breathe, and that was the top of the Palace, from whence
I had, without exception, the most novel and the most beau-
tiful panoramic view that I ever beheld.
After having seen everything that was worth seeing, and
taken my dinner as I would a pinch of snuff, to save time,
I got home quite exhausted about dusk, and just as I had
got into a sweet sleep, I was obliged to get up to receive
Mr. Fodor, the Clementi of Holland, about my hand-moulds
for the piano. He was so delighted with them that his appro-
bation was worth the journey to me ; and ]\Ir. Steup, the
celebrated music seller, was to have seen them also, but was
prevented, though he took a copy of my book on music, with
a view, no doubt, of translating it into the Dutch language.
So much for Amsterdam, which, miserable as existence in this
town is, I would not have missed seeing for 100 guineas.
27//^. — Up at daybreak, and having taken plenty of
Madeira the previous night, and fortified m}'self with
Huxham's tincture of bark this morning, I took the first
packet for North Holland. We had a short passage across
an arm of the sea, and were then towed by a horse
and landed at the little village of Buiksloot. The first
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 217
thing when you arrive in Holland, you are offered a pipe
gratis, but they make you pay pretty dear ^ for what, from
necessity, you are obliged to drink with it : here, however,
I played the old soldier, being armed with a fine ham given
me by my friend Radcliffe at Brussels (and without which, by
the way, I should have starved when at Gorcum), and a cold
chicken. I instantly hired a curricle, for which the fixed
price is ten florins, and proceeded for Broek in this still more
extraordinary part of the world. The people here are the
m.ost cleanly known. (So neat was the inn at Broek
that, on cutting my pencil, I, to avoid giving offence,
carried the shavings out of doors to prevent dropping them
about.) I proceeded in a curious-looking curricle, drawn by
fine large high-spirited Gelderland horses, along a danger-
ously elevated bank by the side of dykes, and was requested
not to put up my umbrella, which I wanted to shade me from
the intense heat, being informed that I was ' liable to a
penalty,' I suppose through danger of frightening the horses
of the other vehicles. I inspected the noted village of Broek.
Here the carriage is left at an inn, as this place is only acces-
sible on foot. The village is built round the banks of a beau-
tiful little lake, and the streets are cleaner than any English
kitchen. The outsides of the houses are most of them orna-
mented with carving and gilding, and in short are as clean as
the inside of an English drawing room. No one dare enter the
inside of these houses. The inhabitants are a \'ery rich and
independent people, insomuch that I was informed, though I
believe it to be a lie, that the Emperor of Austria was made
to take off his boots before they would allow him to enter a
cottage at Broek. The houses are most charming ; never could
the hackneyed phrase of ' earthly paradise ' be better applied
than to this heavenly little place. To name all I could describe
' Holland is by regulation the clearest country I ever was in next to England,
but the Dutch do not impose on you so much as the French and Belgian inn-
keepers and tradesmen.
218 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY April
would take a quarto volume ; but, among other remarkable
things I noticed, the houses have one of their two doors which
is never opened except for a marriage or a funeral. Instead of
sparrows, the village is swarming with starlings, which, as the
houses are very low, might be killed with a whip from every
tree, every chimney, and every kind of perch that they can
crowd upon. The storks also are equally tame, and build
within a few yards of you on the low trees and chimneys.
These birds are the arms of the Hague ; and this is the reason
that there is a heavy penalty for killing them or taking their
eggs. Among the innumerable neat cuttings of box and
other evergreens, here is a whole menagerie of birds and
beasts with ships &c. ; in short, I may go on for ever about
Broek, but have no time : suffice it to say, that to see it is
even worth a voyage of sea sickness for two days. The
place is not the least like anything European, but more like
China. We then drove back to Buiksloot for the other
drive — to Saardam. Here the wall on which we drove was
made delightful by a refreshing breeze from the Het (or T'ye)
on the left, and on our right was an object not a little inte-
resting to Peter Hawker, the chasseur Anglais — a marsh
swarming with birds of every description : ducks, teal, curre,
shovellers, spoonbills, snipes, storks, great snipes, plovers &c.
within shot of the road and bidding defiance to me as I waved
my hat at them. How my fingers itched for my Joe Manton,
much more for my duck gun. At Saardam we could drive
about, as the town was all bricked like the floor of an English
kitchen. Here I entered the cottage inhabited by the great
Czar Peter of Russia while he worked in disguise as a ship
carpenter, and I also sat in his arm-chair.
At a quarter past one we reached L'huys, and crossed the
narrow part of the salt water in a boat. Thus, b}' bribing the
driver to go fast, and eating in the carriage, I was enabled to
make this usual tour in North Holland, and with strict obser-
vation, in an unusually short space of time. Here, by the
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 219
way, as well as in the other parts of Holland, the waggons are
curiously driven ; there are so few hills, and those so trifling
that they have neither pole nor shafts to the carriages, but the
driver, if descending, puts one foot to the horses' hind quarters,
in order to keep back the vehicle.
At half-past one I got back to Amsterdam, and at two
started in a curricle for Haarlem to hear and play on the
wonderful organ. By bribing the driver, I went the three
and a half Belgic leagues in a little m.ore than an hour ; and
hastened to the house of the organist, Mr. Schumann, who
luckily was at home, but who never plays under the regulated
price of twelve florins. He first played me the Hallelujah
Chorus, which had a tremendous effect ; next, an imitation of
the human voice, which was wonderful ; and last, an extempore
storm, in which I defy the strictest observer to distinguish the
thunder from that of nature, and in which the rain, and the
storm birds singing before the tempest, with the solemn echo
of the church, had an effect on the feelings which surpassed
any sermon that even Mr. Pitman, Mr. Penfold, or Dr. An-
drews could have preached. I then ascended the loft, and in-
spected the gigantic instrument, which the sexton told me has
5,300 pipes ; played on it, in my miserable way, for some time ;
took the organist to the church porch, delighted him much
with a sight of my hand-moulds for the piano, gave him a pro-
spectus of them, shook hands with him and galloped off to a
little Dutch house to save the Hague diligence. Here I was
somewhat adrift, as the dictionary which my friend the Baron
de Tuyll, Chamberlain to the King, had lent me, could not
conveniently be got at in this hurried moment. I said ' Tea,'
put my finger in my mouth, and showed the old woman of the
house some eggs : she brought two raw. I turned all into the
bowl together, bread, &c., swallowed my mess like a pig, held
out a dollar for her to take payment, and jumped into the
Hague diligence at half-past five. This machine (were it not
that the Dutchmen all smoke inside) would have beat an}' con-
220 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY April
veyance in Europe for the combination of safety, comfort and
expedition ; it is like a parlour on wheels, though not very heavy
considering, and carries nine people ; the three centre scats are
fine leather arm-chairs, and there are two large windows on each
side, four spanking Gelderland horses, capitalcoachman, English
harness ; pace eight miles and a half an hour, roads all smooth
brickwork ; fare, five florins and fourteen francs. Coachman
allowed no fee for himself, but paid by his proprietor (a good
regulation). Reached the Hague, 30 miles, by nine o'clock,
and quartered at the ' Marechal de Turenne,' kept by Mr.
Handel, a very civil man, whose waiters were most pleasant,
civil fellows, and spoke French fluently, as well as himself
Here I was again cJiez inoi ; took a pill to set me at ease, and
went to bed.
28///. — Intense heat ; hard walking and pills being rather
derogatory to the safety of my health in a strange land, and
with not a soul who cared for anything belonging to Peter
Hawker but his money, I sported a phaeton and a valet de
place, and having cleaned and sweetened myself a little, I
drove off quite a dandy to see the lions in and round this
beautiful, lively and clean town. We proceeded for two
miles (on a fine brick road) through a heavenly wood and
double avenue of trees to Scheveningen, where the open sea
and sands burst upon your view, after clearing the village,
where the fishing boats were innumerable, and the Dutchmen
all in a bustle landing their fish for the market, this (Satur-
day) being the grand day. The fish is drawn to the Hague,
in small carts, by either two or three large dogs, and in many
of these droll machines a boy sits up and drives like a coach-
man.
On the shore I met with a very intelligent Dutch fisherman
named Maarten Vanzon, who had been in our navy for many
years, and who spoke English perfectly well. This was the
first time I had heard my own language since I left Brussels ;
and on no occasion could I have better had recourse to it.
i82i COLONEL HAWKER^S DL\RY 221
as I was anxious to know about the wild-fowl shooting- on
o
rhe Dutch coast ; it proves to be as I always suspected,
that when the marshes are frozen the birds nearly all leave
Holland, because the coast rarely affords mud for them to feed
on, and consequently they all repair to England in quest of
food, save and except those birds which may be kept in the
private decoys.
The shooting in Holland is, in a word, then, magnificent in
the extreme during the open weather, when your life is in
constant danger of disease, and good for nothing in a hard
frost, when the climate may be encountered with safety. At
Scheveningen the fishing boys are a great plague, asking for
halfpence ; and when I gave a few to some of them, they had
a battle royal in the style of Crib and Belcher, the pugilists,
the sight of which was well worth what I had given.
After leaving this place, we drove to ' The Elouse in the
Wood,' the nominal residence of the King, who, by the way,
when in Holland, generally goes off to the Grandes-Eaux, a
place in Gelderland, I suppose to have good health. At the
House in the Wood I was much gratified by the Salle d Orange,
an octagon room in which there were some magnificent Van-
dycks, Rubens's, &c. ; but my pencil memorandums of the sub-
jects having dropped from the carriage, I must sa}' (like a
blockhead) that ' the pictures were very fine,' without giving an
artist-like description of them. There was a most elegant
Chinese room, with a vulgar, citizen-looking glass chandelier,
and a most inferior half-Chinese room with the handsomest
china chandelier I ever saw. Were I chamberlain, I would
advise the good King to change them. I recollect being very
much struck with a composition of Rubens, on the subject of
the assassination of William ; and also his picture of copper-
smiths at work. The triumph of the Prince of Orange, too (by
Jordaens) is a most colossal picture, as it covers a whole panel
of this splendid salle. We then went back to the Hague and
saw the King's cabinet, where I was ten times better pleased
222 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY April
than in the Louvre at Paris, because all the pictures are good.
What a feast for an artist ! A man must be a brute who
could not enjoy this exhibition. Here is a cattle painting by-
Paul Potter, that cost 100,000 florins, and is the best of its kind
in the world ; and the inside of Delft Church in two views by
Hoeckgeest, that have an effect which beggars all the archi-
tectural pictures I ever set eyes on.
Next, the Palace. Here is all the comfort of old England
instead of the splendid misery of France. The Dutch are
proud to copy us in comfort, and therefore must become the
next greatest nation to us. The French are above it, and will
therefore stick in the mud all their lives through their cursed
pride. Here we see English grates, carpets, and everything
proper for a cold winter's day, and the rooms may be entitled
to a word of which there very properly is no French transla-
tion — ' comfortable.' The ballroom is chaste and grand, the
family portraits good ; and although a trifle, yet every man of
feeling must admire the nursery, where the good Queen has
taken such pains to place little objects for the amusement
of the little Princess Mary Anne, who sleeps close to her
bedroom.
Next, the bells at the Hague. I mounted the tower of St.
James and remained half stunned though much delighted
while they played ; examined the barrel and machinery of
wires by which they moved ; gave the tiger a florin, and after
viewing from on high Delft, Rotterdam, and all the other
places round this fine green country, descended and proceeded
to the fish market. Here four live storks are kept, as the
arms of the town ; and the stand of dog carts, and the stable
or mews of harnessed dogs, are drolly interesting. Hastened
home : exhibited, by appointment, my patent piano hand-
moulds to Madame Van den Bergh, the female Clementi of the
place. Left my sporting work, for the benefit of the Dutch,
with Mr. Vandef ; swallowed my dinner, and flew to the theatre.
Here they play French and Dutch alternately ; and, luckily
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 223
for me, French to-night, so that I could judge better of the
acting. Here was a comedy of which I forget the name, and
have not time to look for the bill ; but, in a word, their comic
acting is better than ours, though inferior to that of Paris ;
and, on the other hand, in serious strains they are superior to
the French and inferior to the English. Theatre small, toler-
ably neat ; two good pillars on each side of the stage ; house
badly lit up with eight pairs of poor oil lamps, suspended in
a circle from a plain white ceiling. Three tiers of seats ; pit
very respectable, and when the act scene dropped, the whole
of the people from thence adjourned to walk the streets and
groves of trees, having each received a card to return, with
merely the word ' sortie ' printed on it. Orchestra pretty
good and strong. People very well-behaved during the per-
formance, no whistling or blackguard cries from the gallery
hke England, but all quiet and attentive like Paris. People
extremely civil in directing one home at night, and, in short,
very well disposed towards an Englishman without any
flattery or humbug.
29///. — Sunday. Went to the Dutch church. Their cere-
mony, Protestant, is different from ours, as to the mere form.
They have no bishops, so much the better, but are governed
by a sort of commission appointed by the King. After the
First Lesson was read, we had a most powerful crash of
ill-tuned voices, with a very ve7y fine organ ; immediately
after which about 300 people adjourned and sat down to a
table, precisely like the one where the Eton boys sup at
Surley Hall on June 4. Here were all the way down the
table plates full of white bread, and in this form the Dutch,
it appears, receive their sacrament, while the clergyman,
who, by the way, has more energy than most of our sticks of
parsons, prays for them. The doors being closed for this
ceremony, I had a difficulty to make my escape, and the situa-
tion I was in would on any less solemn occasion have been
a good subject for mirth.
224 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY April
lOtJi. — After discharging my bill, which for Holland was
very reasonable, at this comfortable inn, the ' Marechal du
Turenne,' I entered the mail curricle cart, a branch from the
Amsterdam mail, at eight o'clock this evening, and after going
through Delft, halting for some time at Rotterdam, and pass-
ing across the rivers Yssel and Leek, reached Gorcum, 14
leagues, at five o'clock on the morning of the 30th, and here
it is that the Hague mail and passengers are resigned to that
of Amsterdam.
N.B. — In driving out of the Hague we went at the rate of
near 14 miles an hour, with two fine spanking Gelderland
horses, which never once broke out of a trot, and although we
went to Delft at the average rate of 10 miles an hour, yet we
were three-quarters of an hour before we reached this place,
which, the courier of the mail informed me, was ' a league and
a half only,' not quite halfway to Rotterdam, which they call
4 leagues ; consequently I am convinced that the leagues in
this country, where they call them ' 3 miles English,' must be
very much underrated, particularly as I have been all my life
in the habit of making pretty accurate judgments with regard
to time in travelling.
We again, after waiting an hour to sort the letters &c.,
passed the great river Waal in a kind of small craft with-
out a deck, and had an extraordinarily rapid passage of
ten minutes. The Waal, I should observe, is passed with
the baggage, mail bags and passengers, as follows : in a dead
calm, by a large rowboat ; in wind, by a kind of vessel ;
when half frozen, by a boat and people to beat away the ice ;
and when thoroughly frozen, so as to bear well, by a boat
with skates to the keel, and in full sail on ice instead of water,
provided there is wind enough to drive it over the ice. We
landed at the little public-house on the opposite bank called
' Het Vecrhuis,' where we embarked last Wednesday in
the night, and here there was a great confusion owing to the
bustle of landing an immense train of caravans, carriages,
1 82 1 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY 225
and horses, belonging to the celebrated rope dancer, IMadame
Sachi, who was proceeding for Amsterdam, and whose mother
interpreted to get some breakfast for the Spanish Consul (my
fellow-passenger) and myself My return from this tour was
just in time, as last night the fine weather changed to rain and
wind, which continued for the greater part of this day. The
mail, by the bye, goes without even letting out the passengers,
over every river and dyke except the Waal, which, having
a conflux of the Rhine and other rivers, would sometimes be
too dangerous. Madame Sachi's stupendous caravan, how-
ever, was this day shipped on it, horses and all, in a huge
ferry boat.
Having entered our Belgian mail coach, we got under way
in this part of Holland, and I was most fortunate in my
companion, a consul and a marshal in the Spanish army.
We fought over our battles in the Peninsula ; and he being
also so great an amateur musician as to have composed several
operas, was not a little agreeable to me as a companion ; and
from his mania for the pianoforte I was induced to open the
box, and explained to him my hand-moulds, with which he
was the most elated of anyone to whom I had shown them.
This most agreeable man and I were tcte-a-tctc to Antwerp,
where we exchanged cards, shook hands, and took leave. His
card was —
Le Chev*^^ de Beramendi,
Intendant des Armees d'Espagne ;
Consul-General de S.M.C.
Au Royaume des Pays-Bas.
Having regaled myself with the remains of my cold
ham and a chicken, with other refreshment, in the coach,
which I advise everyone to do on this road, and partaken of
some good things with my Spanish friend, I was, luckily,
enabled to enjoy the time allowed for dinner (a miserable
dinner) in Antwerp ; took a hasty inspection of the cathedral,
where there is some extremel}' fine carving, ancient architec-
VOL. L Q
226 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY April
ture, &c., and, above all, two remarkably fine Rubens' pictures
of our Saviour on the cross ; on the left the elevation to, and
on the right the descent from, the cross ; and there is like-
wise an excellent ^Nlorillo of St. Francis. The statues of
St. Paul and St. Peter give a fine effect to the sortie from
the aisle of this church.
Just in time for the mail, which I had all to myself to
Brussels, where we arrived at the general post office at half-
past eight, and by nine I was in my house, where I found
Mrs. Hawker pretty well, and was not a little delighted at
what I had seen, and at having got so safely and rapidly
over.^ My expenses, in all, were about i8 napoleons.
Distance Leagues
From Brussels to Amsterdam . . . .44
Amsterdam, by Haarlem, to the Hague . . 9
From the Hague to Gorcum . . . . 14] ^
And Gorcum to Brussels . . . . 25 ) '^
Tour in North Holland, exclusive of water passages 8
100
In all, at least 400 English miles, and saw all in six days.
May yth. — Having a leisure evening, I went to inspect
the ancient cathedral of St. Gudule. It was not my intention
to waste my time in compiling memorandums of a city so
well known as Brussels, which, from its infinite superiority
over every town on the Continent, and over some towns in
England, for cleanliness, beauty, and I may also add the word
unknown on the Continent, comfort, is too well acquainted
Avith by all British travellers to require description.
The cathedral of St. Gudule, however, cannot be passed
over with impunity. The Gothic architecture of this superb
building is fine in the extreme. The old carving of the pulpit
by Henry Verbruggen, of Antwerp, is, perhaps, of the kind,
the finest in the world ; it represents Adam and Eve driven
' Being thus safely lodged in my own house again, I, in order to counteract
all risk of disease, fever, or bile that may be brought on by fatigue, took the
doctor's curse, or, in other words, a dose of calomel, and went to bed, by which
means I never was better in my life than the third day after my return.
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 227
out of Paradise, and Death appearing to them. The globe of
the earth forn:is the body of the pulpit, and over the canopy
is the Virgin and the infant Jesus bruising with the cross the
head of a huge serpent, which curls round the tree that sup-
ports the pulpit, and raises its erected head to the canopy.
The carvings of Christ, the Virgin, and the Twelve Apostles,
are fine specimens of statuary, and the old painted glass is
no less worthy of observation. Here are sixteen chapels,
accessible from different parts of the aisle. In short, the
architecture, sculpture, and carving, both in wood and iron,
of this cathedral, are well worth a long journey, to any lover
of art or antiquity.
gtJi. — This was the birthday of the little princess, and
we had a grand parade of the 6th Hussars, a very prettily
appointed Dutch regiment, and the first regiment of infantry.
The trumpets of the former and the band of the latter were so
admirably fine, that this parade was to me quite a musical as
well as a martial treat. The cavalry were very steady while
they were inspected, and their horses were well drilled in
trotting past ; but, unfortunately, the officer of the right
division, being perhaps a better man for battle than for show,
destroyed the whole order of the column by trotting too fast,
and putting the rear in a gallop. The appointments of this
regiment were extremely good, and so were the horses. I
disliked the manner of carrying their swords, which, instead
of sloping with the hand advanced, they bore nearly erect
with the elbow squared. The infantry were not so steady
under arms as the cavalry, one fellow scratching his ear,
another putting his cap right, &c. They marched past much
quicker than we do, and their ordinary time was nearly equal
to our quick march ; and I was at a loss to guess how the
officers could salute in time with the foot. No one, however,
but the commanding officer, who was mounted, saluted the
general. The pioneers had saws as well as axes, and, on the
whole, had a look fierce enough to frighten away everything but
228 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY May
an Englishman. I could not resist the foregoing trivial
remarks, having been myself so long a dragoon, and now a
jolly militiaman. In the evening I went to the Grand Theatre,
or Opera House. The salle is, on the whole, good, but, like all
others abroad, badly lit up, and the audience dressed more fit
for the diligence than the boxes. As, however, only fools
think about dress, I merely remark this because it detracts
from the good effect which is produced by the more graceful
appearance of a London audience. We had first a vile opera
called ' Le Tresor Suppose,' and then Voltaire's tragedy of
* Mahomet,' in which Talma, whom I had before seen in Paris,
performed. The plot of this tragedy is, to my mind, so horrid^
and the ending so unsatisfactory,^ that I could scarcely help
reflecting that it was written by one who is probably gone to
the devil himself; and in Talma's acting, however fascinating
to Frenchmen, I could observe nothing particular, except that
at the end of almost every sentence he concluded with a sort
of twang not much unlike the bellowing of an old ram, and
shook both his hands in the air like a man struck with the
palsy.'^ There was, however, one scene really well acted, and
the first in my life played by Frenchmen that ever made me
shed a tear ; but here it so happened that Talma had nothing
to do."^ The Prince and Princess of Orange were near to the
' Since making this remark, I have to apologise to Voltaire, having ascer-
tained that he had, in this tragedy, a particular view in making vice triumphant ;
namely, the Pope had prohibited his works, and, out of spite, he wrote the tragedy
of ' Mahomet,' as an indirect attack upon his Holiness, and thus he left Mahomet
in full possession of all his empire, after the most outrageous acts of villany.
- In making this remark I reflect more on the French taste than Talma's
acting, as I am informed that he is obliged to sacrifice his own talent to comply with
their ideas of tragedy, for which the generality of the French have about as much
natural disposition as they have for religion : none at all. Had Talma proper
judges, or rather men of feeling, to play to, we might be led to hope he would
perform very differently,
^ The scene to which I allude was the one between Seide, played by Bouchez,
a Brussels man that I had never before heard of, and Palmire, by Madame
Petipa. The former was really good through the whole piece, but his acting in
this scene, just before he is compelled to murder his father, really does credit to
his talent.
i82i COLONEL HAWKERS DL\RY 229
Ambassador's box, where Baron Tuyll's party and we sat ;
the audience, on the entrance of each of these personages,
rose, and gave a short round of applause.
\ltJi. — Hired an excellent coach (for 6\ francs), and went
with Mrs, Hawker to pay a visit, and pass the forenoon with
the Countess of Bentinc (the governess to the Princess Mary
Ann) at the heavenly palace of Laeken, which is about 4
miles from the suburbs of Brussels. Lady Antoinette (her
daughter) was so kind as to show us the beauties of this
charming place, among which we were most attracted by the
magnificent hall and dome. The views from the hill on
which Laeken stands are charming, as you look down on the
most delightful pleasure grounds, with a lake and a yacht
on it, and have the city of Brussels and other picturesque
objects in the background. The orangery here is particularly
fine, and has in its collection several trees that (Lady Ben-
tinc told me) have been there since the time of Ferdinand
and Isabella, which must be 200 years ago. When in Paris,
however, or rather at Versailles, I saw some orange trees
which, I think, were 300 years old.
\/\th. — Previously to this day, I had taken a place in the
mail to accompany Baron Tuyll to Namur, with a view of
proceeding from thence to Liege in a curricle. We were to
stop at his chateau on the banks of the Meuse (between these
two places, which is the most beautiful part of Belgium), and
then to go and see the famous Mr. Berleur's manufactor}- of
cheap guns &c. at Liege. After having done this I should
have gone on to Aix-la-Chapelle, to pass my hand-moulds
and publications into the Prussian frontier before returning to
England. I was so unwell all this morning, however, that I
felt but little disposed for a journey on bad roads of 230
miles, which this (going and returning) would have been. I
nevertheless rallied as well as I could, and at two got into the
mail ; but the shaking of the wooden roof made my head so
bad, that when we got to Waterloo, I found it would have
230 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY May
been madness to proceed, and luckily there was at the inn
there a butter merchant for whom a very fair cabriolet was
waiting at the door. He readily agreed to give me a seat
back, but would accept of nothing till I insisted on his letting
me treat him to a bottle of hock (which was here very good
for 3 francs), and I of course had the consideration to remain
patiently in durance vile till he and his friend had finished it,
while I sipped at a glass and pretended to drink also. He
drove me home to my own door, and nothing could exceed
his good nature and civility. I was, how^ever, an hour and a
half remaining on the staircase of my hotel, as Mrs. Hawker,
w^ho (from illness) had gone out to take an airing, had taken
with her the keys of the rooms, as is always customary on
the Continent.
i^tJi. — Having last night taken a little magnesia and gone
to bed quietly, I was this day very w^ell ; whereas if I had
proceeded I might have been dragged in this constant wet
weather just far enough to be accommodated with a sick
bed, where I had no servant, and where, being in Prussia, I
might scarcely have made myself understood.
i8//j. — Having now most satisfactorily settled my busi-
ness abroad (with a view to circulating my patent, publica-
tions &c. at Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, &c.), I
have no longer any business on the Continent, and as Mrs.
Hawker has never been w^ell w^hile at Brussels, I, of course,
could not think of staying here for pleasure. I have there-
fore this day packed up everything preparative to quitting
to-morrow.
19//?. — Hired a pretty good chariot, and at eight o'clock
this morning started post from Brussels for Ghent, w^hich
is 7 postes (about 39 long English miles), and where we
arrived (by means of paying the postillions well) at two o'clock.
We put up at a magnificent house called Hotel de la Poste.
We had three horses ; the postillion rode on the near wheeler
and drove the others, and we went very fast. Here we could
1 82 1 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 231
get on by means of paying well, but the few times that I
posted in France I found that nothing could put the brutal
baboons out of their jog-trot. If you have four people in the
carriage you pay for one horse more than is actually taken,
whether you have three or four. We paid 6 francs a post,
and 3 francs (double the regulation) to the drivers, and the
barriers or toll gates averaged one franc per post. In short,
to bring the matter to a calculation that may be easily
recollected, I should say that every ten miles (to do the
business handsomely and comfortably) cost a trifle within a
napoleon.
Having refreshed ourselves while in the carriage with cold
tongue, chicken and Madeira, we lost no time in seeing the chief
objects in this fine town, which is the capital of Flanders.
The first thing to which we directed our attention was a col-
lection of some of the finest original pictures in Europe, a
great part of which has been considerably more than a cen-
tury in the possession of the proprietor, who, as well as his
forefathers, has always been one of the greatest amateurs of
the age. The enjoyment of the treat which this admirable
cabinet affords can only be obtained by favour, as the collec-
tion is all the private property of this gentleman, whose name
is Schamp. The servant, however, on having it explained to
him that I was a British officer, made no hesitation in letting
me and Mrs. Hawker in, and as soon as he saw that I just
knew enough of pictures to be fond of looking at them, he
withdrew, and was joined by his master, who was most
kind in his attention and who seemed delighted with our
admiration. Instead of an hour we required at least a day ;
suffice it therefore to say that he has about eighteen very
fine Rubens' pictures, one of them in imitation of Teniers,
which being quite different from his usual style is deemed a
valuable relic. He has also a landscape by Rembrandt,
which is another novelty rarely, I believe, to be met with.
He has the best Teniers, and one of the best Ruysdaels I
232 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY May
ever saw. Here is, in my humble opinion, the finest painting
of fruit that can possibly be conceived, which he told me was
done by Heem (Jean David). To speak of the Vandycks,
the Murillos, the Rembrandts &c. would absorb my whole
evening ; suffice it therefore to say that Mr. Schamp had in
his collection some of the best pictures of almost every master
I have ever heard of, and of many that were never before
named to me. Of course we here saw the Flemish school to
great advantage, and though I have no pretensions to judg-
ment, yet I was highly delighted.
We next explored the celebrated cathedral of St. Bavon.
The first grand object is the pulpit, which I have observed,
with scarcely any exception, are, in the churches throughout the
Netherlands and Holland, magnificent in the extreme, both for
excellence of design and superior carving. This one, done by
Laurens Delvaux, in 1745, is a combination of wood and the
finest marble, exquisitely carved, and represents an aged man,
to whom an angel, trampling on the globe of the earth, opens
the book of life. At the head of the church, or chief altar, we
have a splendid carving of St. Bavon, and the choir on each
side of the aisle is formed of pure marble with such matchless
carvings on the tombs of seventeen bishops, which have been
interred, that I am only surprised at not having heard them
more publicly spoken of Among the finest, I was particularly-
struck with that of the third bishop of Ghent, in alabaster ;
and the seventh bishop with a mosaic portrait over the tomb.
The choir of this cathedral is surrounded with numerous
chapels, which, of course, have each a fine altar, and old
paintings, among which is one very fine by Honthorst, done
in 1733 ; and another, which the Flemish sexton told me
was ' the very first picture that ever was painted in oils,' and
that it was above 400 years old. The correctness of this as
to dates and truth I leave to others to discover, as I merely
write at the moment from what local information I can collect.
The huge massive brass doors of the chapels are quite a
1 82 1 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 233
novelty, no less for their stupendous weight than the pains it
must have cost to carve them. The two gigantic candlesticks,
sent from Charles the First of England, are moulded in enor-
mous masses of bronze, and I should guess about eight feet
high. I omitted, among the paintings, to name one of the
Paschal Lamb, by Van Eyck, done in the year 141 5, which
painting is in the Venetian school and still retains its brilliant
colour ; and also the Resurrection of Lazarus, by Van Veen,
the master of Rubens. The church of St. Michael, too, has
some paintings worthy of a short observation, and, of course,
a beautiful pulpit.
We then saw the botanic garden, the fine public library,
and the ancient building which is used as the Hotel de Ville.
We strolled afterwards about the town with our guide, who
spoke very good English, and had been in Spain in the same
action with myself and in our service. He showed us a piece
of lumber called a cannon, left ages ago by the Spaniards,
which was about two feet in calibre, and would have required
a small tea table for a wadding. We then listened to some
very fine bells at the town belfry, which is a tower adjoining
the prison, that is remarkable as having been the place of
confinement for starvation of the old man who was kept alive
by being suckled by his own daughter, and who was con-
sequently pardoned. I observed all the dogs were muzzled
in the town, and on inquiry I learnt that such is the dread of
mad dogs in Flemish towns, that the police have orders to
destroy every dog which they see loose without a muzzle.
For the purpose they are provided with balls of poison, and
there they lie about in every direction, as much for the sake
of getting the dogs' skins, as for any other reason. The
streets of Ghent are cleaner and superior to the old town of
Brussels ; but just after seeing the new and upper town of
Brussels, one views almost every place abroad with dis-
content.
20t]i. — x'\t half-past eight this morning we started for
234 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY May
Bruges, in one of the celebrated Ghent barges, which in the
Dutch and Flemish languages is called a treckscJiuyt, and
which may be considered almost as a floating cook's shop.
During the whole passage nothing but eating and drinking was
the order of the day. We paid ^\ francs each for ourselves,
3i francs each for our servants, and i^ franc for our baggage,
and had a most sumptuous dinner into the bargain. At a
little before one o'clock we sat down to some of the best-
dressed dishes that I ever saw put on a table : two sorts of
fish, meat, poultry, made dishes, &c. We had two regular
courses, besides a third, which included the dessert. After
witnessing th^ superior performance of the cook in a Ghent
barge, I was not so much surprised to hear that gourmands
often make this excursion expressly to satisfy their gluttonous
appetites, and that one idle man whose chief resource was, like
many other foreigners, that of chattering and stuffing himself^
actually lived in the Ghent barge for six of the sumimer
months, by way of a cheap residence, where he could gratify
the fancies of his little mind and great appetite.
