ACCIDENT AT HELIGOLAND 279 



bent upon hearing Tristram's eloquence, and, accord- 

 ingly, after being there 2 or 3 days, we departed, 

 promising to bring the Canon back to fire off the 

 following Sunday. 



In the meanwhile we went to Bremerhaven, and 

 then by land to Bremen and Hamburg, looking up 

 friends ornithological and otherwise at both places. 

 We attempted to return to Heligoland to fulfil our 

 promise, but were blown back to the Weser, and there 

 passed 2 or 3 days uselessly. At last we did reach 

 Heligoland again, and meant to be off at daybreak 

 next morning for Jutland, where I had in view a visit 

 to several happy hunting grounds Avocet, Black 

 Stork, and other nice things. But the glass fell and 

 the wind rose, so we had to lie in the roadstead some 

 days more. The gale was so heavy that we broke an 

 anchor, and had several other little misadventures, 

 while every hour our chance of going to Denmark 

 diminished ; for both Woodall and Tristram had en- 

 gagements at home they were bound to keep. 



When the weather in some degree moderated we 

 went ashore, to dine and sleep at the Governor's house ; 

 and coming back the next day, as I was stepping into 

 the boat from the pier, the big tendon of my sound leg 

 snapped just above the knee-cap. I, of course, col- 

 lapsed ; but it is impossible to exaggerate the kindness 

 of everybody, and after a surgeon had come off to the 

 yacht and built up a wall of plaster of Paris and tow 

 along the whole length of my leg, we got under way 

 for Yarmouth direct. Arrived there (and coming in for 

 another gale on the way), I was brought to London, 

 and was laid up for more than two months at my 

 brother's house. All went well, however, I am thankful 

 to say, and towards the end of August I found I could 

 walk with 2 sticks very fairly.* 



That was the end of his more active days, and 

 thenceforward, to use his own expression, "from a 

 * Letter to Rev. A. C. Smith, October 5, 1882. 



