MEN AND MANNERS 65 



was a swan, when a ringing sneeze from the said object 

 stayed his trigger ringer, but only in the nick of time. This 

 white target turned out to be no other than the late " Punt " 

 Palmer, who, to make himself inconspicuous against the 

 white snow on the flats, had gone out shooting with a white 

 jumper on. 



Crowther once shot at a bunch of fowl on the other side of 

 which, at an equal distance, " Salt-fish " Jex was lying. The 

 fowl were badly damaged, and so was Jex, who presently 

 rowed up with shots in his scalp that had penetrated a thick 

 fur cap. 



A certain parson, at one time resident at Burgh Castle, 

 had a flock of geese of an extremely roving disposition ; they 

 roved about the marshes, and flew about Breydon with the 

 greatest of assurance, becoming well known to all who 

 frequented the place, and provoking many an envious 

 thought. 



One foggy evening " Pero " Pestell cajoled Sam Gibbs, 

 another kindred spirit, into an attempt on this adventurous 

 flock, and together they started out in quest of them. They 

 pulled round the North Wall as far as the Dickey Works 

 without meeting with them, but they meant to have a shot if 

 possible. Coming back the same way, Pestell had his 

 suspicions aroused, and laying at his " sights " struck two or 

 three fusees on the stock of the gun, and presently located 

 the " cacklers " on the stone bank against Lamb's rond. 1 

 They hastily fluttered into the water, and began swimming 

 towards the flat. Again Pestell " lay " to his gun, pulling off 

 the oakum which kept the nipple dry, but unfortunately bring- 

 ing away the cap with it. The geese bunched up and lifted 

 themselves on the wing, but " Pero " was too quick for them, 

 for he had at once put on another cap, and fired into the 

 bunch of them, killing seven. They were gathered up and 

 brought home. 



Early next morning Pestell went up Breydon again in 

 quest of some teal that were reported there, which he found 

 and fired into, afterwards rowing over to the south rond to 

 retrieve one or two of the wounded. On the walls he saw 

 James Hurr and " Jimmy " Reece, who had found two of the 

 wounded geese with broken wings. 



1 Since demolished by the tides. 

 F 