At a quarter before three o'clock we stepped on shore at
the quay in Bruges, which from Ghent is 8 leagues by water,
and 9 by the paved coach road. After walking through the
streets, which were very clean though very dull, and taking a
hasty peep into a fine church, we went on board a barge,
which goes to Ostend, and to which all our things were
wheeled in a barrow for the regulated price of 1 5 pence. The
captain had collected about a hundred passengers, whose
chatter resembled a pack of hounds in full cr}', and to this he
added an obbligato accompaniment of a large hand bell, with
which he summoned them on board. We started at four, and
by half-past six got on shore at Ostend, having been towed
by four horses, with the aid of a sail, four leagues, in two hours
and a half Ostend from Bruges by the pave or coach road
is 6 leagues. On stepping ashore at Ostend, nearly all the
commissioners who were sent to beat up recruits for the inn-
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 235
keepers were Englishmen, which made the place appear to us
like the landing on a British shore ; and when we got to the
Hotel d'Angleterre, kept by a Mr. Nicholson, there was not a
foreign article or a foreign person to be seen about the
premises. It was literally an England in Belgium. I spent
the evening in viewing the very fine fortifications, the harbour,
and the beautiful sands which distinguish the shore at this
place, and then retired, much in want of rest, to a good honest
English four-post bed.
2ist. — Having now got safe to Ostend, we had to make
our choice of two inconveniences : either that of a long passage
to England, or to have another filthy French journey of
about 60 miles to Calais in order to shorten and have less
hazard in our passage. With a lady there would be no
hesitation in favour of the latter, particularly as we have no
reason to expect that any packet will sail before the day
after to-morrow (Wednesdays and Saturdays being the only
days), were it not for the following unpleasant circumstance,
viz. all those travellers who enter France from Belgium are
so tormented at the French frontier custom house, by Dun-
querque, that the conduct of these douaniers is the talk of
everyone. They have literally taken the handkerchiefs from
gentlemen's necks, and are so greedy to get possession of
everything which they can make an excuse to seize, that
they may rather be considered as a banditti than officers of
a lawful king ; and, according to report, they are insolent in
the extreme. Having at present excellent quarters, with
beautiful weather and a fair wind from Ostend, we therefore
decided that we would, at all events, wait here a day or two
longer. After taking a comfortable English breakfast, Mrs.
Hawker and I went out for the whole morning with an
English commissioner, who explained to us every trifle in the
town. The fortifications, the barracks, the sluices, the new
works &c. are worth a morning's inspection, and the breeze
from the sea is so delightful after the marshy air of Belgium
236 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY May
that its salubrious effect on us was like magic. Having in
case of accidents provided myself with a letter from Mr.
Messel, the banker, of Brussels, to his correspondent,
Mr. Herrewyn, of Ostend, I called on this gentleman, who,
among other acts of the greatest politeness, took me up to
his observatory, from whence I had a fine view of the sea and
town. Ostend has so delightful a sea breeze, and the streets
are so free from the offensive smells with which you are an-
noyed in most foreign towns, that were I to be exiled through
disgrace, debt, poverty or extravagance, I should certainly
choose this as my head quarters, notwithstanding there is
here some trouble in getting supplied with good fresh water.
22nd. — Had I not been detained this day I should have
lost a sight of what I think the best worth looking at of any-
thing in Ostend, and which never was named to me — it is
the Fort Napoleon, a wooden lighthouse at the mouth of the
harbour, to which you have access by an immensely long
range of planks, and where the depth of water (which is from
14 to 20 feet) is ascertained in the night by a kind of sunk
pendulum that rings a little bell, and from this an old man,
who is appointed to the station, makes by different lights his
various signals to the captains of vessels who may wish to
enter.
With the hope of being able to start by the packet of to-
morrow, I this day discharged my bill at Mr. Nicholson's
hotel ; and it is but justice to observe that for comfort,
accommodation, civility and cheapness, I never in my life was
in such an admirable inn. We had everything in abundance
of the very best kind, and our expenses were literally cheaper
than if we had bought the articles in the market. Every
traveller is bound in justice to proclaim Mr. Nicholson and
the ' Rose ' inn or Hotel d'Angleterre of Ostend.
2ird. — Embarked this morning at five o'clock on board
the * Prince of Waterloo ' packet with Captain Page, a very
honest, obliging man. We got under way at a quarter past
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 237
five, and at half-past twelve dropped anchor alongside the
quay at Ramsgate, having sailed from harbour to harbour,
considerably above 60 miles, in about seven hours. We
might have eaten an eight o'clock dinner in London had it not
been for the custom-house officers, who at this port, although
civil, are more troublesome and more strict than at any place
I ever entered. We had a gale of wind with showers and
squalls for the last two-thirds of our passage. The pas-
sengers on landing at Ramsgate are summoned to the
custom house to be personally searched ; and but for a few
masterly manoeuvres I should have lost all my little bagatelles.
It is only by a miracle that I contrived to save anything I
had ; never did I meet such a set of devils to outwit as the
custom-house officers of Ramsgate. I believe I was the only
one but what had something taken away from his or her
effects. But reverting to the officers of Ostend, they are
altogether as lenient, and particularly in leaving the country ;
for here, instead of giving, as is usual, a search (though of
course less rigid than on landing), they gave no search at all,
but merely delivered a permit for the embarkation of our
baggage, by which we had not even to unstrap a single
portmanteau. After passing two hours at the office of these
infernal Ramsgate sharks, with my wits as much on the
stretch as if I had been pleading at the bar, I got into a
small inn (for the convenience of the morning coach) called
the Royal Oak, where I had good accommodation, with most
excellent fish, a very reasonable bill, and much more civility
than if I had gone, as a mere dirty traveller, to one of those
kinds of hornet's nests where you are fleeced with powdered
waiters and wax candles, such as Wright's Hotel at Dover
&c., and where you pay 50 per cent, extra.
24///. — Left Ramsgate at seven this morning, and at four
arrived at Hatchett's Hotel, where we were driven up to the
Dover Street door by a coachman who was not only civil but
who had more gentlemanly manners than half the people
238 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY May
I have met at the Court of St. James's. I suspect this man
had seen better days.
26///. — On this day (by the way, it snowed and was as cold
as in January) I returned by the SaHsbury coach to Long-
parish, where I, thank God, found all my family well. During
all our travels we never lost or broke a single article, because
we had everything numbered and classed for its place, which
plan I should always recommend, and particularly to young
travellers.
The foregoing memorandums were hastily scribbled at
such hurried moments, and in such awkward places, that to
put them into language sufficiently good for a common letter
would require a revision of the whole ; but as I am now very
busy on concerns of more importance, and as they were com-
piled merely to amuse a few of my particular friends, who
would rather seek for my information than my faults, I shall
not waste my time on any corrections. If, therefore, this
elegant piece of syntax should fall into the hands of a word-
catcher, I can only say that I will correct literary errors as
fast as he may find them, conditionally that he gives me a
bottle of wine for each ; and if he meets with any such mis-
take subsequent to my revision, I will, as a punishment for
my ignorance, give him a dozen of wine, and if a dandy a new
pair of stays. By saying this, far be it from me to presume
where I have not the slightest pretensions, but merely act on
the defensive against some of those half-educated machines
who are so fond of saying, ' This fellow cannot write English,'
and who seek for the leaves on the tree rather than the effect
of the landscape ; in short, people who look at their words
as a lady would examine a piece of Brussels lace before they
either write or speak, and who, if probed, are generally found
to possess about as much genius as a donkey.
June 1st. — As of late years I have not fished regularly, but
merely taken my rod as a recreation, when friends were at
Longparish, or when I wanted trout, I have discontinued
i82i COLOXEL HAWKER'S DIARY 239
keeping any account of my own performances ; but the number
of fish broucfht in to our house durinsr this month has been
exactly 212 brace, of which nine-tenths, of course, were given,
or sent, to our friends.
July \tJL. — Went to London, relative to my hand-moulds ;
transfer of some stock to the French funds ; to see about fresh
boring and breeching my swivel gun ; to try about getting
a patent for the cure of smoky chimneys ; and to hear the
celebrated pianoforte player Moscheles, &c.
ZtJi. — Having executed all business to my satisfaction,
and had the delightful treat of hearing Moscheles, I this day
returned to Longparish House.
August 6t/i. — Went to London concerning a purchase in
the French funds, my patent &c., and to inspect the new
breeching and boring of my single stanchion gun, of which I
saw the means of improving. The plague that I had to super-
intend this latter work, Mr. Joseph Manton being unfit for
business from an accident, was more troublesome than a suit
in Chancery. After journeys to Fullerd's, in Clerkenwell, con-
stant attendance at a forge during the hottest time I ever felt
in London, we got the gun so far forward that I was promised
it by Saturday morning, and took my place per coach for home.
Delays, however, occurred ; and I, determined to carry my
point, as it is my rule, waited at Manton's till near twelve
at night on the Friday ; when the huge furnace that was
required to harden the stupendous breeching, set Joe's chim-
ney on fire, and we had a grand uproar with a row, engines,
&c. : nevertheless, I carried my point ; for we got the fire
out, finished the gun, and I brought it off in triumph, per
Salisbur>^ coach, on Saturday, the iith inst., when I arrived
with it at Longparish House.
Weight of gun since reboring : Barrel and breech, 58 lb. ;
stock, lock &c. 20 lb. ; swivel, 5 lb. Total, d>2, lb.
240 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
CHAPTER XIV
1821
September \st. — The corn being so much in the way this
season, I had made every attempt to postpone the shooting,
but to no effect ; and no sooner was it dayhght than old
Payne and his son, two vagabonds under the toleration of Mr.
Widmore, were popping away before my house. I, therefore,
turned savage and sallied forth to follow the birds, and I did
wonders considering the dreadfully bad behaviour of the young
dogs I had to shoot with. I bagged 38 partridges, and shot
and lost in the barley, while the dogs were running off wild,
8 partridges, and also 2 snipes, which these dogs mauled to
pieces in the reeds, but would not bring to me. Making in
all, knocked down, 23 brace of birds and 2 snipes.
ird. — 30 partridges and I wood pigeon, with only missing
one long shot, as I was, this day, not tormented with wild
young dogs.
ijth. — Had an extraordinary day, under all circumstances.
I went out at ten and was home by two. In consequence of
domestic misfortune I was so unwell as to be forced to take
bitters for the nervous state I was in. I had young dogs that
behaved most infamously, and literally obliged me to race, in
order to save the few shots they would let me get. The day
was windy, and the birds wild ; notwithstanding all, I bagged
20 partridges, besides 3 shot dead and lost, without missing a
single time, with killing 4 double shots, and making good
some very long snap shots. I made one singular shot with the
821 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 241
rapidity of lightning, viz. 5 birds rose at about 40 yards ; I
cut down and bagged 4 (just as they were in Hne together) at
a shot with the first barrel, and knocked down the fifth bird
in most handsome style with the second barrel, making in all
23 birds in 20 shots.
Game killed in September 1821 : 152 partridges, i hare,
5 snipes. Total, 158 head.
October ist. — Lord and Lady Poulett left me, after our
passing together two most agreeable days and musical
evenings. Not a pheasant on my estate, so no more covert
shooting, unless I choose to go for it to the many friends who
have invited me, but whose invitations I am neither in health
nor spirits to accept.
^rd. — Went to Sir Thomas Baring's at Stratton Park.
Killed, in about five hours, 12 partridges, 12 hares, and i
pheasant, the only one I shot at, besides 4 birds winged and
■lost. This was merely my own share of the day's bag, though
it happened to be the best share.
4th. — Returned to Longparish.
6th. — Joined the North Hants Regiment, which this day
assembled at Winchester Barracks for twenty-one days'
training.
The Lieutenant-Colonel having resigned, I was strongly
recommended by Lord Rodney for the command, but the
Duke of Wellington, although he admitted I had the ' best
military claims in the county,' would not allow me the pro-
motion in the event of being able to find a man of higher
rank ; and, therefore, I have been in suspense ever since the
middle of August, for the mere hazard of this eligible step,
which always before was quite certain to be mine as soon as
the Colonel recommended. What with this and family mis-
fortunes, I could only support myself for duty and the mess
by constant stimuli, and the state I have been in would have
even gained me the pity of my greatest enemy.
26th. — The regiment was broken up again, and the flatter-
VOL. I. R
242 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
ing manner in which my brother officers, without one dissenting
voice, expressed a wish (and even wanted to memorial) for
my promotion, was most grateful to my feelings.
2JtJi. — Returned to Longparish, after a farewell dinner the
previous da}-.
November 2nd. — Went to Winchester, to wait in durance
vile while the Duke of Wellington was passing the final sen-
tence about my promotion, which, luckily, his Grace decided
in my favour ; and I then, with my mind greatly relieved on
this subject, proceeded to Lord Rodney's, at Alresford, where
I took my dinner and a bed.
'jtJi. — Went again to Lord Rodney's, for the express pur-
pose of showing his bailiff and keepers the proper plans for
getting the wild fowl on his most admirably fine pond (after
the plan of a decoy hut, as I had seen in France).
Waited at the pond from five this evening till seven the
next morning ; but the bailiff having persisted, contrary to
my advice, in choosing a very ill-judged position for the decoy
hut, we never got a shot all night ; whereas if he had complied
with my suggestions, we should have had most excellent
sport.
8///. — Killed 2 teal and i snipe, and at night waited about
six hours more in a new hut. Owing to the rough weather,
perhaps, the fowl would not leave the water meadows, and
only one duck came to the pond, and this immediately
pitched before the spot I had now chosen, and was killed by
the bailiff, who relieved me in the duty of sentry there, by
which he was convinced of the goodness of my plan, as well
as my choice of the place.
<^tJi. — Walked in the water meadows from half-past nine
till five, till my feet (with the water boots) were literally raw.
I killed 2 mallards, 2 wild ducks, 4 teal, 2 jack snipes, and I
snipe, with coots, moorhens, &c., in short, returned with a bag
ciiinium gatJiennn, besides having lost several excellent chances
hrough downright bad luck. Just before dusk I finished with
1 82 1 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY ?.4S
storming the armies of starlings that roost every night in the
reeds on Alresford Pond. The first shot I fired nearly half a
pound of small shot with a shoulder duck gun into about an
acre square of these birds, and how many I killed I know not ;
but I can swear to having shot 105 at a shot, because we
picked up 96, and counted 9 lying on the pond ; and these,
I expect, were not near the half of what must have fallen
to the gun. We kept up the attack till above a bushel and a
half were bagged, and how many more may be found by
daylight will remain to be proved.
\otJi. — Having put Lord Rodney's people in the proper
method for everything concerning the management of his
pond and decoy hut, I this morning, after having passed my
time most agreeably, returned to Longparish House.
\\tJL — Having previously sent forward all my canoes,
punts, baggage &c. I this day left Longparish for Keyhaven
Cottage, where I was met by my gunner, James Reade, from
the Isle of Purbeck.
15///. — A very good show of wigeon, considering the
mild wet weather. The tremendous hurricane and rain
would only admit of my going afloat for a few hours this
evening.
\gtJi. — 16 wigeon. I got a shot at about 50, but the
night was so dark, and the tide falling so fast, that I got none
but what we killed quite dead. This is the first time I have
fired at birds with the stanchion since it was fresh bored and
breeched by Joe Manton.
2\st. — Went to Poole to superintend the building of my
large boat, and take out the licence for her under the name
of the ' Wellington.'
22nd. — Arrived back again at Keyhaven this evening.
2ird. — I brent goose, and another, that fell on the tide,
lost. The first geese seen off Keyhaven this year. I bore
down on them in a gale of wind, and fired the stanchion at
about 1 50 yards, flying. Owing to the bad weather, this is
244 COLONEL HAWKERS DL\RY Nov.
the first shot I have fired since killing the i6 wigeon on
the 19th.
24/// and 25///. — A constant series of wet, windy days, and
every bird driven away to the leeward part of the coast.
26///. — I this day received from the Duke of Wellington
my Lieutenant-Colonel's commission, which was dated the
1 5th instant.
2'jth to ^otJi. — Incessant hurricanes from the westward,
and not a bird left on this part of the coast, as nothing can
live to windward.
December ^tJi. — Availed myself of the still dreadful weather
to superintend the finishing of my boat, the * Wellington,'
and receive my licence for her from the London custom
house ; and accordingly this day went to Poole.
6tJi. — Had great plague with my gun and boat, in con-
sequence of the workmen having deviated from my plans. I
was obliged to remain all this day, all the 7th, and all the 8th
at the hotel in Poole, to be at the elbows of the boat builders.
I had everything pulled to pieces and changed to my own
plan, and then, as I expected, it answered admirably. The
uproar of about 100 men and boys dragging the boat to the
water, and the christening of her, was a laughable scene. I
returned to Keyhaven (in my punt on wheels) with post
horses, by moonlight, on the night of the 8th.
ZtJi. — On returning from Poole at night I heard of a few
fowl, and, instead of going to bed or sitting down to rest, I
drove my canoe to the shore, took her off the carriage, launched
her in the rain, and got (just before midnight) 3 wigeon.
N.B. — This chance at a few birds is the first that Key-
haven has afforded to anyone since my shot on the 19th
ultimo.
wth. — After a succession of 22 days' terrible weather,
we had this day the pleasure to have one fine morning, and
got 2 brent geese and 4 wigeon.
2\st. — After eight days more of the most dreadful weather
i82i COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 245
that ever wind and torrents of rain could produce, I being
almost sick from confinement to the house, drove, for a
change of air, to pass a couple of days with Mr. Bertie
Mathew at Lyndhurst, and returned on the evening of the
23rd, when the whole county was inundated ; people in
many parts dying like rotten sheep ; doctors flying in all
directions ; and, in short, no enjoyment for any creature but
doctors, undertakers, and other human reptiles that fatten on
the misfortunes of others. Thank God, however, except a
slight sickness through the whole house from which scarcely
anyone has escaped, we have been, on the whole, as yet^
extremely fortunate.
28/// — The weather, which has, day after day and week
after week, been most hideously abominable, this day came
to such a tremendous hurricane that the whole valley could
be compared to nothing but the very rage of battle. Key-
haven is no longer a village, but a sea. The tide is so tre-
mendous that the breakers literally rage and foam against the
houses, while the incessant rain is pouring in torrents, and the
whole population here are driven to their attics ; no communi-
cation from house to house except by boats, which can scarcely
live in the sea that washes our doors ; and the breakers which
are bursting at us, as if threatening to swallow our very
houses, present a scene most awfully grand. But the distress
of the poor people is more calculated to excite our feelings
than the inconvenience to ourselves. Thank God we are
somewhat less inundated than our neighbours, having as yet
saved all our boats and property. We have our punts
floating at our door in the street ready to rescue our family
in case of danger. What a scene ! Shutters, doors, and pails
afloat ; birds killed while diving and washed up by the tide ;
and, in short, the best representation I have yet seen of a
second deluge. My dear children, instead of being alarmed
or ill, were amused with the scramble ; and I by way of aping
Nero (who fiddled while Rome was burning) sat at my old
24G COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec.
humstrum, and boggled through a given number of Bach's
fugues.
2C)th. — Before this evening the waters had entirely abated,
and we found that we had the good fortune not to have
sustained the slightest loss or damage in the deluge, though
some of our neighbours have suffered severely. No prospect
yet of weather in which we can even attempt to shoot.
30/// and 3ii"/. — Most deplorable wind and rain from the
westward. Never, never can we see a prospect of even
tolerable weather. The oldest inhabitants, and the greatest
judges here, consider this everlasting wet wind as a phe-
nomenon that baffles all their judgment. Let us hope, not
only for our sport, but for the farmers and the poor, and
reasons of more consequence, that 1822 will give us a more
cheerful prospect of weather.
1822
January gth. — Having taken calomel, and suffered severely
all yesterday, I was this day considerably better ; and we
have now the pleasure to see fine weather.
loth. — Got pretty well. Fine weather, but more like
May than January. At last had the pleasure of discharging
a gun again, and killed i brent goose.
nth and \2tJ1. — As hot as May-day, and not a bird to be
seen or heard either day or night.
February 8///.— It being now twenty-eight days since I
have heard, seen, or even heard of a wigeon, I this day had
my guns cleaned up, and discharged my account with Reade.
Game &c. killed up to nth of February, 1822: 164
partridges (shot but one day since September), 13 hares,
8 snipes, i pheasant, 4 wild ducks, 6 teal, 44 ^^■igeon, 9 brent
geese. Total, 249 head.
The worst wild-fowl year ever remembered by the oldest
man on our coast. The most unpleasant season I ever shot
i822 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 247
in, and the most unhappy period of my Hfe and affairs in
general that ever I experienced.
March ^tJi. — Returned to Longparish from Keyhaven.
May gth. — Unwell as I was, I mustered resolution to go
to London to attend Cramer's concert, where I heard such
an exquisite duet as may rarely be given during a man's life,
between J. B. Cramer and Moscheles, on two pianofortes,
June 2nd. — Removed to Longparish, of course with con-
siderable pain from my late illness. Met Lord and Lady
Poulett, and their little son, Viscount Hinton, on my arrival. I
was all the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in torture day and night with
the gout, and on the latter day, while I had Colonel Hay and
other friends, besides Lord and Lady Poulett, with me.
August igth. — 2 teal and i wild duck, also another wild
duck that the dog let go from his mouth, that I never re-
covered.
Teal here, in summer, are very rare. I marked them
down while fishing ; there were 3 in number, and I bagged
2 at a shot, flying, although a long way off, and with a very
small gun. The ducks I killed in front of the house. Four
pitched down, and by means of going on my stomach, all the
way to them, I got so near that if they had sat one instant
longer, I must have stopped all four of them, notwithstanding
I had no ambush whatever but the mere ground that I crawled
on.
26th. — Started about five this morning, with my own
horses, and from Andover took four post horses, in order to
have the whole day's inspection of the hitherto inaccessible
mansion of Mr. Beckford at Fonthill, which is now open to
the public by guinea tickets, under the plea of an intended
sale by auction. The uproar which the admission to this
Abbey has made all over the country led me to expect more
than, perhaps, any place in existence could have afforded, and
consequently I was rather disappointed in finding that the
tout ensemble was by no means superior to some other places
248 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Aug..
that I had seen. To enter into particulars would be needless,
when I have Rutter's flowery description, and also a specific
catalogue of every article ; but I shall make a few remarks.
The western entrance to the Abbey, by the Gothic doors,
the baronial hall, and the library, with every costly cabinet
that unlimited expense and incessant research could pro-
duce, surpassed (as a coup d'ceil) for neatness, elegance, and
classical arrangement, all that I had ever seen. Nothing
could be more tastefully displayed than the various cabinets,
of the most ancient china, which were no less in variety than
the costly gems and exquisite workm.anship with which the
other innumerable ornaments were composed.
I found the view from the tower to be one of the finest
and most extensive panoramic views that I could conceive, and
the Gothic architecture of the building is exquisitely magnifi-
cent, but here must end all that need be especially remarked
in approbation of Fonthill, and on the whole I should say that
its chief ornaments were more calculated to adorn the boudoir,
or dressing-room, of a princess than to give imposing grandeur
to the mansion of a wealthy Englishman. The paintings were
very fine, but the collection did not appear to me to be so ' far
beyond comparison ' as was reported by the Gullivers and
Baron Munchausens for which the town of Andover is so cele-
brated. The most striking ones to me were, the ' Entombment
of a Cardinal,' by Van Eyck, and ' Christ in the Garden,' by
A. Mantegna ; the latter, particularly, is very justly styled in
the catalogue ' a very surprising and valuable early specimen.'
The grounds are most extensive, insomuch that the guide
informed me there was one walk of sixteen miles. Rutter, how-
ever, calls it the nine-mile walk, and I should rather trust to
his authority. But nothing can be more monotonous than the
objects which are here in view : one endless tract of neatly
mown grass walks, or rides, all thickly wooded and without
a single cascade, fountain, grotto, figure, or obelisk, and with
no other view of water than a long lake which is almost ob-
i822 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 249
scured, instead of being heightened in beauty, by the seques-
tered valley in which it lies.
The gardens, and, in short, the whole domain, I presume,
remain unfinished, when I see the contrast between them and
the Abbey itself, which was well worth the drive, although the
distance altogether, including about ten miles that we drove
and walked in the grounds, was about ninety miles. I got
home to Longparish House by nine o'clock at night, having
travelled most furiously and made about seven hours' very
diligent inspection of the place.
250 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
CHAPTER XV
1822
September. — Having been for a long time so unwell with a
nervous complaint, that I have had neither strength nor spirits
to enjoy anything, I have made no provision for shooting,
having only two moderate dogs. Never did I look forward to
sport with so much indifference, and were it not for the pleasure
of supplying my friends with a little game, I would gladly
have laid aside my gun.
\st. — This being Sunday, shooting began next day.
2nd. — Never do I remember the first day of shooting so
very unfavourable for filling the bag. No turnips, no good
clover ; the stubbles as much beaten down and as thin as in
November. A strong wind all day with drizzling rain at inter-
vals. The very worst scenting day I ever was out in, and the
birds quite as wild as in December. Annoyed by greedy
shooters in every direction, who made the birds even wilder
than they otherwise would have been, by disturbing every
covey on the feed, blazing after them at random, and scouring
the whole country from daybreak, so that I, weak and unwell
as I was, had enough to do to bag even 24 partridges, which
is far more than were killed by the other parties.
'^rd. — 18 partridges by incessant perseverance, while so
unwell that I could scarcely hold my gun. Had I been
able to shoot as usual, I should have done about as well as
yesterday.
5///. — The country had been so driven by shooters, and the
i822 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 251
wind was so high, that scarcely a bird was to be got at ; after
fagging all day and till I almost dropped down with weakness,
I at last got one shot and killed i partridge, and then being too
unwell to continue shooting I came home.
yth. — Having pretty well cleared the country of unquali-
fied pothunters, I got this day a quiet beat, and bagged i6
partridges and i snipe, without missing a single shot, and
making several very long shots.
wth. — It being folly to attempt shooting in such a time
of hurricanes, and the ground as dry as sand, I this day went
fishing, and had some good sport in a very short time ; my
largest trout was a very little under 2 lb. weight.
ijth. — I, seeing the impossibility of sport, did not go out,
but Captain Capel and Mr. Richards, with good dogs, and
both old sportsmen and steady shots, started, and, after
beating our very best country, never got but one random
shot, and they literally came home with an empty bag on a
fine sunshiny day.
iZtJi. — The difficulty of killing birds put me on my metal,
and my friends, defying me to get even 3 or 4 brace, made
me desperate. I therefore quacked myself up with tincture
of bark, sal volatile, and spirits of lavender, to give me artificial
strength for a grand field day, and, aided by markers of
cavalry and infantry, I attacked the birds in right earnest (and
when I do this I have never yet failed), and in spite of an
execrably bad scent, and a gale of wind from the east, I
bagged 15 partridges (and another shot dead and lost) and
I hare without missing a shot. Though I shook like an old
man of seventy, I never shot more brilliantly. I of course
suffered no other gun to interfere with me, and therefore went
alone, so that I could follow up the game at speed when the
markers gave the signal, and do as I please, whereas if I have
friends, I always lose two-thirds of my shooting by wishing
to accommodate them with the cream of the sport.
2\st. — Being sadly in want of game, and seeing everyone
252 COLONEL HA\VKER\S DL\RY Sept.
beat by the birds, I quacked myself up again with sal volatile,
bark, and lavender, and, aided by the same good markers, I
bagged 12 partridges, 2 snipes, and i jack snipe, without
missing a shot.
In the last two days I shot with my beautiful new deto-
nating gun, and I have killed with it 28 partridges, 3 snipes,
and I hare, without missing a shot.
26///. — Was prevented going out or doing anything till
this day through illness in the house, and being also unwell
myself. I went out merely to try for a brace of birds for the
doctor, who had been a repeated attendant, and in an hour
and three-quarters brought home 6 partridges, 3 snipes, and
2 jack snipes.
Game &c. killed up to the end of September 1822 : 108
partridges, 3 hares, i rabbit, 1 1 snipes, 2 wild ducks, 2 teak
Total, 127 head.
October. — The pheasants here are annihilated ; conse-
quently I made no attempt at October shooting.
2ird. — Having heard that 3 pheasants had by the high
winds been blown on my estate, I assembled a levy en
masse, headed by the ratcatcher and some field-marshal
poachers, as if to attack a tiger, and before night I had all
three in the larder, after their giving me and my banditti a
chase that was far superior to an average fox hunt.
28///. — At night took some decoy birds and waited at the
river for some hours, and though a beautiful moonlight and a
white frost, I never saw or heard but one duck, which the call
birds brought round several times, but too high to shoot at.
Our duck shooting (like our pheasant shooting) is nearly anni-
hilated, owing to the breaking up for water meadows of Lord
Portsmouth's bogs, called the Parkses.
November 15///. — A grand bustle through the house in
consequence of a man having run in with information of a
woodcock. I marched against him, followed by a rabble, and
in a few minutes flushed him and bac^^ed him.
i822 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 253
25///. — Having previously sent on my baggage &c. I this
day left Longparish for Keyhaven, but more with the view of
changing the air for my health than any prospect of sport, as
the westerly winds are, as usual at this season, annihilating
all chance of getting either fishing, fowling, or sailing.
December 2?^^.— After all shooting had been precluded by
several weeks' continual westerly winds and rain, we had this
day the pleasure to see better weather, and took a sail in the
* Wellington' with the stanchion gun and large mould shot,
and got I brent goose, I believe the first killed this season by
anyone in this country. Went afloat at night, and towards
morning bagged 2 v/igeon, 5 being all we saw, and the first
that I had seen or heard of since my arrival ; I killed them
under the moon with the stanchion gun, so we have now made
a little beginning.
3r^. — Out again the whole night and never saw a bird,
and the same complaint all along our coast.
6th. — Every day west winds, and no fowl. I had this day
the mortification to have blown off and then sunk in the creek
the most beautiful detonating lock, that I was so proud of
contriving, and such a long time getting Manton to make. I
used every kind of drag to no purpose, and the last hope will
be the next spring tide.
12th. — Having now an easterly wind, I, with my crew,
sailed In my large boat the ' W^ellington ' at five o'clock
in the morning, and beat all the way up to the mouth
of the Beaulicu river, having twice stood out to the Isle of
Wight in a heavy sea before we could fetch our point ; we
then sailed down, and saw an immense fiock of geese, but no
wigeon.
On our return about three in the afternoon we renewed by
every possible means and invention our search for the gun
lock, accompanied by a man named Thomas Mallard, who
said he dreamt last night that the lock was found about a
yard from the post, and in a line for the ' Duke's Head '
254 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Dec,
public-house, where he cagerl}' kept probing with a long eel
spear, to no purpose for some time ; and, as the tide fell a
little lower, we shovelled under the water as well as we could,
till all hope of finding it was at an end. Mallard then, still
inspired with a kind of presentiment by his dream, went to
his old spot again, although we felt confident the lock was far
above that place, and, most extraordinary, he suddenly struck
something hard ; down he ducked and up he brought the
lock, to my great satisfaction and still greater astonishment.
i^tli. — The weather has been variable till this day, when
it is again north-east but without cold or frost ; w^e have since
the 2nd got 5 wigeon, 5 curlews, 2 teal, and 3 godwits,
which, little as it is for our hard labour, is the best, by far,
that has been done here. In the evening, killed 2 godwits,
and at night tried the new system of shoving the swivel gun
and punt over the mud, and firing by guess. We had but a
poor chance, the birds were so thin and scattered, but we got
I wigeon, and, by the spattering on the mud, suppose I
must have stopped some more.
227zd. — Up to this day we have got but 5 more wigeon.
The weather is now frosty, and plenty of birds are, at last, to
be seen ; but, as we expect, about three gunners for every
flock of birds. The excellent shots that we have had spoiled
by vagabonds, who kill nothing themselves, is really pro-
voking.
28///. — To this day, 3 wigeon, 2 brent geese and i
mallard. A fair show of birds ; but at no one hour of the day
or night can we have time to paddle to a flock before some
infernal Christmas popgun is discharged, and the wigeon are
sprung by the flash on the shore. This night, we were within
half a minute of firing into about 200 wigeon, close to us,
when a rascal discharged some popgun on the shore, and
sprang them.
Up to the 31^-/. — 9 wigeon and i brent goose.
i823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 255
1823
January 1st. — Launched a little punt on my own plan,,
to carry nothing but the swivel gun, in order to shove it along
on the mud, and fire with a string to the trigger. While
chiselling down the bow to fit the gun, a golden plover
pitched on the mud, and, after shoving a little towards him, I
fired the gun, and killed him at exactly lOO yards ; got, with
my hand gun, also a mallard, after a race, as usual, against a
gang of shore shooters.
2nd. — 5 brent geese at one shot ; at night fired with my
little canoe by guess on the mud, heard several birds flutter,
but it being quite dark, and I having no dog, got none of
them at the time.
3r</. — Killed, at about 200 yards, 4 brent geese and 2
wigeon, besides a towered bird that fell at sea.
N.B. — The scoundrels, on the shore, make a practice of
discharging some powder and then claiming the dead birds
that float in to them from my shots, while I am getting the
outside ones.
6th. — 4 brent geese.
yth. — I brent goose.
2>th. — 4 brent geese.
