SEAFOWL SHOOTING SKETCHES. 45 



never for a moment thought we should have to pay for going- 

 back, or we would not have come, or at least have stopped before 

 getting to Lancaster. We got out, and went to the station to see 

 about getting selves and boat off by train, but, being Sunday, it 

 was no use, and after interviewing another of the canal officials 

 we paid a further 35. 6d., and set off back, looking very sheepish 

 and discontented. Of course, we rowed off, but in a while re- 

 sumed our dragging, muttering " Seven shillings to pay for haul- 

 ing a boat to Lancaster and back ! " 



Our fishing resulted in catching a large horse mussel, and then, 

 much to our relief, we lost the spoon bait. About 10 o'clock we 

 stopped for supper, and ate all our provisions up, including a few 

 oranges (skins and all), purchased in Lancaster. Then we lay 

 down, as on the previous night, but after resting an hour my 

 cousin declared he could " stand " it no longer. " Why, what will 

 you do?" " Get out and tow," he said; and so he did, and 

 through the long night he tramped away, while I lay in the boat. 



Occasionally I looked up, and could just discern him tramping 

 on. With my head muffled up I would lie back, and after a while 

 would hear his footsteps reverberating under a bridge, then would 

 come a couple of bumps as the boat passed under the bridge, and 

 so on. As daylight appeared a cold wind rose, and I got out to 

 help at the dragging, but here we found that the boat was harder 

 to haul when empty by either one or -both of us than when one was 

 aboard. Accordingly I suggested to my companion that he had 

 better ride, but both preferred walking and working to sitting 

 still. At last, as we were getting along so badly, " Drag her to 

 the side and I'll get in," said my cousin. I did so ; he laid hold 

 of the mast, put his foot on the deck, she canted half over, and he 

 was up to the knee in the canal. Of course, he let go the mast, 

 and the boat instantly righted as he sprang out of the water. How 

 I laughed as I tugged at his boot and wrung out his sock, and 

 finally he joined in, enjoying his ludicrous situation. 



Getting all right, we soon arrived at the Clifton Arms, where 

 we had a delicious breakfast of bread and butter, new-laid eggs, 

 and coffee, at a charge of gd. each only. We had to wait while 

 the cows were milked, but did not object to that 



Proceeding on for a short distance, we stopped for a rest, and 

 having a couple of rods, &c., with us, fished for an hour. I 

 caught nothing, and my cousin, being asleep in the hedge backing, 

 I deemed it time to give up, so once more we pushed on, and 

 arrived home about 11 o'clock a.m., altogether tired out, but feel- 

 ing satisfied at having done what we set out to do. I wrote to 

 headquarters about the imposition of a return fare, and in return 

 received a polite note, with a couple of shillings' worth of stamps 

 enclosed. 



