The New Forest and the Isle of WightWith eight plates and many other illustrations . s nest escaping observation than for those of the early-building birds. The strangest survival of any industry connected with the taking ofwild animals in the forest is that of the Adder-hunter, probably thevery last representative in England of a race who for upwards of twocenturies have contributed their strange nostrum of adders fat to thepharmacopoeias of central and western Europe. The last of the Adder-hunters is a strikingly handsome man, probably past his sixtieth year, short,with curling beard and hai
The New Forest and the Isle of WightWith eight plates and many other illustrations . s nest escaping observation than for those of the early-building birds. The strangest survival of any industry connected with the taking ofwild animals in the forest is that of the Adder-hunter, probably thevery last representative in England of a race who for upwards of twocenturies have contributed their strange nostrum of adders fat to thepharmacopoeias of central and western Europe. The last of the Adder-hunters is a strikingly handsome man, probably past his sixtieth year, short,with curling beard and hair, and equipped in what is probably a uniquecostume for his peculiar trade. Thick boots and gaiters protect himfrom the chance of a bite from the snakes. He is slung all over withbags of sacking, his pockets are stufi^ed with tins and boxes, and from hischest hangs a pair of long steel forceps. In his hand he carries a light THE NEW FOREST 33 stick with a ferrule, into which when he rouses a snake he puts in ashort forked piece of hazel wood, and, darting it forward with unerring. The Adder-Catcher. aim, pins the adder to the ground. Stooping down he picks it up lightlywith the forceps, and after holding the writhing creature up for amoment, in which he looks like a rustic iEsculapius, he transfers it to his c 34 THE NEW FOREST sack. Mr. Mills, or Brasher, as he is known among his friends, is a well-known and popular character in the forest, and his services in keepingdown the number of adders are considerable. From March to Septemberhe ranges the forest, and his largest bag was i6o adders in a he boils down, and prepares from their flesh the adders fat,which he sells. Its virtues have been known for so many centuries, andthe favour with which extremely penetrating unguents, such as lanoline,made from the fat of sheeps wool, are now regarded, justifies the reputa-tion it enjoys. The belief that it is a remedy for the bite of the snakeitself may rest on slender groun
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcornishc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1903