N.B. — Was coming home from Lymington, in almost
a calm, with my children, on board the large yawl the
'Wellington,' saw 16 geese, and, to my astonishment, they
let us get within about 1 80 yards of them, while shoving with
the oars, and a boatful of people. As soon as I saw them
stretch their necks to fly, I drew the trigger of the swivel
gun, and, to my no less astonishment, down came 4 of them,
although they were so thin that I had scarcely the breadth of
more than 4 to shoot at.
gth. — 6 geese ^ and 3 wigeon, after, as usual, a proper
1 As brent geese are almost the only ones here, I shall, in future, put down
merely the word 'geese.'
256 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
scramble against other boats, which we outmanoeuvred most
gloriously.
\otJi. — Killed, at a shot, with the stanchion gun, at
about 1 50 yards, 2 pintails and 3 wigeon, all dead ; also a
mallard of a singular plumage, which I believe to be a Dutch
fowl.
wtJi. — Had 3 beautiful shots spoiled by the other gun-
ners, and got only i wigeon.
13///. — II geese, killed 6 at the first shot, and 3 ducks,
and lost, of course, several more that were picked up by
the shore sharks, who lounge about with guns for that
purpose.
14///. — 7 geese and i wigeon.
15///. — 7 wigeon, 2 mallards and i duck. Killed one of
the mallards and the duck at the same shot with the wigeon,
and while paddling up to the fowl, two small birds pitched
on the barrel of my swivel gun. So severe was the frost and
snow that they were, I suppose, benumbed in crossing the
Channel.
\6th. — 14 wigeon and 18 geese, the latter in 3 shots, 8
the best shot. Gunners out of number afloat and ashore, and
only one bird killed among them except mine.
17///.— My sport yesterday made the people so shooting
mad that a flock of birds had hardly time to pitch before they
were popped at by some boat or other, and among them all
but one goose was killed. I therefore let them have their
frolic out, till the afternoon ; and when the water no longer
served, I made Reade shove the canoe over the mud, and by
our being dressed in white nightcaps and shirts, we suited the
snow so well that we, in a short time, came in with 10 more
geese.'
i8//^. — II geese, which, in proportion to the very few I saw,
' N.B. —Killed this week : 57 geese, 25 wigeon, 4 ducks and mallards, and 2
curre ducks, making about 88 head, about ten times as much as has been killed
by all the Keyhaven harbour shooters put together.
i823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 257
was the best day's work I have made. Out all night again,
and my clothes stiff with frost, and when just going to bang
into a flock of wigeon, a jealous villain on shore fired in the
air purposely to spoil my shot.
20tJi. — We had only time to get i duck and 2 geese, as I
was all day in Lymington, getting my lock mended, the cock
of it being broken.
2\st. — 4 wigeon and 5 geese.
22nd. — 5 wigeon and 5 geese at the same shot.
2'^rd. — 8 geese, i wigeon, 2 mallards, 2 ducks, and i pin-
tail. (The latter I killed at the same shot with the ducks.)
2\tJi. — It blew such a tremendous hurricane all day that
no boat could have lived, and froze so hard that in one night
the whole harbour was like Greenland, and several wild swans
passed by. I found a duck frozen to death, and they could
not exist anywhere but in little ditches and other well-sheltered
places. Reade scrambled over the ice in my little gunning
punt, and had the great luck to succeed in shooting a wild
swan that flew over him, and we got also / geese, 3 mallards,
I duck, and 2 wigeon.
2'^tJi. — Everything frozen up, and I could not get out for
the snow. Reade contrived to scramble across the ice in my
little punt, and, by getting himself in a most miserable con-
dition, brought in 2 geese, 3 wigeon, and i duck.
2jtJi. — A sudden and general thaw, with a strong wind and
an incessant pour of heavy rain. Nothing could be more novel
or beautiful than the appearance of the harbour, which was one
solid region of ice, with pyramids formed by the drifted snow,
and frozen like glass ; and on the thaw setting in the whole
harbour appeared like a huge floating island as it was carried
off by the fall of a high spring tide ; and to see this huge
movable body in motion with 14 wild swans sitting upon it,
as it receded, and looking as if formed by nature for the only
inhabitants of such a wild region, gave one more the idea of a
voyage in the arctic circle than anything belonging to the shore
VOL. L S
258 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
of a habitable country. Under an idea that every vagabond .
would eagerly seize the first day's shooting after the thaw, I,
to be well to windward of the butterfly shooters, weathered
the torrent of rain all day, and, by capital locks and good
management, contrived to keep my gun dry for the five shots
which I got. The geese were scattered in every direction, so
that I could not bag more than 5 at a shot, and so drenching
wet was the day that after the first half-hour not a dry stitch
could be found to wipe out the pan of my gun, except the
tail of my shirt, and while paddling to birds I had three
inches of water under my stomach. I fairly brought home
17 geese. I took one very long shot at 8 swans, heard the
shot strike them, and afterwards saw one leave the company
and drop on the sea, where I dare not venture (about two
miles to leeward), consequently had not the good fortune to
bring one home. Wet all the evening, a west wind, and as
mild as May.
28//J. — My swan that I shot yesterday having died and
been picked up, there remained 7 of these magnificent birds,
and they were seen off Keyhaven sitting among what little
ice was left, about nine o'clock in the morning, and every
corner of the creeks or on shore contained a gunner anxiously
hoping that they might possibly swim or fly near enough for
a random shot. Having to contend with all this impediment,
and the wildest birds in existence to cope with, I had recourse
to a manoeuvre which struck me as the only chance. I
dressed myself and Reade in a clean white shirt, white neck-
cloth, and clean white nightcap, and in my white punt went
all the way round to windward through a pretty heavy sea ;
and after getting to where the hill called ' Mount ' became a
background to the view, in which we appeared, we, dressed
thus in milk white with a very white punt, drifted among
the floating pieces of white ice till we got within about 180
yards of these monstrous fowls, when I let drive at their
necks and knocked down and brought home 2 wild swans or
f2^-^Mlllllf
ill
i823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 259
hoopers. I had to finish one of them with an old musket, or
he might probably have escaped ; and I wounded a third
severely/ as three were fairly laid in the water, to the dis-
charge of my swivel gun. As this attack was in full view of
the village, I had several people anxiously looking on, and
among them my children and all the house with their hearts
in their mouths, and in a gale of wind and rain, eagerly
watching our proceedings.
Towards the afternoon I was not a little surprised to see
1 6 more swans. They were, however, very far off, and near
to a dangerous sea, and therefore, determined of course to run
no risk, I dare only venture to within 220 yards of them ; I
consequently fired at this distance, and fairly laid 5 of them
down on the water, till the others had flown above a gunshot ;
and notwithstanding this they all recovered, and, I suppose,
joined the company.
The 2 that I killed were of equal weight (18 lb. each), one
milk-white, the other of a dusky colour ; the latter the largest ;
got also this day 10 geese and 5 wigeon.
The birds here being so incessantly popped at, I am
always obliged to use large mould shot (called ' SSG ') by
day. Of this m}- gun carries i lb. with an equal measure of
treble strong, coarse-grained powder, made on purpose, as a
common gun or common shot afloat here would rarely if ever
hit a bird so as to kill him.
As usual, gunners afloat all day out of number, and nothing
done ; and, I dare to say, not a little jealous of our invariable
success.
29///. — A tremendous gale of wind all the morning, and
the whole country armed with popping vagrants, who kept
every flock of birds in constant jeopardy with their con-
temptible noise, and the whistling of slugs, which they kept
discharging at everything they saw. The reptiles spoiled me
^ One was afterwards picked up in the direction he went, so I may safely say
I killed three swans at a shot.
s 2
260 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Jan.
another magnificent shot at the remaining swans, one of
which, in spite of all, came over my head, and my hand gun,
that I was then obliged to use, missed fire. I got but one
poor shot, and killed 2 geese, and afterwards a dun-curre duck
from a flock of these birds, at which I before refused an
excellent shot, supposing from their white noses that they
were coots, and, having the sun on them, I could not see
clearly till too late ; at night 4 wigeon.
30///. — In Lymington about m}^ new punt ; out in the
evening ; got 3 geese, the finest I ever saw, and almost white
in the breast, the only shot I got, and that a random one
flying instead of a magnificent one sitting, owing to a stupid
ass trying to out-row me with a huge black boat. About
twelve at night got a beautiful shot at about 100 wigeon on
the water, but, owing to the experiment of a night sight
that was rather too thick, I shot infamously bad, and my
whole charge went among the first of the birds, and in
the water below them ; so that, instead of 20 or 30, I only
stopped 8.
^ist. — A wet da}-, and as no jackanapes could get his gun
off in the rain it was my only chance ; I therefore sallied out for
one huge swan that had been the target of the coast, and had
become so wild that he could scarcely be looked at : on my
way out I fired a long shot and got 4 geese ; soon after, as
I expected, we saw this huge bird, floating about in a rough
sea, and in a pour of rain ; I had two punts to manoeuvre on one
side of him, while Reade and I drifted down on the other ; he
sprung at about four hundred \-ards, came luckily across my
punt at about 75 }'ards, and down I fetched him, like a cock
pheasant, with the swivel gun. His fall was more like the
parachute of an air balloon than a bird ; he was shot quite
dead ; he weighed 21 lb., and measured 7 feet 8 inches from
wing to wing, being the largest, by far, of any I had killed ;
therefore my misfortune of last night was balanced by getting
another wild swan.
1 823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 261
February \st. — An incessant pour of rain from morning
till night ; and I therefore was at Lymington nearly all
day, superintending m)^ new punt. A few geese pitched off
near the quay in the evening, but rose an immense long shot.
I fired at random, killed i goose, and came in again, or I
should have been drenched to the skin.
yd. — It scarcely ceased raining for one half-hour ever
since the morning of the 31st ultimo. I went out in a pour
of rain, fired one long shot, got 3 geese, and then went, for
the day, to Lymington about my punt, and to get some little
repairs to m}- gun.
5///. — Took a sail, but there were no geese near the Chan-
nel's edge. Was out at night, but it was so dark that I could
not see my gun or the birds ; I fired to the sound of some
wigeon feeding, but made a wrong guess and missed.
GtJi. — A tremendous gale of wind, with snow, sleet, and
rain ; and not being able to exist afloat, I chose this as a
favourable opportunity to be again in Lymington, and direct
the workmen as to the completing of my new punt.
'jtJi. — Wind and rain nearly all day. Killed 2 geese.
Owing to the wet, mild weather, the geese were nearly as
wild as hoopers.
\otJi. — Incessant gales of wind and rain. Though I
weathered it all, I got but one shot and bagged 4 geese.
wth. — After having been out all night, and done nothing
with the wigeon, owing to the wet, dark weather, I was out
again all to-day, but never could get a chance to fire a gun.
Except the tremendous flood last year I never saw more sea
in the harbour, insomuch that we were occasionally obliged
to go ashore and empty out our punt, which was repeatedly
half filled ; it never ceased raining the whole day. \\'e should
have had a few tolerable shots at geese had they not been
spoiled by the detestable shore lubbers, who were, as usual,
in armies, and who, of course, never killed, or even wounded,
one bird among them all.
2G2 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Feb.
12///. — 4 geese, by means of sailing in the 'Wellington,'
and firing a pound of balls as they crossed.
I had this day a providential escape from being shot by
Joe Wearns, the sailor. He had his gun on board, not having
time to take it home, before he came to help ' man ' my boat,
and in putting on an old stocking that he had for a lock cover,
he let the gun go off. The whole contents went within a few
inches of my right side, and, as God's mercy further prevailed,
instead of blowing a hole through the boat and sending us all
to the bottom, the charge was half lodged in the stem post,
and the other half stopped by the anchor, which happened to
be down in the bottom of the boat. No one has ever been
more careful of what persons and what guns they suffer to
come on board than myself ; and this shows what may happen
from the slightest neglect of such a necessary caution,
though, as it most mercifully happened, not one farthing's
worth of mischief was done to either ourselves or the boat.
13///. — Sailed to Lymington to bring home my new punt,
called the ' Fox,' and, on my way, fired off the swivel gun at
9 birds rapidly crossing, at about 120 yards, and knocked
down I.
The punt, built by a man of great celebrity, Mr. Thomas
Inman, appears to be the neatest and best I ever had.
It is somewhat singular that I was yesterday within two
inches of being shot by Wearns, and this day within half an
inch of having my right eye knocked out by Reade, with an
oar; but most fortunately the blow just passed the ball of
my eye, and took the upper lid, which, of course, is as black
as if I had been fighting. It was a miracle for Reade, as he is
the most active, the most careful, and the handiest man I
ever saw in a boat, without any single exception.
15///. — Went out for the first time in my new-planned
punt, the ' Fox,' and nothing could answer better than she,
as yet, proves to do in every respect. I may say she is the
first punt I e\'er yet saw that was really free from defect. I
3 823 COLOXEL HAWKER'S DIARY 263
contrived to get 2 geese, which, with any boat that I before
had, would, to-day, have been impossible.
K^tJi. — Detained from going afloat all the morning by
having to stand over the blacksmith while I showed him how
to alter the swivel, which he had made wrong, though with a
pattern before his eyes. In the evening I got a goose, and
the musket missed fire at another that I had wounded so as
to get close to. This gun, with a detonating apparatus by
old Egg, served me this so many times, that I took off the
apparatus and threw it into the sea, in order never to be made
to swear any more. Out (as I almost always am) at night for
several hours, and though I crawled in my mud punt for
more than a mile, I could find but a few straggling wigeon,
not worth notice.
20tJi. — Fine weather, like spring ; but the late westerly
hurricanes have nearly finished the prospect of sport. Out
all day and saw but a few geese, flying in the air, at a dis-
tance. Out all night and never found a wigeon.
2ist. — A westerly hurricane with a pour of rain all day.
A few geese were off in the harbour ; weathered it to them,
and then dropped down towards them ; but, though almost
out of sight, could not get within 300 yards. Killed nothing.
At night the weather was beautiful. Out, of course, as usual ;
but not a living bird was to be heard, even in, or out of, the
harbour.
22nd. — Wet by day and fine by night. Out both ; not a
goose to be approached within bullet shot, nor a wigeon to
be seen or heard. All the sport here appears to be completely
over for this season.
Reade went, this day, to Poole, to see if there were any
birds there worth my going for.
2A,tJL — Reade having returned with a fair account of the
birds at Poole, I this evening sent on my punt for a few
finishing days at my old quarters at Southhavcn, as all sport
at Keyhaven is now decidedly at an end.
2G4 COLONEL HAWKER^S DLARY Feb.
25///. — Got to Poole and then over to Southhaven, after a
most abominable journey both by sea and land, the rain
falling in torrents, and the wind blowing a perfect hurricane.
On arrival at the little hovel called Southhaven Inn, the place
was destitute of everything, owing to a dispute with the former
landlord, who would not give up the licence to the new one,
who had just arrived, but consequently would not unpack
his things. There were two rooms, the one solid blue with
smoke, and the other with the masons putting up a chimney.
This might have done quite well enough, as we meant
to be twenty hours out of the twenty-four afloat ; but as
luck would have it, the wind and rain made us prisoners
all the afternoon, all night, and part of the next day. At last
matters were settled, and the old landlord walked off, and the
other, with his family, began to make things look less miserable,
and no people could be more civil, more reasonable, or more
anxious to oblige. An immense number of geese in Poole
harbour, as well as burrough ducks, curre, &c. ; but the very
wind which we had to weather had fairly cleared the harbour
of v/igeon, so that we were out all three nights without hearing
a bird. Could get nothing but a few day shots, and conse-
quently killed but 7 geese and i curre duck, added to some
coots &c. that I shot, for mere pastime, with my shoulder gun.
MarcJi 1st. — Having done some business which I had at
Poole, I then drove back again to Keyhaven.
The enormous mob of gunners that crowded round to ex-
claim at my shooting apparatus on the quay at Poole, I could
compare to nothing but a Westminster election ; and, pre-
viously to leaving the town, I rowed over to Ham to see the
field marshal of the eastern gunners, \\ho had come there, to
the terror of all the Poole men. His name is Sam Singer ; I
was delighted with him, and we were two hours eagerly con-
versing with each other ; the pleasure of this interview well
repaid me for going to Poole, and reminded me of Wellington
and Blucher meeting after the battle of Waterloo ; and what
1 823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 265
made the matter pleasanter still, I have killed more geese
than he has.
Afth. — Quitted the coast for the season, and returned with
my family to Longparish House.
Game and wild fowl up to March 1823 :
Popgun work inland — 132 partridges, i quail, 6 hares, 3
rabbits, 4 pheasants, 43 snipes. Total, 189.
Grand gunning work — 18 ducks and mallards, 5 curre
ducks, 5 teal, 3 pintails, 97 wigeon, 180 brent geese, 4 wild
swans or hoopers. Total, 312. Land sport, bagged, 189;
sea sport, 312. Grand total, 501 ; regular wild fowl, ex-
clusive of coots, curlews, godwits, plover, ox-birds, and
various other shore birds.
N.B. — The winter was most beautifully severe, but the
wind, tides, and moon, particularly unfavourable in their times
for serving us. The magnificent shots that I had spoiled by the
shore-popping rabble, I can scarcely reflect on with common
patience, and the wigeon shooting at Keyhaven was more dis-
turbed and injured by the beggarly army of flight poppers than
on any other part of our, or, I may safely say, any other, coast.
6th. — Longparish. Walked quietly out for the chance of
a few snipes, and killed 8 snipes, 10 jack snipes, and i teal,
without missing a single shot. Killed 2 jacks, a double shot ;
and at another time put up 3 snipes together ; bagged two
from the first barrel, and the third from the second ; had I
been prepared with two guns, and gone out in earnest, I
should, perhaps, have rivalled all my other days' sniping at
Longparish. I shot like a fiend, but the dogs behaved cruelly
bad, or I should have made up a dozen couple.
ZtJi. — Some snow and a little frost, consequently no snipe
shooting. I got, however, 2 snipes, 2 jack snipes, and i
woodcock (that had defied everyone here), after a hard chase
of nearly two hours, and I finished by making a double shot,
off my horse, with snipe shot, at 2 magpies.
wth. — Went to spend a few days with Lord Rodney at
266 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY March
his delightful place near Alresford, and took over my punt
and swivel gun and other apparatus for shooting.
12///. — Up several hours before daylight, with the hope
that some few birds might yet be left on his famous pond ;
got a shot at a small flock, and picked up 3 tufted ducks, 2
golden-eyes, and 2 dunbirds, at a shot. Then walked in the
meadows after breakfast, and killed 10 snipes, i duck, i mal-
lard, and I teal, besides several coots.
13///. — A grand battue at the coots, with about twenty
guns ; 125 were bagged, my share of which was 43 ; by
means of having my punt I killed also 2 wild ducks and I
mallard at daylight. Had also some fishing with a casting
net and trimmers.
15///. — Returned home to Longparish.
N.B. — The sensation which my shooting punts and guns
made in the town of Alresford was not a little diverting ; and
the publican, at whose house it stood, never sold more beer
than on this occasion ; and my man, who acted as the show-
man, got more pots than his head could well stand, for the
trouble of explaining to the multitude the manner of using
my large gun and other apparatus.
29///. — 2 hares, and i woodcock (that weighed i lb.). I
had given up shooting for the season, but was told of this
cock, and after a grande cJiasse, with all the rabble I could
collect, I found and bagged him, a very long shot.
Appendix since March 6th : 2 hares, 2 woodcocks, 47
snipes, 8 ducks and mallards, 5 tufted ducks, 2 golden-eyes,
2 dunbirds, 2 teal, making 70 head, besides a quantity of
coots, 43 of which I killed one morning to my own share at
Lord Rodney's, where 125 were killed, making in all 571
head this season, or, including coots &c., about 700 head.
April igth. — Went to London for the Levee, and a
multiplicity of other business.
2\sf. — Was presented by my Colonel and Lord Rodney
i823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 267
on my promotion as Lieutenant-Colonel of the North Hants
Regiment.
May yth. — Went to Hamble from Southampton, sailed to
inspect Mr. Delme's duck marsh at Tichfield haven (Hill
Head), and returned.
28///. — Went to Cowes from Southampton and back in the
* Medina' steam packet, and nothing could be more delightful.
We went full ten miles an hour, and so free from any kind of
motion that, being on board, with the noise of the engine,
was precisely like being in a mill.
Jime 2%th. — Longparish. For these several years past I
have never cared about fishing further than to supply my
friends, and then lay aside my rod whenever I made up my
basket ; but finding that it now becomes a kind of trumpery
theme for reputation to kill so many fish, in order to chatter
about the performance, I availed myself of about five hours'
fine weather this day and honestly bagged 46 killable trout,
besides a great many thrown in; my first 35 were all par-
ticularly fine fish, the largest ij lb., which is the very best size
our river is now likely to produce. I suppose some of the
cockneys would have posted to York for such a day.
July 2nd. — Mr. and Mrs. Griesbach came to us, and left
on the 2 1 St. During the stay, I had some good sport trolling,
particularly one day when I caught 5 fish, about i lb.
each, in six throws, the largest about 2\ lb. Mr. Griesbach,
as a maiden trout fisher, killed 4 brace one day, and my
little son Peter, without anyone to attend or show him
the way, killed his 12 good trout, with a worm, in a few hours.
I made a ridiculously good double shot this evening at a
bat and a stag beetle.
208 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
CHAPTER XVI
1823
September ist. — 41 partridges and i quail, which, consider-
ing the nervous state of myself from recent illness, the want
of good dogs and the annoyance of standing corn, is one of
the best days I ever made. I made 8 double shots and
missed nothing.
yd. — 30 partridges, and 6 more shot and lost. The only
beat I had \\'as where there were four other parties, and
although so weak I could hardly walk, I am quite sure that
I bagged twice as much as all of them put together.
6th. — 20 partridges and I hare, having made 8 double
shots ; 4 brace out of which were at pairs of old birds, such
has, this year, been the havoc among the nests, on our best
side of the country, owing to the earl\- mowing of the
clover.
20t/i. — 14 partridges and i snipe. Scent bad and birds
extremely wild, everyone complaining that not even a
brace could be got. I killed all my birds by means of
walking the ground with both barrels cocked, and blazing,
as quick as lightning, just as the birds topped the
stubble.
2yd. — While everyone was complaining that not a
bird could be got, I went out for scarcely more than two
hours previously to going to Andover, and brought home
10 partridges, with missing only one long second-barrel
shot. This shows what mana_^uvrin<^ will do.
./
i823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY 269
29///. — A beautiful day, and the birds lay very fairly for
the time of year and for our light country. I bagged 16
partridges and i jack snipe, and missed nothing.
Game &c. killed up to September 30th, 1823: 206 par-
tridges, 2 hares, i quail, 2 snipes, 4 wild ducks. Except
killing 4 brace to try a duck gun, I took but twelve days'
shooting ; which, as I was in indifferent health, badly off for
dogs, and had such a multiplicity of business that interfered
with my shooting, I consider most admirable sport ; and I
have no doubt more than was killed b}^ all those put together
who were here at it every day. I shot with a detonating
gun which never missed fire but once, and made a great
many double shots almost every day I went out ; the most
in one day was eight.
October \st. — Out the whole morning in one incessant
pour of heavy rain with a continual hurricane, and only
discharged my gun three times, and all very long shots. I
bagged 2 hares, and shot and lost the only pheasant I sprung ;
he was a fine old cock, and fell in the most handsome manner.
A pheasant in my beat is a very rare bird to meet with, we
having had none for years. My detonator went as well, in
spite of all the rain, as if it had been used on a sunshiny day.
4///. — Slaved all day to no purpose trying to find a
pheasant, and came home with nothing but i partridge and
I jack snipe, all I shot at.
15///. — Got one long shot and at last bagged an old cock
pheasant, which is now become quite a ram avis in this
place.
2ird. — Left Longparish at two this morning; got into the
Isle of Purbeck about two in the afternoon. Brought Reade
over to Poole to have the bone of his bad finger (poisoned by
a fish) cut off by the surgeon, and took away my new bitch,
brought from Newfoundland. Slept at Poole.
24///. — Got to Keyhaven, and proceeded to Lymington to
inspect two new punts building for mc by Inman.
270 COLONEL HAWKERS IMARV Oct.
2////. — Sent my boat cart to Southampton, and had over
the famous east countr\-man Elijah Buckle, with his celebrated
gun and punt, to try experiments, &c.
28///. — Had a grand trial of stanchion guns before a mob
of spectators, and found m}' gun as good as (if not superior
to) Buckle's.
November ;^n/. — Returned to Kc\-havcn to renew m}*
experiments and preparations.
X.B. — Scarcely an}- birds on the coast. I killed onh'
a wigeon. Among the few birds that I shot to tr\- m\-
gun, I got 2 knots and i turnstone. Buckle got a little
shot one wet day and picked up 4 wigeon, which with
mine were tlie only fowl killed on our coast while we were
there.
i5///.^Longparish. Had a grafide chasse, to scour the
whole countr}', wood, fields, and river ; and so destitute of sport
did we find all our beat, that I bagged only 3 rabbits, 2 snipes,
and I jack snipe, which were all I tired at.
\6tJi. — Received from France 15 decoy ducks of a wild
species trained for la chasse a la iiuttc.
\Zth. — Having this day completed the hut &c. after the
style I learnt in France, we tried our birds ; the\- behaved
magnificenth- and brought down the only two ducks that flew
close to me ; but my young dog spoiled the shot before I could
catch the wild birds clear of the others.
20th. — 2 jack snipes and i partridge, all I shot at.
First tried all my beat for snipes, then the uplands for
game ; and passed the night in my new hut for ducks ; but
no sport whatever to be got. This place seems at present to
be completely barren of all game whatever.
December \th. — I launched the new punt which I ordered
to be painted and * got ready ' for sea, and named her the
' Owl,' being a white night bird and the emblem of sagacity
or wisdom, on the helmet of Minerva.
15///. — Having sent on my new punt, the 'Owl,' to be
i823 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY 271
kept on the coast, I this day drove down to Keyhaven, to
see if there were any birds.
1 6///. — Scarcely anything to be seen this morning. I got
I brent goose and 2 grey plover, and was much pleased
in everj^ respect with the new punt.
\'jth. — Reade got 3 wigeon a little before daybreak, when
it came on an incessant pour of rain, and a tremendous gale
of wind, which lasted all day and all night.
\ZtJi. — Got I brent goose; and afterwards (owing to the
impossibility of managing my gun in so short and so rough a
sea) I overshot a trip of geese, that, had not the lop of the
sea canted my gun, I have no doubt I should have stopped
half a score of.
\gth. — Out all day and never saw but 5 geese; got
nothing but 2 coots, a long random shot ; out all night and
never heard nor saw a single wigeon.
2QtJi. — A most tremendous day again. Weathered, for a
few hours, expressly to try the new punt in a sea. She
answered beautifully ; but as for a shot, we did not get a
chance.
23;'^. — Having nothing but incessant wind and rain, I
this day drove over to Longparish, with a view of passing
Christmas, and with the hope that the weather might change
in the meantime.
30///. — I partridge, which I wanted and had some diffi-
culty to get.
1824
January 6th. — Returned to Ke}-haven for the pleasure of
a little seaside recreation, but, for want of hard weather, with
no prospect of good shooting.
yth. — Up by daylight ; out sailing and exploring till five
in the afternoon, having been nearly to Cowes, saw nothing
but a few \cry wild geese, and getting a shot was to-day out
of the question. Out for the night directly I had refreshed
272 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
myself, and never heard but i wigeon, notwithstanding- the
wind had changed to the cast. I impute the destruction of
Keyhaven to those rascally launchers shoving their punts
over the mud every night before the birds have had any
feeding.
8//'. — At it all day and night : not a bird to be seen.
Wind in its old filthy quarter again, south-west.
11///. — As there is no shooting whatever here, I took a
drive to Poole in order to see Sam Singer's new 141 -lb. gun
and punt ; and in the afternoon drove to Uddens House, to
see my old friend Jack Ponton, but he was in town, so I drove
back and supped at Poole.
\2tJ1. — Drove back to Keyhaven. A little frost, but as
yet white and therefore uncertain.
\ltJi to i6th. — Not a wigeon to be seen in harbour,
either by day or night, though both Reade and I never
ceased to persevere. In spite of fair frosty weather and a full
moon, not one gunner have we even heard fire a shot, so
completely is this place clear of birds ; my whole week's
sport, and at it every day and all the nights, was 2 grey
plover.
lyth. — Reade went home, and on the i8th returned bring-
ing me word that the unprecedented bad sport with wild fowl
was, if possible, worse at Poole than at this place.
i^th to 2ird. — Not a w^igeon to be seen or heard.
2\t}i. — Gave up, and left Keyhaven.
N.B. — All the gunners are reduced to beggary by this
phenomenon of a scarcity.
26///. — Longparish. The whole country here I find has
been in arms after three Egyptian geese, w^hich I suppose must
have deserted from some gentleman's pond, or they never would
have stood the immense number of shots that a rabble of
bunglers have been popping at them ; one, by better luck than
skill, was stopped by the sixth round of Will Blake, my man,
and I have sent it to be stuffed. I rode out all the morninir ;
i824 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 273
but the other two geese, no wonder, have not been seen since.
This evening my man Charles arrived with the two grand
potentates of all the gunners, Reade and Elijah Buckle, with
whom I am trying various experiments and still further im-
provements in my punts.
2'jtJi. — Was instructed by Buckle in the knack of firing
the large gun from the shoulder, instead of from a swivel, by
which a punt of one-third the usual weight is equally safe. I
had, of course, but a small charge, though I was astonished to
find how much less was the recoil than I expected. Powder is
tremendous for the first inch or two of recoil ; but afterwards
it is much less powerful than I could have supposed, if
received by anything the least elastic.
30///. — Reade and Buckle left me, after we had worked
hard every day at the punts and learned Buckle's system.
February gth. — Having received 10 more decoy ducks
and mallards from France, I tried them this evening, and the
only 2 birds that came near my hut they brought well in shot.
iit/i. — Went to Lord Rodney's to instruct his man in the
use of some French ducks, that I took him, &c. Even here
the scarcity of wild fowl has been such that not a bird had
been brought to table. I continued, however, to get a few
by means of getting up some hours before daylight, letting
myself out of the house and getting over the park pales to the
pond, where I had the luck to kill all I shot at.
March ist. — Left Longparish to look at a manor in
Norfolk and inspect the lakes and coast.
3r^. — Arrived at Yarmouth and received the greatest
civility and hospitality from C. Girdlestone, Esq., who, being
an excellent sportsman, proved to be a capital pilot and guide
for every information.
5//^.— Went to Horsey to stay a few days at my old
quarters with Mr. Rising, where I had a good day's fishing,
and in the course of one of my walks killed 2 teal and I snipe.
gt/i. — Left Horsey for Yarmouth early in the morning,
VOL. L T
274 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY March
and made a thorough inspection of the Breyden flats,
which appeared in every respect to be the finest gunning
ground I ever saw. Having taken Buckle, the admiral of the
swivel gunners, by way of a servant, I had also an able
engineer to judge of the place. In short I found the impedi-
ment to shooting on the waters so little, and all the gunning
ground so good, that I proved it quite unnecessary to be
troubled with the care and expense of a manor, and left Yar-
mouth fully satisfied with my pleasant excursion and the
many little things I had seen and discovered.
N.B. — The gunners on this coast, although equipped with
huge guns, were about thirty years behindhand in their art ;
but so near is Yarmouth to Holland, that the people here have
the maiden shots at the fowl before they become wild, as
the}^ al\va}^s are before they reach our coast. Left by the
' Dart ' coach at five in the evening, and slept at Norwich.
\otJi. — Left Norwich at a quarter past six, and at a quarter
past seven reached London by the ' Times ' coach. Had
a capital dejeuner a la fourcJiette at Bury St. Edmunds for two
shillings each passenger. And the same coachman drives
the whole 1 14 miles every day in the week, not even Sunday
does he rest ; and one of the coachmen, the famous Mr.
Thoroughgood, has in addition to this to walk about thirty
miles a week.
wtJi. — From morning till night with gunmakers, book
publishers and other people on various business, and got
through about thirty long commissions and a few calls.
\2tJL — Returned to Longparish, and found all well
Game &c. killed in the season :
Popgun work — 216 partridges, 7 hares, i quail, 3 rabbits,
2 pheasants, 46 snipes.
Duck gun work — 2 geese, 8 ducks and mallards, i wigeon
3 curres, 4 teal. In all but 293 head.
N.B. — The vilest wild-fowl season in the annals of history,
a summer instead of a winter, and half the gunners starving.
i824 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 275
and on the parish books for relief. Universally bad all over
England, and even the decoy men in distress for subsistence.
