186.2.1 EAST ANGLIAN BOTANY. 365 



and which might be useful to hunters of the picturesque, but 

 superfluous to botanists. Our experience now, as in former 

 times, taught us not to put our trust in game-preservers, nor in fair 

 tenants of preserved premises accessible only by silver passports. 



We passed the nortliern end of the decoy, and crossed the 

 little brook which supplies its flood, wherein we saw Water Lilies 

 both white and yellow, with plenty of Lasirea Thehipteris, and 

 several other things which would be called rare in some parts of 

 the country. Our great object was to botanize about the decoy 

 or in the bogs adjoining, and we relied on the civilities of the 

 gamekeeper, and hoped to get permission to enter and search for 

 ourselves ; as his cottage was close by, not more than a hundred 

 yards from the road, we reckoned on enjoying this pleasure. But 

 alas ! we soon learned that we had reckoned without our host, 

 and that our hopes were delusive. We found the gamekeeper 

 civil enough, but he politely told us that before he could admit 

 us we must produce the authority of Sir Morton Peto, — an im- 

 possibility, for Sir M. Peto was in another locality, and it is pos- 

 sible that if he had been at home he might have objected to our 

 going along the edges of the pond, lest we might disturb the fish, 

 and be the innocent cause of miscarriage in the female part of the 

 finny race, which might perchance be in an interesting condition. 



This civil official prevailed on us to make an application to 

 Mrs. Guy, the fair and courteous lessee of the Decoy farm, and 

 the owner of the boats, of whom tackle and other contrivances 

 for killing wild birds and for catching fish could be hired. 



This arrangement did not suit us exactly, for in the first place 

 we had to retrace our steps at least a mile, and there was an- 

 other long mile of a very dusty road to be trodden ere we 

 reached INTrs. Guy's; a third reason, more poteut than both the 

 others together, forcibly struck us, viz. that the mistress of the 

 fishing-boats and fowling-pieces would think she had but sorry 

 customers in people who were seeking only wild plants. How- 

 ever we were persuaded, went, and, unlike Csesar, did not conquer, 

 but were vanquished and returned empty-handed. The usual 

 " No admission except on business " was very courteously ten- 

 dered, and we took our leave, resolving next time to follow our 

 own counsels, consoling ourselves with the reflection that we 

 were not the first who had been vanquished by the fairer portibu 

 of humanity. 



