scarcely taken possession of it when the poaching case was brought
forward. The first witness against the accused was a fellow dressed in a
dirty snuff-coloured suit, with a debauched look, and having much the
appearance of a town shack. He deposed that he was a hired keeper, and
went with another to watch the river at about four o'clock in the
morning; that they placed themselves behind a bush, and that a little
before day-light they saw the farmer drive some cattle across the river.
He was attended by a dog. Suddenly they saw him put a spear upon a stick
which he had in his hand, run back to the river, and plunging the spear
in, after a struggle, pull out a salmon; that they then ran forward, and
he himself asked the farmer what he was doing, whereupon the farmer flung
the salmon and spear into the river and said that if he did not take
himself off he would fling him in too. The attorney then got up and
began to cross-question him. "How long have you been a keeper?"

"About a fortnight."

"What do you get a week?"

"Ten shillings."

"Have you not lately been in London?"

"I have."

"What induced you to go to London?"

"The hope of bettering my condition."

"Were you not driven out of Machynlleth?"

"I was not."

"Why did you leave London?"

"Because I could get no work, and my wife did not like the place."

"Did you obtain possession of the salmon and the spear?"

"I did not."

"Why didn't you?"

"The pool was deep where the salmon was struck, and I was not going to
lose my life by going into it."

"How deep was it?"

"Over the tops of the houses," said the fellow, lifting up his hands.

The other keeper then came forward; he was brother to the former, but had
much more the appearance of a keeper, being rather a fine fellow, and
dressed in a wholesome, well-worn suit of velveteen. He had no English,
and what he said was translated by a sworn interpreter. He gave the same
evidence as his brother about watching behind the bush, and seeing the
farmer strike a salmon. When cross-questioned, however, he said that no
words passed between the farmer and his brother, at least, that he heard.
The evidence for the prosecution being given, my friend the attorney
entered upon the defence. He said that he hoped the court were not going
to convict his client, one of the most respectable farmers in the county,
on the evidence of two such fellows as the keepers, one of whom was a
well-known bad one,