April 1st. — Got up early, did business at — below Kensing-
ton, Hanover Square, Pall Mall, Thames Street, Ely Place,
Clerkenwell, Soho Square, Long Acre, Marlborough and Po-
land Streets, Princes Street, Dover Street, St James's Street,
Fleet Street, Regent Street, called on three friends, found
everybody at home, did several commissions to boot, and at
six o'clock on the morning of the 2nd left town, and got home
to Longparish about half-past twelve o'clock.
28///. — Killed 20 brace of trout, besides small ones thrown
in, in three hours and three-quarters.
N.B. — I name this merely as good sport ; though I have
long left off keeping accounts, because I have killed so much
in my life, that I now only take fish when wanted, and not for
amusement.
May 12th. — Went to town about my works, my large
double gun, and various other matters of business. Had, one
evening, an interview with Rossini, the god of Italian music ;
found him a very pleasant man, and was afterwards much
gratified by going to his concert, to which nothing but knowing
him could have got me admittance at so short a notice, not being
a subscriber. Saw the boat that performed 118 miles in fifteen
hours and three-quarters. She is of one-quarter inch oak
plank, forty feet long, very sharp forward, tolerable bearings,
and apparently crank.
28//^. — Went to town in order to bring out the third edition
of ' Instructions to Young Sportsmen.' In a few days after,
lodged at Mr. Currie's, 20 Regent Street, the best billet I ever
had in my life.
June 20th. — Superintended the rebuilding of the middle
part of Longparish House.
July I2th. — London. Saw the remains of our unrivalled
and immortal bard, Lord Byron, removed into the hearse, and
moved off in procession for interment.
T 2
276 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY AuG.
August 'i^rd. — Brought out the third edition of my 'In-
structions to Young Sportsmen,' after two months' incessant
labour and anxiety with artists, printers, &c. I, of course, sent
copies to his Majesty, and other great persons, as well as to
some particular friends, and the artists who were engaged for
the work.
31^/. — After quite as much trouble with getting forward
my large double gun as I had in bringing out my book, I left
town this day, and arrived at Longparish House, which I found
still in such a miserable mess, with brick and mortar, that I
directly wished myself awa}' again.
i824 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 277
CHAPTER XVII
1824
September \st. — Partridges all in the high standing corn
Weather so intensely hot and dry that scarcely a dog would
hunt, not a breath of scent, and the birds wild and running all
day, and, as far as I could judge, a bad breed of birds. In short,
the worst ist of September I ever was out in at Longparish,
for, though I shot as well as ever I have done, yet I could
only bag 20 partridges and i rabbit.
2nd. — So intensely hot that every person is complaining.
Went out between four and five this evening, and even then
was almost broiled.
yth. — I got 1 1 partridges. Missed a bird in shot, which
is the first time I have done so this season. I, however,
killed him with the second barrel, so I lost nothing by my
bungling.
14//^ — Out for four hours, and literally never discharged
my gun, except at a quail, which I killed. Finding shooting
out of the question to-day, I took half an hour's trolling, and
got 4 brace of very large trout.
\6tJL — 27 partridges, and, what is somewhat singular, I
lost 7 more than I shot. This is an extraordinary con-
trast with the day before yesterday, when I beat the same
ground, with very little in addition, and never got a shot at a
partridge. It shows the extreme difference between a good
and a bad scenting day. Although this is by far the greatest
day I have had this bad season, yet it was by no means a
278 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
satisfactory one. First, I lost 7 birds that I shot in covert,
&c. ; second, I had six fair shots spoiled by my horses and
men being in the way ; and third, I missed three birds within
shot, which has been always a rare thing for me to do, and
was as sad a catastrophe as losing my purse or my watch ;
and fourthly, I burnt my fingers by once firing in haste with
my hand near the gas-hole of the detonator.
22nd. — 8 partridges and i hare, and 4 more birds lost.
Never did I lose so many birds as I have done since I used
detonating guns ; as they have always with me proved to hit
the birds so weak at long distances, that they get a field or
tv/o off and tower before they fall, instead of coming down
handsome as they usually did when I used a flint lock.
Game killed in September 1824 : 146 partridges, 4 hares,
I rabbit, i landrail, i quail, 2 snipes. Total, 155 head.
N.B. — A universal complaint everywhere that this has
been the worst and scarcest season ever known, insomuch
that I have beat everyone here, and even done wonders by
getting the little game above entered.
October A^th. — Decidedly proved that the flint gun shot
superior, both for strength and closeness, to the detonator. But,
on taking the flint into the field, I killed only i partridge and
I landrail, having from lately used a detonator fired behind
four other shots at birds that I ought to have killed. This is
a caution to those who have shot well with a flint to * leave well
enough alone.'
gth.--io partridges, 2 jack snipes, and i hare. Was un-
well, and nervous as a cat, or I should have killed a leash
more birds ; as it was, I lost a brace more that towered. Two
curious occurrences to-day : killed 2 birds at a shot, and
stepped over a hare sitting, when running to pick them up,
and then killed hare. Sprung an old cock bird out of Hunter's
pigstye in the village when riding home ; went in search of
him again ; found him in the plantation before the windows,
and bagged him a very long shot, which happened to be the
i824 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 279
longest distance of any shot I ever recollect making with a
detonator.
\6tJi. — I pheasant. The first I have seen or heard of since
the season commenced. I was walking up our wood without
a gun ; sprung the bird, and then raced home ; raised a hue
and cry, and after a little search found the pheasant again
and put him in the bag.
November A^th. — London. Seriously ill. I crawled from
seeing Sir Everard Home to the chemist with the greatest
difficulty, and, while almost fainting in the shop, the first
salutation I had was that Chambers, my banker, had just failed
for 260,000/., and with all my money, 93 1/., in his hands. I was
ordered to go home and be put to bed, but this affair obliged
me to get driven to the City to be satisfied as to the safety
of my funded property ; but, after all, I was too late, and
Friday being a holiday, I had to wait, with Christian patience,
till Saturday.
^. ^th. — Lay on my back with violent pain and inflammation
the whole day. I dare swallow nothing but tea and gruel,
and lost the means of getting fomented by my servant not
having arrived, agreeably to a letter despatched. This is like
a second edition of my suffering in Spain and Portugal, with
an attack on my finances as well as my health.
i^tJi. — 111 ever since, and ill still. More miseries. Pinnock
(the man who has my patent) smashed, and to avoid bank-
ruptcy, resigned, all in confusion, to trustees.
K^tJi to 2ist. — Worse again. Intermitting fever, gums
all in be ils, teeth loose; in the essence of misery. To-day
received information that my house at Keyhaven was in-
undated by another tremendous flood ; the chimney fallen
through the roof by the late tremendous gale ; the house and
everything round completely inundated and seriously damaged.
December gth. — After being bored to death with the con-
summate ignorance, impertinence, and obstinacy of old Egg,
who pretended to undertake my large double gun, and, after all,
280 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec.
threw the whole burthen of directions on my shoulders, and
then wanted to take all the credit himself, I was this day well
enough to drive to below Vauxhall Bridge, where we tried the
gun ; and, in short, the two barrels together (on my plan)
answered even better than I expected, whereas if Egg had
done it his way, the whole concern would have been spoiled.
14th. — Returned to Longparish House, under the idea
that change of air would expedite my recovery.
i6th. — Buckle arrived, and we began building a punt.
227id. — What with the wet weather, abominable damp
mortar, and the sad state the house is now left in from the
alterations, almost everyone in the house has taken a cold.
I had a severe relapse yesterday and to-day, and my eyes
were so bad also that I could hardly see across the room.
24.1/1 to 28///. — A pretty Christmas. Myself mxuch worse,
a close prisoner, and till now, and now with great difficulty,
I could not see to write. Scarce touched a morsel for
three whole days, and as weak as a rat. The cook so bad
with the rheumatism she could not spit the meat or do any-
thing without help, and in great pain. The kitchen-maid
bled, and laid up in the drawing room among the lumber of
the mutilated centre of the house, which is deposited there.
Poor Charles, my right-hand man and useful attendant in all
my illness, was the worst of us all ; alarmingly ill, with two
doctors, and hourly apprehensions of t}'phus fever. Hornsby
touched sharply with ophthalmia, and bad in his stomach.
Kitt the carpenter so poorly he can hardly go on with his
work. The plasterer gone off, and laid up with his eyes
in a dangerous state, owing to an accident with the lime.
Long, the gunmaker, laid up in his bed at Andover and
unable to come to me, and the man he sent in his stead
very poorly. With the exception of Long, this is all a
house illness ; though such has been the wet weather that
it must be admitted there never was so much general
illness here before. This is a glorious salvo for the architect.
i824 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 281
who will probably swear that his damp walls, wet mortar, and
thorough draughts have nothing to do with our invalided
family.
29//^. — Reade came up to see and trim the new punt &c.
30//^. — I was so far better as to be just able to crawl out
and see the punt afloat. x'\ll our household a little mended,
and Charles this night pronounced by the doctors as likely
to live.
1825
January i^tli. — Buckle, who came to me to assist in punt
building, went out after a large flock of teal that dropped in
our moors ; 15 came by him all in a cluster, and he knocked
down 6 at a shot, which, on my property here, is the best shot
I ever remember being made. I continued not well enough
to go out.
2^th and 26tJL — Myself still on the sick list, though con-
stantly employed in building my punt in the new drawing
room.
February i6th. — Had a grand trial of my new double
stanchion gun, assisted by Buckle (the king of the stanchion
gunners), and nothing could be more satisfactory than all my
inventions proved, insomuch that I may venture to pronounce
this gun the champion of England. We were from morning
till night firing, and half the night writing down the calcu-
lations and experiments.
I'jth. — Had not killed a bird since October i6th, owing to
long illness. This day discharged a duck gun at a jack snipe
and bagged him.
28///. — Although still an invalid, I went to stay a few days
with Lord Rodney, to try my new gun and punt on his lake
at Alresford ; though what few fowl had been there this year
had nearly all disappeared.
March 6t/i. — Longparish. Laid my boat up inshore, co-
vered her over with reeds, got the snipes driven to where they
282 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY March
always were seen to pitch, raked the reeds with the bi^^ gun
at random, and bagged 12 snipes at one shot, all dead. I
waited half an hour for the flock to con:ie down again, which
they were in the act of doing, when my dog swam across to
me and drove them off.
Game &c. killed to March 5th, 1825: 160 partridges, 6
hares, i pheasant, i rabbit, 2 landrails, i quail, 38 snipes, 4
wild ducks, i tufted drake, 9 teal. Total, 224 head, exclusive,
of course, of coots, &c.
N.B. — Lost all the shooting in October, November, De-
cember, January, and February, owing to illness brought on
entirely by vexation and trouble. Luckily for me, however,
the season was the worst ever known both for game and fowl.
ijtJi. — London. Suffered much from illness, and was
dreadfully inconvenienced by having got into a house in
London without a warm corner in it. Had much vexation
again with that old rascal Egg ; and, after much trouble with
my solicitor, and Joe Manton for a mediator, got off for 200/.
for my gun, and it will take 20/. more to replace the bad work
therein. Old Egg made an indirect appeal for 300/. for the
gun, and 25/. for his time ; and then mitigated this into a
demand for immediate payment of 200/. for the gun, 10/. for
his time, and 4/. i \s. for a loading rod and a deal box. After
giving me immense trouble, he proposed to toss up for the
4/. I ij-.,and it was pretty evident he knew how to throw tails ;
so I cried ' Tails/ caught him in his own trap, got his receipt
in full of all demands, witnessed by Joe ]\Ianton,and on a lO-s-.
stamp, and at a great sacrifice washed my hands of one of
the most aggravating and ungrateful fellows that ever dis-
graced the name of a tradesman.
April nth. — After being four weeks in the very essence
of misery with being stewed in hot water, physicked, leeched,
and butchered, I, this day, went with Macilwain to consult the
most extraordinary old bear that ever appeared in a civilised
country, the celebrated Dr. Abernethy.
i825 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 283
\2tJi. — Consulted, on my case, with Sir Henry Halford,
the prince and the Lord Chesterfield of all the medical prac-
titioners.
25//^ — After having undergone two more infernal opera-
tions, that did me more harm than good, I this day withdrew
myself from the attendance of Macilwain, and went again to
Sir Everard Home, having been now just six wxeks under
severe treatment to no purpose. Lord send me a speedy
delivery from illness and doctors. Here have I been a sufferer
more or less, without any one permanent step to amendment,
since the ist of November.
June 2ird. — Saw Graham ascend in his balloon, after first
having a long conversation with him. Favourable weather,
and the sight most beautiful.
30^//. — After being very busy, in order to leave the fourth
edition of ' Instructions to Young Sportsmen ' in the press, I
this day returned to Longparish.
July igth. — 4 snipes, and should have killed 4 more had
I not taken up an old flint gun, which put me out, after
the detonators.
N.B. — The hottest weather known since the memory of
the oldest man here, was this day, and several days previous
to it. It was for this novelty that I went after these snipes
that I had heard of
August loth. — Launched my fourth edition of the ' In-
structions to Sportsmen.'
I2th. — London. Met Tom Moore, the poet, and some
other scientific men at Longmans' dinner.
i^th. — Saw the living skeleton in Pall Mall.
2'^rd. — Left London for Longparish.
24//J. — Proceeded to Mr. Ponton's at Uddens House,
Dorset, for what little black-game shooting England affords.
Particulars of the greatest day's west country poult shooting
on record :
2Sth. — 9 heath poults or black game, having discharged
284 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY AUG.
my gun but nine times ; and, on one occasion, as Ponton was
a long way behind me, we all felt confident that 2 birds fell
to one barrel of my gun ; if so, I bagged 5 brace ; but at all
events 4-^, which is, in this country, a miracle, being far more
than was ever done before, insomuch that 2 brace of black game
in a day is here considered most brilliant sport. I made two
doublets and five single shots, some very long ones. Ponton
also shot as well as possible, and, as almost a matter of course
with him, never missed. He killed 3 brace, exclusive of the
doubtful bird before named. In short, our day was 8 brace
of strong, full-grown black game, the greatest sport here on
record, the talk of all the country, and an article for the
public papers. This was my maiden day at English black-
game shooting, and a most glorious one it was. We found
but 1 1 brace the whole day, and this was considered a won-
derful show of these birds, except in winter, when they all
flock together, and can never be shot by fair means. In a
word, this was, taking it ' for all in all,' the most satisfactory
day's sport I ever had in my life.
28//^. — Sunday. Went to morning church at Ham Preston,
and to afternoon service at Stape Hill Convent, where, by a
lucky accident, I got a good view of all the nuns. This is a
poor though wild and romantic little place, established by
Lord Arundel, on the heath just outside of Ponton's Park.
lOtJi. — Left Uddens Park, and in the evening arrived
again at Longparish House.
i825 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 285-
CHxAPTER XVIII
1825
September ist. — I never knew the scent so bad, or the
birds so wild, on the ist, as on this day ; notwithstanding
which I bagged, with only my two old bitches, neither of
which are extraordinary, 42 partridges, besides 6 more shot
dead and lost, 2 hares, 2 quails, all I saw, i landrail and
I wood pigeon.
2nd. — Rested, as I always do after the first day, for many
just reasons.
3r^. — 31 partridges, i hare, and i snipe, entirely through
having shot most brilliantly, as the birds were so ex-
tremely wild that many sportsmen could not even get a
brace.
^th} — 40 partridges, making, exclusive of a wood pigeon
not game, 120 head of game in three days ; or, putting it on
the average, 20 brace a day for three successive days. Though
the ground is, notwithstanding the heavy rain in August, so-
dry, and the birds so wild, that everyone complains of getting
but little sport, yet by means of able manoeuvring, rapid
attacks, and rapid shooting, I have been doing wonders, con-
sidering the country I shot in.
yth. — 21 partridges, i landrail, and i wood pigeon, which^
considering how very windy it was, and how very wild the
' This is the first day in my life that I could in our wild lawless country
have what I call my ' butcher's halloo,' after the first day. This means the three
cheers that I and my army give whenever the number of twenty brace in one daj^
is made up.
286 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
birds were, is quite equal to the preceding day's sport. I
made seven doublets, and missed nothing in reach. Indeed,
I have not missed a fair shot this season.
\otJi. — -An incessant hurricane all day. After my bagging
8 partridges, besides 2 more killed and lost, and 2 snipes,
there came on such a thick, drizzling rain, that I gave up
shooting, galloped home, and sallied forth with my rod,
and had a most wonderful day's fishing. Colonel Halton
and I, including what we threw in, caught 40 brace of trout.
I remember at one time killing 5 good fish in seven throws
of the rod.
\2tJL — A wet, drizzling morning ; went with a casting net
to get bait ; then attended Mr. Painter to give him a few
finishing lessons in fishing, at which he had excellent sport.
Caught two very large trout myself, and several smaller ones ;
and, in short, was occupied till about twelve, when the rain
blew off. I then went home, took a snack, and gave the
birds another and a farewell attack for the present. I bagged
24 partridges, 2 hares, i landrail, and i snipe, by dint of good
generalship, with my army of markers, and shooting with a
rapidity and accuracy that after my long illness I despaired
of ever recovering. Long, the gunmaker, was among the
spectators ; and much pleased he was, as he had bored one of
the guns on which I played such a glorious concerto. Here
ends my shooting for this trip to the country. A most
glorious beginning, with a splendid finale.
Grand sport. I here give a list of game &c. killed up to
September 12th.
Out altogether but five whole mornings and two half morn-
ings. Some unprecedented sport trout fishing ; and 9 heath
poults (all in one day and in nine shots), to which add 166
partridges, 7 hares, 2 wood pigeons, 3 landrails, 2 quails,
8 snipes; besides 10 more partridges shot dead and lost,
which would bring the list to 207 ; reckoning fairly, however,
as to what I bagged, the total is 197 head.
i825 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 287
i^tJi. — Drove over to Lord Rodney's to see him relative
to our regiment meeting, to play at soldiers and swallow
sloe juice on the 28th of this month.
26//^. — Having received orders for twenty-eight days'
training of the North Hants Regiment, I this day left town
and arrived at Longparish, in order to prepare for playing at
soldiers and swallowing sloe juice.
2'jtJi. — Went out to get some birds for the Duke of
Clarence, despairing of success as no one had been able to do
anything. I persevered, however, and killed 16 partridges;
and the next day, the 28th, I joined the regiment at
Winchester.
October \st. — Too busy soldiering to think of pheasant
shooting, though I had some very tempting invitations with
promises of extraordinary sport.
\2tJ1. — Having got a few days' emancipation from sloe
juice and pipe clay, I this morning mounted the rostrum of
the ' Telegraph,' and arrived, on some business, in the far
more agreeable town of London.
i^tJi. — Returned per mail [alias the paper cart) to our
Bacchanalian servitude in Winchester.
25///. — Our training, thanks to my stars, is this day at an
end ; and so should I have been also, had I been obliged to
weather another such a month. What with sitting till mid-
night over sloe juice, occasional suppers &c. (kept up till
morning), plays, balls, grand singing, dinners, &c., in short,
one incessant round of company, I was almost worn out, as
this to me is the very devil. The little duty which I had to
do was the only mental recreation which this sink of dissipa-
tion would afford. This evening we all went over to Alresford
House, where Lord Rodne}' gave a grand dinner, and beds
to the whole regiment ; and we sat up till two at music.
26tJi. — Tried some experiments on the lake (accompanied
by Reade, who came to me on purpose) for the amusement of
the officers and a large concourse of spectators assembled
288 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Oct.
from all parts, and astonished my lookers-on by some ex-
cellent shots at coots, the only fowl then on the pond.
Previously to this, by the bye, I turned out at five in the
morning — after being up till near three — in order to storm
an enormous army of starlings, into which I blew off the
great double gun with 30 ounces of small shot, just before
sunrise. What I killed it is impossible to say, but, from the
appearance of the huge hole blown through the phalanx of
birds, my spectators guessed at least 500, though I could get
but a mere share of those which fell, as nearly all of them
dropped in the reeds and on quagmires. What I bagged at
the time, however, was 243 starlings at one shot.^ The
feathers which the wind blew towards and over us, after the
shot, I could compare to nothing but a heavy fall of black
snow.
2ZtJi. — The first quiet day I have passed for some wrecks.
The transition was like the stopping of a noisy mill.
December lyJi. — Returned to Longparish.
lytJi. — After passing the morning at Andover, I this day,
though suffering with a severe headache, went out at a quarter
past two, and was home again before four o'clock with 5
snipes, 5 jack snipes, and i teal, which I killed without
missing a bird.
19///. — I snipe and 2 jack snipes, and was then driven
home by rain, which was no loss, as, by what little I could
see, I had nearly cleared off all the snipes here on Saturday.
1826
January 2nd. — Sent Reade and Charles to remove my
new gunning flotilla, for a trial on the sea, to Keyhaven.
' P.S. — December 2'jth. My man Charles came home from a mission to
Alresford, and brought back word that, since I was there, the reeds were cut, and
the workmen found between 200 and 300 more starlings. If so I was right in
guessing that I killed 500 at a shot, and they say that all this army of starlings
evacuated their garrison the day after I besieged them.
i826 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 289
yd, — They and I arrived safe at Keyhaven.
A^tJi. — Emplo}'ed all da}- in getting our apparatus in order.
^th. — Though it blew a tremendous gale, from east by
scuth, my sailors and I were anxious to try our new punt,
the ' Lion ' to-day, it being Thursday, which we supersti-
tiously fancy a lucky day. We began working up to v/indward,
at daylight, in order to drop down on what few geese were
arrived. But it so happened that the first birds we fell in
with were about 60 wigeon. My punt was so invisible,
that we got well in shot of them ; but, being loaded only with
mould shot, and having to fire through a tremendous surf,
which took the charge from the object, I got but one old
cock wigeon, though we had the satisfaction to find that ever}'-
thing answered remarkably well. All sport at an end by ten
o'clock A.M., as the water had then left the mud ; and nothing;
could live outside, as it poured with hail, sleet, snow, and
rain, and blew ready to tear the very trees up.
6tJi. — A gale of wind all night and all day, with a tremen-
dous pour of rain ; fired one shot, a long one, and got but
I wigeon : and was then, as yesterday, imprisoned b\' the
weather from ten in the morning till night.
9///. — A frost and fine weather. Reade went out to recon-
noitre the creeks in my old Poole punt, and merely took my
old forty-shilling shoulder gun a few hours before daylight.
He happened to fall in with a newly migrated bunch of fowl,
all in a heap, and got close to them, and at one shot with this
gun killed and got 5 ducks and mallards, 12 wigeon, 2 pintails^
and I grey plover.
\OtJi. — Calm weather, scarcely a bird in harbour ; did
fairly, for the little chance there was. Got i pintail, I scaui>
drake, i wigeon, and 3 grey plover.
\2tJL — A butterfly day; every jackass afloat with a
blunderbuss or a swivel gun ; all the fowl driven out to sea,
and there enjoying a dead calm. I killed 4 coots, and then
came in, and went to bed after dinner. Turned out again at
VOL. L U
290 COLONEL HAWKER'S DLA.RY Jan.
midnight, and on the morning of the 13th, about half-past
two, got 13 ^^•igeon, by starlight. Every one quite dead.
14//?. — Out from, after midnight till seven this morning.
Foggy weather, and wigeon, as they always are then, too
restless to be done anything with. Out from two till night ;
not a bird in harbour, and I killed nothing all day, except a
jack snipe, that I discharged my musket at. I this day
heard that, notwithstanding the very cold weather and hard
frost, there was scarcely a bird to be seen in Lymington
market, or even to be got from any of the gunners, so unac-
countably scarce have they as yet been. Not a goose to be
seen or heard of ; a bird that this coast has generally afforded
in all weathers. Sent Reade to crawl in the mud sledge about
eight, I being afraid, after my late illness, to crawl on the
mud this season. He got 4 wigeon, but found the birds very
' ticklish.'
i6t/i. — Out at four ; few birds, and no tide to eet at them :
got but I wigeon and 2 coots. I then went to Longparish, and
providentially arrived just before a dreadful fire took place in
the village ; by which means I had the pleasure of being some-
what useful to the poor sufferers, by starting a subscription &c.
on the morning of the 17th, just before the engines had sub-
dued the flames. Three houses, Morrant's, Mersham's, and
Siney's, were burnt to the ground, and not a vestige of pro-
perty was saved.
18///. — Alresford (Lord Rodney's). 9 dunbirds, 7 tufted
ducks, T golden-eye, i morillon, I teal, 4 snipes, 8 jack
snipes, and several coots, that got shot with the other birds.
I missed only one shot, and that at a snipe, far out of reach.
My best shot, with the duck gun, was 9 mixed fowl. But
the whole country was, and is now for ever likely to be, ruined
by the preserve of Mr. Alexander Baring, of the Grange Park,
who feeds and monopolises, merely to ornament his water,
and tickle his fancy, half the fowl in Hampshire. I drove
there, expressly to see his collection, and I am confident
iS26 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 291
I saw not less than 8,000 fowl on the water before his
house.
2ist.—A mild, foggy day, and no chance for sport. Took
a cruise all the way down Channel, as far as off Newtown in
the Isle of Wight, in the gunning punt, and though out from
five in the morning till two in the afternoon, never got a shot.
Out again at night from seven till eleven ; heard a few
wigeon, but the tide was not high enough to get at them.
2'^rd. — No chance by day, and the only one we had, at
night, spoiled by some rascally shore popper.
24///. — Out by day and night again. Very foggy, and
consequently no chance with the wigeon.
25///. — 4 wigeon. Out all day and all night, with but very
poor chances.
26th. — Out all day and all night ; no chance till about one
in the morning.
27///. — Got 9 wigeon ; only found one little trip of about
16, and caught them under the moon. Some more were
picked up, so I guess I did vastly well with them. In the
evening was unlucky, at the only shot at geese I have had this
year. I got within 150 yards of about 300, and owing to a tri-
fling derangement of my swivel gun, I shot a yard under them.
Again, after midnight, I was unlucky. I had been lying for
three hours alongside a fine trip of wigeon ; at last I got close
in to them, and when in the very act of raising my gun to blow
a double lane through them, at about two in the morning,
an infernal custom-house boat opened the point, and put
them up.
30///. — II wigeon and i brent goose. Nothing but a few
small trips were in at night. About three I shot at 6, and
stopped them all. A gale of wind and rain in the afternoon, but
I hurried back from Lymington, where I went on some law
business, and saved my tide for the geese. I knocked down
3, but I was forced to come home, owing to the heavy sea.
This was the only shot I got after working hard till dusk.
u 2
292 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
3ii-/. — Took our tide at half-past two this morning; out
till daylight ; tremendous rough weather, and not above 20
wigeon in harbour, and we came in with a wet gun without
having fired a shot. Took the evening tide, but never found
a bird. Westerly gales and all appearance of what little sport
there is being nearly at an end for the season.
February \st. — Out three hours before daylight ; no wigeon
in harbour ; got a wild duck and a godwit while sailing in to
breakfast. It then set in a warm wet day ; out from two in
the afternoon till seven ; no birds on the tide, and a fog at
night.
2nd. — Out before five this morning, being determined to
persevere ; no chance for a shot, and there was too much
wind and hazy weather to attempt anything in the evening ;
consequently, the lot of every gunner was a blank day.
4///. — Arrived in London.
Nothing particular occurred in town, except the bankruptcy
of Joe Manton and the sale of his effects.
13//?. — Keyhaven. We were prepared to turn out at half-
past one this morning, but it came on hazy and wet, with a
westerly wind ; so all chance was at an end, though when I
left London only the day before yesterday we had a fine
east wind with a pretty hard frost. Thus we were, as usual,
made 'gaol birds' of again. In the afternoon wc took a
sail and landed on the shingles of the Needles, where
all the dunlins and curlews go at high water, and defy the
gunners. I popped away at the dunlins, and knocked down a
couple of dozen, and also shot a cormorant, or, to use the slang
term, ' lowered a parson,' but we should have buried a cask,
and tied a cat to a peg, to have done well. Then we might
have had good sport. We went out, four hands on board,
or this expedition might have been dangerous, as we had
quite as much sea * as we knew what to do with.' On our
return, about six in the evening, Buckle had arrived to pass the
evening here, and try some experiments with me to-morrow.
i826 COLONEL HAWKER^S DL\RY 293
15///. — Wind and rain morning, noon, and night, and not
a bird to be seen or heard. Keyhaven more Hke a cell in
Newgate than a place for recreation, during such cruel weather
as we have hitherto had to undergo.
\6tJi. — Wind and rain all night till daylight this morning,
when at last it was tolerably dry overhead, though a strong
westerly wind. We were this day very anxious to try the
new elevation of the gun, as we had evidently been shooting
under before. The only shot I got was at dunbirds, into
which I fired both barrels, and a most satisfactory little shot
I made. I picked up 58, nearly all dead, which was two-
thirds of what I had to shoot through. Thus far, everything
appears to answer extremely well. No fowl about to-day ;
out again about sunset ; wind very fresh, but no water over
the mud.
N.B. — The discovery of this improved elevation for the gun
has tenfold repaid me for running down here again. Had it
not been for this, I should have repented my journey, as the
wild fowl have now almost all disappeared, and I dare say
may have already migrated to their breeding country.
lyth. — Wind from the westward ready to blow the house
about our ears, and a deluge of rain ; not a bird to be seen
or heard, and the whole country apparently cleared off by
this unfavourable wind. Not the most distant prospect of
having anything more to shoot at.
Reade ran out in the rain and ' lowered a parson ' (shot
a cormorant). This bird made some fun for us. He had
thirty shot through his skin ; three flat fish and an eel were
taken out of him, and three shot through the flat fish, also
through undigested stuff like meat. So that Reade had shot
fish, flesh, and fowl flying ; and in spite of this blow the nine-
lived glutton led us a chase for twenty minutes before he got
sick enough to be caught, although shot at, within 40 yards,
by a shoulder duck gun. He was disposed of as follows :
the skin to make a dandy collar for a coat ; the feathers to
294 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Feb.
make me drawing pens ; and his carcase begged by my boat-
man Williams, who engaged two friends to partake of him
for a deHcate Sunday's dinner. Employed all hands the
whole of this afternoon in packing up and putting away our
coasting paraphernalia, preparative to leaving Keyhaven
to-morrow.
I St/i. — Left Keyhaven.
Fowl killed to February 22nd, 1826: 46 snipes, 2 geese
only (scarcity this year unprecedented), 7 ducks, 64 wigeon,
2 teal, 3 pintails, 19 dunbirds, 4 grey plover, 2 godwits.
Total, 149 head of fowl.
My new shooting outfit in every single item proved to
answer inimitably, so that all we wanted was a more plentiful
season, as this one at Keyhaven proved to be the worst ever
known. All I could boast of, therefore, was having killed
more than all the other people put together.
March 18///. — London. I was till now an invalid, but
being this day a little better, I went (wrapped up) in the even-
ing to Covent Garden Theatre in order to hear my favourite
overture of ' Der Freischiitz ' conducted by the immortal com-
poser himself, Carl Maria Von Weber. Nothing could be
more sublimely beautiful, and the applause that was drawn
forth by the appearance of this great composer was no less
flattering than just.
19///. — Sunday. The best rermon (for explanation of the
Scripture, analogy, metaphor, language, logic, and energetic
delivery) that I have ever yet heard, was this day preached at
St Mary's, Bryanstone Square, by the rector, the Rev. Mr.
Dibdin, on the subject of St. Paul's shipwreck.
May 2nd. — Left town, meaning to pass the night at
Virginia Water provided I could be admitted to see the
King's Park, the boundary of which is close to a little inn
called the ' Wheatsheaf at that place. On my arrival I
was informed that no one could be admitted after two
o'clock ; and that even before was a particular favour. I went
i826 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 295
to Mr. Turner, the head ranger, and on making known
to him who I was, he very poHtely sent a keeper with me,
who showed me all the" King's fishing boats, aviaries, Green-
land canoe, and, in short, everything that could possibly be
inspected except the interior of the King's cottage, which no
one is allowed to see ; and after walking several miles on
the borders of the lake, surrounded with some of the finest
forest scenery I ever beheld, and twice crossing it in one of
his Majesty's punts, I returned, highly delighted and quite
tired, to the inn.
Mr. Turner was a scientific wild-fowl shooter, which, of
course, formed an immediate kind of masonry between us ;
and I have perhaps in part to attribute to this his very great
civility.
ijtJi. — Took a run in the ' Eclipse ' steam packet to Mar-
gate.
1 8///. — Saw and went to church at Margate. Took a row
out and bathed, went to Broadstairs &c. and saw all worth
seeing ; and, on the 19th, left by the 'Dart' steam packet at
eight in the morning, and landed on the Tower stairs at half-
past two, making the passage of about 84 miles besides
offing &c. in six hours and a half Nothing can surpass, in
every respect, the perfection of these packets. Every accom-
modation, good living, reasonable charges, music on board,
and, in short, every inducement to make it pleasant.
