SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 43 



be attributed to the number of navvies working- on the river 

 development, many of whom use guns all the year round. 



Previous to disposing- of my canoe, a clerical friend suggested 

 that it would be a nice out to go from Preston to Lancaster in 

 her, via the canal. I fell in, with the idea (not the canal), and, 

 writing to my cousin, James Higson, of Manchester, arranged 

 the trip. I met the Manchester train on the Saturday before 

 Whitsuntide 1884, my cousin duly arrived, and after liquoring up, 

 debated the point whether to go or not. Tossing up a coin settled 

 the matter in the affirmative. We at once proceeded to the Canal 

 Office, and took out our " bill of lading," for which we paid 

 35. 6d. The said bill was half as long as my arm, and specified 

 nature of vessel, tonnage, cargo, destination, &c. 



Having already got the boat carted to the canal (and weighed, 

 2cwt. iqr. olb., or, with tackle aboard, 2cwt. sqr. olb.) in anticipa- 

 tion, we partook of a good meal and embarkd at seven p.m., tak- 

 ing one of the youngsters a short distance. After leaving him we 

 pulled in turns, and, having a fiddle aboard, I performed for the 

 amusement of the cattle on the banks. It was diverting to see 

 them come running up at the unwonted sounds. I have observed 

 them doing it before ; poultry, also, may be seen gravely shaking 

 their heads, if anyone will sing for them. 



Well, after some tiresome work we arrived at the Clifton Arms, 

 where we had supper, and put on board a gallon bottle of beer. 

 Then, as it was moonlight, we took it in turns to drag the boat. 

 Fixing the line on the port bow, we managed without steering, and 

 so the one who was resting in the boat could lie down. This went 

 on till about midnight, when we got to the other side, and lay 

 down head to feet in the cockpit, which I had now lengthened to 

 six feet. However, as my cousin is rather over that height, he 

 had much difficulty "in lying down. Either his boots were in my 

 face, or vice versa. Covered with our overcoats and the sail, after 

 a good deal of twisting about and asking each other if he was 

 comfortable, we managed to get into an uneasy slumber. 



Towards morning we awoke fearfully starved, teeth audibly 

 chattering. We quite forgot we had a small bottle of whisky with 

 us, and at once got up and commenced the towing process. As 

 the sun arose, and began to warm us, then we enjoyed it. We 

 could hear the corncrakes calling in the meadows; the green 

 plovers were engaged in nesting, and wheeled about on all sides ; 

 water hens glided through the bullrushes ; rabbits scutted off 

 along the hedge bottoms ; any quantity of rooks were cawing 

 away ; a kingfisher darted off under one of the bridges, its emerald 

 back glistening " like a living jewel " in the morning sunlight ; a 

 cock pheasant got up from the towpath and whirred away over 

 the fence. The water was quite clear, and we could see the fish 

 on the bottom. 



