The first edition of this book is dated 1834. The edition used is dated 1865. The publisher was Routledge. The number of pages is 333.

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General information

Captain Frederick Marryat was born July 10 1792, and died August 8 1848. He retired from the British navy in 1828 in order to devote himself to writing. In the following 20 years he wrote 26 books, many of which are among the very best of English literature, and some of which are still in print.

Marryat had an extraordinary gift for the invention of episodes in his stories. He says somewhere that when he sat down for the day’s work, he never knew what he was going to write. He certainly was a literary genius.

“The Poacher” was published in 1841, the eighteenth book to flow from Marryat’s pen.

This e-text was transcribed in 1998 by Nick Hodson, and was re- formatted in 2003, and again in 2005.

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Contents

Chapter I.
In which there is more Ale than Argument.

Chapter II.
In which the Hero of the Tale is formally Introduced.

Chapter III.
Train a Child in the Way he should go, and he will not depart from it.

Chapter IV.
In which the Author has endeavoured, with all his Power, to suit the present Taste of the Public.

Chapter V.
The Sins of the Father are Visited upon the Child.

Chapter VI.
“The World before him, where to choose.“

Chapter VII.
If you want Employment go to London.

Chapter VIII.
A Dissertation upon Pedigree.

Chapter IX.
In which the Advice of a Father deserves Peculiar Attention.

Chapter X.
In which Major McShane narrates some curious Matrimonial Speculations.

Chapter XI.
In which an Interchange and Confidence take place.

Chapter XII.
An Expedition, as of Yore, across the Waters for a Wife.

Chapter XIII.
In which there is some Information Relative to the City of St.

Chapter XIV.
Going to Court, and Courting.

Chapter XV.
A Runaway and a Hard Pursuit.

Chapter XVI.
Return to England.

Chapter XVII.
The Day after the Murder.

Chapter XVIII.
A Coroner’s Inquest.

Chapter XIX.
A Friend in Need is a Friend indeed.

Chapter XX.
In which we again follow up our Hero’s Destiny.

Chapter XXI.
The Scene is again shifted, and the Plot advances.

Chapter XXII.
A very Long Chapter, but in which our Hero obtains Employment in a very Short Time.

Chapter XXIII.
In which our Hero goes on Duty.

Chapter XXIV.
In which Mrs. Chopper reads her Ledger.

Chapter XXV.
In which the Biter is bit.

Chapter XXVI.
In which our Hero again falls in with an Old Acquaintance.

Chapter XXVII.
In which the Wheel of Fortune brings our Hero’s Nose to a Grindstone.

Chapter XXVIII.
On the Science of Tinkering and the Art of Writing Despatches.

Chapter XXIX.
In which the Tinker falls in Love with a Lady of High Degree.

Chapter XXX.
Plotting, Reading and Writing.

Chapter XXXI.
In which the Plot thickens.

Chapter XXXII.
In which the Tinker makes Love.

Chapter XXXIII.
Well done Tinker.

Chapter XXXIV.
A very Long Chapter, necessary to fetch up the Remainder of the Convoy.

Chapter XXXV.
A Retrospect that the Parties may all start Fair again.

Chapter XXXVI.
Our Hero falls in with an old Acquaintance, and is not very much Delighted.

Chapter XXXVII.
In which our Hero returns to his Former Employment, but on a Grander Scale of Operation.

Chapter XXXVIII.
In which the Wheel of Fortune turns a Spoke or two in Favour of our Hero.

Chapter XXXIX.
Chapter of Infinite Variety, containing Agony, Law, Love, Quarrelling, and Suicide.

Chapter XL.
In which our Hero tries Change of Air.

Chapter XLI.
In which our Hero has his Head turned the Wrong Way.

Chapter XLII.
Very Pleasant Correspondence.

Chapter XLIII.
A very Long Chapter, with a very Long Story, which could not well be cut in Half.

Chapter XLIV.
In which the Tide of Fortune turns against our Hero.

Chapter XLV.
In which Mary makes a Discovery of what has been Long Known to the Reader.

Chapter XLVI.
In which our Hero makes up his Mind to be Hanged.

Chapter XLVII.
In which our Hero proves Game to the very Last.

Chapter XLVIII.
In which Everybody appears to be on the Move except our Hero.

Chapter XLIX.
The Interview.

Chapter L.
In which it is to be hoped that the Story winds up to the Satisfaction of the Reader.

A RENCONTRE.

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