20tJi. — I remained in London to bring out the fifth edition
of my sporting book ; the third having been sold in ten, and
the fourth in nine, months.
July \otJi. — Longparish. Left for Keyhavcn to see a few
days' work done to my boats, to arrange about my new pur-
chase of Coombs's little place, &c., but was detained some
hours at Winchester, in consequence of a sad accident with
my fine favourite brown horse. On going, very slowly, down
the hill about three-quarters of a mile from that vile town, he
fell with such violence as to pull me out of the gig ; and.
296 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY July
most unfortunately, a large flint took his knee directly across
the sinew and divided it like the pinion of a fowl. In spite
of all the farrier's hopes and consolations, I made up my mind
to the loss of this valuable horse, that I could have had 130
guineas for, and proceeded, as well as I could, with the chest-
nut horse, to Keyhaven.
i^th. — After having several annoyances with this chestnut
horse, rearing up like a goat and then lying down like a pig,
&c., I this evening drove as far as Southampton on my way
back to Longparish.
igth. — Returned to Longparish, and, on my way through
Winchester, found my horse, as I expected, in a dreadful
state ; but the farrier, Mr. Dixon, a clever man, still wished me
to try him another week. But on the 21st a note was brought
me over from Winchester, saying it would be charity to kill
the poor beast. Thus was there an end of the finest gig horse
that I ever was master of
August 1st. — London. Word brought to me that my
other horse, the chestnut, had been thrown down and broke
his knees. The accidents are now out of number, everywhere,
owing to the roads having been without rain for so many
weeks. I had also a letter with the particulars of the death
of one of the oldest and best friends I had in the world, poor
Jack Ponton, my old brother sportsman, and one of the best
shots ; and, what is far better, one of the best men that ever
lived. Thus have been cut off, in the prime of life, our two
greatest shots in the district, if not in the kingdom ; poor
Wardell last summer, and poor Ponton this summer.
i826 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 291
CHAPTER XIX
1826
September ist. — Friday. In London, being as yet too
unwell to venture away for shooting.
27td. — Finding myself, however, rather better, I went quietly
out of town by the ten o'clock coach this day, and got to Long-
parish for a six o'clock dinner. The report as to birds was
favourable, except that they were so extremely wild that not
even the best shots had done anything worthy of mention. As
for me, I never voted shooting so great a bore as just at this
moment ; and, were it not for my wish to supply a few friends
and the farmers, which I could not trust to the bunglers
here to do, I would gladly have left my guns in their cases,
and gone somewhere for a healthy excursion and change of
scene.
4///. — My first day. The weather mended considerably ;
but the country was so extremely barren as scarcely to afford
a vestige of covert for the birds. The stubbles were all trod
down by sheep and ' leasers,' and, owing to the previous dry
weather, there were no turnips large enough to shelter the
game. The birds were plentiful, but much wilder than ever I
knew them in September ; insomuch that scarcely one covey
in ten would allow even the dogs to come within gunshot. I,
however, by means of mustering a good army of markers, and
harassingthe birds by repeated charges of cavalry, so completely
tired them down at last, that I performed this day the most
that ever w^as done by me or anyone in the annals of Long-
298 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
parish sporting. I bagged 56 partridges and (for our country
in one day, a miracle) 7 hares in nine hours : never lost a
bird the whole day. Owing to the extreme wildness of the
birds, I was, of course, obliged to fire many random shots ;
but notwithstanding I was so weak from having been unwell^
I may safely say I did not lose a bird by bad shooting the
whole day, as the only two fair shots I missed were at single
birds, both of which I secured with my second barrel. Taking
everything into consideration, this is the greatest day I ever
had in my life.
5///. — Had a general day's rest for men, horses, and dogs,
and everything except the birds, which were, of course, a
little popped at by other parties. The bad weather came on
again this afternoon.
6///. — A hurricane of wind and a deluge of rain. N'iinporte.
1 have had sport enough to last me a week.
lA^tJi. — A wild windy day, and the stubbles as bare as the
meadow. I could only get 1 5 partridges, i hare, and i snipe ;
though, in spite of being very unwell, I shot famously. Such
is the state of the country now that a good bag would require
more exertion than I am equal to at this moment.
i^th. — 15 partridges.
As the strong, dry, easterly wind appears to be now set
in, and good sport at an end for the present, I worked
hard (though I shot well) to get the above 1 5 birds, which
will just complete my promises to friends, and make up an
even 50 brace in the one grand day and three quiet mornings'
shooting. On completing the 100 partridges I left the field,.
truly happy to get rid of the trouble of such unpleasant
shooting.
Game killed in September 1826 : 122 partridges, 8 hares,
2 snipes. Total, 132 head.
What with being unwell myself, and absent in London,
I was only out 5 days. My first day was on the 4th, when I
bagged 61 head, and, I believe, beat all England. This was
i826 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 299
posted, as a miracle, in all the papers, because the birds were
never known to be so wild ; considering all things, I shot
famously.
October gth. — Another of my best and oldest friends dead,
Mr. Bertie Mathew, whose funeral I attend to-day, unfit as I
am for anything, from my serious illness, much less for a
melancholy undertaking like the present.
November ist. — London. Having got well enough to limp
about, I this day went down to Fullerd's, at Clerkenwell, in
order to fire my old swivel gun, which I had altered to my
new spring plan, and it gave me great satisfaction.
\\th. — Longparish. Up to the eyes in experiments and
preparations. Captain Ward — my new pupil, whom I set up
with a man, a gun, and all my wrinkles — arrived this day, pre-
parative to a grand trial of our two unrivalled gigantic guns.
2yd. — Busy jobbing, and did not pull a trigger till to-
day, when I just walked out and got i miserable snipe,
Reade being gone to Purbeck for his family, and I am now-
waiting for him.
25//^.^Reade, with his wife and two children, took up
their quarters (which I lent them for six months) in my
cottage at Keyhaven that I lately purchased of Mr. Beck, after
some delay In my being able to remove the previous tenant.
This chiefly detained me here, as there is not a bird on the
coast.
December 2nd. — Keyhaven. Detained by bad weather
and illness — said by Doctors Badger and Nyke to be gout, and
by Sir E. Home not to be gout — till this day, when I started
for Longparish. After being dragged about Southampton to do
my commissions in a ' donkey fly,' I proceeded on my journey
home. I took a shot out of the gig and killed 2 partridges
belonging to some squire or other just to try how the new
musket would reach them, and how old Lazarus (my grey
horse) would stand fire. Both the gun and the horse pleased
me much better than I should have done the squire had he
300 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Dec.
seen the shot. While last in Southampton a rogue charged
me ^s. 6d. for a ' fly ' for about twenty minutes. I swore I
would never give 3^-. 6d. for a fly again, so I got the donkey
one at is. 6d. the hour. But c/ie sard sard, the vehicle was
so small that I thrust my elbow through the glass, for which
I had to pay 2s. ; so, after all, it was to be that I must pay
3s. 6d.
1827
January ^tJi. — Being much better and we having now had
several days' frost and snow, I this day started for Keyhaven.
Just after I left the yard at Longparish I was called off after a
particularly large woodcock, which, after several hours' search
and a hard fag, I contrived to pocket the first shot. A great
victory over the usual bad luck of Friday, and a magnificent
bird to begin the new year with.
6th. — Arrived at Keyhaven this night, and (strange that
it should almost always happen so) brought a change of wind
to the filthy south-west, and a wet evening. Not a bird has
been killed yet, and scarcely any birds have been seen here,
though the weather was, till this day, so favourable for sport.
ZtJi to loth. — Wind, rain, and every other kind of miser-
able weather that, as if by magic, I always contrive to conjure
up on my arrival at Keyhaven. Reade, after working four
whole nights, got 2 wigeon, which are perhaps, at this moment,
the only 2 in our district. Thank God, however, I am better,
so I pocket the affront of having nothing to shoot at, so long
as I derive benefit from the sea air.
igth. — This evening the weather set in fine with a beauti-
ful easterly wind ; but, till now, we have had nothing but
wind and rain from the miserable west ; and, except killing
a cormorant, I have never pulled a trigger, though I perse-
vered regularly throughout every night and always came
home with an empty bag.
22nd. — At last we have the blessing to enjoy severe
1 827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 301
weather : frost, snow, and a tremendous gale from the east-
ward all day ; we could hardly live in it, but of course
persevered. I got two shots : first bagged lo, and second
6 wigeon ; we came in as wet as shags with i6 wigeon.
2yd. — 29 wigeon, i teal, i dunbird, 11 godwits, i plover,
and I knot, making 44 head, besides 4 dozen of dunlins and
many wigeon of mine that other people got. My best shot
was just before daylight. I picked up 15 wigeon and i teal
on the spot ; and, had not the left barrel of my gun missed
fire, I should have doubled this shot. The only time both
barrels went was at 12 wigeon on the edge of the creek by
daylight ; I killed them every one, and bagged 10 of them.
No one else in and around Keyhaven has yet done anything,
so I have every reason to be content.
24//^. — Wind dropped westerly after a beastly white frost ;
birds suddenly disappeared again.
I had been up since three this morning for a grand
daybreak shot, which I was within two minutes of firing
when all was ruined by a jackass with a blunderbuss in a
washing tub.
25//^. — 6 wigeon ; the right barrel missed fire, or should^
of course, have doubled the number.
This night the brutal west wind shifted, and things look
better again.
28///. — Sunday. An abominable westerly wind again
and cold miserably stormy weather, as bad for birds as for
oneself
29//^. — Out in the morning, and had no chance for a shot.
Out in the evening, and it was too dark for flight. Reade
out till ten at night ; and it was too dark and thick to do
anything \\ith what few birds were in harbour.
^oth. — Beastly rotten cut-throat weather, enough to suffo-
cate you all day, and at night as thick as mustard. Several
wigeon still remain ; but we must have starlight, or moon,
before we can attempt getting another shot. We could shoot
302 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
without seeing, but then the wigeon will never keep together
in thick nights.
February \st. — Finding that the vagabond mud launchers
made a point of working over the mud every night, before the
tide flowed, I this day purchased of Lieutenant Harnett, R.N.,
the prettiest mud punt and mud gun in all this country.
So now Reade and I can cope with the mud-crawling reptiles
* at all tacks.'
Wet weather all this afternoon, and then a wet night.
Reade went out after midnight to try Harnett's new set-
out ; he got 2 wigeon towards the morning, at which he made
such a shot as to be, beyond anything, pleased with the
bargain I had made for the mud gun and punt.
2nd. — Was not out to-day, and merely fired a shot with
the musket, with which I killed an old cock wigeon from the
quay. The wind changed this evening to north-east, and
things look better again.
yd. — The wind got well away from the old miserable
quarter, west, and stood north-east with clear frosty air.
Reade came in with 3 wigeon about three this morning. A
gale of wind all day, and consequently no living outside ;
and, being the 'dead of the nip,' we had no water inside
harbour ; we had therefore no chance even to see birds this
day. About midnight Reade got 3 more wigeon with the
new launching punt, which, at this time of tide, is the only
possible means of getting a bird.
5///. — Out the whole day sailing at sea (the only thing we
could do), and brought home but i wigeon.
J til. — Reade came in this morning with 12 wigeon (by
launching, which is the only remedy for this detestable, ever-
dry harbour).
jtJi. — Harbour dry, and a tremendous sea outside ; I got
but one little shot all day, when I killed 2 coots. No
flight at night, nothing but mud work. I launched about for
two hours with the new mud punt after a few straggling birds.
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 303
and came in at nine without shooting. Reade went off again
before midnight, and came in at daybreak with deHghtfut'-
success ; he brought in 21 wigeon, 18 of which he killed at
one shot.
What a country ! that an old rattle-trap mud punt should
be the only way of going after fowl, and that all the other
guns and punts would, nineteen days out of twenty, be com-
paratively mere lumber.
8///. — Tantalised again with a fine easterly wind, a dry
harbour and a hurricane outside — and, notwithstanding the
wind, there was no evening flight. Reade went off for the
night about six o'clock in the only effective craft — the mud
punt — intending to crawl in the slush through the whole of
the blessed night.
(^tJi. — Reade had got but 2 wigeon the whole of the past
night. It was so cold the birds would not sit on the mud.
A tremendous gale all day ; the harbour as dry as a ploughed
field, and no boat could live outside. Every floating gunner
a prisoner ; and I, for exercise, took a walk and killed a roost
of small birds, the only game on the manors of this desert.
Reade went off mud crawling at night, but never heard a
single fowl ; I went to flight, saw nothing but a wild duck
and a coot, both of which I knocked down and brought
home.
lOtJi. — Dry harbour and a gale outside ; made an attempt
to get out, but was forced to put back ; and on coming home
(within a quarter of a mile from the quay) I was very near
doing wonders, though (as the devil would have it) I did
nothing through unfortunately having small shot in my gun.
Reade paddled me up to within 130 yards of a huge sea eagle.
I let fly, beat him down, and then up he got, and went away
out of sight. I had scarcely done watching for him when
five hoopers came directly towards me, and then hove up at
about 1 20 yards ; I let fly the other barrel, but, for want of
being loaded with mould shot, I lost both my grand prizes.
304 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Feb.
12///. — Reade, wlio had wallowed in the mud since mid-
night (directly Sunday was over), came in this morning with
1 1 wigeon, which he got at one shot about two o'clock from my
new mud sledge. Nothing in harbour to-day, though a pretty
fair tide. I was out from nine at night till two ; got a shot
at about 14 wigeon and bagged 9. Reade went on at half-past
two mud launching ; he brought in about daylight 2 wigeon,
and would have had about 6 more had not his gun flashed in
the pan.
13///. — No birds about, though cold frosty weather, so I
took this day for doing some jobs to my punts. Out
all night ; a cold, white frost ; slack tide in spite of the full
moon, and not a bird in harbour, or even outside. Sorry
Keyhaven for a gunning place ! Reade relieved me soon
after two, when the water fell ; and, after crav/ling on the
mud till half dead, and till daylight appeared, he never saw,
nor even heard, a single fowl.
\^tJi. — There being nothing else to do, I turned my wits
to a few miserable geese that had, ever since October, been
the public target of every shooter, from the launcher to the
armed cobbler, and never had one reduced from their com-
pany. By way of a valentine, I mixed them up some boluses
(like blue grapes) sealed in a sort of shell cartridge. We had
the excellent fortune to get within about 300 yards of them,
when I let fly and bagged one brent goose, and another fell
dead on the breakers, where I dare not follow. This is poor
sport, that it should now be working a miracle to get one
goose, when, a few years ago, I have knocked down ever
100 in a season. Tempora uiutantiir.
I'^tJi. — Reade came in at daylight this morning, after a
whole night's crawl in the mud sledge, with 19 wigeon, which
he killed at one shot about five o'clock. Nothing does in
this country but mud crawling, as when we have a wind for
birds we have no water, and when we have a wind for good
tides we have no birds.
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 305
After going to Lymington on business I renewed my
game with these gun -defying geese ; they started up as usual
at 300 yards, where my boluses floored 5 of them, with the
two barrels, each loaded with 20 ounces. A Yarmouth boat
took off 2 before our faces before we could get the punt
afloat, after running aground to shoot ; all that I bagged of
them, therefore, was 3 brent geese. Had we not made haste
to get within hails and damns of these chaps, they would
have got all our birds ; but on our coming up they sheered
off, and left us the three which I got. There being no tide
for night shooting, I trudged off (among divers journeymen
and rag-tag fellows) to the flight. All I saw to fire at was
I mallard, which I bagged, and this was the only one killed
among the whole army of shooters that lined the marsh and
the shore.
iGtJi. — Rcade, having had bad luck with his gun flashing
In the pan during the night, came in this morning with
only I wigeon. No tide for me so I was again a gaol bird
for the day, in spite of a frost. O Keyhaven, Ke}'haven !
not even a wherry could have lived outside, so what was I
to do?
ijtJi. — Reade came in this morning, after mud creeping all
night, with only i wigeon. A calm sea at last after a \\'hite
frost. Went ofl* on tide in the gunning punt ; and, after
crossing the Channel close into the Isle of Wight, almost to
Newtown, we fell in with a trip of wigeon, of which I got 6.
\%tJi. — Sunday. Was packed up last night in order to
start to-morrow morning for Alresford, w^hen there set in
suddenly the most tremendous gale of wind from the east,
and the severest frosts that we have had for the last three
seasons. I, of course, countermanded the march, to sec what
would be the issue of such delightful gunning weather.
19//?. — A gale of wind all day ; the harbour half frozen,
and all the vagrant gunners racing up and down the shore
like Bedlam broke loose. We, with great difficulty, got
VOL. L X
306 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Feb.
through the ice and weathered the wind in the creeks, but out-
side not even a vessel could have lived. I got a beautiful shot
at 8 ducks, and the gun flashed ; and these birds sat till I
primed and flashed again ; but, on retreating to rectify the
gun, they flew up. I got another (indifferent) shot after-
wards, and bagged 2 ducks and i mallard, and with the
hand gun killed a fine old cock pintail and a golden-eye.
Plenty of wigeon, but all where we dare not go.
20tJi. — 2 mallards and i duck on the mud at 8i yards
(measured) with a shoulder gun (old Fullerd).
2\st. — 4 wigeon and i brent goose ; a fine show of birds,
but the poppers so innumerable that they could have no rest
day or night, and so bad were the chances that, I believe,
1 was the only gunner who got a bird to-day.
22;/^/. — Weather rather more calm ; wigeon all to the
eastward at sea ; worked with my shell shot and got 3 brent
geese and i burrough duck, all at enormous distances ; not
another soul could get near enough even to tickle one, so un-
usually wild were the birds.
2y'd. — Reade, after the sovereign remedy (for this beastly
country) cf mud creeping all night, came in with 12 wigeon
this morning. The only time that a punt could get water
was from eight till twelve. A fine day, and every dandy
turned gunner. Not a chance for a fowl, and I believe I was
the only one who fired a shot.
24///. — Reade came in, after a blank night at mud crawling,
and I was out all day and got but i wigeon. A tide at last, so
went out at night ; a fair show of birds, but as dark as the
grave. Fired twice, by the sound : got 6 wigeon the first
shot, nothing the next.
25///. — Sunday. A thaw after a white frost ; and wigeon
triumphing in the air all day, as if they knew it was a day
of rest.
26///. — A gale of wind from the west, with thick drizzling
weather and all the wigeon disappeared ; everything indicating
i827 COLONEL HAWKERS DL\RY 307
that the sport for the season, at all events on this coast, is
nearly at an end.
2'jth. — Packed up all our traps, preparative to evacuating
Keyhaven to-morrow by daylight.
A singular coincidence — the last shot I fired or required
to fire I broke the lock of my great gun.
Last season, the last shot I required to fire I broke the
swivel. How very kind of the traps never to give way till
on the very point of being laid up for the summer ! Our
smallest great gun is luckily quite right ; and this is all I
want for a few little shots at Lord Rodney's, as I have an old
punt, the ' Fox,' there in waiting.
2%th. — Left Keyhaven, and after travelling at the rate of
four miles an hour, in one incessant pour of rain, with a heavy
load, the old horse and I arrived at Alresford House just in
time for a six o'clock dinner, and after just twelve hours
drenching.
MarcJi 1st. — Alresford. A hurricane of wind all day ; and,
at last, such a tremendous fall of rain, that I got wet through,
and came home, after getting 4 tufted ducks, 3 dunbirds and I
teal. The birds were so scattered that making a shot was
impossible ; and I should not have fired once the whole day
had it not been to avoid the disgrace of an empty bag.
I was at the taking up of three cwt. of eels, at the weir,
this morning.
^t/t. — Got up at three ; climbed over the park paling,
and was entrenched by a quarter before four. Got one shot
only at i duck and i mallard, both of which I killed ; dis-
charged my gun after at 2 coots and killed them, and
here ended my morning's work. So completely is the season
over now.
6th. — Left Lord Rodney's for Longparish, and precious
gales of wind and pelting storm I had to encounter for the
last two hours of my drive, with a very heavy load, and the
roads like a quagmire.
808 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY March
Game and wild fowl &c. killed in the season up to March
5th, 1827:
Game — 122 partridges (all in four days except i brace),
8 hares, i pheasant, i woodcock (all I saw), 3 rabbits, 8 snipes
(all I shot at). Game, 143 head.
Fowl — 8 geese (the most killed by anyone on our coast)
209 wigeon, 12 ducks and mallards, i burrough duck, 11
curres, i pintail, 3 teal. Fowl, 245 head.
Sea-waders — 5 curlews, 4 coots, 16 godwits, 9 plover, 146
ox-birds (in three shots), 2 olives. Waders, 182.
Grand total, 143 game ; 245 wild fowl ; 182 waders ; 570.
Best shot 17 wigeon, 2 teal, and i duck.
April I2th. — London. Had a grand day from six in the
morning till twelve, with Joe Manton and his myrmidons
firing with, and regulating the new elevated sights of, my huge
double swivel gun, which we w^heeled down to Bayswatcr, to
the astonishment of the gaping multitude and idle followers.
lyth. — Was from nine this morning till five in the evening
with John Hussey, Joe Manton's celebrated borer, putting a
fresh inside to this gun, down at Fullerd's den in Clerken-
well. It was shameful to see what a miserable inside the gun
had before we rebored her, and then she looked and shot
beautifully. My men Charles and John drew home the gun
all along the New Road up to Manton's, lest it might come to
harm by being left, as the tiger who took it there on Saturday
evening was run foul of by a Paddington stage, on the strength
of which he showed fight, and the gun was left at the mercy of
a London mob while Smut and Jehu (who descended from his
rostrum for a round) put themselves in battle array, and would
have fought a battle worthy of the ' Morning Post ' record and
Marylebone Office cognisance, but for the interference of the
stockbroking passengers, who feared, perhaps, that their ' blunt '
might be in jeopardy during the fracas.
J\I(7y 2nd. — Gave the great double gun a final trial at Ba\-s-
water, attended by some of Joe's best men. Found her won-
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 309
derfully improved, and therefore satisfactorily ended all the
trouble I have had with this job.
June i6th to i8///. — London. I continued very ill in bed,
and could take no sustenance. As if we had not trouble
enough, the chimney very kindly took fire, and we barely
escaped the usual levy of engines, by a chimney sweeper, a
hero in his way, wetting himself to the skin, and then going
up through the fire, by which he succeeded in putting it out.
2gth. — Longparish. We dragged the river to get baskets
of fish for the Duke of Clarence and others ; but, although we
caught about 50 brace of trout, not one fish among them was
more than j lb., so very small do the fish run this season.
Jiily nth. — Left Longparish for Cowes. No smoke ships
after three, so forced to boat it ; got becalmed, broke an oar ;
should have been starved but for some bread and cheese and
sour beer, at Calshot pothouse, and never reached Cowes till
midnight.
I2th. — Went to Southampton, to superintend some boat
jobs that were doing for me. Slept at the ' Sun ' inn on the
quay, where the noise was such that all I ever heard before
was pianissimo compared to it ; thirty fellows screeching
drunk, and singing till daybreak, in one room ; an argument on
politics in another, and a gaggle of more than average chatter-
ing women in another ; people to and fro all night, and the
waiters running about like mad dogs ; but, per contra, I had a
good bed, and, what was a miracle in Southampton, no fleas.
13///. — Went to Keyhaven, a transition to pure sea air, and
quietness to boot.
i6th. — Cowes. A grand tour round the island by the
* Medina ' steam packet. Captain Knight, the master, was to
have gone first to the eastward, and then, after seeing all that
I had not seen, my boat would have met me in the evening
off Keyhaven ; instead of which the captain went the wrong
way first, to oblige some company, and consequently I had
to go all round to Cowes again, and then work my way back
310 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY July
to Kcyhaven in the evening. The packet made the round in a
little better than seven hours. The day was delightful, and
the scenery most interesting, though none so good as that
at the Needles. At half-past seven, I started in a hack gig
for Yarmouth (twelve miles), which I did by nine, and then
took a boat and Vv^as rowed the six miles across to Keyhaven,
where I landed at a quarter past ten, supped, and went to
roost.
24///. — Cowes. Went to see that beautiful place, Norris
Castle, and after passing a pleasant day with a party, was highly
amused at the grand evening parade here, by a very tasteful
singer and performer on the guitar, who appeared, in every
word and action, to be a highly finished gentleman, and who,
report says, is an officer in the Guards who is thus collecting
mone}' for a great bet. He seemed, when aside, to be hand
in glove with all the first circle, and had been, the. previous
evening, dancing with the nobility and gentry at the yacht
club house.
26///. — Made a third attempt to go to the Needle rocks,
and, for the third time, was disappointed owing to the weather,
as it blew so fresh we were obliged to put back, and, for the
third time, our provisions were cooked in vain. Ever since I
arrived here the rocks have been the object of my first cruise,
and not one day have we yet had that would do. Towards
noon the weather became boisterous, and threatened a regular
miserable, wet-blowing evening ; so my musical friend Lang-
staff and I resolved to be a match for St. Swithin ; and, as
every horse and wheel was in requisition for Southampton
races, and we could not find a boat, we hired old Sadler's
lobster cart, the value of which, horse and all, was about 4/.,
and toddled into Lymington to the high diversion of ourselves
and petrifaction of all the staring dandies, and repaired to old
Klitz, theClementi of the place. There Langstaff joined in a
trio while I went foraging, and it then came on a determined
wet night, for which wc were well armed ; as we brought off a
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 311
fiddle, a tuning hammer, and all the music we could borrow,
and sat in with a good fire, for a thorough batch of such noise
that neither the wind nor the rain was thought of
3 1 J/. — This morning, between six and seven o'clock, I
started for the grand regatta at Cowes ; and, what was much
more grand to me, to survey some duck shooting ground after
the show was over. We were to have gone in the ' Cornwallis/
but, as we found her aground, we proceeded in Reade's boat.
On our arrival, the place was all in an uproar, similar to the
Derby at Epsom, with the addition of a military band, and an
endless display of colours. Nothing could be more dull than
the yacht race itself, as there was such a want of wind, and the
vessels were so completely covered with canvas, that they
appeared more like an enormous display of linen hung out to
dry, than any objects that were contending for speed. At
four o'clock I left Cowes, and joined Captain Ward on board
his yacht the 'Guerilla.' We proceeded to Portsmouth,
where, for want of wind, we did not arrive till nine, when we
dropped anchor nearly alongside my old friend the ' Victory,'
the immortal Nelson's ship, in which I once went a voyage,
and slept on the very couch where this hero breathed his
last. We went ashore at Portsmouth, as Ward had business
there, and the place was ' out of the frying pan into the fire,'
for what with jollifications for the Lord High Admiral and
other naval men, here was, if possible, more noise than at
Cowes. We did not get back on board till twelve, when we
* turned in,' and prepared for weighing anchor at daylight.
This we did next morning.
August 1st. — Through want of wind and water we could
not enter Langston harbour, the place to be surveyed for pos-
sible future fowling, till the afternoon, being made prisoners for a
very long morning ; we therefore amused ourselves with some
bad line fishing, and then eating what we caught, added to some
more fish that we got with a ' silver hook.' We dropped anchor
in Langston harbour about three, when Singer, Ward's gunner,
312 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Aug.
and I lowered a punt in which we kept surveying the harbour
till near ten at night. Though shooting w^as not my object,
Singer would ship Ward's beautiful stanchion ; and had it
not missed fire, owing to a little sea that we shipped, I should
have made a grand shot of curlew jacks.
N.B. — Langston harbour is, without exception, the finest
gunning place I ever saw% but, if possible, more infested with
gunners than Keyhaven.
2nd. — Got under way, long before we were up, in order
to be sure of getting to Cowes before nine, when the third
day's regatta was to commence. As vessels were desired not
to cross the course, we waited in the rear till the eight yachts,
which started for the prize, were under way, and had got
half a mile ahead. We then bore away and fairly passed seven
of them, having the advantage also of even the ' Julia,' which
was far ahead, insomuch that I think the ' Guerilla,' if well
manned and in proper order, would have beat them all, and
got the prize.
This regatta was beautiful, as there was a pretty breeze,
which made the effect of it quite different from the other.
We arrived at Keyhaven about half-past twelve.
6tJi. — After twenty-four days passing before there was
one sufficiently calm to venture to the rocks, we this day had
beautiful weather, and made a very pleasant excursion there.
Though the scene was nothing new to me, yet I could always
enjoy the beautiful scenery and the terrific grandeur of the
cliffs. It was at least two months too late for the rock birds ;
all that I shot at was a willock, the only rock bird I saw, and
a green cormorant, and these I bagged, besides landing and
shooting at 3 rabbits,, all of which I killed at one shot and
sacked. No Leicestershire fox hunt, on record, could surpass
the chase that we had with the shag, alias cormorant, alias
* parson.' After flooring his reverence from a little rock, and
leaving him ' keel uppermost,' the invulnerable devil rallied,
and led us a chase of between three and four hours and
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 313
among other places to which he led us was into a sub-
terraneous cave among the rocks, where the boat bumped
about, and the cavern echoed so as to put us in mind of the
incantation scene in ' Freischiitz,' and the old cormorant of the
devil Zamiel ; but, after unkennelling the 'gentleman' and
going twice to sea again after him, we shut up his daylights,
and brought home our bird in triumph as a present for my man
Williams, whose teeth vowed vengeance against him for his
ensuing Sunday's 'blow-out' I this day tried my old plan of
the bell, string and flag, for moving the rock birds off the cliffs,
which, had there been a thousand, would have started them
every one, as not a gull or cormorant would sit a moment after
this novel attack was made, but came pouring down on the
sea, and were even accompanied by young nest birds that were
so badgered by the sight and sound of this as to take their
maiden flutter down on the occasion. We concluded our day's
pastime by collecting specimens from the beautiful vari-
coloured chalk rock in Alum Bay.
Zth and (^tJi. — Was employed trying my large gun, regu-
lating the elevations &c. Since being fresh bored, I found
the gun wonderfully improved, both for strength and close-
ness, and as an example I must memorandum the best shot.
Reade fired both barrels together, at half a sheet of brown
paper i foot lo inches by i foot i inch, and into this, at 90
yards, he put 52 No. 2 shot. The single shots were
about in proportion, and all well driven for strength in the
board. I killed seabirds just for a little trial at living
objects, and no birds could have died in better style.
\Oth. — Was all day in expectation of Captain Ward to
try our two unrivalled guns, as great improvements had been
made to both of them since the last trial that we made. He
arrived, in his yacht, off the quay after a miserable passage,
and slept at my cottage here.
wth. — The trial being completed to our infinite satisfac-
tion, as possessing the ne phis ultra of guns, Captain Ward
314 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY AUG.
dined with me early in order to sail for Southampton to-night.
I accompanied him on board the * Guerilla ; ' and after taking
a bottle of wine with him there, and seeing him under
way in a gale of wind, I went home in Reade's boat, and
owing to losing a hat overboard, and getting into a vile
mess to recover it, we had a most cruel passage home.
Wet to the skin, and twice forced to get overboard up to our
middle.
13///. — This afternoon about five o'clock I was witness to a
melancholy accident, on the very spot where we were in such
a bad predicament the night before last. Four men started
in the highest glee to sail out of Keyhaven harbour and
back, each in a separate boat and without oars on board,
which was their foolish agreement, and one of them, Thomas
Salter, a man unused to boats, ' capsized,' in * gibing,' and sud-
denly disappeared, boat and all, to the horror of all the spec-
tators. It was an hour before he was dragged up, a corpse,
and above two hours before the boat was discovered and
dragged up from above six fathoms of water. Mr. Davison
got his horse, while I wrote the note for the coroner, and we
sent my man Bagshore off for him about eight o'clock this
evening to Ringwood.
14///. — If one could indulge in drollery on a melancholy
occasion, we had some reason to do so. Bagshore, or rather Mr.
Davison's horse and great-coat, with which he was equipped,
was taken for a gentleman on his arrival at the inn in
Ringwood, and after being hailed with the usual salutation of
bell ringing, ostler calling &c. was shown up in style to a
room, charged eighteenpence for his tea, and billeted for the
night in the best manner the inn could afford, with scrapes
and bows on his departure. And my ' gentleman ' having a
little esprit dc corps about him, lugged out his ' blunt ' for ' all
hands,' under hope that Mr. Davison would indemnify him,
which he kindly did.
Mr. Baldwin, the coroner, punctually and politely at-
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 315
tended my summons by twelve this day, and after hearing
from me all the particulars, he went through the form of a jury
close to our windows here, where the body was brought,
and of course gave * accidental death.'
