34 FRESHWATER GATE. 



wandered about the neighbourhood all day, and shot a 

 stray summer snipe or two, and two or three old crows. 



At Freshwater Gate there is but one inn, and, unfortu- 

 nately, its ' all ' of beds was occupied ; however, there is a 

 little square building belonging to the same establishment, 

 but disconnected, and situated farther down the beach ; and 

 in this the accommodating landlady made up three beds : 

 here, after making an agreement with two fishermen for 

 the services of themselves and their boat at three o'clock 

 the next morning, we turned in for the night, the 

 chambermaid fastening the door outside with a wooden 

 button, to keep us from harm : other fastening there was 

 none. It may be supposed we did not sleep very soundly ; 

 the incessant roar of the sea, as its waves broke on the 

 shingly beach, and approached within a few yards of where 

 we lay ; the odd fastening of our apartment ; tales of smug- 

 glers and pirates, which we had been listening to ; and the 

 anticipation of a novel and exciting sport, furnished us 

 amply with amusement and talking materials, until, at 

 half-past two, one of the fishermen unbuttoned our door, 

 and expressed himself at our service. 



We were soon ancle-deep on a beach, over which a 

 long swell was alternately forcing forwards a multitude of 

 pebbles, or drawing them with it as it retired towards the 

 ocean, and producing an incessant and monotonous rattle, 

 none the more pleasing to our ears, that we had been 

 compelled to listen to it for the last five hours. The night 

 air still blew cold and clammy from over the expanse of 

 waters ; and though the first blush of morning was visible 

 to landward, over the sea all was gloom. The fishermen 

 pushed off the boat, and in a minute they were steadily 

 labouring against a heavy swell and a rising tide ; we 



