;-^40 -4 Day on the Fames in Aiifjast. 



a couple 01 liours to look at the umgiiificont cathedral, (hen 

 on through Newcastle, where the roada were atrocious, and 

 nearly jerked us to pieces. However, the weather kept 

 fine, which was all -important, and without mishap we reached 

 Bamburgh in the early ai'ternoon. For a time we imagined 

 we had reached the end of the journej^ by land, but a little 

 later we discovered the small and rather primitive fishing vil- 

 lage of Seahouses, whei^e we were directed to obtain a boat 

 to convey us to the Islands. We were greeted by numbers 

 of Herring Gulls {Larus argentatiis), with which the harbour 

 waj Ci'owded. Some Terns {Sterna ftamatilis), also, were 

 gracc'iuUy winging their w^ay above us, but apart from the 

 Uulis. From here we had our first glimpse of the Fames, 

 which apparently were about a mile away; but "appear- 

 ances are deceptive," as we learned that, in reality, the Islands 

 were about three or four miles distant. We employed some 

 time in exploring the quaint old village, and walching the 

 trawlers bringing in the herrings, and then we began our 

 search for a boat. We had little trouble in obtaining one, 

 and arranged to start at nine o'clock the next morning. The 

 night was fine and mild, and we decided to pitch our tent on 

 the sand dunes outside Seahouses. The sky being perfectly 

 clear we burrowed in the sand, and slept outside the tent, with 

 the mingled song of the sea-birds and the unceasing murmur 

 of the waves lulling us to rest. We slept soundly until the 

 early morning, when a sudden heavy shower of rain com- 

 pelled us to rise, "take up our bed and walk," inside the 

 tent, where we resumed our interrupted slumbers and slept 

 peacefully, and awoke to find the rain had ceased and that 

 we were blessed with a perfect ideal day, with a clear at- 

 mosphere and brilliant sunshine, the Fames showing up in bold 

 relief. Along the shore, close to our tent, crowds of Red- 

 shanks were running about uttering their soft whistling cries, 

 and with the sun dancing and sparkling on the water, and 

 the sand-dunes making a perfect and entrancing picture to 

 the eye of an artist. With difficulty we tore ourselves from 

 the fascination of it all, but breakfast, and the boat at Sea- 

 houses were calling imperatively. On reaching the boat we 

 found our man and two boys ready for us; the former being 

 a rugged, weather-beaten old fisherman, who evidently knew 