2ist. — Fired a barrel of the great gun at 3 'jack' herons
at about 120 yards, and winged them all three, to the super-
exquisite gratification of the coroner, who with his mongrel
dog played an able first fiddle in the ' cripple chase.'
These imperial grenadier-looking birds ' showed ' such fight
against the dogs, that we, being without mud pattens, were
nearly an hour before we got them all. They kept retreating
over the mud, and occasionally disputed ground w^ith the
dogs, in a manner that was quite a la inilitaire.
31G COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
CHAPTER XX
1827
September \st. — The greatest day on record here. 102
partridges and i hare, besides 3 brace more birds shot and
lost.
N.B. — A cold, dry, strong, easterly wind, with no scent ;
but I took care to have a fine army of cavalry and infantry,
and made ample allowance for the wildness of the birds by
the rapidity of our charges. I had no dogs but poor old
Duchess and Sappho, both, like myself, among the ' has-
beens.' 1 started at nine, had the first ' butcher's halloo,'
or three cheers for 20 brace, at two. A second 'butcher's
halloo' twenty minutes before six, and I then worked like a
slave for the glory of making up 50 brace off my own gun,
which I not only did, but, on turning out the game, it proved
that I had miscounted, and had gone i brace over the desired
number. I believe, under all circumstances, and at all events
in our district, this nearly doubles any day on record in the
annals of its sporting history.
2nd. — Sunday. Nothing so fortunate as this, because it
keeps all the raw fools off, and allows the birds a little time
to forget what has passed.
yd. — 50 partridges and 2 hares ; the greatest second day
in my annals. A still stronger easterly wind. The ground
like rocks of stone, and the dust flying like Irish snuff. Birds
walking about like poultry, and so wild that even in woods
and rushes they would not stay to be fired at, but kept running
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 317
off like hares ; and, in short, nothing could be done with them
till they were dispersed by cavalry and infantry, the labour
of doing which made the day's work more like a hot and
severe action than a day's sport and pleasure. Every man,
dog, and horse was so exhausted as to be quite knocked up.
4///. — Busy ticketing off a houseful of game. Drove to
Andover, and heard that no one round had done a fourth
what I had. My w^hole army much exhausted, and a general
resting day, A few shooters popping about, but nothing
done. There rarely ever is after a grand field day, as the
birds have not recovered their nerves to settle quietly.
^tJi. — Another general resting day ; men, horses, dogs,
and birds still unfit for war. A {^wr poppers over all the
ground as usual, but 7iimporte.
6th. — At them again. Another brilliant and unprece-
dented day. 56 partridges and 3 hares.
N.B. — A cold, dry, easterly wind, with a scorching sun
again ; never found a bird for the first hour, but at last dis-
covered that the main army of the partridges had entrenched
themselves in a piece of thick clover, on the estate of Sir
Henry Wilson, of not more than three acres. His friend and
steward. Captain Clark, very kindly gave me leave to enter
this garrison of game, and directed me to give them no
quarter ; so in this one little field I bagged 10 brace of birds
and I hare without missing a shot. Indeed, this was the only
sport like easy September shooting that I have seen this
season. The birds then returned to and dispersed on my
own shooting ground, which was well planted with markers,
and here we did gloriously. But had it not been for this
lucky circumstance, I doubt whether wc should have made a
good day's sport ; and I am quite sure we should have been
puzzled to make up 200 head of game in three days, which
everyone was anxious I should do. As it was, however, I
made up 214 head of game in three days' shooting, viz.
1st, 102 partridges and i hare; 3rd, 50 partridges and 2
318 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Sept.
hares ; 6th, 56 partridges and 3 hares. Total, 208 partridges
and 6 hares, making 214 head besides lost birds.
I every day returned home with my cavalry and infantry in
proper form of procession, instead of allowing them to straggle
in like a vanquished army or disorderly banditti, which
attracted no small admiration and laughter among the friends
who were with me.
Having now done what I believe never was done here
before, and what possibly may never be done here again, and
supplied all the farmers and my friends with game, I shall
here terminate the war against the partridges ; and, at all
events, leave them to others till I want game again, and can
have proper scenting weather to kill a few birds in a quiet way.
15//A — Mr. Childe the artist arrived at Longparish, and
]\Ir. Joseph IManton, preparative to a painting being made of
our partie de chasse.
lyth. — Assembled my myrmidons for one more grand field
day, in order to have some of their likenesses. Mr. Childe
attended as a strict observer, and Mr. Joseph Manton shot
with me. Our united bag was 48 partridges and i hare, and
we returned some time before the day was over, in order that
]\Ir. Childe might complete by good daylight the necessary
sketches of the group. My share of the bag was 28 partridges,
but had I shot entirely by myself, and been able to waive the
usual ceremony of shooting in company, and galloped up to
all my birds, as heretofore, I am confident I should have
killed 30 brace of birds. I therefore calculate that by taking
out another sportsman the larder fell 6 brace short ; because
to follow birds up, as I ought in this wild country, I must do
that which in company would be unsportsmanlike and un-
gentlemanlike to whoever was my companion ; and Joe
]\Ianton, not being one of the quickest movers, either on
horseback or on foot, doubly retarded several of the necessary
attacks.
18//^.— Stayed at home with Mr. Childe to arrange for the
*^^-^. -^ _.
vaj^*^,.
^
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 319
disposition of the picture &c. while a friend and Joe Manton
went off shooting. Nothing in ' Hudibras ' or * Quixote ' could
be more ludicrously crisp than the result of their day. They
were to beat us all by going in a quiet way, and meant to
astonish us by showing what could be done by one dog and
a little poaching on our neighbours. But (yes, but), as the
kitchenmaid (and the devil) would have it, the aforesaid dog
unhappily fell foul of a tub of buttermilk just before starting,
with which he so preposterously blew out his paunch, that he
was pointing all day, not at birds, but to open both his ports
in order to be relieved of the cargo he had taken in ; and
before he was sufficiently in trim to do anything but make his
deposits from one port and cast up his accounts from the
other, it was time to come home for dinner, and the finale
was a deluge of rain. So much for buttermilk. Joe Manton
suspected I had played this trick as a punishment for
his challenge ; but I was as innocent of the hoax as they
were of the murder of game, they having got but 7 birds
all day.
19///. — 50 partridges and 4 hares, besides lost and divided
birds, to my own gun and exclusive share, in 6 hours' shoot-
ing with Mr. Henry Fellowes, who is one of the quickest,
coolest, and best sportsmen I ever entered a field with. He
had a rascally gun that quite spoiled his shooting, though I
could see he was a good shot. Had it not been for this, I
daresay we should have killed 100 birds in the six hours, not-
withstanding we had a very wild, windy day, and a pelting
storm just in our best shooting, which spoiled the ground for
at least an hour after it had ceased. We had only one gun
each.
Joe Manton, Mr. Childe, and L hung on our leeward
flank, and got 1 1 brace and i hare.
20tJi. — Joe ALinton left us for town, highly delighted and
astonished with what he had seen.
ottJi. — A tremendous gale of wind all day, with occasional
320 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
showers. The birds so wild that everyone laughed at me
for going out ; and I so ill that I could compare myself to
nothing better than the buttermilk dog that accompanied
Joseph Manton on the iSth, a memorable day. However,
I worked lo brace of birds ; I said I would have them,
and I did have them ; and all within less than four hours ;
having bagged, besides 4 towered and lost birds, 20 par-
tridges and I snipe. And all done by dint of rapid snap
shooting.
2'jtJi. — While my man Charles was gone to Southampton,
with despatches for Buckle, relative to building me another
new punt, I pottered out on a pony in order to get a few
more birds in a quiet way ; but I was forced to quack myself
up, for the sortie, with Huxham's bark and sal volatile. I
started at half-past twelve, and came in at half-past four with
24 partridges, 3 snipes, and the only landrail I have seen or
heard of this year, and all without once missing a shot ;
though, in spite of beautiful weather, the birds were so wild
that half those I fired at were snap shots. I made five double
shots and three cannons in the course of the day, and under
all circumstances I consider this the best day's sport I have
had this season.
29///. — Having enjoyed some of the best September
shooting that I ever heard of, and wanting no more birds just
now, I this day left Longparish for London.
Game killed in September 1827: In seven times going
out, viz. four whole days' shooting, 258 partridges and 10
hares. One scrambling, ill-managed day, with Joe Manton,
28 partridges, and two little quiet sorties of four hours each,
and without markers, 44 partridges, 4 snipes, and i landrail ;
making in all, 330 partridges, 10 hares, 4 snipes, i landrail.
Total, 345 head, besides about 12 brace shot dead and lost.
This is the best sport I ever had, or that ever was known
here in the memory of the oldest man living. Though far
from being in good health, I never shot better. A good
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 321
breed of birds, but they were particularly wild every day this
season.
October loth. — Arrived at my healthiest of homes, Key-
haven.
1 2)th. — A few wigeon appeared ; went out to reconnoitre,
but got no chance.
lyth. — Got my maiden shot of the season, from which I
picked up 2 brent geese, 2 pintails, and i wigeon ; and these
were all the birds I had to fire at, except i other goose, that
went off severely hit, and dropped off at sea. These 3 are
the first geese that have been heard of this season, and very
early it is for them.
I then came home and went game shooting. At the close
of the day, however, I made up a brace of partridges. We
then had quite an event with an old hare, an animal that is
thought as much of at Keyhaven as an elephant. I let fly at
her a scrambling shot, a long way off, and through the pota-
toes ; down she came, and the dog had a hold of her. Off
she set again : Bagshore, Mr. Davison, myself, and a whole
banditti had a chase after her for nearly half an hour, till, at
last, we gave her up. Soon after she was chased by an old
woman, who caught her by the legs, and who let her go in a
fright when she began to squeal, for fear that she (the said
old woman) should be scratched. Then we heard that this
wonderful hare had run into some one's house, and Lord knows
how many stories. In short, she was cut all to pieces, and is,
no doubt, dead ; and she was the first living creature that I
had pulled a trigger at, without bagging, since my arrival in
this place. After this curious affair I went home, shipped
water boots, shifted my shot, and went out for snipes. All I
fired at was i snipe and i jack snipe, both of which I bagged,
except discharging my gun at, and killing, a swallow, just to
say that I had shot wild geese and a swallow in the same
day. Here ended my three heterogeneous sallies in shooting
this day ; and, at night, m}' waggon, with my workman,
VOL. L Y
322 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Oct.
Buckle, and all the traps for finishing the new light punt
arrived, and this is now my chief business at Keyhaven, as
the weather is still too mild for sport with wild fowl. What
with the hard fag in the day, the uproar of unloading a
large freight of traps and goods, and quartering off the
myrmidons attendant on them, I had this day quite as much
work as would have served any moderate man's exercise for
a fortnight.
20th. — While my men were jobbing, I went out for four
hours in order to get a partridge, if possible. The scarcity of
game was quite ridiculous. I saw but 6 birds, and these a
snap shot. My first barrel missed fire, but with my second
barrel I got i partridge, and just saved my charter of never
having a blank day.
2\tJi. — Busy jobbing. About 20 wigeon dropped in off
Pennington Lake. Reade and I went off to them in the
* Lion.' I let fly both barrels of the swivel gun, and stopped
12 of them at about no yards, with which I had every reason
to be satisfied.
25///. — A gale of wind and rain all the morning. In the
evening it abated, and we tried the new punt, in an unfinished
state, just to ' trim her on all tacks,' and nothing could answer
more beautifully than she did. While busy at the punt, a
very fine fat knot pitched on the mud, and I ran in for my
musket, and got him. This was the only shot I fired to-day.
3ii'/. — New punt finished and painted to-day. I went out
for about four hours, and never saw but a leash of partridges
the whole time ; and when T put my leg on one hedge, these
birds were flying over the other, at the opposite end of the
field. I just saved my charter of never having a blank day
by accidentally springing one snipe and bagging him. The
only shot I fired.
November \st. — Sailed all the way to Pitt's Deep, in the
' Lion ' punt, and had such a fine side wind that we made the
passage there and back at the rate of seven miles an hour
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 323
We had thus an opportunity of surveying about twenty miles
of coast, and in this we saw but one flock of birds, and these off
at sea. I was much amused with an interview with old
Harnet (the emperor of the Hampshire gunners), whom I had
not seen before, since I was a Johnny Raw at the science
(about eleven years ago), and he was in ecstasy with m}' set-
out and new inventions. I got no shots, except firing one
for the edification of the said Harnet at a mark, which not a
little astonished him.
2nd. — The new punt having been finished last night,.
Stephen Keil left us this day, and such a workman, I believe,,
never used a tool. Among other house jobs, this morning
he made a capital bootjack in fourteen minutes.
4///. — Sunday. Had a pleasant sail to Yarmouth, where
I went to church. Nothing extraordinary occurred, except
that the parson forgot to read the Gospel.
jtJi. — Named the new punt the ' Dart,' and gave the
myrmidons a five-shilling wet on the occasion at Reade's new
pothouse the ' Gun,' where not only my beer, but lots more ot
the brewer's, w^as quaffed on the occasion ; and not one of the
Lord High Admiral's launches could have been launched off
with more determined energy.
%th. — Made my first sortie with the ' Dart,' in order to
try her at sea ' on all tacks.' Nothing could answer more
beautifully.
wtJi. — Sunday. Went, as usual, to church at Milford,
where on this occasion our parson forgot to read the Gospel.
\lth. — Left Keyhaven for the 'Dolphin' inn (the flash
hotel of Southampton), and the only place there where I ever
tasted of real comfort. I was busy the whole evening set-
tling little bills for the ' Dart ' punt, which came to 32/. 2s. 6d.
And so admirably superior has all turned out, that, had it
cost twice the money, it would have been well worth it.
2ist. — Keyhaven. An easterly wind again. Took a
cruise in the ' Lion ' in hopes the geese would be blown over
Y 2
324 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Nov.
with this wind ; but the only fowl I saw or shot at were 2
teal and i tufted duck, all of which I killed with one of my
new cartridges, in the left barrel of the ' champion ' gun.
While stretching my legs ashore, I trod up a snipe, and
floored him with the cripple stopper and duck shot.
22nd. — Started for a regular day's cruise, to survey the
whole coast, at daylight, in the ' Lion ' punt, with a north-
east wind. Worked up beyond Leap till we were about
fifteen miles from Keyhaven,.and except a few geese on their
travels in the air, we never saw one single head of wild fowl,
though the frost (a rascally white one that always brings rain)
was so sharp that we were half starved with cold. We
anticipated a delightful passage back, but no sooner had we
completed our trip to the east, than the vile white frost
changed the weathercock to the west, and we had con-
sequently the wind in our teeth both ways.
2dfth. — Cold wind from the north, with a little frost. I
got 5 wigeon out of lO which I shot at, and of which I did
not expect to get one in the tremendous sea that they fell
in. I fired the great gun into the only company we saw
(about 25), and brought down 4 with the first barrel, and 6
with the second, after they flew up from the breakers.
30///. — Having now completed all my little finishing jobs
to my satisfaction, and established ready for the winter the
best ' turn-out ' of gunning punts and guns in the known
Avorld, I this day left Keyhaven, and arrived at Longparish
House.
December \st. — Being sadly in want of a little game, I
weathered a day's hurricane, with pelting storms every half-
hour, and got an old cock pheasant (the only one I have set
eyes on this year), 3 partridges, i jack snipe, and i rabbit,
vhich, with i moorhen and 2 birds shot and lost, was all I
fired at.
yd. — Fagged all day, and brought home but 5 partridges,
I rabbit, and i pheasant.
i827 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 325
4///. — I tried to catch a few fish, to show Mr. Davison what
our sport would be if it was the season, and, in little more
than an hour, I caught 6 brace of fair-conditioned trout.
5///. — II rabbits, 5 hares, 2 snipes, and 5 pheasants, to
my share of a shoot at Hurstbourne Park, in killing which I
never missed one shot, except at a hare that popped behind a
stump which took off my whole charge. I killed 4 of the rab-
bits without seeing them, by firing at random, just ahead of
them, as they ran across in the covert.
6tJL — Pottered over my old beat, round home, and bagged
2 pheasants (all I saw) and 7 partridges, besides 2 more par-
tridges that towered and were lost. This I did by banging
away at all distances, as the birds were extremely wild.
8///. — 7 partridges, by means of blazing away at all dis-
tances, for the lottery of taking heads and wings, as the birds
were so wild that fair shooting, even in turnips, was totally
out of the question.
2'jtJL — 2 partridges, 2 snipes, and i jack snipe. Thus have
I been slaving for two days to make up one small basket of
game for a friend. I never in my life saw the birds so wild, or
the country and weather in such a deplorably dull state ; the very
look of the fields is enough to give a sportsman the horrors.
Incessant wet weather up to and on the 31st, so that there
has not been the least chance for any more shooting in 1827.
1828
January ist. — A deluge of rain from the north-east, which
we hope and trust will clear the weather, and bring us over a
few fowl.
2nd. — A fine black frost, with a N.E. wind, and, before I
had been two hours on the road for Keyhaven, the fickle
cock must needs ' 'bout ship,' and get S.W. with an eternal
bellows of wind, and spouting of rain the whole afternoon
and night. Such was the damage done on man>' parts of the
road, that it was quite a matter of doubt whether all com-
326 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Jan.
munication was cut off or not. However, after getting sick
with some stuff yclept ' mock turtle' at an inn, but more like
leather and glue, I reached Keyhaven late at night, and
luckily found that the place had escaped very well from the
floods. Not a fowl had been seen for many weeks, except
a few very wild geese. This I fully anticipated, and there-
fore, had I not had some arrangements to make, should not
have gone down till the weather was better settled.
We just loaded the great gun and put all ' in trim,' in case
anything should appear.
4///. — A few very wild geese were seen off below Penning-
ton, and no sooner had we started in chase of them, about three
miles to leeward, than there came on the most tremendous
weather I ever was out in : a hurricane that almost tore up the
very mud, hailstones that peppered us like a volley of mus-
ketry, and as heavy a fall of rain as I ever saw, with an ad
libitinn accompaniment of thunder and lightning. Reade was
drenched to the skin, in spite of all his ' dread-nought ' gar-
ments, and the punt had a complete freight of rain water
on board. But notwithstanding all this, and although the
storm lasted more or less for four hours, yet my ' sou'-wester '
dress so defied the elements that I came home as dry all over
as if I had been sitting the whole time with dandies in a draw-
ing room.
^tJi to yth. — Incessant bad weather.
^th. — The weathercock flew backwards into the east, with a
gale of wind, and rain, all the morning. This being a better
quarter for birds, we weathered it, to explore ; and as it blew
so hard that we could not row the punt on end, we towed her
along the banks all the way to off Lymington. We then
flew down the wind most beautifully all the way home,
though saw nothing but one flock of geese, which a lubberly
fellow had spoiled our chance at. Being anxious to try a new
cartridge of my own invention, I took a shot with it at 2 grey
plover, which were sitting, with 3 dunlins, on some piles, and
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 327
got the whole 5 of them, so that I hope my cartridge will
answer.
lOtJi. — Frost and snow. Things looking up. I got 10
wigeon about five this morning, and Reade i wigeon only in
the night. It snowed all the afternoon, so that we did not go
out for the evening tide.
Frost and snow the previous night, and Reade got 6 wigeon.
But about twelve to-day there came on a rapid thaw with a
transition from the coldest to warm weather, and towards the
afternoon there came on the old detestable and everlasting
west wind, which, as if by magic, blew off every flock of fowl
that had assembled on our coast. I had no chance to-day for
a shot with the large gun.
\2th. — Nasty, foggy, rotten, undertaker's weather. No fowl.
Shot at the dunlins, picked up 43. I stopped about 60. Got
2 coots, at about 160 yards off, and coming home I knocked
down a large speckled diver. So much for the gunning here
now. A deluge of rain all the evening and night, with an
atmosphere hot and sickly.
I'^tJi. — Sunday. We had such a tremendous hurricane
soon after midnight, that our beds were shaken under us, with
an attack of thunder and lightning that may be compared to
the heat of a severe battle. About two hours before daylight
we were hastily called up with the alarm of an immediate
inundation. The sea broke over the beach and came raging
up to our very doors, so that we were in the greatest alarm for
the safety of our property. Though we have experienced
floods before, we never were so suddenly and unexpectedly
visited with one as on this day. Providentially, however, all
ended well, and I contrived with extreme exertion, at the risk
of being washed away, to secure all my valuable punts, and
with scarcely any damage, though two of them were swept
away, but just recovered in time on the lee shore to save their
being beat to pieces. The damage that must have been done
at sea is horrible to reflect on, and it appears worthy of re-
328 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
mark that this sudden and awful visitation should have occurred
on Sunday, the 13th, when the first two verses of the evening
Psalms for that day are so appropriate to the occasion.
Before night the waters had abated, the weather became toler-
ably calm, and perfect safety was again restored.
i^tJi. — A dead calm, with a fog, and the water as smooth
as a looking-glass. Went with a large punt off under the
Isle of Wight, got a shot at a i^w ducks, and to my surprise
stopped 4 of them ; but not wishing to run the risk of losing
the tide back, I came away well pleased with i duck and i
mallard. In the evening the wind got to the eastward and
blew a gentle breeze with thick rain.
\^th. — Wind more southerly; the bellows and water
engines on again — everlasting puff and slush ; lovely weather
for doctors and undertakers, but the essence of nuisance to all
other people.
\6tJi. — The wind backed and blew strong from the east,
which occasioned the arrival of several large flocks of wigeon ;
but they were very wild and too much scattered to afford a
good shot by day. I banged off at long distances, and got 4,
3, and 2, making in all 9 wigeon bagged.
The wind then flew to the southward, with more rain.
Reade got me 4 more wigeon ; and I went out at night, but
was driven home again by a pour of southerly rain. The
springs so high that we were forced to launch a punt in the
larder, as a ferry boat for grub, coals, &c. A lovely time !
Nothing but howling of wet gales of wind battering against
the windows, of eternal everlasting rain, and the barking
coughs of men, women and children. Everything seems to
promise a second edition of Noah and his cruise in the ark.
ijtJi. — A gale of wind and slush again. I weathered it
out, as there were several birds off. I got only 2 \\-igeon,
though had a fine chance at about 300 geese, but the big gun
was so full of water it would not go off
\ZtJi. — Left Keyhaven merely to go to Longparish for a
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 329
day, and therefore had but one shirt, and the mere clothes on
my back. Owing to the floods and rain I was obliged to
sleep at Winchester, and 1 went over to Longparish on the
19th. No sooner had I arrived there than a most distressing
letter, on a most nefarious business, called me on to London,
where, in a dress scarcely nt to be seen, I arrived on the 20th
and proceeded that night and all the 21st to business ; and I
may say that in those two days I saw more roguery than I
had before met with in all the rest of my life.
2ist. — Returned to Longparish, wishing to be in the
country just now, though I had left my man Charles and
all my gunning things at Keyhaven. The country was so
inundated that getting sport of any kind was out of the
question. Never were the floods, in the memory of man,
equal to those here now. Having H.R.H. the Duke of
Clarence's commands to get some game for the Duchess (a
forlorn hope I feared), I slaved all one day and got 6 par-
tridges and 2 pheasants.
Game &c. killed to February 1828 : Popgun work — 375
partridges, 15 hares, 12 rabbits, 12 pheasants, i landrail, 22
snipes, total 437 ; swivel-gun work — 3 ducks and mallards,
44 wigeon, 2 pintails, 2 teal, 2 geese, i black duck, i tufted
duck, total 55.^
N.B. — Owing to the worst season ever known, and being
much interrupted with business, my wild-fowl shooting for
this year has been almost annihilated.
February igth. — London. I had received some days ago
a very brilliant account from Reade of the birds at Keyhaven.
Matters being a little right now, and having received yester-
day a second despatch from Reade, I resolved on making an
appendix to the campaign by going down solus, and roughing
it for a few days.
' P. S. — Since closing this list, I had to go down to Keyhaven for a week, and
from the 20th to the 23rd of February I bagged 36 wigeon and 2 brent geese.
This brings my fowl to 93 head and my grand total to 530 head of game.
330 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Feb.
Keyhaven. I was ready to go afloat at ten this evening,
but it came on a rascally fresh wind from the westward, which
embargoed the novelty of my breakfasting in London, and
killing wigeon above lOO miles off within fourteen hours,
which I was almost sure of doing, as there had been a prime
chance every night.
20tJi. — Tide served about two in the afternoon ; plenty of
birds, but the harbour ruined by dandies chasing and firing
at them with ball. About four a gale of wind and a pour of
rain drove the dandies home, and we then fell in with a trip
of wigeon ; but not till all was wet and onl}^ one barrel to
fire, and this, unluckily, loaded with large mould shot. I blew
it off, and picked up 14 wigeon and i brent goose. A gale
of south-west wind and rain for the remainder of the evening
and night.
2\st. — 7 wigeon and i brent goose : bad weather again.
22nd. — 8 wigeon, and the day finished with wind and rain.
2yd. — Foggy weather, which never does to get at birds
afloat. Out from four till ten, and at night, when I got a
little straggling shot across the haze, and picked up 5 wigeon.
2^tJi. — An incessant gale with constant thick rain from
the west. The very weather to extinguish the wild-fowl
season. We weathered it morning, noon, and night under
our new water covers, but neither saw nor heard a single bird
the whole time.
2'jth.- — Arrived in Park Street.
2Zth. — Saw in London in the Regent's Park 15 wild
wigeon and 5 tufted ducks. ^
June \tJi. — Drove down to see my son Peter at Eton, and
a pour of rain having embargoed me till two 'clock, and the re-
quisition of every animal and vehicle for Ascot races having
monopolised all better conveyance, I had to work my way
down with an old horse and chaise, in order to be in time for
' The French decoy ducks that I presented have, no doubt, called them in
there, on their nightly passage.
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 381
the grand Etonian gala of the boats.' A party of us rowed up
to Surley Hall in the procession with a prime four-oar, and I
never saw the spectacle more brilliant or more to advantage.
The King sent the bo}-s plenty of his royal wine in return for
their taking up the little Prince George of Cumberland,
and most royally drunk some of them got with it. What
with the gaiety of the scene, among the merry little fel-
lows on the one hand, and the reflection of my younger
and happier days on the other, I hardly know whether
the being elated or affected was more predominant on my
feelings.
On the 5th I spent the whole morning in shaking hands
with old friends &c., and first among them my esteemed
old tutor. Dr. Goodall, now Provost of the College ; and after
having partaken of the kind hospitality of my old school-
fellow, and Peter's ' Dominie,' Captain Dobson, I returned to
dinner in London.
22nd. — Longparish. Fished (to amuse Mr. \V. Griesbach)
in a bright sun, dead calm and north wind (with a fly), and
killed 4 brace of trout. This is equal to 30 brace in a good
time and in a good month for fly fishing.
July 2gth. — Left Keyhaven at half-past four, drove to
Southampton ; boarded the ' George the Fourth ' steam
packet at eight ; and at a quarter before eleven landed on the
quay at Havre de Grace. Passage 1 1 2 miles.
30///. — It was a matter as if of life and death for me to
get off this morning at nine by the ' steamer ' to Rouen ; it
being the only conveyance till the next day, except a vile
night coach or vile French posting. They all defied me to
get my passport in time for the steamer, as the ' consul was
never at his office till eleven, and lived out of town,' and a
Madame Moncey (who seemed to lead all Havre by the nose,
having an official situation in the custom house) was quite in-
dignant at my not taking her word to this effect (as all the
other passengers without passports had done) and paying her
332 COLONEL HAWKERS DL-\RV July
the same homage that others did. I ran all the way to the
country seat of the consul, whom I caught just going to break-
fast ; and he, luckily, having a blank form by him, favoured me
with a passport ; so I floored the omnipotent Aladame Moncey,
and got under way for Rouen. Though the road to Rouen is
but fifty-five miles, yet the passage is seventy-five miles, owing
to the innumerable windings of the Seine. This is perhaps
one of the most lovely passages in France.
I landed soon after eight at Rouen, where, after securing
the only vacancy in the morning diligence, I inspected the
magnificent cathedral of this place, built b\' the English in
the reign of Henry IV., and then passed a short bad night
in a sorry nest, seven storeys high, at the Hotel de Lyon
But, as I am now an old foreign traveller, it would be needless
to recapitulate the mixtures of novelties and miseries with
which I have, over and over again, filled the pages of my
former journals. I have, therefore, but little to remark on
this excursion.
^ist. — Left Rouen b}' the diligence at six this morning,
and arrived in Paris by nine at night, by way of Louviers,
where we breakfasted at ten ; ]\Iantes, where we dined at half-
past two ; and St.-Germain, which is about 4 leagues from the
metropolis. The short way is 32 leagues ; but I preferred
this route, as being the most beautiful journey on the banks
of the Seine, and because I had been the other way before.
A French post league being 2^ miles English, the journey
to-day was just 90 miles. I have nothing to remark on this
road, since I was in France before, except that the diligences
are cleaner and go better : you have no conductors or postil-
lions to pay, and the latter have doused their butter-churn
boots for life guards' jack boots ; have left off powder, and
amputated their colossal pigtails. I this night took up m.y
old quarters at the Hotel Montmorency, Rue St.-Marc, No. 12.
August 1st. — Called on my old friend Mr. Kalkbrenner^
No. i'^ Rue Chantereine, and then passed my time in the
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 333
Louvre till it was the hour for dinner, after which I went to
the French opera. ^
2nd. — Engaged in various little matters, and, in the even-
ing, called on another god of the piano, my other friend, Mr.
Jerome Bertini (who is now the Clementi of Paris), at No. 8
Rue Montaigne du Roule. He was out teaching, though half-
past eight at night ; but madame, his wife, the great harp
player, was cJiez elk, and not a little surprised to see me. I
must surely astonish both my old masters by this popping
suddenly upon them, who scarcely knew whether 1 was dead
or alive.
ird. — Bertini came up to me this morning before break-
fast, and I never saw a fellow more alive at seeing another
than he was at seeing me. We breakfasted together, and he
then adjourned to Pleyel's to play me some of his new music.
The remainder of the day we spent at Versailles, but were
prevented from enjoying it, owing to the wet and stormy
weather.
4///. — About various business till the middle of this day,
and then passed the remainder of it in the Jardin des Plantes,
where there were innumerable additions made since I was last
in Paris, the giraffe and many other curious animals, as well
as a great increase in every other branch of natural history.
5///. — Spent a part of the morning in the Luxembourg ;
some of the pictures here were the best, for effect, I had seen
for a long time ; and one in particular by the president or
chief of the Academy at Rome. Went in the evening to the
* Favart ' or Italian opera. Meyerbeer's ' Crociato in Egitto ' was
the piece, and, as usual, the orchestra at this house was most
delightful ; but I hardly knew whether to condemn or approve
of the introduction of Turkish cymbals in this orchestra.
They seem to be the order of the night, now, in the Paris
' La Muette de Portici, in four acts, with the dancing included. A very spirited
opera ; but the music rather in the noisy school. A tremendous orchestra, with
the addition of double drums and Turkish cymbals.
334 COLONEL HAWKER-S DL\RY Aug.
bands. The best singer, to my taste, was Madame Pisaroni.
A Monsieur Donzelli also showed great talent, and I preferred
him to our London tenors.
lOth. — Since the 6th I have been to the Louvre, the Luxem-
bourg, the Tuileries, Versailles &c. but made no memorandums,
as nothing particular was there beyond what I took down in
my former visit to Paris. This evening I went to the Tivoli,
which is very different from what it was a few }'ears ago.
The ground on which this once grand fete was held is sold, and
the place now substituted is farther off, and not nearly so well
adapted to the purpose. The old Tivoli was as far superior
as the new one is inferior to our Vauxhall. No Russian
mountains, no balloons of fire now, and, in short, a poor,
miserable place, but little better than a country fair, except
having one fine temple for gormandising, and a capital band
for the quadrilles. But this is a matter of course : leave a
Frenchman alone for eating and dancing.
\2th. — Mr. Kalkbrenner gave me a seat in his box this
morning, to hear the pianoforte pupils of the Conservatoire
play for the prizes before a full audience in the theatre of that
establishment, which is called the Ecole de IMusique. The
performance began at nine o'clock, and the great Cherubini
sat in state as the harmonic judge, surrounded by a kind of
jury of other mighty dons. The first batch of pupils were
seven girls, who each played the same piece, and then read
an MS. at sight. The piece was Kalkbrenner's, and the
MS. was Cherubini's. Monsieur Adam, the old man who
for many }'ears has been pianoforte master to the Conser-
vatoire, and who was Kalkbrenner's master, sat by the side of
the pupils. It became tedious and monotonous to hear the
same thing played over so many times, and, as a matter of
etiquette, all applause was withheld. At last the first act of
this exhibition came to a close by a vase being handed round
among the judges, and their placing therein little things
similar to our balls in ' blackballiuLr ' at clubhouses, when
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 335
three of the young ladies were called on, and severally ad-
dressed as best, second best, and so on for the prizes ; and on
Cherubini finishing his short oration to them from the grand
box, there was a great burst of applause. The next part of
the exhibition was to be young men playing a concerto of
Kalkbrenner's ; sat out three of them, but when I heard there
were to be five or six more, I could weather it no longer, so
took the liberty to ' bolt.' Went to see the new building La
Bourse on the Exchange, a superb and commodious edifice
lately completed in Rue Vivienne. The imitations of sculp-
ture here are so well ' brought out ' in the painting, that
I could hardly persuade myself but what they were real
statues.
1 5///. — Went (by admission ticket) to the church of Notre-
Dame to see the King and all the royal family celebrate the
day of the Virgin Mary, one of the greatest festivals in
France. The town was in confusion the whole morning, with
the rattling of carriages, ringing of bells, and bustling about
of the civil and military ; and about two o'clock the cathedral
doors were opened, and those who had tickets were admitted,
and, no doubt, also many without them in the general confu-
sion. From two till near three we sat in the cathedral and
saw all the different processions arrive : the counts, the peers,
the mayor, the priests, the masters of ceremony, &c., and
punctually at three the grand procession began to enter :
the priests, the bishops, the marshals, the Duke and Duchess
of Angouleme, and then the King, walking under a large
canopy superbly ornamented. I never saw a monarch with
whose countenance I was better pleased, he looked the
picture of affability and good disposition ; and so well does
he carry his age, that I thought he looked quite as young as,
if not younger than, his son the Duke of Angouleme. I had
seen him before, in old Louis's time, when he was Count
d'Artois, and he does not appear a day older, though when 1
saw him last must have been about nine years ago. The cere-
836 COLONEL HAWK?:R'S DL\RY Aug.
mony performed in the cathedral was what they call vespers ;
an immoderate bellowinj^ of the basest of base voices, with
the blowinc; away of two serpents, and all the noise that hands
and feet could brini^ forth from a hui^c roiif^h-toned orc^an ;
and, by way of a finish, the silver Viri^in Mary was started
from the altar, and carried halfway over the town with all
the procession from Charles X. down to half the rabble of
Paris, among such a noise and stink as a man may c(o his life
and never hear or smell ac^ain. We thou<^ht the noise in the
church pretty well, but it was a mere whisper to that out of
it, particularly the bells, which would have almost drowned
that of a cannonade. In short, this cvanij^clical spree was
kept up till about five, when the Kin^^ arrived at the Tuileries
in his state carriage ; and his other carriage (with eight
horses) was ready to take him back to St.-Cloud as soon as
he had rid himself of the trappings for the levee of the
silver Virgin. Although I am too great a ' heretic ' (as the
Spaniards would call me) to enter into the spirit of the
Catholic religion, yet no one could say but the show was
extremely well worth seeing. In the evening I looked into
the French Theatre ; but, as it was too hot to sit out a play,
I merely went into the second gallery. But there was no-
thing particular to observe since I was there before.
iJtJi. — Having now done what business I had here, and
prepared to start for England again, I shall just memorandum
down a few short remarks as to the changes that have taken
place since I was last in Paris.
Travelling : Road and travelling much the same. The
incssagcric, or diligences, altered to huge treble-bodied ma-
chines, and painted yellow instead of green. No con-
ductor or postillions to pay, but a moderate charge made in
lieu of it. Iims as dirty and uncomfortable as ever, charges
dearer, and wines not so good. Posting and the nialle
paste in every respect the same.
Paris : PL very article dearer than it was, but now the
t82S colonel HAWKER'S DL-\RY 337
French have a fixed price, so that you have not to bargain
Hke a Jew to avoid being cheated, as you were once obHged
to do, in even the best shops. The cooking is much the same
— most exquisite for those who hke made dishes, and prefer
messes of butter, sugar, and Lord knows what to plain,
wholesome food. Our English sauces — cayenne &c. — may
now be had, if called for, at most of the 7'estaiirateurs . The
wines are decidedly not so good as in former times, and you
have still the same difficulty in getting a good-sized glass to
drink out of at }'Our dinner. There are, however, some English
people who have set up soda and ginger-beer shops, so that,
by going to them, you have now the means of quenching that
insufferable thirst which is produced by the greasy, sugary,
salt, and acid mixtures, that the French dishes abound with,
not to say a word of the tricks that are now played as to meat,
wines, and spirits.
Amusements : French opera rather improved. Italian
opera rather fallen off: their band, which I thought the best I
ever heard, is now no more than equal to that of our opera.
Dancing, if anything, in rather less force. Tivoli miserably
bad. Boulevards as gay as ever. Tortoni's still the best ice
shop, and Very's (in the Palais Royal) now become the best
restaurateur s in Paris. Formerly I thought it about the third
best.
State of things : Great improvement in the paintings of
the rising French artists, particularly in the school of David.
Military nearly the same — gendarmes^ as usual, a pattern to
the whole world for their orderly and respectable behaviour.
Cuirassiers not so well mounted as formerl}^, cavalry rather
fallen off than improved in appearance. Even the King's
stud are but moderate-looking animals. People here all
appear to be in the height of affluence, you rarely see a
shabby-looking person ; and, in short, the people of Paris
appear to spend a great deal more money on their dressing,
eating, drinking, and amusements than do those in London.
VOL. L Z
338 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Aug.
From all appearances, therefore, we may conclude that France
is in a very flourishing state.
1 8///. — Left Paris at six this evening by the diligence, to go
the other, the short, road to Rouen. There being an opposition
on this road at night, we travelled a very fair pace, and were
as quick in all our changes as the Southampton coaches. We
rumbled along all night in this stupendous machine, like a
movable hayrick driving a herd of bullocks before it, and two
other diligences at our heels, and we never got more than a few
seconds' stoppage all the way from Paris to Rouen. Our
conductor was an infernal hog, and quite brutish to several
female passengers who wanted to alight a moment, which he
would hardly allow. Refreshment out of the question, except
what I had the sense to pocket, and grope out in the dark to eat.
Between four and five in the morning we descended into the
valley where stands the town of Flueris ; and the four dili-
gences descending the mountain under the opening of day-
light on a fine morning, the 19th, had a novel and beautiful
effect. The diligence weighed 11,100 lb., the freight with
twenty inside passengers and luggage, 5,500 lb., making in
all, 16,600 lb. We had seldom less than seven horses, three
at wheel, and four abreast leaders, all driven by one postillion ;
and in the mountainous parts we had nine horses, on which
occasion an extra boy in a blue frock and white cotton night-
cap drove the two leaders. The first refreshment we got
was i^<:/. of milk on reascending after passing the town of
Flueris. An old cribbage-faced woman, surrounded by beg-
gars, waylays the coach at this ascent with her cups and
pitcher. Nothing worthy of remark occurred till we ap-
proached the town of Rouen from the tremendous hill of St.
Catherine, the view from which is so charming that people
often make a point of staying a day in Rouen on purpose to
go and look from thence over the town and the Seine, if it so
happens that their journey does not bring them by way of
this heavenly landscape. The hill is tremendous, and the
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 339
coaches while descending by the winding road have a novel
and beautiful effect. I should not omit to mention that two
Frenchmen had such a quarrel about their seats in the night,
as to come to the scratch and collar, and almost to a fight ;
and, before daylight, they were as thick as two pickpockets.
We got to Rouen by seven, having performed the journey, 32
post leagues, 80 English miles, within thirteen hours, which
for France is very fair going. Nearly the whole way is
paved, and the diligence nearly as rough as a butcher's cart,
so the shaking may be easier imagined than described ; and,
as if we had not noise enough with an everlasting volley of
rumble and chatter, the horses had all bells. But, after all,
the convoy of these four machines had a very lively and some-
what pleasing effect. Trunks just looked into at Rouen, merely
to see we had no liquors, which pay a small barrier duty.
After a good, though dear, breakfast at the Hotel de Lyon,
Madame du Roy, I proceeded by a branch diligence, just like
the other, and for which you are booked at Paris, for Dieppe.
Here we had a very civil gentlemanlike conductor, who was
himself chief proprietor of the coach, and it is to him that I
am indebted for the precise state of the weight &c. before
mentioned. We left Rouen at nine, and got into Dieppe a
quarter before four. The distance is 14 leagues, 35 English
miles. Nothing particular occurred on the remainder of the
journey, except our having to walk through the fine oak wood
of Malawney while the diligence performed the winding
ascent of the road, which was so tremendous a drag that the
moment you have reached the summit of the hill, nine fresh
horses are put to, and the others taken away ready to drop.
English horses would have jibbed with such a freight.
N.B. — I could get no place but the rotonde (behind),
which happens to be cheapest. The middle is called I'in-
tcrieur, and the front le coupe, much the best place, but
generally bought up a week beforehand. The rookery place
' aloft ' is called rinipcrial, and a most imperial tumble a
340 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Aug.
gentleman would get out of it if any accident happened.
These hasty remarks are all I have time to make, as I must
now proceed to see and do various jobs at Dieppe.
P.S, — I forgot to note that poor old Delarne is dead, and his
widow keeps on the house where I am now put up. Dined at
the table d'hote ; and, in the evening, went down to see the
superb baths and public rooms that have been erected since I
Avas here some years ago. I never saw a place so improved.
I always liked Dieppe as well as any place in France, because
it is almost the only French town that does not stink abomi-
nably. Finished the day with a refreshing walk on the shore,
and then a warm salt bath to rectify all the shakes and dust
of the twenty-two hours' rough journey.
20tJi. — Went a little way out of the town to investigate
the particulars of the pension Anglais (English school), kept
by Messrs. Williams and Sparke, at a sort of country seat
called ' Gaudecote,' and was more pleased with this than any
other establishment that I had seen in France. The remainder
of the day was spent in running about and seeing the few ' lions '
of the place, which I found so very pleasant that my deten-
tion in it became a day's pleasure, instead of a day's quarantine.
Had an excellent dinner at Madame Delarne's table d'hote,
and among many other good things, we had capital roast
beef, and good Bordeaux claret at fifteenpence English the
bottle. Price of the table d'hote, two francs and a half for
dinner, cider, dessert, and in short, everything but wine. Got
my heavy things on board the packet preparative to starting
early to-morrow morning for England.
I never was asked for my passport through the whole
of my journeys.
2\st. — Got under way by the 'Eclipse' steam packet.
Captain Cheesman, at half-past six this morning, and landed
on the chain pier, or new quay, at Brighton at half-past five
in the evening, making a tolerable passage of eleven hours.
For the first three hours all was as smooth as a duck pond.
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 341
and a capital breakfast was set out on deck ; but, towards
the latter part of the passage, the wind freshened in our
teeth, and the berths and basins were more in requisition
than the eatables or drinkables. Passage from step to step
on quays, 80 miles, fare 2/. The very devil's own work at
custom house. No fault of Mr. Lewis, who is the chief and a
very gentlemanly man, but the neglect of there not being
built a custom house nearer to the quay. The whole contents
of the packet were transferred to three carts and drawn off
all through the town to a distant and bad situation, where
the crowd was immense. Many people despaired of even
getting their night things ; but I brushed about instead of
going to eat, and literally got the whole of my baggage
cleared off and in the barrow before any soul was clear, though
forty names were down before I came. There is a right and
a wrong way of doing things.
I never saw any place so much improved as Brighton has
been since I was here last.
lOtJi. — Left London by the ' Times ' (Southampton) coach
at a quarter before eleven, for Longparish, and got home about
six o'clock.
342 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
CHAPTER XXI
1828
September 1st. — Longparish. Strong wind all day from
the east ; ground as dry as Lundyfoot's snuff, but a moderate
breed of birds, and my two dogs on their last legs. I there-
fore performed a miracle by bagging : 60 partridges (besides
6 more lost), 4 hares, and i quail. My son Peter killed
3 brace, his first essay. We never in our lives had such a
fagging day and such hard slavery to keep up our charter.
Our army were literally worked off their feed, to the joy of
my commissariat ; but they drank their extra hog-tub full of
stiff swizzle, which cost me more than the half of the sheep
that they left.
2nd. — I gave a general day's rest, as every sensible shooter
ought to do ; but, as other Johnny Raws were worrying the
poor birds, I gave Peter leave to go with a borrowed dog ;
and he bagged 3^ brace more, besides 4 brace killed by his
follower.
3r^. — By slaving like a negro from ten till five, I con-
trived to satchel 48 partridges (besides 3 brace lost), and 3
brace more that Peter killed, as I took him out and gave him
several shots. Weather so dry that the only plan was to
walk all day with both barrels cocked, and snap down the
birds as they rose wild from the stubbles. Cruel hard labour,
and no sport for the poor dogs.
4th and ^tJi. — Dogs all footsore, so I rested these days ;
but Peter, who was red-hot for sport, went out with only the
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 343
house dog, which was of more harm than good to him, but he
contrived to bag his 2 brace on the 4th, and his 2j brace on
the 5th.
6t]i. — Was anxious to finish with 20 brace, and never had
such a hard run to make up the number. The dogs were so
done that even the falling of a bird would not move them
from my heels, and I stood at 19^ brace for the last hour
before nightfall. I had no alternative but marching up and
down at a rapid pace, without dogs, and treading the
stubbles till I was ready to drop, but determined to die game.
I fought to the last ; but, through over-anxiety and fatigue,
I missed two fair shots ; but, at last, just at the farewell of
daylight a covey rose from the feed. I ' up gun,' and down
came a bird as dead as a hammer, a long shot ; so I bagged
the 20 brace, gave three cheers (a butcher's halloo), and came
home in triumph with 40 partridges on a pole.
jtJi. — Having decided on taking Peter to Dieppe, in order
to place him at school, I therefore started this morning for
London.
%tJi. — Doing business all the morning as fast as a ' cab '
could drive me about. Then started by the ' Age ' coach,
and got to Brighton about half-past eight. ' Ship ' inn a perfect
hornets' nest ; a grand ball in the town ; a packet just in.
No beds to be got except out of the house. All the good
grub eaten up ; much delay in getting bad. Not grogged and
cribbed till twelve ; beds procured in dirty lodging houses.
^ Warmunt ' in great force, more scratching than sleeping.
gtJi. — A drowned man brought ashore. Sea looking
rough and blue. Peter and I proceeded to France. Got
under way by 'Talbot' steamer, Captain Norwood, at a
quarter past ten, and had our legs under the cloth of Mother
Delarne's table d'hote, in Dieppe, about eleven at night,
after a fair passage of eleven hours and a half. Ran foul of
a French vessel coming in ; no harm done.
Though I never was asked for my passport the other
344 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Sept.
day when in France, yet I was this time troubled beyond
anything by the poHce, so people should never depend
on them. They have, it appears, fresh officers on duty (in
order to relieve each other) every month ; and it entirely
depends on them whether you go free, or are molested about
your passport every step you take. Custom-house people, as
usual, lenient and very civil ; and, by a very little ruse^ I
escaped all duties for Peter's things. All, of course, in the
usual confusion on landing at night ; and I was not 'in bed till
twelve.
lotJi. — Up and dressed by six. Settled all Peter's affairs
in about two hours. Got all his baggage cleared. Rigged him
with a few traps, blew him out at Delarne's, got my passport
with great difficulty, and with the loss of half my breakfast^
and all just in time to a minute to board the steamer while
she was getting under way for England by eleven o'clock
My reason for hurrying back was to avoid the tremendous
weather which I suspected was working ; and to prove my
judgment, I have since my arrival at home seen the account
of the ' dreadful passage ' that was encountered by the next
packet. Out all night in great danger ; forced to put in
to Newhaven, and I don't know what all.
The fairest possible wind and a pretty time at starting^
but before we had been an hour at sea, there came on a
complete deluge of rain and, towards the afternoon, a tremen-
dous squall with thunder and lightning. Forced to douse all
sail and ease the engine. But after striking the ground three
times, we got alongside the chain pier off Brighton about half-
past eight and were landed soon after nine. I weathered it
well ; ate boiled beef below while others were ' cascading ; *
wrote letters, lent a hand in the squall, &c. Having but little
baggage, I was allowed to be cleared off on board, so I ran
up to the town, secured a place, then swallowed a cup of tea,
and set off by the ten o'clock night coach for town, not having
courage to face any more of the live stock in the Brighton
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 345
blankets. Had the inside of the coach all to myself, the best
possible company at night, wrapped myself up in a cloak, and
though I am a vile sleeper, and particularly in a coach, I on
this one occasion played such a good bassoon that I never heard
till on our arrival in town, about half-past four, that we were
all but killed in the night Coachee fell asleep, got partly foul
of a van, horses ran up a bank, a wheeler and a leader floored
and left sprawling, and coach all but over, and we under the
van, and I perhaps to have been cracked like a kernel
(Colonel) in a shell ; a bad pun, but a true state of the case.
But, thank God, all ended well, and I was over the stones and
in bed in London before six o'clock in the morning on Thurs-
day, the 1 1 th.
\lth. — Left London by the ' North Devon ' coach, and ar-
rived about half-past ten at night again at Longparish House.
15//^. — Longparish. Went out to try and get a few more
birds for my friends ; but the game had been cruelly driven
about in my absence, and the easterly wind had this very
day returned, and blew strong ; and, to mend the matter, I
was ill ; but, notwithstanding all, I did wonders for the third
week, by getting 32 partridges.
N.B. — Heard of a jack snipe having been seen to-day.
ijtJi. — Went out quietly without markers, and bagged
21 partridges and this snipe.
Killed altogether, in only five mornings' shooting : 20 r
partridges, 4 hares, i quail, i snipe. Total, 207 head.
N.B. — A bad breeding season ; more old birds than
young ones.
20t]L. — 20 partridges. Dry easterly wind, birds as wild
as hawks, no scent ; and my two old bitches had scarcely a
leg to stand on, though I had given them two days' rest.
22nd. — As this day commences the fourth week in Sep-
tember, the birds, in our very wild open country, had, of
course, got quite wary. Bagged 18 partridges and i hare.
Made one rather extraordinary shot ; 3 birds crossed
34G COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Sept.
each other, at the regular interval of about lo yards apart ;
and, when all three got in a line, I ' up gun ' and floored
the whole trio with one barrel. They were all killed quite
dead, picked up instantly, and all three pro\ed to be full-
grown birds.
29//^. — Had the variety of shooting, hunting, and fishing
all within five hours. It blew a hurricane all the morning.
I first bagged 10 partridges. Then had a spree with the
harriers, which I fell in with while shooting ; and, by way of
a wind up, I got my rod and killed 6 brace of very fine trout
for dinner, &c.
Game killed in September 1828: 264 partridges, 5 hares,
I quail, I snipe. Total, 271 head.
N.B. — Out but ten times.
October 2nd. — A particularly fine day ; and, as I might
as well try for an elephant as a pheasant, I availed myself of
this time to try our wild partridges on the hills. I was at
first out of luck : broke the cock of my gun, broke my
horse's bridle, tore my shooting jacket, and, what was more
annoying to me than all, missed four shots ; however, the luck
soon turned, and I ended the day with shooting brilliantly
and bagging 20 partridges.
3r<^. — A strong southerly wind ; and, it being a good
fishing day, I took my fly rod out for about an hour before
dinner, and killed 3 brace of fine trout ; and, among them,
one which weighed \\ lb. He was as red as a salmon,
and as full of curd as a new-laid ^^^ ; so I crimped him and
made a most delicious dinner on him.
gtJi. — A tolerably fine day ; and I had the extraordinary
luck to bring home 20 partridges and a magnificent old cock
pheasant, for which there was a hue and cry in search of
me, just as I was coming home to dinner. They had marked
him down in our moors ; Duchess soon pinned him, and I
had a most beautiful easy open shot at him. I think, under
all circumstances, considering that I had only one pony and
i828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 347
one man out, a new gun stock to try — with which I never
shot more brilliantly in all my life — I never had a better day
in all my annals of sporting.
22nd. — Put myself on the rostrum of a Newbury coach,
at Winchester, and took a run down to Keyhaven, in order
to overhaul my craft, make some experiments &c. preparative
to the winter.
2yd. — Went out to explore a little, boat leaked, came
home and caulked her ; heard that the curlews had taken a
strong haunt on my artificial island, where two beautiful
shots had been missed at them by the ' Sams ' here. Saw
but 2 curlews there, and floored them both, with a blow off of
my right barrel, when coming in from my reconnoitre. Not
a wild fowl to be seen.
24/// and 25///. — Up to my eyes in wind, rain, dirt, gun-
powder, and experiments with my patent cartridges again.
Too busy to look after birds ; fired but at one living target,
and that was a cormorant, which I killed dead, at above loo
yards. After coming home from my day's experiments,
settling some business, bills, &c., I worked my way up, on
the outside of the mails ; and, with my nose half nipped off,
by that vilest of all vile weathers, a rotten pinching white
frost, I got home to Longparish House about a quarter before
one on the morning of the 26th, or (as a Frenchman would
more properly say) ' after midnight'
2jtJL — Heard of 3 pheasants that had beat the other
shooters. I nabbed them all in about an hour.
31^-/. — A nasty raw cutthroat gloomy day ; birds walking
about like fowls ; came home without having had a shot.
Shipped my boots and went to the river, to save my charter
of never having a blank day. Got the first jack snipe I have
seen this year, and one whole snipe (at 75 yards) ; all I saw,
and all I shot at.
November ^tJi. — A tremendous fire on the hill immediately
in front of our house. It broke out about eight in the
348 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Nov.
evening, and proved to be 5 large ricks, belonging to poor
Farmer Ray ; and, as there had been no lightning, and this
was on a desolate hill away from the village, it was too
evident that this was the revengeful work of some damnable
incendiary. The hill was in an uproar all night, and the effect
was awfully grand.
loth. — A cold raw day. Walked out and had the good
luck to get I snipe, 2 jack snipes, I teal, i mallard, 2 rabbits,
and I woodcock (the first one I have seen or heard of in this
country since goodness knows when). I made a most brilliant
snap shot at him the first moment I caught sight of him.
12///. — Having had a fine easterly wind for nearly three
weeks, I put myself on the rostrum of the old ' Oxford ' coach,
and ran down to Keyhaven, where I arrived about nine this
evening. Found, to my astonishment, that there had been
scarcely any wigeon ; and, a few hours after midnight, there
came rain and a westerly wind. It seems like magic how
this almost always occurs to me the very day I arrive.
13///. — Out all day in very unpleasant weather, and never
saw the least chance for sport. The wild fowl had all left.
lA^tJi. — A tremendous gale from the southward all night
and all day, with heavy rain. About 20 fowl were seen ' off.'
The ' Lion ' punt weathered it most gloriously ; and I had
the great luck, in spite of the heavy sea, to stop 5.
27///. — Walked out for an hour, and just saved my charter
of never having a blank day, by bagging i miserable jack
snipe. Such is the shooting here just now.
December 20///.— Went out to try a new gun stock ; dis-
charged my gun ten rounds, and brought home 5 snipes,
3 jack snipes, and 2 partridges, which were all I saw.
N.B. — The 3 jacks were killed with some eclat. The first
got up as I was carrying the bitch over some water ; I dropped
the bitch into a cold bath, cocked, ' up gun,' and do^^■n jack,
all as quick as a conjurer ; the other 2 jacks were killed right
and left, a double shot.
1 828 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 349
Total killed up to Christmas 1828: 388 partridges,
7 hares, i quail, 2 rabbits, 8 pheasants, i woodcock (the only
one I have seen these two years), 56 snipes. Total, 463 head.
Wild fowl : 2 mallards, 5 wigeon, 3 teal. Total, 10 head.
Grand total, 473 head.
1829
January \st. — Keyhaven. Weather a little finer. Put off
(by way of a little start on New Year's Day) at three this
afternoon ; got 4 curlews. Never saw or heard any other birds
2nd. — I explored all day, but, from what I saw and from
what I heard, there does not appear to have been a single
trip of fowl on the coast, except a few very wild geese, that
old Harnett flashed in the pan at and drove out of the country
just before I came to where they were.
5///. — New moon and a northerly wind. Things looking
much better. No birds arrived yet, but I walked out with
the musket to try a new dog, which appears to do well, and
saw I teal and i wigeon, both of which I bagged, and which
the dog brought to me in prime style.
6th. — 10 brent geese. No wigeon come yet, and this was
the only shot I had all day.
jtJi. — A northerly wind, but no wigeon come yet.
8/A — A fine north-east wind, though no frost, and scarcely
any wigeon to be seen ; and what few there were had mixed
with the geese, and were wilder than ever I knew them.
9///. — Out all day, and never got a chance. Not a wigeon
to be seen, and the very few geese that were about were so
wild that it was quite impossible to do anything with them.
lOtJi. — Got a long shot at a small company, and brought
in, close to Keyhaven, 3 brent geese, after having been three
miles beyond Lymington without a chance of a shot. I took
them in by sailing to them, as the few that are here are now
so well up to a paddling punt as invariably to rise at 400
yards.
350 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL^RY Jan.
\2tJi. — A furious easterly wind; no showing our noses
outside the harbour, and, being ' the dead of the nip,' no water
in it ; so we were prisoners for the day, except Readc, who
crawled about on the mud ; but it blew so strong he could
not even work his launching punt to what few birds he saw.
13///. — The gale continued. Reade out mud crawling
from morning till night, and he got 8 wigeon. I walked out
with the musket, and got a wild duck, a very long shot (with
snipe shot), and then went half the day in chase of a beautiful
old gander barnacle, a rare bird here, and I had the luck to
bring him home, at the expense of being in a miserable mess,
by following him 'through thick and thin.'
lA^tJi. — Out from five in the morning till five in the
evening, and never got but one very long shot, with which I
had the unexpected luck to bring in 3 brent geese. The
rascally blackguard ' mud launchers ' have totally ruined this
country, and they now rarely ever kill anything themselves.
lyth. — Magnificent weather ; fowl pouring in by thou-
sands ; cruel bad luck. Flashed in the pan at about 1,000
wigeon ; again at as many geese, and, after drawing and
squibbing, flashed again at a splendid hooper close to me.
To complete my sorrows I found my lock broken, and had to
leave all m.y sport and go off with my gun to Lymington. I
got but two shots otf ; with one I bagged 8 wigeon in the
breakers, and with the other 2 geese at a very long distance.
Reade got also 7 w^igeon. Reade was out till Sunday morn-
ing came, and got but 3 more wigeon, owing to as bad a run
of luck as I had.
\(^tJi. — Reade, who had been wallowing about in his mud
sledge from the break of the Sabbath till daj-light, and got
three shots, came in with 17 wigeon, and we found 5 more dead
wigeon after breakfast.
Out from nine at night till one ; had a glorious chance
spoiled by a wretched tailor of a fellow spitting off his popgun,
but, the tide being slack, I had no other chance for a shot.
1 829 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 351
Plenty of birds, and a fine time for wallowing on the mud
again in the mud sledge, for which only this essence-of-mud-
country in general serves.
20tJi. — A foggy, white frost ; Reade came in with lo
wigeon, after crawling in the slush all night. I went out ' on
tide,' having got my gun well repaired, and brought in 14
wigeon, i pintail, and i tufted duck.
N.B.- — I fired at 3 tufted ducks, and stopped them all ;
but, seeing a large flock of wigeon pitched near, I dare not
finish off the 2 cripples with the musket, but proceeded with
the second barrel of the great gun to attack the wigeon, as
there were three other boats advancing on them ; what I
fired at them was a patent cartridge, and I bagged 22,
besides towered and crippled birds ; but the tide was such
that, if I had attempted to get any more, I should have been
carried out to sea. As it was we were off to the shingles^
and had to remain there an hour before we could ' stem the
tide' to get back.
2\st. — The 'Lion' punt brought them to action at last.
All I got on the spot, however, was 32 wigeon, 2 mallards, and
T coot, at one shot ; but including what others brought me, I
killed 53 wigeon, 2 mallards, and i coot, at one shot. The
greatest work that has ever been done here.
To make this brilliant shot the more extraordinary, I
should name that it was done about half-past twelve o'clock
in the day. The gunners to windward had driven all the
birds down to Keyhaven, and they congregated, about 1,000
strong, just off Shorehead in the shallow water, and by having
a favourable time, I just slipped into them before the other
gunners could come up.
I went out again after taking some refreshment, and was
all but getting nearly as good a chance again ; but a four-oar
boat happened to spring the fowl when I was within a few
minutes of doing the business. Coming home I got 6 grey
plover with one barrel, and lost 3 more, and made a capital
352 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
flying shot at a wild duck with the other, and I knocked
down a tippet grebe eighty yards off with the musket ; so I
began well, emptied all my barrels well, and, in short, made
a most satisfactory day in every respect.
In the afternoon I had only just come in to refresh my-
self, and wipe the gun. Off again at ten, out all night, and
the severest night I ever remembered. My cap froze on my
head, and it blew a gale of wind ; but I had so much to do
that I perspired the whole time, except at intervals when my
hands were so frost-bitten that it was with the utmost diffi-
culty I could grope out the traps to load, and particularly to
prime the gun. The man who followed me to retrieve my
dead birds fell overboard, and was obliged to go home in order
to avoid being frozen to death ; and I thus lost at least a third
of my birds, which fell into the hands of the leeward shore
hunters, who lurk about after gunners, as vultures follow an
army, at all hours of the day and night, when there is a hard
frost and a chance of good plunder. The labour of working
for the fowl was an odd mixture of ecstasy and slavery.
I brought home, shot on the spot and caught on the ice at
daybreak by self and helpers, 69 wigeon and i duck, making
in all 10 1 wigeon and 4 ducks and mallards, besides the 6
plover and the old coot, in eighteen hours, as I was out from
past twelve in the day till six the next morning. The gun
missed fire twice, and I missed one fine shot owing to the
spray of the sea freezing on the punt, and forming a mass of
ice that threw the barrels above their bearings. My best
shot in the night, or rather at two in the morning, was 30
wigeon with one barrel. The left barrel snapped, as the
lock had broken again, but on getting home to the candle
I luckily found it was not so far gone but that I could make
shift with it on being a little rectified.
Had not this misfortune occurred and my follower re-
mained with me, I really believe I should at least have doubled
what I did.
1 829 COLONEL HAWKER^S DL-\RY 353
22nd. — After sleeping a few hours I was off again. It
* blew great guns,' and froze the oars as we rowed ; had cruel
hard labour to row to windward, as the ice prevented our
towing the boat up along shore. Saw seven splendid
hoopers ! — gave up everything for them. Lay alongside for
the tide to flow for hours. Not water enough at last ! so
Reade had to steal overboard and shove the punt with his
chest while I crept ' abaft ' to ' give her life forward.' The
sun came out, and my cap was too white and glared, so, while
lying as close as I could, I rubbed it with water and gun-
powder, as I had seen the old captain of the hoopers look
' ticklish,' which I suspect was at my cap. For want of more
tide, we could only get within about 130 yards of these swans ;
but, having shifted my common shot to some glorious pills for
them, I tried m\' luck. First barrel missed fire by the lock
cover catching the cock ; but, as it blew a gale, the birds never
heard this, so I cocked again, and held up the cover with the
little finger, while I pushed off the trigger with my thumb, and
instantaneously banged in the detonating barrel as these huge
monsters began to flap and sprawl, and gave them such a
broadside as they little expected. As 2 of them were far
detached I had only 5 to shoot at, and I had the satisfaction
to bring home in triumph 3 of these wild swans, and kill a 4th,
not got, that I saw tower and fall, where I should soon have
been as dead as he was had I been rash enough to follow him
off in such a sea as that on which he dropped. I never made
so splendid a shot in my life, and Reade's agility in ' shipping-
sail ' and ' cutting off' one of my birds that was only winged
from going seawards, was one of the most finished manoeuvres
I ever saw. We just got up in time to blow out his brains
with the cripple stopper before he reached some breakers that
would have swallowed us. We had a miserable time in getting
these swans, but were amply repaid for our wetting and labour.
Our next game was a flock of mixed birds. We dropped
to leeward and loaded, and bore down on them as quick as
VOL. L A A
354 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Jan.
we could to save the tide, to a part where there happened to
be water enough. Terribly plagued with our huge shipmates
on board, and my follower, as usual, skulking behind, and
thinking more of his dinner than the sport, instead of being
up and ready to relieve us of this encumbrance. These last
birds were scattered, and I had to fire across their line ; but
I got 5 ducks and mallards, 5 wigeon, 3 curlews, and i brent
goose at the shot.
N.B. — While in full chase under sail to force the punt
over the flooded mud the gale carried away her mast, and w-e
had both to get overboard and strain ourselves like slaves by
working inch by inch for about 300 yards to shore her into
a creek, or we should have had to leave her on the mud and
hail our other boat to retreat in. During our dilemma the
dirty pirates to leeward carried off I know not how many of
my other dead birds, that had floated to the lee shore while
we were chasing the cripples to prevent their going to sea ;
and our follower, who had orders to be near us, did not reach
his post in time. The ruffians here have literally lived well
on my lost birds, insomuch that, before the frost set in, I
could command any loafer for a shilling, and now I can get
no one to go with me unless dearly paid, as they can do so
much better by stealing my dead birds, and selling them to
the neighbours round at a trifle below the market price.
They all carry an old musket if they can, and just pop off a
half charge (perhaps with only powder) to justify the posses-
sion of your bird by swearing that they fairly shot it. This
roguery I have watched no small number of times by the
help of my spy-glass, which, of course, I always take afloat to
save useless rowing after fowl.
23;^/. — It blew such a tremendous gale of wind that it
was by sheer slavery a man could row on end, and the shore
was still so frozen that we could not approach it to tow the
punt to windward. Reade, however, by working like a horse,
got us up to near Pennington, from whence we dropped down
i829 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 355
on the fowl, and they were Hterally so cold as to be flying up
and pitching again every moment, which, by their thus seeing
into the punt, spoiled all chances for a heavy shot. But I
got in all 28 wigeon, i duck, and i curlew in the only 2 shots
I fired. The first shot I stopped 42 (I always stand up and
count what lies on the water the moment I have fired), and
the second, a very long one, 17. So tremendous was the
weather and sea that I was obliged for safety's sake to
allow about 20 dead birds to be carried to sea before my face,
and all within 70 yards of the boat.
24///. — A very hard frost, but the wind more moderate.
The birds were frozen out of harbour, and not even in at
night. I went outside for the day, but found them wild and
much scattered, as the moderate weather had drawn forth the
gentlemen gunners, who generally perform the part of excel-
lent ' gallibaggers,' a term used by the clods for anything to
frighten away birds. All, therefore, I could do to-day was
to bring home 18 wigeon, 2 brent geese, 2 curlews. My
best shot was 14 wigeon bagged. Thus ended the best week's
wild-fowl shooting I had ever enjoyed, or ever heard of
It is worthy of being summed up together, being as
follows :
Monday. — 22 wigeon 22
Tuesday. — 24 wigeon, i curre, i pintail . . .26
Wednesday (night included). — loi wigeon, 4 ducks,
6 plover, i coot 112
Thursday. — 5 wigeon, i curre, 5 ducks, i goose,
3 hoopers, 3 curlews 18
Friday. — 28 wigeon, i duck, i curlew . . .30
Saturday. — 18 wigeon, 2 geese, 2 curlews, r plover 23
Making in all : 198 wigeon, 2 curres, 10 ducks, i
pintail, 3 geese, 3 hoopers, 6 curlews, 7 plover,
I coot ; which is, 217 wild fowl and 14 waders.
(h-and total, 231 head.
26tJi. — A sudden change of weather had taken place in
the night, and by daylight this morning we had a decided
thaw, with warm wind and rain. Was routed out of bed and
35G COLONEL HAWKER'S DL'VRY Jan.
all the house thrown in confusion by an alarm about 3 wild
swans having dropped off in view of our windows. I shuffled
on my clothes, bolted my breakfast, and did all else as quickly
as possible ; and, after some little manoeuvring, I got at the
swans, and made the most superlatively double shot that mortal
man could wish for. The old cock sat up in majestic state
on the mud, where, by going up a creek, I could just get the
gun to bear on him. The other two birds were in a hollow,
where the shot would hardly have touched them. I fired the
first barrel at the old captain, and killed him as dead as a stone ;
and instantly knocked down one of the others quite dead, as he
flev/ up, with the second barrel. The first bird was 1 1 5 yards,
the second 120 ; I paced the distance on the mud. Thus I
had the glory to sack 2 more wild swans, and killed 6 (in-
cluding the one I lost the other day) out of the 7 that had
appeared at Keyhaven.
Afterwards, like a resurrection, 7 more swans appeared, and
I had done their business within a few yards' punting, when a
diabolical wretch spit off a popgun at some tomtit or lark
on the shore, and drove them all to sea. Towards the after-
noon I had all but got the seventh swan of my old company ;
he rose, out of shot, but crossed the punt, and both barrels
missed fire. The detonator had got damp from the rough
sea, and the flint lock had caught in the gun cover. I then
went after smaller fowl ; but the whole country was so full of
poppers ashore and afloat that I had better been in bed. I
got but one shot, with which I bagged 7 wigeon.
27//^. — II geese, 13 wigeon, and 3 scaup ducks. First
shot 9 geese, second shot 2 geese and 1 3 wigeon, third shot
was at 4 scaup ducks, all of which I stopped.
The birds happened to be in harbour, and I had this day
two following boats, so I never lost but one bird that I know
of; a very pretty little day, and excellent shooting.
28///. — Tide for night shooting at last, for which we have
to thank the very wind that drives the birds awa}' — south-
1 829 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY 357
west. Out from two till six in the morning ; got a shot, and
bagged 13 wigeon, all dead, and lost several of our cripples,
owing to our follower rowing off after some sea weeds which
he took for dead birds, and the wigeon he ought to have had
escaping in the meantime. In bed from seven till nine, out
again from half-past nine till eight in the evening. Country-
ruined by floating poppers ; so we gave up and pottered about
the harbour. Saw 2 scoter ducks, birds I never met with before,
except stuffed in museums ; blew off a cartridge and floored
them both ; and had a chase of more than an hour before we
could get near enough to finish, with a detonating musket,
one of them which was winged, though I had three boats with
me. I then shot and killed 3 scaup ducks out of 4, then got
another little shot at 3 more scaup ducks and a golden-
eye. Floored them all ; lost i scaup duck, that beat us by
diving, and bagged 2 scaup ducks and i golden-eye duck.
Blew the gun off at a few curlews coming home, and killed I
curlew at 200 yards. Nothing of a bag, but exquisite shooting,
capital fun, with the chases these diving ducks led us, and a
very pleasant day's diversion.
N.B. — I was all but killing the last remaining sv/an of my
original company ; but a raw amateur spoiled my shot when
I was within one minute of getting into him, up an excellent
creek, which I had reached unobserved by the bird, and up
which I was working v/ith the almost certainty of getting
close on board him.
29//A — Up at three and out till half-past eight. A fog
came on, and then, of course, shooting afloat was annihilated,
as birds will at such a time never let you come near them.
A cold rime fell that was more disagreeable than anything
I ever felt before ; and this is the first time I ever felt really
chilled in gunning. On getting home I made a good break-
fast, put my feet in hot water, and turned into a warm bed,
by which I was quite comfortable in a few hours, instead,
perhaps, of taking a serious cold. All people should do this.
358 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Jan.
Out at two in the afternoon, and it came on most tre-
mendous rain from the south-east all the evening. I had just
time to pop at 3 wigeon, and I killed them all dead, and
make a long shot at i brent goose, which I knocked out of
the company, with small shot, at about 150 yards. There
were plenty of birds, but my man having neglected to bring
my south-wester defiance jacket, and I, thinking with Falstaff
that
The better part of valour is discretion,
turned tail, and came home for the evening about five o'clock
wet through.
30///. — No tide and a very slack time to-da\', so I went
into Lymington to get the hammer of my flint lock hardened,
as I had lost several shots through the steel missing fire. On
my return home, Reade, who had been out all the morning,
congratulated me on escaping a blank day, which he had
had, owing to innumerable shooters driving the birds out
to sea. I went afloat in the evening and got 3 brent
geese, besides shooting 2 more that fell on tide, and which
our fellows never got for want of proper exertion ; and this
shot, a preposterously long one, was the only chance I got.
There being no water, I sent Reade mud launching at dusk,
and he came in at half-past nine with 26 wigeon, killed at
one shot.
3 1 J-/. — Reade came in this morning, after being out again
since midnight, with 25 more wigeon, making in all, killed by
his mud launching in my little punt the ' Mudlark,' 5 1 wigeon
in a night ; and, by finding 6 of his cripples this morning, he
made the first great shot up to 32 wigeon at one shot,
launching, which is the greatest work he ever did or had ever
heard of A north-caster, but very little frost. This just
favoured the operation of mud crawling.
February 2nd. — Reade stuck to the mud every night, and
got in all 40 more wigeon.
yd. — Reade came in with 13 more wigeon, after his usual
iSic, COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY 359
night's crawl, there being no water for me or anyone to go
afloat.1
To-day I went out at eleven round the ' outside,' and at four
brought in 12 brent geese, which under all circumstances I
thought capital sport.
Some water to-night. Went afloat about nine. Nasty
white frost and fog — birds all scattered and ticklish. Could get
none together. At about eleven found a few birds before gun.
Floored the whole trip without ever seeing them.
Reade and I just made up to-day a score of wigeon and a
dozen of geese. Too thick for Reade on the mud at ebb tide,
so no launching to-night.
4t/i. — Prepared to go off outside the beach, but wind and
rain came on, and prevented us. So had but two chances the
whole day ; the first a most beautiful one at geese, which was
spoiled w^hen we had all but done their business by some
miserable preventive men spitting off a popgun at a cripple.
St/i. — Wet w^eather, but a strong northerly wind. Got 6
brent geese ; 2 with the first barrel, and 4 with the second.
Fired another shot, but too far off. Birds cruell}^ disturbed
by boats out of number.
6///. — II brent geese ; 8 with the first barrel, and 3 with
the second. The only chance I got the whole day, and, I
believe, the only birds that were killed by anyone, though
all the gunners were working round me in every direction.
yt/i. — Reade had been out all night, and never got a bird,
owing to the thick, hazy weather, and I was out all to-day,
and never got a shot. Towards evening the wind became
more northerly, but no water for me to-night, till near twelve,
which would encroach on the Sunday. So Reade was mud
crawling till just before twelve, and got 4 wigeon.
gt/L — A mild pleasant da}', birds outside, between the
' N.B. — Reade, liy crawling on the mud while there was no water for a
floating punt, brought in 104 wigeon in four nights ; and his best shot, a most
miraculous one for 12 oz. , was 37 wigeon, picked up at one discharge of his gun.
8G0 COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY Feb.
beach and the Needles ; tried them, but there was too much
' lop.' Worked the rest of the day inside, at straggling ' trips,'
and brought home 8 brent geese and 4 wigeon.
Reade got but 2 wigeon all night, launching, and it came
on too thick before the water served for me. This is the sixth
time I have had the kitchen fire kept in till morning, and
been baulked by hazy weather from getting out.
\oth. — Out the whole day, and got but 2 dun divers (out
of 3 that I shot at, and stopped them all) and i brent goose.
wth. — Reade had been out the whole night, and could do
nothing, owing to the thick hazy weather.
Nothing inside all day ; tried the outside, off Milford,
having towed above a mile from Hurst Castle ; but the sea
was so rough that the birds and punt were jumping about,
and nothing could be got together worth firing at, and we
were too happy to retreat from this unpleasant berth, and
determined not to venture again unless the sea should be
like a mirror.
I2th. — A nasty rotten day, with small rain, and a fog as
thick as possible ; the vilest of vile weather for night, and
but little better for day shooting. Neither Reade nor I could
attempt anything, but we rowed down to Hurst and back,
just at the close of the evening, and blew off the gun at the
dunlins (for a pudding) ; we picked up only 28, but had the
company been clear of a ridge of mud that took the shot, I
am confident we should have got 100 at least, as I had taken
the precaution to whip in a dose of small shot for these
little gentlemen.
13//^. — Dead tides, thick nights and no chance for gunners
morning, noon, or night. Out all day, and never fired a shot.
I got two golden-eyes.^
' N.B.— The golden-eye is here provincially called ' gingler ' or ' ginging-
curre,' from the noise of its wings. Bewick speaks of the ' morillon ; ' and
Lead beater, our great London ornithologist, laughs at him, and says that what he
calls the morillon is only the golden-eye, which never is in high feather till at a
certain age, and even then not till the spring of the year. So one or the other
must be wrong.
i829 COLONEL HAWKERS I)L\RY 301
14///. — Rcadc had been out all niL^ht, crawling on the mud,
and I the whole day, and never saw the chance to get a fowl.
\ttJi. — Readc,who had been crawling on the mud ever since
the clock was past Sunday, got a little shot about five this
morning, after lying on the mud in a heavy rain for two hours,
in hopes of being able to see his birds, which he kept lying in
shot of ; but hearing a rival scavenger on the move at the same
game, he let fly by guess and brought in 6 wigeon. I went
out from eight till ten, in hopes of water, but there was no tide
to speak of I got a scaup duck, at which I made a brilliant
flying shot with the musket, and this is the only living fowl we
saw all the time we were afloat. Mild wet weather, and birds
beginning to leave the countr)- very fast. Prepared to go out
at half-past eight in the evening, when it was time for high
water ; and after beginning to undress for bed, at a quarter
past nine, I looked out, and saw the tide had made three-
quarters of an hour after its time, so I shuffled on my things
again and got afloat. I brought in 5 wigeon out of a little
scattered trip, which was all I had to shoot at.
xytJi. — Reade crawled all night and till seven in the morn-
ing, and brought in but 2 wigeon. A good tide to-day, but a
dead calm, and as warm as in May. I went out from nine till
two, and brought in 6 brent geese. I used as a last resource
the * L.G.' boluses in Eley's cartridge, and I am confident the
first 3 birds were killed at near a quarter of a mile. I blew^
off at about 2,000, and took about ten yards' elevation. It was
complete artillery business.
A good night tide at last ; out from nine till half-past
twelve. Brought in i 5 wigeon ; birds scattered like fieldfares,
so that I got but few at a time. A change of weather, a white
hoar, and then an easterly gale, all within a few hours to-
night.
\ZtJi. — Reade out after my cripples before daylight, but the
shore lubbers (who keep dogs on purpose, and partly live by
other folk's birds) had been before him. A tremendous gale
362 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY Feb.
from the eastward all day, and a sky as thick as mustard. We
were up about half-past seven, and with difficulty worked about
four miles to windward, to drop down on the geese ; but the
hazy weather, as it always does, made the birds extremely
wild, and we were all but coming home without a shot. At
last, however, I fired across a trip flying, and I knocked down
3 at an incredible distance with the left-hand barrel and
Ele}''s cartridge.
Turned into bed all hands at five, hoping for a spree from
nine till two, as there is now good water, but it blew great
guns, and after being up from eight till eleven we were forced
to return to our berths. The gale moderated, and the wind
got south, about four in the morning.
19///. — Reade, after a long crawl, came in with 5 wigeon.
I was out from nine till two in the afternoon, but got
onl}' I brent goose, as the birds had been so tormented by.
other people that no boat could get within 500 yards of them.
Turned into bed from six till nine, then out till past two in the
morning ; never heard a bird till one, when at the very critical
moment for a shot, there came on suddenly a most abominable
fog, the vilest of all the vile weathers to ruin a shot, and
particularly at night. I popped, a long way off, at a few strag-
glers and got 3 wigeon. I then heard more, and lay in wait for
them till two, wiien the water went off, not choosing to injure
the harbour by advancing any more on birds while a fog was
on. No man who values his own sport ever should, when the
season is so far gone.
20///. — Extraordinary weather ; a thick fog with a sun
and a strong breeze of wind. The fog was our only enemy.
The geese were heard off ' Stivers.' We tried them, though
with despair, after losing three-quarters of the tide through
waiting for the fog to clear ; and luckily for the geese to-day,
the fog suddenly blew off, as unluckily for the wigeon last night
it suddenly came on. We consequently got a very long shot
instead of no shot at all, and brought in 4 brent geese after a
i829 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 363
most glorious and hard cripple chase. I never saw such fine
fat birds in my life as those we had the luck to get. So
difficult is it now to get at a goose, that people will not be-
lieve you have killed one till you produce him. Turned into
bed all hands at six this evening, in order to get a snooze to
windward, in case the night should clear up at high water.
Up at a quarter before ten, and out till four in the morning.
Fine at first, but wind and rain at last. Wigeon nearly all
gone ; got but one poor little shot at about 7 stragglers (all
that we found), and brought in but 3 wigeon, with which I
was well content, as I wanted just that number to make up
the last basket for H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence.
2ist. — A gale of wind from the southward all day with a
tremendous high tide. Plenty of geese off, but the wind blew
the punt about so that we could do nothing, and drove them
all to leeward. This will be a lesson to me for the future
never to meddle with geese in very rough times till just at the
ground ebb, when they are feeding and quietly settled for a
good target.
2ird. — A strong wind from the eastward ; out from
twelve till five ; got a long shot, flying, with one barrel, and
bagged 4 brent geese after the other gunners had been driving
the flock all the morning without being able to get a shot.
This shows the superiority of my punt &c.
2^th. — Got my fifth brent goose that I had shot }-estcr-
day, and afterwards was off the whole day, and never saw
one single bird in harbour, or even all the way to three miles
above Lymington, though we had a strong easterl}- wind.
This I impute to the mischief done by two notorious monsters,
from Itchen Ferry, who infest the coast, and fire ball at
everything they see, and rarely ever kill a bird. They have
punts like washing tubs, heavy guns like blunderbusses, and
are all boots and breeches, and look like banditti. They
act as scarecrows or ' gallibaggers ' by lying on the mud at
low water, and driving about under sail at high water ; and
3G4
COLONEL HAWKER'S DL\RY
Feb.
would have long ago been starved but for fishing in summer,
and getting other people's cripples in the winter.
25///. — Having packed up my ' alls ' to leave Keyhaven for
the season, I went off in the rain from three till seven this
evening, in order to give the birds (if any) a farewell salute.
I discharged one round and got i brent goose, and with the
other I curlew ; at such immense distances that I will now
give the other gunners leave to get a shot if they can, for I
have well scared the last remnant of the feathered tribes here.
I began with the curlews and finished with the curlews
this prosperous season.
26///. — Left Keyhaven.
Most brilliant and glorious season ; proof how my plans
repay me.
G^'eatest shots.
1st : 16 geese.
2nd : 30 wigeon with one barrel.
3rd : 53 wigeon, 2 mallards, and the coot, with the two barrels fired
together.
4th : 4 hoopers out of 5 with the two barrels,
5th : A double shot at 2 hoopers, and killed both dead ; the one with
the flint barrel, sitting, and the other with the detonator, flying (the first
at 115, the second at 120 yards).
Best sport : loi wigeon, 4 ducks, 4 mal
eighteen hours.
Wild fowl &c. killed up to February 25 (incl
Swans
Barnacle .
lards, 6 plover and i coot, in
usive), 1829 :
Brent geese
Ducks and mallards
Pintail
Wigeon .
Teal .
Curres
vScoters
Dun divers
Plover
Curlews
Coot .
Olive
5
I
96
17
I
433
4
15
2
2
10
14
I
Total (574 wild fowl and 28 waders) 602
1 829 COLONEL HAWKER'S DIARY 3G5
All killed just in eight weeks to a day. Add game killed
at Longparish before Christmas (388 of which were partridges,
and 56 of which were snipes), 463 head ; and grand total
makes 1,065 head.
28///. — Longparish. Busy all day putting my traps away
for the season ; but hearing that a few snipes here had
tempted divers vagrants to salute the premises with popping,
1 went off a little before three in the afternoon, and by a six
o'clock dinner contrived to pretty well clear the country. I
found altogether 1 1 snipes, and I did for o of them, the other
2 got up too far ; but as 2 of my birds fell in a withy bed
and were lost, I have only to score 3 snipes and 4 jack snipes,
added to 3 moorhens and i other, which increases my grand
total to 1,076 head.
March 2nd. — A very severe black frost, and a strong
north-easter the whole day ; and I had to weather it outside
the coach to London, where I arrived this evening at half-
past six, and, thank God, found all well. I never was colder
in my life ; and, on seeing such glorious gunning weather, I
sorely regretted being fried out of Keyhaven by the warm
summer-like weather which we had had latterly at that
place.
18///. — Longparish. Walked out with my gun (for
the few hours I could leave my workmen) and got 4
snipes and 2 jack snipes ; all I saw, and the only six shots
I fired.
igth. — Incessant jobbing every day at my new invention for
the invisible approach to land birds, till the 24th. In one inter-
val of leisure I took the first chance of the season for fl\' fishing,
and killed 20 brace of trout in about two hours, or rather less,
and, notwithstanding an easterly wind and occasional sun,
the fish rose beautifully, and many of them proved in ex-
cellent season, though some mornings the water was hard
frozen.
2$th. — Tried my invention, to see which the emperor
36G COLONEL HAWKER'S DL-\RY Feb. 1829
Buckle, grand * admiral ' of the * gunners,' had come over from
Southampton ; and it answered most exquisitely.
26^//.— Having succeeded most beautifully in everything,
and left the workmen to ' finish off,' I this day returned to
London.
April 2\st. — After having been more or less unwell ever
since I came to town, and several days confined to my bed
and the sofa, I this day completed several repairs and im-
provements to the locks and breechings of my large gun, and
got all safe away from the hornet's nest which Joe Manton's
manufactory was in while he was in gaol, and this billet beset
by ' Philistines.' His men worked under and for me, and had
to keep an incessant eye lest anything should happen on the
premises. No other workmen in London could have done
such a job well to my fancy.
2%tJi. — Longparish. I caught 24 brace of trout in a few
hours, though the cold weather still continued.
June Zth. — London. The best Philharmonic ever known,
and a duet between Sontag and Malibran considered the best
piece of singing ever heard in this country.
July yth. — Longparish. Took two hours' fishing this
evening, and killed 25 large trout.
gth. — Made a droll trial of a new-stocked duck gun, which
was well done by my carpenter Keil. I knocked down, in
seven shots, 6 bats and i moth. A duck at dusk flight may
therefore know what to expect.
loth. — Fished and killed 20 very large trout indeed, and
1 then left off, not wanting any more fish to-day.
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Classified Catalogue
OF WORKS IN
GENERAL LITERATURE
BADMINTON LIBRARY (THE) - - - -
BIOGRAPHY, PERSONAL MEMOIRS, ETC.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS -
CLASSICAL LITERATURE, TRANSLATION, ETC.
COOKERY AND DOMESTIC MANAGEMENT -
EVOLUTION, ANTHROPOLOGY, ETC.
FICTION, HUMOUR, ETC. ....
HISTORY, POLITICS, POLITY, AND POLITICAL MEMOIRS
INDEX OF AUTHORS -----
LANGUAGE, HISTORY AND SCIENCE OF
MENTAL, MORAL, AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
MISCELLANEOUS AND CRITICAL WORKS
POETRY AND THE DRAMA
POLITICAL ECONOMY AND ECONOMICS
POPULAR SCIENCE
SILVER LIBRARY (THE)
SPORT AND PASTIME -
TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE
WORKS OF REFERENCE
PAGE
9
6
20
LONDON
LONG M A N S, G R E E N. A N D C O.
NEW YORK : 15 EAST i6th STREET
Page
Abbott (Evelyn) -
■ 3. 14
(T. K.) - - -
10
Acland (A. H. D.) -
3
Acton (Eliza) -
22
/Eschylus
14
Allingham (W.)
15
Anstey(F.) -
16
Aristophanes -
14
Aristotle - - - -
10
Armstrong (E.)
3
(G. F. Savage-)
/ '5
(E. J.) - - -
Arnold (Sir Edwin) -
6, 15, 23
- 7,15
Arnold (T.)
3
Ashley (W.J.)- - -
■ ^1
Atelier du Lys (Author of)
16
Bacon - - - -
- 6,11
Bagehot (Walter) -
6, 13, 23
Bag^vell (R.) -
3
Bain (Alexander) -
II
Baker (James) -
Baker (Sir S. W.) -
16
7
Ball (J. T.) - -
3
Baring-Gould (S.) -
- 23
Barrow (Sir J. Croker) -
15
Beaconsfield (Earl of) -
- 16, 17
Beaufort (Duke of) -
9
Becker (Prof.) -
14
Bell (Mrs. Hugh) - -
15
Bent (J. Theodore) -
7
Bjornsen (B.) -
15
Boase (C. W.) -
4
Boedder (B.) -
12
Boyd (A. K. H.) -
- 6.23
Brassey (Lady)
7
Bray (C. and Mrs.) -
II
' Brenda ' -
20
Buckle (H. T.) - -
3
Bull (T.) - - - -
22
Burrows (Montagu)
4
Bury (Viscount
9
Butler (E. A.) - - -
18
(Samuel) - - -
23
Campbell-Walker (A.) -
8
Carlvle (Thomas) -
23
Carbe (W. D.) - - -
4
Chesney (Sir G.) -
3
Chetwynd (Sir G.) -
8
Chilton (E.) -
17
Cholmondeley-Pennell (H.)
9
Cicero - - - -
14
Clarke (R. F.) -
12
Clerke (Agnes M.) -
14
Clodd (Edward)
14
Clutterbuck (W. J.)
8
Comyn (L. N.)
17
Conington (John) -
14
Cox (Harding)
9
Crake (A. D.) -
20
Creighton (Bishop) -
4
Crozier(J.B.) -
II
Crump (A.)
- 3. 13
Curzon (Hon. G. N.)
8
Cutts (E. L.) -
4
Dante - - . .
15
Davidson (W. L.) -
- II. 13
Deland (Mrs.) -
17
Dent (C. T.) -
9
De Salis (Mrs.)
- 22, 23
De Tocqueville (A.)
3
Devas (C. S.) -
13
DougalKL.) -
17
DowelKS.) -
13
Doyle (A. Conan) .
17
Falkener (E.)
10
Farnell (G. S.)
14
Farrar (Archdeacon)
- 13. 17
Fitzpatrick (W. J.) -
3
Ford(H.)- - - -
10
Francis (Francis) -
10
Freeman (Edward A.)
3
Froude (James A.) -
4. 6, 8, 17
Furneaux (W.)
18
Gardiner (Samuel Rawson)
4
Gleig (G. R.) -
7
Goethe - - . .
15
Gordon (E. J. A.) -
4
Graham (G. F.)
13
Graves (R. P.) -
6
Green (T. Hill)
II
Greville (C. C. F.) -
4
Haggard (H. Rider)
17
(Ella) - - -
15
Halliwell-Phillipps (J. O.)
Harrison (Mary)
Harrison (Jane E.) -
Harte (Bret) -
Hartwig (G.) -
Hassall (A.) -
Hearn (W. E.)
Heathcote (J. M. & C. J.)
Helmholtz (Prof.) -
Henry (W.) -
Hodgson (Shadworth H.)-
Hooper (G.)
Hopkins (E. P.)
Horlev(E.)
Howard (B. D.)
Howitt (William) -
Hullah (John) -
Hume (David) -
Hunt(W.)
Hutchinson (Horace G.) -
Huth (A. H.) -
Hyne (C. J. C.) - -
Ingelow (Jean)
Jefteries (Richard) -
Jewsbury (Geraldine)
Johnson (J. & J. H.)
Johnstone (L.)
Jones (E. E. C.) -
Jordan (W. L.)
Joyce (P. W.) - -
Justinian - - - -
Kant (I.) - - - -
Killick (A. H.) -
Kitchin (G. W.)
Knight (E. F.)
Ladd(G. T.) -
Lang (Andrew) 4, 10, 14, 15,
Lavisse (E.) -
Lear (H. L. Sidney)
Lecky (W. E. H.) -
Lees (J. A.) -
Leslie (T. E. C.) -
Lewes (G. H.) -
Leyton (F.)
Lodge (H, C.) -
Loftie (W. J.) -
Logeman (W. S.) -
Longman (F. W.) -
Longmore (Sir T.) -
Lubbock (Sir John)
Lyall (Edna) -
Lydekker(R.) -
Lyttelton (R. H.) -
Lytton (Earl of)
Macaulay (Lord)
Macfarren (Sir G. A.)
Mackail (J. W.)
Macleod (H. D.) -
Maher (M.)
Mannering (G. E.) -
Marbot (Baron de) -
Marshman (J. C.) -
Martin (A. P.) -
Matthews (Brander)
Maunder (S.) -
Max Miiller (F.)
May (Sir T. Erskine) -
Meath (Earl of)
Meade (L. T.) -
Melville (G. J. Whyte) -
Mendelssohn -
Merivale (Dean)
Mill (James) -
Mill (John Stuart) -
Milner (G.)
Molesworth (Mrs.) -
Monck (H. S.) -
Moore (E.)
Nansen (F.)
Nesbit (E.)
Norton (C. L.)
O'Brien (W.) -
Oliphant (Mrs.)
Osbourne (L) -
Parkes (Sir H.)
Parr (Mrs.)
Paul (H.) - - - -
Payn (James) - - .
Payne-Gallwey (Sir R.) -
Pembroke (Earl of)
Perring (Sir P.)
Phillipps-Wollcv (C.)
Piatt (S. cS: J. J.) -
Page !
- 7>
231
14 1
18, 19
6
4, II
9
19
9
II, 24
6
Id
4
8
8
24
ii
4
9
17
15. 20
24
24
2l
ll
13
4
ii
17, 20
24
4
2^
- 4
ifi
8
M
It
16
4
4
^3
IQ
7
U
'7
'9
9
16
- 5
16
24
U
^3
12
S
6
6
7
- 17
24
20
II, 13
24
5
M
- 20
21
17
24
5
12
- 12
13
24
6
8
16
8
17
18
18
5
18
13
18
9, 10
9
^4
9- 18
16
Page
Plato 14
Pole (W.) - - - - 10
Pollock (W. H.) - - - 9
Poole (W. H. and Mrs.) - - 23
Praeger (F.) - - . . 7
Pratt (A. E.) - - - - 8
Prendergast (J. P.) - - - 5
Proctor (Richard A.) - 10, 19, 24
Raine (James) - - - - 4
Ransome (CntII) ...
Reader (E. E.) - . -
Rhoades (J.) - - - - i.
Ribot (T.) ... -
Rich (A.)
Richardson (Sir B. Ward) -
Rickaby (John) - - -
(Joseph) - - - -
Rilev(J.W.) - - - -
(A.) - - - - .
Robertson (A.)
Roget (John Lewis)
(Peter M.) - -
1 Romanes (G. J.) -
Ronalds (A.) - - - -
I Roosevelt (T.) - - - -
! Rossetti (M. F.) - - -
; Round (J. H.) -
Seebohm (F.) - - - -
Sewell (Eliz. M.) -
' Shakespeare - - - -
j Shearman (M.) ...
i Shirres(L. P.)-
1 Sidgwick (Alfred) -
! Sinclair (A.) - . - -
i Smith (R. Bosworth)
Sophocles ....
, Southev (R.) - . - -
Spedding (J.) - - - -
i Stanlev (Bishop) ...
Steel (A. G.) -
Stephen (Sir James)
Stephens (H. C.) -
i (H. Morse)
(T.) ■
Stevenson (Robert Louis) 16, i
Stock (St. George) -
Strong (H. A.) ...
I Stubbs (J. W.) ...
Sturgis (Julian) . . -
' Suffolk and Berkshire (Earl of)
'■ Sully (James) - - - -
Suttner (Baron von)
Swinburne (A. J.) -
Symes (J. E.) -
i Thompson (Annie) -
(D. G.) - - - -
Thomson (Archbishop) -
Tirebuck (W.) - - - -
Todd (A.) - - . .
Toynbee (A.) - - - -
Trevelyan (Sir G. O.) -
Trollope (Anthony)
Tupper (C. L.) ...
Tyrrell (R. Y.);
Vernej' (Francis P.)
Virgil
Wade(G.W.) ....
Wakeman (H. O.) -
Walford (Mrs.)
Wallaschek (R.)
Walpole (Spencer) - - -
Walsingham (Lord)
Walter (J.) ....
Watson (A. E. T.) -
Webb (T. E.) -
Weir(R.) ....
West(C.)
Weyman (Stanley J.)
Whatelv (Archbishop) -
— (e: J.) . . . .
Wheeler (B. L) ...
Whishaw(F. J.) -
Wilcocks (J. c.) - - -
Wilkin (G.) . . . -
Willich (C. M.)
Wilson (A. J.) -
Wishart (G.) ... -
Wolff (H.W.)
Woodgate (W. B.) -
Wood (J. G.) -
Wordsvorth (Bishop Charles)
Wylie (J. H.) -
I Zeller (E.) ... -
3
21
U16
12
14
24
12
12
16
8
18
24
13
14
10
4
24
5
18
16
9
13
12
9
5
14
24
6
19
9
7
5
5
5
8,21
12
13
5
18
9
12
18
12
13
18
12
12
18
6
13
6
18
6
14
7
14
13
6
7,18
24
6
9
7
9
12
9
23
18
12
13
13
8
10
14
20
13
6
8,13
9
19
7
6
12
Messrs. LONGMANS, GREEN, & co;s
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Ball. — Historical Review of the Legis-
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